S&W 442 / 642 No-Lock - Rare?

I ordered and received a no-lock 642-1 from Gilbert's Guns 2 months ago. I think the sales clerks are underinformed...

Yes, they can be had either way, lock / no lock, Gander mt or cabalas (for the most part) are about the last places I would go to talk "guns" jmop

Give Mike a call, he will put you in a nice 642/442 nolock at a great price,

A bit off topic but does S&W offer other no-lock models?

Average Shooter: Thanks. Nice work.

New S&W 442-1 no lock, .38 special + P, available from davidsons. They are current production firearms and should be readily available for order from distributors like davidsons, but you won't see them on many shelves. Most retail stores I visited were not aware of these either.





See the 642 club part III for more discussion and photos.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=554071

I had the same experence at Bass Pro, I asked about the 642 NL and got the same "nope, don't make 'em" story from the staff.

I know better because I've found them on Gunbroker.

Now, they did tell me the Taurus Judge was the best home defence weapon made .... and I AM grateful for that tid-bit of information.

GGF

It is a lot easier for a retailer to stock "a" single variant of a model, then to keep two or more in inventory. Therefore in some stores it's not unusual to find out that what they have is the only available choice. For that reason I often end up at some other shop. :banghead:

I think I saw no locks in Cabela's the other day and some local stores.

Yes, they can be had either way, lock / no lock, Gander mt or cabalas (for the most part) are about the last places I would go to talk "guns" jmop

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AMEN! I went to GM a couple of months ago looking for Tite Group or Accurate Arms #5 (smokeless powder) & they had no idea what I was talking about. I had to go in their powder cabinet & get it myself.

if they would only make them No Lock, No MIM, No multi piece barrel...

I purchased one from here back in July....called on a Weds. and it was at my FFL Fri. morning. Alot of places have the option lock or no-lock.....

http://www.centerfireguns.com/smith-and-wesson-38-special-150544.html

if they would only make them No Lock, No MIM, No multi piece barrel...and pigs could fly...

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There, finished it for ya.

finished it for ya

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thank you

I know it is an impossible dream.

Is the internal lock that BAD?

I have two kids and kind of like the idea....

I know they exist and was told the SAME thing at a local sporting goods store.

The salesman acted like he had no time for me, not going back there.

What, if any, is the opinion AGAINST this gun WITH lock?

I am in the market for one soon.

To my layman mindset, it SHOULDN'T interfere with operation, but mostly aesthetics and a safety feature.

PLEASE correct me if I am wrong.

Paiste

The idea of a lock, in and of itself is not necessarily bad.

The S&W lock is one of the most idiotic designs since the nuclear rifle (it's range was less than the blast zone)

Some companies, like Taurus, have a lock that works side to side.

The Smith lock works on the same axis, and opposite, as the recoil of the gun. Therefore it sometimes locks itself while shooting. (if you are old enough to remember screen doors...think about when the hook gets caught in the up position and slamming it. It hooks itself)

Other guns, like the Ruger and Taurus have locks...but the Smith was designed is thoroughly idiotic.

Paiste, welcome to THR

that whole S&W ILS lock thing is probably the #1 HOT topic in any/all revolver forums, has been for many years now
(you might want to fasten your seat beat !)

short version being what G said
bad design
nobody actually likes 'em or wants 'em (except Safe-T-Hammer, the parent company who bought up S&W some years ago)
but... they only very rarely actually fail in actually practice, and even then most prone to do so in a ultralite magnum, re; harsh recoil
and they are quite easily removed, and the hole can be plugged
so.. a lot of people (self included) really don't worry about it
but extreme few actually like it (nor do I)

and if S&W ever gave it up, we would then have to settle for MIM flame wars as #1 HOT topic !

My GUT tells me it is pretty dumb because if the inevitale could happen, accidental locking, it could be bad.

I know by definition it would interfere with lock.

I guess my phrasing should have been, during normal operation I would't think that it would lock itself.

For this matter alone I have some thoughts against it.

I like the idea, but I could put an actual, oh I don't know padlock on there! But to me, as a machinist, less interference, less to go wrong.

My thing is, when the chips are down would I be thinking of where to find the key? What If the key wasn't easily accessible? What if I am in the dark and an intruder is in my home.

What am I to do ? "Hold on bad guy , I have to unlock my gun, please don't harm me in the interim."

I saw it and thought, that could work as long as no reported problems.

One failure is enough for me.

I think when I opt to get one of these weapons, I'll go lockless.

as a machinist, less interference, less to go wrong

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with your experience you certainly understand the lunacy of the lock turning on the same axis as the recoil of the gun. Any looseness in the mechanism and the gun locks itself.

Doesn't happen often but it happens.