New Member: Question regarding my new S&W 642-1 +P Revolver
- Thread starter moose54
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oldbear
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Moose54, welcome.
I've used Speer ammo for years and never had any problems with it. You should be able to safely shoot it in any modern revolver which is proper working order.
I've used Speer ammo for years and never had any problems with it. You should be able to safely shoot it in any modern revolver which is proper working order.
ACP
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I also use the Speer 135-gr. +P.
My second choice -- and what I also have plenty of -- is a 158-gr. semi wadcutter hollowpoint (SWCHP) +P. It gives your hand a bit of a sting in a 14-oz. gun but it has a great reputation.
BTW, I think the best investment you can make in your snubbie is a pair of Crimson Trace laser grips. Snubbies are very difficult to shoot accurately, and most people don't practice as much as they should anyway. The CT makes point shooting easier.
Bottom line: practice with your gun and become --as someone once told me -- "the absolute Jedi master" of that 642. Then it doesn't matter what you load it with -- you will hit what you are aiming at, which is the whole point of self defense.
My second choice -- and what I also have plenty of -- is a 158-gr. semi wadcutter hollowpoint (SWCHP) +P. It gives your hand a bit of a sting in a 14-oz. gun but it has a great reputation.
BTW, I think the best investment you can make in your snubbie is a pair of Crimson Trace laser grips. Snubbies are very difficult to shoot accurately, and most people don't practice as much as they should anyway. The CT makes point shooting easier.
Bottom line: practice with your gun and become --as someone once told me -- "the absolute Jedi master" of that 642. Then it doesn't matter what you load it with -- you will hit what you are aiming at, which is the whole point of self defense.
ACP
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I would never port a self-defense gun, esp. a snubbie. No need for hot gasses and particles being blown up into your face.
If you can find a gunsmith to do an action job on a j-frame, make sure they have a sterling reputation. S&W factory won't do it.
If you can find a gunsmith to do an action job on a j-frame, make sure they have a sterling reputation. S&W factory won't do it.
Mphstiger1981
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Congrats! Apex makes a trigger kit that really makes a huge difference in the trigger pull. Highly recommend it!
sixgunner455
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I've used 125gr Speer GDHP factory loads in my 642 as my defense load ever since I bought it 10 years ago, and in the Detective Special I carried before that. Never a problem, it is a perfectly fine load.
Of course it's not safe. The major ammo manufacturers are constantly selling ammo that will blow up cheap, crappy guns like the ones that S&W makes. The lawyers working for the ammo makers tell them "Go ahead and sell that explosive ammo."
Why, the streets are littered with blown up guns destroyed by factory ammo. Haven't you seen all the posts on the forums about blown up guns? Hardly a day goes by without at least a dozen stories of blown guns from the Earth-shattering +P factory 38 ammo (I can hardly bring myself to say +P without cringing in fear).
Why, the streets are littered with blown up guns destroyed by factory ammo. Haven't you seen all the posts on the forums about blown up guns? Hardly a day goes by without at least a dozen stories of blown guns from the Earth-shattering +P factory 38 ammo (I can hardly bring myself to say +P without cringing in fear).
The Speer Gold Dot 38 spl+p 125gr CDHP is safe to use in your 642, and Speer in general is a high quality manufacturer, particularly in their defensive Gold Dot line.
The only issue with the Speer Gold Dot 38 spl+p 125gr CDHP is that it's unlikely to perform optimally in the 642's short barrel; you're less apt to achieve expansion with it in the target compared to the 135gr short barrel load, which is designed to better achieve expansion fired from a snubby.
As bullet placement and penetration are ultimately significantly more important than expansion for adequate self defense, this isn't a major problem, but worth noting.
The most tested and/or popular current loads for J-frame snubbies are:
- Corbon DPX 110gr HP .38 Special +P
- Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135gr HP .38 Special +P
- Buffalo Bore 158gr LSWCHP .38 Special standard pressure or +P (the +P version is closer to a mid-power .357, so watch your wrist).
Honorable mention:
- Hornady Critical Defense 110gr HP .38 Special standard pressure or +P
- Remington, Federal or Winchester's version of the FBI load
Can't imagine what 500 rounds of WWB cost in the current climate, but good on you for getting it and planning to practice extensively. That and a quality defensive handgun course are your best investments should you ever need to use your weapon.
ETA: Welcome to the forum and welcome to J-frame snubbies -- both are great. Don't mind some of our cantankerous old war horses here -- they're generally good folk and chock full of wisdom but sometimes wake up on the wrong side of the stall or forget to use smilies when and if they're being sarcastic.
The only issue with the Speer Gold Dot 38 spl+p 125gr CDHP is that it's unlikely to perform optimally in the 642's short barrel; you're less apt to achieve expansion with it in the target compared to the 135gr short barrel load, which is designed to better achieve expansion fired from a snubby.
As bullet placement and penetration are ultimately significantly more important than expansion for adequate self defense, this isn't a major problem, but worth noting.
The most tested and/or popular current loads for J-frame snubbies are:
- Corbon DPX 110gr HP .38 Special +P
- Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135gr HP .38 Special +P
- Buffalo Bore 158gr LSWCHP .38 Special standard pressure or +P (the +P version is closer to a mid-power .357, so watch your wrist).
Honorable mention:
- Hornady Critical Defense 110gr HP .38 Special standard pressure or +P
- Remington, Federal or Winchester's version of the FBI load
Can't imagine what 500 rounds of WWB cost in the current climate, but good on you for getting it and planning to practice extensively. That and a quality defensive handgun course are your best investments should you ever need to use your weapon.
ETA: Welcome to the forum and welcome to J-frame snubbies -- both are great. Don't mind some of our cantankerous old war horses here -- they're generally good folk and chock full of wisdom but sometimes wake up on the wrong side of the stall or forget to use smilies when and if they're being sarcastic.
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buck460XVR
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Any modern factory ammo that states on the box to be .38 special or .38 special +p will be safe to shoot in your revolver. It may not be pleasant to shoot.....but it will be safe. You will find standard .38 ammo much more pleasant to practice with than +p ammo outta the airweight snubbies. I enjoy shooting my .460 S&W mag with hunting loads more than my 637 with +p ammo. But I still carry the 637 daily.
ArchAngelCD
Member.
Even though the 125gr Speer GDHP ammo is more than safe in your M642 I doubt you are going to enjoy the recoil, it is stouter than the 135gr load. (just saying)
As for ammo availability, I have use Remington UMC JHP .38 Special and .357 Magnum ammo and it's very good ammo at a relatively low price. that "rose pedal" bullet expands very well and reliably and like I said, it's not expansive for a 50 round box. Much of the time you can pay for 50 what you would pay for 20 of the "new and better" ammo out there today.
Moose. It sounds like you are doing fine. Practice with the cheap ammo until you become comfortable with your groupings. Remember that this is a up close and personal firearm. ANY ammo you have will more than disable your attacker. Your guns trigger pull will only get smoother over time as will your ability to draw and fire from instinct. Somewhere down the line you may consider a set of Crimson Trace grips. That red dot will give you the ability to fire without needing any sights from just about any position. A red dot on an attacker is a great deterrent without the need of a shot ever being fired. Enjoy your new gun. Bad guys tend to hate red dots on them.
BTW I have two snubbies and have never fired more than one box of Speer Gold Dots through either of them even though they are my primary carry round. If you do your job, they will do theirs.
BTW I have two snubbies and have never fired more than one box of Speer Gold Dots through either of them even though they are my primary carry round. If you do your job, they will do theirs.
Hello Moose,
Name of the game is practice. When I can get out I generally put up to 200-300 rounds through my j frame. Please note I am an old man and do not shoot full defense loads, 110 Hornady critical defense or Buffalo Bore, but burn a lot of my handloads. Generally I load a bunch of light loads with Trailboss for practice at 10 yds. Before leaving I go through a loading or so of the shells I carry for defense. At current prices defense loads are stretching out to $1-2 dollars a round. That is more than this old man can afford. Reloading can be done at a reasonable price and you can reload to what you can handle in a practice session. I am a POINT shooter and it is my intention to be able to take out an individual who is trying to fataly injure me, without injury to any one else.
blindhari
Name of the game is practice. When I can get out I generally put up to 200-300 rounds through my j frame. Please note I am an old man and do not shoot full defense loads, 110 Hornady critical defense or Buffalo Bore, but burn a lot of my handloads. Generally I load a bunch of light loads with Trailboss for practice at 10 yds. Before leaving I go through a loading or so of the shells I carry for defense. At current prices defense loads are stretching out to $1-2 dollars a round. That is more than this old man can afford. Reloading can be done at a reasonable price and you can reload to what you can handle in a practice session. I am a POINT shooter and it is my intention to be able to take out an individual who is trying to fataly injure me, without injury to any one else.
blindhari
I found that the first 800-1000 rounds through my 686 improved the trigger a bunch (or maybe I'm just really used to it now). Regardless of what the numbers say about the .38 special - It was carried for the greater portion of a century by US police and probably more abroad. It is easy to shoot - easier on the ears than the 9mm and .357 magnum - and will still stop an assailant like any other round.
I like how every time someone asks "should I add this (xyz modification) to my gun" folks always pipe in with "forget the doo-dads, spend the money on ammo."
And here we have a guy who's stocked up on ammo, and we give him a shopping list for mods and doo-dads!
OP, you're doing it right. Practice with the cheap stuff and don't worry about +P for carry. It will hurt your palm far worse than it will hurt the gun.
A buddy tried +P out of my 642 with a sloppy grip and got a nice bloody nick on the side of his thumb from the cylinder release button. "Your gun cut me!" he said.
"You shoulda held on tighter, dummy."
And here we have a guy who's stocked up on ammo, and we give him a shopping list for mods and doo-dads!
OP, you're doing it right. Practice with the cheap stuff and don't worry about +P for carry. It will hurt your palm far worse than it will hurt the gun.
A buddy tried +P out of my 642 with a sloppy grip and got a nice bloody nick on the side of his thumb from the cylinder release button. "Your gun cut me!" he said.
"You shoulda held on tighter, dummy."
SP, I usually dig your posts and really appreciate your knowledge and overall helpfulness.
That said:
1) You already used the "littering the streets" line once and it was so-so the first time.
2) I think OP was calling you Miss Piggy, not your wife.
3) You're busting out pictures from, I'd say, about 1980, based on the retro hair, jazzercise cat costume, and way old school phone. (Love the sai, by the way...I remember when everyone was kung fu fighting, too).
Don't quite get why you're hassling the new guy so much. What gives?
Hey Ms Piggy:
As noted by Hapworth, the picture of your lovely wife is quite old. That would make you about my age. Don't you think it's time to grow up? I won't play in your sandbox anymore.
Thanks to everyone else for their input! (last and final post)
As noted by Hapworth, the picture of your lovely wife is quite old. That would make you about my age. Don't you think it's time to grow up? I won't play in your sandbox anymore.
Thanks to everyone else for their input! (last and final post)
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