S&W 642 with CT or SIG 239?

[xtralogic]

I know these two choices might be only conceal carry weapons to some, but I am trying to choose between the two for CCW and home defense...I like both and have shot them both...the 642 would have a CT laser...I was accurate with both....was wondering if they would be similar in reliability.
Please give any thoughts to which one might be the wiser choice...as far as good advice given to me on this form like feel, and personal pros....they are pretty equal to me somehow.... thanks

 

[TooTaxed]

I have a S&W Model 642 Airweight Hammerless with Crimson Trace Lasergrips as one of my three CC pistols. The laser is invaluable in dim light or night...where the bright red dot is, is where the bullet will hit...no further aiming with the sights or positioning of the gun necessary.

Two downsides...most important, the double-action only, rather hard trigger pull requires a lot of range practice in order to exercise any good control or proficiency...an exposed hammer model enabling single-action shooting is far easier, but the exposed hammer snags clothing. Second, the laser is useless in daylight.

 

[bnkrazy]

P239. But that's because it fits me like a glove.

It's my wife's, but I shoot it like it's an extension of my arm. My P229 has CT grips. I love them, and they are wonderful in low light.

I'd get the P239 and CT grips to go with it.

 

[10-Ring]

I prefer the grip of the 642 even w/ my pinky off the grip

 

[rskent]

Xtralogic
I have both a 642 and a 239.No CT grips though. They have both been 100% reliable. That’s 100%. They do however shoot totally differently. With practice the J frame 642 can be very accurate. My 239 is scary accurate. It fits my hand like a glove. A few years ago, a buddy of mine, with large hands, wanted to try it out. He couldn’t hit anything with it. So I guess what I am saying is, get what fits your hand the best. We have all seen videos with police empting a glock at a suspect and never hitting them. Ever ask yourself why?

Steve

 

[AK103K]

I too have both. I find the P239 much easier to shoot well with.

My P239 is chambered in 357SIG, which basically puts it in the 357MAG power level, so its also a bit more powerful than the +P .38's the 642 carries. It also carries 2-3 more rounds, depending how you load the gun.

I dont have CT''s, as I'm not a laser fan, but I do have night sights on the P239, which work well.

My only real complaint with the P239, is the stock grips. I find them a tad skinny, and would prefer more swell through the palm. I replaced the factory grips with Houge wood grips. It would be nice if SIG would offer something a little fuller in their factory plastic grips though, as I prefer them to most of the others.

Shooting wise, I think you'll find the P239 is the better gun, pretty much all around. Its much more comfortable to shoot over the J frames, and you can shoot it all day long with no discomfort. Shooting the J frames, and especially the Airweights, can quickly become painful, especially if you practice with full power loads. A box of 50 is usually all my hand can stand at an outing, and its usually sore the next day to boot.

The triggers on both are very good, and the P239 can be had in a couple different configurations if you wish.

My groups at 15 yards with the P239 are usually about the same size as my groups at 7 yards with my 642's or 60.

If your considering the P239, I'd also look at the P229 or P250. They are basically the same size as the P239, but carry about half again as much more ammo on board. They all shoot and handle the same. The P250 is also DAO, and has a VERY nice trigger.

 

[easyg]

I like them both, but in the reliability department I think the revolver wins.

But the double-action revolver trigger does take practice to master.

 

[TooTaxed]

The trick in shooting the double-action-only S&W 642 is to stick your trigger finger far through the trigger guard so that the end of your finger presses against the frame at the rear of the trigger guard...pull hard until you feel a very slight "click" and hold...a very slight pressure after that will fire the pistol.

Engagement ranges are likely to be short, and you are highly unlikely to get into a pitched gun battle, as in the three instances guns have saved me from physical assaults, the perps departed VERY quickly as soon as they realized I was armed. Two or three rounds are all you are likely to need. One shot, even in the air, draws lots of attention.

 

[easyg]

One shot, even in the air, draws lots of attention.

One shot in the GROUND would be much nicer.
Bullets shot in to the air always land somewhere....sometimes in a person's head.

 

[RatDrall]

A better comparrison would be a S&W Model 64 with a 3" barrel, it's much closer in size to the P239.

A 3" S&W Model 64 with CT round butt grips would be a great "do it all" gun.

 

[AK103K]

I like them both, but in the reliability department I think the revolver wins.

Revolvers are just as prone to problems as autos. When you do have one with a revolver, its usually not going to be solved then and there.

But the double-action revolver trigger does take practice to master.

DA triggers are really not that hard to learn, if you want to lean them. A little dedicated practice and you'll pick it right up. Once you do, I doubt your ever thumb cock your gun again. Its really the way a revolver was meant to be shot, at least realistically anyway.

Engagement ranges are likely to be short...

You still need to be proficient to a reasonable distance too, and should practice shooting at all distances regularly.

Two or three rounds are all you are likely to need.

Hopefully.

One shot, even in the air, draws lots of attention.

I'm sure you'll draw a lot if to you if do this too.

A better comparrison would be a S&W Model 64 with a 3" barrel, it's much closer in size to the P239.

The P239 and 642 really arent all that different size wise. This will give you a rough idea.




And as I said earlier, the P239 isnt really much different than the P250(lower left) or the P229(lower right)

 

[easyg]

Revolvers are just as prone to problems as autos.

I strongly disagree.
Yes, revolvers can fail.
But no, from my experience, revolvers don't fail nearly as often as auto-loaders.

You can take 500 new never-been-fired revolvers and 500 new never-been-fired autoloaders, and a box of ammo for each, and I'm willing to bet that you will have more autoloaders with stoppages than revolvers.

 

[AK103K]

Depends on the auto loader on one hand, and how you work the revolver, and what you do to it prior to shooting it, on the other.

On new (and a few used) revolvers I've had ejector rods back out and tie up the cylinder, I've also had the side plate screw back out and the cylinder fall off the gun during a reload. Prior to learning the proper way to reload, I've had crap get under the extractor star, again tying up the cylinder, as well as have bullets back out of the case mouth locking up the gun. Fouling on the face of the cylinder, especially if its a tight gap, will also give you troubles. There are quite a few nasty things that can happen with a revolver that can spoil your day if you dont stay on top of them.

All new (and used for that matter) revolvers need some things addressed with Loc Tite before you take them out. Proper technique usually takes care of the fouling issues.

They are not excempt from breakage either. I had a pair of 940's, the original and its replacement, that had parts break internally within the first 200 rounds of being new, that required disassembly just to get the unfired ammo out of the gun to send them back.

So far with the SIG's I own, all I've had to do was load the mags and shoot. No failures (other than an occasional reload issue) yet in 17 guns.

 

[TooTaxed]

EASYG (Post #9), shots fired to the ground...on paving...always go somewhere...maybe in a person's head.

 

[xtralogic]

thanks for the advice everyone keep it comming..and i thought draw weapon means use it..not warn people....a guy i know said a fbi agent shot a "warning shot in the dirt and it hit a rock and took out the bg knee....big issue...pull when ready thats there new rule

 

[TooTaxed]

The three times my guns have saved me from physical assaults I never had to fire a shot...once the bad guys (in one case four!) realized I was armed they departed VERY quickly...I suppose to find someone who wasn't armed...