642 Club Part Three

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Guess I'm an accidental member of the club. I started out with a brushed nickeled 442 but after several years of carry and shooting the frame cracked. Sent it to S&W for repair and they sent back a 642 with an apology letter because to was unrepairable and they no longer had the 442 in that finish. So now it spends a great deal of time in the pocket.
 
Question for the membership. I live near a golf course which is known to have rattlesnakes on it's greens in the summers, and here in New Mexico the summers are hot! When I walk the dog on the fringes of the golf course I always have one shotshell lined up in first position. Last week I had two in the first two slots and decided to test them at the range later in the day. The first fired as expected, but then the cylinder wouldn't rotate. Close inspection revealed that the plastic cap on the second shotshell had moved out of the case and was preventing the cylinder from rotating. Has anyone else experienced this or am I just lucky?
 
I haven't experienced shot-capsule jump myself, but I have read about it enough to realize that it seems fairly common.

I'm wondering if the light weight S&W isn't adding to the issues, as lightweight .44's and .357's seem to have bullet jump a lot under recoil.

At least you found out about it at practice time and not nose-to-forked tongue with a rattlesnake!

Stay safe!
 
I handload my own shotshell capsules. I have to crimp hard with a roll crimp to stop that. With a taper crimp, they’ll come on back out from recoil in my 642.
 
Guess I'm an accidental member of the club. I started out with a brushed nickeled 442 but after several years of carry and shooting the frame cracked. Sent it to S&W for repair and they sent back a 642 with an apology letter because to was unrepairable and they no longer had the 442 in that finish. So now it spends a great deal of time in the pocket.
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I was a member (briefly) with this somewhat rare 3". Didn't find out about the frame cracking issue until after I bought it, of course. It quickly found a new home with a serious S&W collector while I look for a pinned M36 or 37.......:(
 
Just got my second 642 to replace the one I once owned.

It's a basic 642 model with no lock.

I took it to the range yesterday and tested it with my reloads and with BB 150gr wadcutters...

Gotta say it was a bit snappy...

Found some Hogue grips today, which I'll test again tomorrow. KIMG0089.JPG
 
I bought one a few months back. Was some what apprehensive about buying do to the aluminum frame and familiar with how they are not suited for Pocket guns and small 9'mms. So I continue to shoot the heck out of the LCR9mm which obviously can handle a lot of ammo down range. The Smith well just be carried a lot, because of the Light weight. I can say I really like the Little gun.
Also Train with the LCR22.

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Nice. I love Centennials. I used to have a 640 that was stamped ""Rated for +P" on the frame just below the cylinder and I foolishly traded it off. Been looking for a replacement ever since.
 
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Thumbnail pic above.

New to the club. Even got it in time for the rebate.

Only downside noted so far is the TK moonclips will not work with Winchester brass.

Still, it is a sweet piece and fits perfectly in my hand.
 
Yes, I like them. Much more shootable and it still fits in my front pocket just fine. Those boot grips are staying in the holster drawer "for a long time".
 
I just joined the club last month . I wanted a 638 and almost resigned myself to that nasty Hillary Hole. Then I read how guys had jamming due to that and said no way Straight to the 642 on sale for 344 and a S&W $30 rebate card. No stupid handcuff key hole in the side either. Looking closely at one of those things it looks almost identical to the S&W cuffs they issued me ages ago.. I wonder.....
I haven’t carried a revolver since I gave US Customs back their CS-1 and bought a Glock 23 for work. I found right out of the box that trigger was somewhere between rough and an early 1960s cap gun I once played with. Sitting there dry firing it 500+ times did settle it down some. It shoots pretty good now but not as nice as my LCP Custom. That’s got the ideal long moderately heavy smooth trigger for my liking. I’ve only put about 75 rounds through this 642 . I do like how it stages though . I’ll probably get a set of Wilson Springs and smooth those internals just a touch .
I still prefer my tiny LCP for a hideout due to its size and weight . After shooting a box of 100 grain reloads my hand is actually bruised and the little guy tosses brass way out there Spread far and wide. That thing actually cut my palm one day, it’s painful! Shooting the 642 is painless with home rolled 158 SWC cast bullets and reloading is actually enjoyable.
 
I belonged to this club off and on over the past decade and have been happy with my KLCR for the past 5 years or so. I've been looking for a small carry gun for bit and stumbled on the 642s for $279 today. That's hard to beat and I now have one on the way! Can't wait to post a picture!
 
I belonged to this club off and on over the past decade and have been happy with my KLCR for the past 5 years or so. I've been looking for a small carry gun for bit and stumbled on the 642s for $279 today. That's hard to beat and I now have one on the way! Can't wait to post a picture!

I tried one from academy sports for $329 recently. Hard trigger at the very end of a slightly longer pull than the LCR, but fine for a $329 revolver. Maybe I’ll gift it to my brother. Who knows.

A little smaller than the LCR, but not much. A fine little pocket carry. Not an LCR, but good enough for an extra to have around.
 
Really like this one! About 2 weeks old. I shoot this one a lot better than my last one! Carrying those little 130gr Federal HST rounds. Still don't know if it's a better picket gun than my LCP but it's more fun to shoot.

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I joined this club about 2 years ago when I started as an LEO. Love my 642, rides with me everyday in uniform. Even occasionally comes with me off duty. From stalking this thread before I joined here I found the Mika’s holsters and bought one that I love. It occasionally rides around on my ankle as well.
 
While out shopping a few years ago 20190810_160940.jpg my wife and i stopped by the local gun shop. Now, all guns in a gun shop will catch my eye but that little 642+1 stood out just a little more. I picked it up and started telling her how she needed a little hand gun to have around when i was out of town working. We actually left the gun shop and was on our way home when i finnaly convinced her she needed that gun. Put a set of Hogue monogrips on and off we went. Now "I" have a nice 642 in "My" collection.
 
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I have been thinking about trying speed strips.
I used to use speed strips quite a bit. I had stocked up on quite a few. Unfortunately, I found that as they age they begin to become brittle, often with little warning. I have found that sometimes what seemed to be a perfectly good speed strip would break in two in my pocket or when I tried to use it. I went through my speed strips and found most of them, even unused ones, had become brittle and unreliable. I threw them away and went back to speedloaders which are bulkier but faster, more reliable, and far more durable.
 
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