Lightweight snub revolver

[cookie]

IMO the S&W 642 is ultimate

IMO the 442 is ultimate:winkkiss:

 

[SynapticSilence]

I've got an S&W 442 .38 +P Airweight and a Ruger LCR .357. The 442 is very concealable and with a great trigger but a real handful to shoot. The LCR isn't as pretty or as small, but the trigger is exceptional and it's an amazingly soft shooting gun with .38 +P ammo and even .357s if you're not recoil-averse. I swapped the regular Hogue Tamer grip out for the smaller Hogue boot grip (which also has a tamer insert) and upgraded to the XS large dot tritium sight. It remains very controllable but is much more concealable with the boot grip and the big XS sight makes pointing it a breeze. I'd go with the LCR .357 if I only had one to choose from.

 

[bigmacattack]

I really wanred to like my 642 but it was really uncomfortable to shoot, and i couldnt hit the broad side of a barn with it.

 

[stmcelroy]

I really wanred to like my 642 but it was really uncomfortable to shoot, and i couldnt hit the broad side of a barn with it.

What distance were you shooting it at? They hit hard on both ends and are super easy to carry, but they are not target guns by any means.

 

[cookie]

I really wanred to like my 642 but it was really uncomfortable to shoot, and i couldnt hit the broad side of a barn with it.

They are not a range toy. They serve their intended purpose well. The accuracy can be surprising. 7 yards to personal contact they work and they work well.

 

[Snubbie]

Can't go wrong with a 442/642, great value IMO. Put a real grip on it (Pachmayr Compac) and the accuracy greatly improves while the +P discomfort goes away.

 

[ArgentineSteel]

When I carried a snubby it was a 357, but I seldom shot the 357 out of it. 38+P were easier to handle and easy to keep on target. next Snubby will be a 38. 357 in a small gun is only for mult-cartridge capability, and I like the Governor for that.

 

[Pandaz3]

My new 637 is a .38 and rated for +P if I wanted, but I am carrying those pink tipped reduced recoil Hornaday rounds in it. I did not know that is what they were till later when I saw an ad for them. But oh well I think they will work. I could carry my Taurus 605 snubbie (.357 Mag) or My S&W 351PD (7 shot .22 Mag). The Taurus is heavy, I have put enough .357 through it to know that the revolver, me, and the ammo can make a powerful and accurate adversary to any threat I encounter. The S&W 351PD is much lighter, easier to carry, easier to shoot and noticeably more accurate. I believe in .22 Magnum, but more as a backup. Both those snubbies have exposed hammers that do snag drawing out of concealment. There are workarounds to that issue, but my new 637 has a bobbed hammer and it does not snag on my snaggiest clothes. I also think any variety .38 works well for self defense. Still I plan to carry my XD-S .45 when it comes back from recall and I am carrying my LC9 in the meantime. My .38 will see more use in a jacket pocket this fall and winter. You cannot reliably expect an Auto to cycle in your pocket.

 

[ma96782]

Geez, I'm SO sick of Berkowitz being brought up EVERY SINGLE TIME someone mentions the Charter Arms .44 Bulldog!
WHO CARES?!....IT WAS 35 YEARS AGO! Put it to freakin' bed already!
The association DOES NOT make the gun bad, it only proves the owner was mentally unstable!
Give it a rest! :angry::complain:




Dean

Should we forget that Pres. Lincoln was assainated with a single shot derringer fired by John Wilkes Booth? WHO CARES.......it was over 148 years ago!

Humm........maybe, we should remember Booth for his acting? And, don't even go there. Yes, the president is an important person. But, the victims of David Berkowitz are just as important to their families. Furthermore, I doubt that the families of Berkowitz's victims would want people to forget about it, just because it was over 35 years ago.

Like it or not, some people and firearms are "famous/infamous" and will be linked throughout history. So, whatever dude.

Aloha, Mark

PS.......I'd like to someday see........

Hitler's....PPK
Gen. Patton's.......SAA
Oswald's.......Carcano
Sirhan Sirhan's......Iver Johnson
Jack Ruby's........Colt Cobra revolver
John Wayne's.........Colt clones
Etc, etc, etc......

 

[lcb97269]

I see that Pirogue seems to like everything.

Personally, I have owned a few and handled/shot many. My favorite is the Colt detective special, no longer made, but made when colt made good guns. Will never buy a new one from them again. Quality is way down.

Sure, it weighs a bit more than the newer stuff, but the accuracy, durability, reliability and comfort to shoot is next to none. Plus it holds 6 shots. It is such good gun, I gave mine to my mother who showed me she could shoot it - WW2 navy trained. She turned 90 in April and we just finished a 4300 mile, 3 week road trip around the southwest last Monday. Don't mess with her. She is tougher than she looks. So is the detective special, if you can find one.

 

[coop44]

I have found a few things to be true over the years,

lightweight guns are made to carry, and are extremely uncomfortable to shoot.

short barreled guns require considerable practice to hit a target beyond extremely close range.

effectiveness of +P and 357 from a short barrel isn't much better than a 38special, much is lost in muzzle flash and recoil. spectacular fireworks does not equal any (or much) increase in performance.

let's face it, most of us are carrying more than a few ounces in extra weight. therefore the arguement for super lightweight guns doesn't make nuch sense to me.

short barrels don't make much sense either, the barrel length is easy to conceal (say a 4"), it's the grip frame size that can be difficult to hide.

performance will be better too.


Give me a plain old model 10, (or 64) with service grips on a square butt frame any day, I'll actually be able to hit something with accuracy and the recoil won't make me flinch.

this is just my opinion, I've only been shooting for 45 years. worked in the gun industry for 15 years, retail and gunsmithing. shot trap and skeet competitively for 10 years.

what do I know?

(I carry an FNP45 or a Sig P229 year round)

 

[DeanMk]

Listen to Coop44! He speaks the truth.
...and while we're at it, S&W - please bring back the 696. Thank you.


Dean