The 642 club

Stainz,

Nice pair.

jt1,

Yes It's a bummer.

Add one more to the club.

Hey, I shot my wheelguns exclusively today. Not my 642, but I did put 304 rounds though my K-22. That works out to $5.53 worth of ammo, God I love 22 LR!

As for 44 Magnum, I got to shoot my first 44 Mag last weekend, an 8" Ruger Redhawk with Hogue monogrips. The recoil wasn't nearly as bad as I was expecting. Not much more than my 4" 686 shooting 357s. Gotta love that deep, powerful BOOOOOOOOM emitted by the big 44.

Speaking of felt recoil, though I prefer the look of wood stocks I have been avoiding them for my 642 because I was concerned about what they would do to felt recoil. Those concerns have been allieviated, as I fired some 357 mags from my 686+ equipped with Ahrends wood stocks today. Acually, the recoil wasn't noticeably different than with rubber grips. In a way, the wood was more comfortable because the skin of your hands doesn't get grabbed and pulled like it does with rubber.

Then again, the 642's stock boot grips work really well. If it aint broke, don't fix it.

isa

Let me be the first to welcome you to the Club. Where did you learn about the X42 or Centennials, Airweights or snubs?

jad, nice to know if i get some BBQ grips of wood and if the BBQ gets out of hand things will come off as practiced.
I have wondered about solid grips and snubs. KaBoom. Iv'e yet to light up a wheeler beginning with a 4.

What Kind of Speed Loader

For you guys that use speedloaders, whawt kinds do you use? HKS, or the Safariland shown here. Also, the Snubnose files is an interesting site for those of you that haven't seen it:

http://www.snubnose.info/docs/comp1_speedloader.htm

I cant believe there is a 642 club. This awesome gun is how I stumbled onto this site. This is actually my next purchase. I have been to gun shops all over where I live to get opinions on this gun and they all sell them but most of the workers in them recomend something else for their own reason. Most even recomend automatic over a revolver around here. Not me. I have been wanting this gun, just been looking for support on this gun. Now I have found it and want feel alone carrying this bad boy. Most Gun shops around here say they sell them and they are popular, but say they are being bought for womens' hand bags. Not thats a bad idea and think this would be a good gun for my wife, but this is also a MAN's concealed gun. . Hope I can join the club real soon.

Isa and J-man, welcome.

Hope I can join the club real soon.

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You already did.

It jetpolar here: a member of the 642 club in sunny Miami fla.
I have a question for you old timers. I have about a 6 MONTH OLD 642-2
I carry it every day in a mico front pocket holster. I thought it was mint.
I only shot it twice and I baby it. I was putting a set of pachmeyer grips on it and noticed the finish is already peeling of in some spots around the back strap, and behind lock area. anyone else had this happen? do the gun shops replace the guns or do we have to send it back? when there this new? any comments appreciated

jetpolar

1BLINDREF - Detonics .45ACP, here's the story:
http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/detonics.htm

I will never be qualified to by anyones moral compass. PC be damned.

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DA - Now that's what I want to hear from the SAE of this club! Bravo! and may I add: Diversity Training? We don't need no stinking Diversity Training, we like the 642 and the 442.

Any chance for a side by side comparison photo (and maybe even an overlay) with your 642? Pretty please?

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Nem - Here you are. The one thing about this auto is that it has very little felt recoil, much less than any other .45 I have ever had and less than a 642 with +P's. What recoil there is pushes straight back. But it weighs 30 oz. w/o magazine and ammo.

Stainz - Very nice set, I foresee some model S&W .357 in my future. I have my eye on a 67-3 and would not mind a K-22 as well. Like to have them all hardchromed or bead blasted to match my 642

isa268, J_Man, jetpolar - Welcome to you all. We are happy to have you here at the 642 Club.

J_Man, the X42's are good for everyone.

jetpolar, Sorry to hear about your finish, I have not heard of wear problems with the -2 models. Might have something to do with your location? We have a lot of members in FL, so we'll see what they say. I doubt if the dealer will be of much help to you but it's worth a try. S&W will take care of you, but it is a shame to have problems with a new gun.

I have been to gun shops all over where I live to get opinions on this gun and they all sell them but most of the workers in them recomend something else for their own reason. Most even recomend automatic over a revolver around here.

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Crazy talk. What's wrong with those gun salesmen in TN? I work at a gunshop in GA, and almost everyone who works there owns at least an Airweight J-Frame of some variety. The owner's favorite gun is a 642 . We like selling them because we own them ourselves, and folks who buy them always love them. They're great little guns.

Wecome new members,
isa268, J_Man, jetpolar

Excellent photos, JT.
Quite the bore on that little monster.
They look so cute together.

We like selling them because we own them ourselves, and folks who buy them always love them. They're great little guns.

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Now those are the words of a fine ambassador.
If nations had ambassadors that could make statements like that,
just think what a better place Earth would be.

jt-
I thought that was a Detonics ( didn't want to sound stupid if it wasn't ). I looked at one a while back, but didn't have the cash at the time. Thanks for the link.

J_man-
Welcome to the Club.

Most Gun shops around here say they sell them and they are popular, but say they are being bought for womens' hand bags. Not thats a bad idea and think this would be a good gun for my wife, but this is also a MAN's concealed gun.

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The Gun Shops are right - most of us girlly men carry our 642s in our hand bags

Just kiddin. Sounds like the Gun Shops in your area don't know much about guns
Go bye one and don't look back. You won't be disappointed.

J Man

Welcome to the Club. Some thoughts.

Crazy talk. What's wrong with those gun salesmen in TN? I work at a gunshop in GA, and almost everyone who works there owns at least an Airweight J-Frame of some variety. The owner's favorite gun is a 642 . We like selling them because we own them ourselves, and folks who buy them always love them. They're great little guns.

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Here are a couple reasons:
Less than a $500 sale.
When I go to LGS in TN and FL all the store folks carry OWB. That means they can carry a Desert Eagle with no muss no fuss. Actually most carry some Ilk of 1911 cocked and locked.
I don't know that any gun shop I have ever been in (southeast only) I have seen any carry other than an auto. Maybe they have a 642 tucked away somewhere as a bug?
You don't think there is a libido thing with guns do you? You know the bigger the gun...... If so why would you admit too carrying a J Frame. With that theory in mind I'm making my carry a NA .22.

Welcome aboard Jetpolar. No problem with finish on my 642 yet...it is only 9 months old.

jt1

DA - Now that's what I want to hear from the SAE of this club! Bravo! and may I add: Diversity Training? We don't need no stinking Diversity Training, we like the 642 and the 442.

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I threw that diversity training and PC crap in there as a joke because the companies I deal with are big on it. Most rank and file thinks its crapola and I agree. More EOE shoved down employers throats from the HR department.
You will find much of my humor tongue in cheek or 180 degrees out from what I really feel, just to illicit a response.


ugaarguy...Where is the shop in GA you work. Maybe I'll stop in some day on my travels between FL and TN.
I frequent two shops regularly in FL and TN, none of the folks carry revolvers in the shop. Only autos. Most will bash the revolver if you seek advice as to what to carry. I can attest to that first hand based on my personal experience.

1BLINDREF

but say they are being bought for womens' hand bags.

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Too funny. Guess the BG won't suspect the dudes carrying 5 rounds of 158 gr plus P. Let me introduce you to my little friend.

I have been to gun shops all over where I live to get opinions on this gun and they all sell them but most of the workers in them recomend something else for their own reason. Most even recomend automatic over a revolver around here.

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Sounds like my area. Usually something along the lines of a Glock 26 or Kel-Tec P3AT. Then again, they don't have to push the airweight J-Frames because they seem to sell themselves. I've heard the usual dissing of the J Frame, such as a 642 is so inaccurate it can't hit a pie-plate sized target passed 10 feet . Guess I never got that memo.

The one thing about this auto is that it has very little felt recoil, much less than any other .45 I have ever had and less than a 642 with +P's. What recoil there is pushes straight back. But it weighs 30 oz. w/o magazine and ammo.

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jt1,

I've never fired a compact 1911, but the Government model 1911s do tame 45 ACP really well, much the way the big 686 tames 357 Magnum. The recoil of the 642 is a bit stiff, but not objectionable for me, though it is greater than a 1911. Honestly, the recoil of the x42 and a 45 caliber 1911 is totally different, so it is difficult to compare. 45 1911s do have a heavier, slower "shove" straight back and upwards. The x42 on the other hand seems to be a sharper crack with very little upward movement ... in my hands at least.

jad, nice to know if i get some BBQ grips of wood and if the BBQ gets out of hand things will come off as practiced.
I have wondered about solid grips and snubs. KaBoom. Iv'e yet to light up a wheeler beginning with a 4.

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Recoil is a subjective thing, and I just prefer the feel of wood stocks nowadays. That's just me though. For those willing to try them, the best bet may be to pick up a well worn, cheap set at a gun show or off eBay for $5 to $15. If you don't like them, you've only lost a few bucks and you could always sell them for what you paid for. I had never shot a wheelgun beginning with a 4 either. Maybe 44 Magnum recoil is really bad in a lightweight gun, but I did not find it to be too bad in that 8" Ruger. Course it probably weighted 4 or 5 lbs too!

I do have my eye on a wheelie that starts with a 4: a Uberti Cattleman in 45 Colt. There ya go Nem ... every wheelgun addict has gotta have a SAA! It'd go great with your lever action rifles too!

http://www.uberti.com/firearms/Cattleman.tpl

What Kind of Speed Loader?

For you guys that use speedloaders, what kind do you use? HKS, or the Safariland shown in the link below. Also, the Snubnose files is an interesting site for those of you that haven't seen it:

http://www.snubnose.info/docs/comp1_speedloader.htm

Bump....no replies yet, so I posted this again.

There ya go Nem ... every wheelgun addict has gotta have a SAA! It'd go great with your lever action rifles too!

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Yeah, tryin' to stir up trouble in my bank account again, aren't cha, Jad?

Well, it ain't a-gonna work (at least right now).

Discretionary gun fund has dried up for the next few months
outside of action jobs, recoil pads and a scope for the 336.

And I'll confess, at this point, an SA revolver doesn't interest me much.
I'm not a cowboy shooter (at least yet), and think I'll stay with double actions.

Nice try though.

CaptDave,

I saw your last post on speedloaders, but am so far unexperienced with them, so was going to let others respond. I'm planning on picking up one each for Batman and Robin soon.

However, a fair amount of discussion has occurred in the club in the past about speedloaders. I just did a thread search (see "search this thread" at the top of any page) on "speedloader" and got a bunch of hits. If you read those sections of the thread that those links point to, that'll get you up to speed (so to speak), then you could ask all the questions you need from there. (In general, don't hesitate to ask questions, but sometimes we may recommend searching the archives since there's sooo much info back there ...)

Haven't read back through them yet, but IIRC, there was a fair amount of support for those Safariland comp-1's that the article you sited reviews. I think that's what I'll try first.

Nem

Speedloaders

I carry Bianchi Speed Strips simply because they are low profile and conceal well. The way I dress tends to rule out the larger profile speedloaders.


____________________________________
"When I held that gun in my hand, I felt a surge of power ... like God must feel when he's holding a gun. " - Homer Simpson

"I feel that if a gun is good enough to protect something as important as a bar, then it’s good enough to protect my family. " - Homer Simpson

CaptDave

I have two HKS SL I think 36-A?? for the 642/340. I have carried them a total of once on a hike in a day pack. I have never carried them in my pocket. I keep threatening to order some speed strips and have looked for them in gun shops all over the SE but no one carries them. Some day I will have to order two for $6 and pay the $6 shipping. :banghead:

My philosophy, and the preponderance of evidence is that social confrontations take place with no shots fired or well under five rounds discharged. I hope so, because 90% of the time that is what I have available. Five.

I have gone to some places where I have carried a primary and backup, auto and J frame or two J frames. If the SHTF I don't think there will be time to reload, but and it's a big but, there just might be time and a need for another rig.

The only thing is if you ever have to expend rounds in SD you are now down X number of rounds. While you may not need to reload to reduce the initial threat, you will need to replace your expended rounds to be back up to your normal carry and be prepared for any follow-up threat. This is where a speed strip is good. Easy to carry and conceal.

I think both DA and JT make excellent points.

I don't think of {choose one or more: speedloader, speedstrip} as being necessary in an SD situation - if I'm wrong, then I'm in the wrong neighborhood - but as an organizing tool to carry extra rnds should I need to reload afterwards.

I have all kinds of questions about when to do that, though.
E.g., scenario that I think about but hope I never have to engage in.

Double tap stops a threat, with no more ostensible threat present. I'm standing or crouching behind cover.
Reload? Why? Still got 3, and the police will be coming in a few minutes anyway, at which time I'll put the gun down ...

I carry 5 on board and 5 on deck. I also have another 5 in my bag, (why I don't know). I need to give Speed Strips a whirl, as the HKS Speed Loaders are not an easy thing to do....I'm able to shoot 5, then reload using the HKS in about 10-seconds, but the loader does not seat to the cylinder, so I have to point the gun downward and let mother-gravity do the rest...

The areas where I feel most vulnerable is generally occupied by multiple, (2-3) threats. Having been well-rehearsed in mag changes, I now find myself in a new frontier trying to refresh my revolver quickly and may one day go to a "rule of 2". For now however, I continue to train, read and train some more.

Now I Get It

Scenario. Ok, so four rounds out and one left. Now what? Wished I had that speed strip or loader. I'm getting out of dodge unless I'm dead, wounded or unconscience and in that event I ain't loading anything except my pants.

:banghead: Now I get it. SemiA with 15 rounds of .45. Is that what these guys have been trying to tell me all this time?

If there are multiple threats simultaneously and I am alone, unless they are intent on bringing two or three knives to a gunfight (a highly unlikely scenario) and the perps are armed with guns or combo plan I'm mostly likely screwed and it is FUBAR.

What will be the appropriate round count necessary for the initial shootout? Two shot NA .45? 5 shot J Frame. 15 rounds of 10 mm?
Will reloading be necessary or will there be time?

It's five and I'm done I guess. A year ago I had none.

But hey maybe I'll get that full length black slicker raincoat. Iv'e been looking for an excuse to buy and carry full time a K-Tec PLR 16 with 30 rounds.....and a 642 with five as backup....just in case.