[jtheise4]

I've been looking to get a small revolver for CCW, so I went to the local range yesterday and rented a S&W 642 with Crimson Trace grips. I shot it both with and without the laser. Although I would not say the gun is 'fun' to shoot, the recoil was reasonable and my hand did not hurt much after shooting 50 38 special rounds through it. One thing I did notice that its not the easiest gun to sight. I was able to put all rounds within a 6" radius (I got progressively better as I shot) at 15 to 20 feet. I've heard stories of guys shooting their J-frames at 100 yards (although I honestly have no idea why anyone would want to do so). After shooting one, I'm not sure how anyone could hit anything much beyond 20 yards with stock sights. Are these guns really that accurate or are people just talking???

[Iggy]

The gun is "mechanically capable" of shooting 100 yards. The short sight radius is not conducive to doing so.

It can be done and with regularity. It's called learning your gun.

[one45auto]

Snub-nosed revolvers are intended to be close range defensive weapons, hence I generally practice on targets less than 10 to 15 feet away. I've never tried shooting 100 yards with any of my revolvers. If I need to go that distance, I'll reach for my Winchester.

[Peakbagger46]

Yes, they are accurate guns. After a lot of practice with mine, I can hit a man-sized target at 50 yards, though I can do so at 100 yards with a glock.

You will find the S&W M&P 340 has better sights, but it is expensive if you don't want to shoot .357 rounds.

[Walkalong]

I regularly shoot pins at 30 yards with 2 1/2 (686) & 3" (696 & 1911) guns. It takes a bit more concentration, but is is very doable. The guns are accurate.

[AKElroy]

I've never tried shooting 100 yards with any of my revolvers. If I need to go that distance, I'll reach for my Winchester.

I've done it with my 7.5" Blackhawk .44, but then again, I have rifles that weigh less.

[ACP230]

I've shot my S&W Bodyguards out to 50 yards.
It's not too difficult to keep the shots on a silhouette target at that range, shooting single action. Sometimes I get all five in six to 10 inches, sometimes I keep four out of five on the target.

I figure I have the targets, the gun, the ammo, and the curiosity, so why not shoot snubs at 50 occasionally.

[Lou22]

I bought my 642 a couple years ago for pocket carry. I went through a lot of sub-compact autos and snubs looking for the best combination of carry convenience, power, accuracy and reliability. I finally settled on the 642 and a Kahr PM9 auto. I particularly liked both guns as I found them to be relatively quick and easy for me to establish 3-4 inch groups at 21 feet, which I consider good enough for self-defense. Like other posters here said, 642's can be shot at greater ranges with decent accurary. But self-defense shots are usually taken at very short range.

Lou

[Old Fuff]

Old timers often shot S&W Military & Police and Colt Detective Special revolvers with 2" barrels at distances out to 100 yards and even beyond. Today that seems to be a lost art. Without question these revolvers can keep they're shots inside the K-zone of a B-27 silhouette target at those ranges, so it's up to the shooter.

"But why do so," you might ask? "Snubbies are for close range." Well generally yes, but you might find yourself in a situation where a more effective firearm wasn't close at hand. A competent marksman with a snubby can at least lay down suppressive fire to cover a withdrawal to better cover.

If one gets over the mental block concerning what can or can't be done they might get a surprise. Maximum skill with whatever you are likely to be carrying is not a sin.

If one wants to limit themselves to a distance of no more then 10 or 15 yards (or less) that's their business. If I had to defend myself from an assailant I would prefer to do it at a longer distance and hope he was a worse shot then I. ;)

[David E]

Maximum skill with whatever you are likely to be carrying is not a sin.

Amen !!!

[ArchAngelCD]

jtheise4,
Welcome to the forum.

Along with the shorter sight radius on a J frame the heavy trigger adds to the difficulty of shooting a J frame well. You will get better with practice. I would suggest a lot of dry firing using snap-caps to practice. The added benefit, a smoother trigger because of all the trigger pulls... As for why some shooters try to hit target 100 yards out, because it's hard to do and not many shooters can. I will practice at times out to 50 yards with a J frame because if I can shoot it well out to 50 yards, I will shoot it VERY well at 15 yards. You can never be good enough with the weapon you might have to use to protect life.

[chieftain]

Maximum skill with whatever you are likely to be carrying is not a sin.

BINGO!

Right on target.

Go figure.

Fred

Stupid should hurt

[351 WINCHESTER]

When I was younger and my eyes were better I set up a 55 gallon drum filled with water and from the bench I was able to hit it most of the time. This was from a dao 640. I doubt I could do this anymore, but what' the point anyway?

[rcmodel]

I won a lot of beer money when I was in the Army years ago with my Chiefs Special shooting at 5 gal buckets and ammo packing cases at 100 yards.

I was also shooting pistol for 5th. Inf AMU at the time, so was a pretty decent pistol shot.

But that was then, and I was shooting the Chief Special SA, certainly not DA.

Still today, you wouldn't want me shooting at you at 100 yards with one I betcha!

rc

[Bill B.]

First time shooting a S&W J-frame

While S&W 642 is one of the more popular J's ever made I think you would have been better off starting with either a S&W 36 or 34 that had both SA & DA to get the feel of the revolver. The 642 trigger takes some getting used to and practice is the only thing that will get you used to it. As far as snub's go I have seen my father kill a lot of game with a pre M31 with is actually an I frame. Rabbits, groundhogs, possum's, a rabid skunk where all put down at some pretty good distances as I have seen him make shots out to 35 yards. J's are capable but many don't put them to enough use to ever see their potential. By the way I still have my Dad's old pre 31 and it doesn't shoot as good for me as it did for him. Must be going bad sitting in the safe ...........reckon?

[Banfield]

Hi, first post, though I've been lurking for awhile. Funny you should ask about the long-range snubby today--I just went through the US Shooting Academy's intro to defensive pistol course with some of my immediate family, and they had us shooting from 85 yards with whatever we had. My mom had a little taurus 2'' .38, and she was able to make hits on a chest-sized steel plate about 50% of the time, and she doesn't even practice on a regular basis! She even fired every shot DA.

That part of the class in particular was really eye-opening. First they had us shoot at 25 yards, and most of us were doing alright, though it was sorta difficult. Then they moved us back to 50, and it was getting pretty hard. Then they moved us all the way back to 85, and the misses really started. After that, though, they moved us back to 25 yards, and it felt MUCH easier to get them all on that plate at a pretty quick pace. Before that class, I would've thought anything beyond 25 yards was crazy for a defensive handgun, certainly a snubby, but like I said, it was a real eye-opener.

[C-grunt]

The snubs definitely have the accuracy but the sites can be a hinderance. A while back I was out plinking with my father in law and we were shooting at pie plates around 50 to 75 yards away with my 3" SP101. Shooting SA we put a good amount of holes in the thing.

[doc540]

I shoot and carry Colt snubs.

Here's my 2 cents regarding accuracy:

1. Get a grip system you can hold well during recoil (factory rubber, Badger, Spegel, etc)

2. Have a good gunsmith smooth the trigger action.

3. Buy 1,000 rounds of low power wadcutters (at first do NOT practice with full power loads)

4. Shoot...shoot...shoot




After about 500 rounds you'll start shooting it more accurately, your confidence will improve, and you'll start having so much fun shooting it, you'll shoot more.

The more ya shoot, the straighter you'll shoot.

[kmrcstintn]

there is a big difference firing a snub-nosed revolver from a ransom rest while using a remote trigger device and shooting offhand using your own muscles; various loads from different manufacturers loaded with different weight and type of projectiles will also effect inherent accuracy