[craig_o]

going to be taking the 442 plunge in the near future and I wanted to know what (if anything) you guys recommend for obtaining proficiency quickly with this proportedly hard-to-master gun.

buying a .22 revolver to accompany it is out of the question, although I do have a .22 buckmark.

[rdrancher]

The 442 is an excellent choice for an "always" gun.

Here's a good link to get you started. You'll find great info throughout Mr. Camp's website.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/Making%20J%20Frame%20Work.htm

rd

[GEM]

I started shooting a 642 in IDPA matches and got some snap caps and practiced speed loading over and over at home.

I need some range time for the long shots - still a touch off for moi.

[MrTuffPaws]

Snap caps as a lot of time spent pulling the trigger with proper form.

Make sure you get 10 snap caps and some speed strips and or speed loaders so that you can also practice unloading and reloading.

[dbarale]

Start with some light loads (.38 wadcutters...), setup five paper plates at 7yards. From concealment, draw and engage each plate one round each.
When you can keep all the rounds in the plates within 10 sec. move them to 10 yds... When you get good at 10 yards, start back at 7 yards with some hotter ammo.

At home, dry fire with snap caps, a lot.

[BP44]

+1 on the snap caps for reloading drills that is the hardest part to master

[ArchAngelCD]

Snap caps are probably the best thing you can buy to help you because TRIGGER CONTROL is the key to shooting a snub nose revolver well. After about 500/600 or so trigger pulls you will have a better understanding of how to fire your snub nose. The added bonus is, you get a smother trigger because of all the pulls!!

You will soon be able to do this without a problem.
This target shows 5 rounds of .38 Special from a S&W M638, 10 yards out, two handed, unsupported:

http://i116.photobucket.com/albums/o26/ArchAngelCD/Jframetarget10.jpg

[TAB]

Laser grips... they will give you lots of feed back on what you are doing with the gun( more so with the tirgger)

[MrTuffPaws]

IMO avoid laser grips for anything other than dry firing. You'll spend too much time looking for the dot.

If you want to get past the flinch, load 4 live rounds and one empty. Spin the cylinder and lock it home. When you get to it, you should see just how bad you are flinching and how much you need to correct.

[Round Gun Shooter]

Most important part of mastering a J frame is the trigger. Snap caps and Dry fire, dry fire, dry fire.

Use that trigger time to learn to keep your almost non existent sights on target and develop a smooth start to finish trigger pull.