642 Club Part Three

[kawaliga]

I am a new 642 owner, and noticed negative comments on the 642 with the lock. Could some of you experts enlighten me on why the lock is a bad thing?

 

[exdetsgt]

Hey, thanks for the info: I did not know that you could change out just the holsters. I had thought that you had to buy a whole new rig. Now it's worth a second look because I swap for daily carry between a Glock 26 and my 442 snubby. (Depending on where I'm going).

 

[BLU]

kawaliga... First off... An 'Ex' is a 'has been' and a 'spurt' is a squirt under pressure, so, I am no expert! But, I believe the reasons for not liking the lock on the S&W guns are as varied as the buyers. Personally, I have only one S&W that has the lock, (a 329PD .44 Magnum), the rest do not. I will go out of my way to find a S&W that doesn't have the lock. Why? I am a responsible adult that takes the appropriate measures to secure my firearms. The gun won't need to be locked inside a locked container. With a lightweight gun you will feel more recoil. Should that recoil inertia flip that little lock into the 'locked' position, I hope it's not when I needed the gun to fire again, (not a problem on mine though as I removed the device). Let's not mention that the lock is just stoned cold ugly and appears as a blemish on an otherwise piece of 'art'. Google this and you can find other opinions, (I'm sure you'll find some from The Highroad as well):

smith and wesson no internal lock

 

[MartinS]

 

[rhinoh]

I am a new 642 owner, and noticed negative comments on the 642 with the lock. Could some of you experts enlighten me on why the lock is a bad thing?

IMO the only really bad thing about the lock is it hurts resale. Not that I plan on ever selling any of my 8 Smiths with locks.
BTW never had a single instance of it causing problems up through .44M level, one of the .44M's is a Scandium Nightguard so if recoil could lock it that would be the one to do it!
It is relatively easy to remove a part to make it so it can never lock, and I did do that on a 642 the wife carries just to be 100% sure it can't cause an issue.

 

[Damn_Yankee]

Thought I would drop in and see how the club is going!



I'm still mostly carrying this with a Mika pocket holster. However, I've also started using a Renegade Cozy Partner ankle holster with great success.

Featured in the picture is a Foursevens Quark Tactical flashlight, a Fiddleback Forge Hiking Buddy fixed blade knife in CPM 154 with micarta bolsters and curly oak, an HKS speedloader, Buffalo Bore 150 grain standard pressure hard cast wadcutters, and Altamont Crocback Silverblack boot grips.

Tony, how do you like the Altamont grips?

 

[cpt-t]

WELL GUYS: I carry and shoot a S&W 640-1 in 357cal, and it is in Stainless Steel. And I have for several years. I really like this gun. And I put a set of Crimson Trace lazer grips on it, and that makes me like it even more, they are just great IMHO. I hope this qualify`s me to join Your Club. Like I said I have had this gun for a several years. And really I shoot it quite often at our Gun Clubs Pistol Range. Each time I go to the range I take both of my CCW`s with me and try to shoot at least 25 to 30 rounds thru each of them both plinking loads and the +P loads. I don`t really consider my self to be a real good pistol shot. But over the years several of the Club members have tried to get to grather and shoot our CCW`s. And I have really suprised my self at how much I have improved shooting my 640-1 & Khar CW-9. It doesn`t seem that to many people shoot the 640-1 and I don`t think it is very popular with most people. Because you darn sure don`t see very many people shooting them. But I really think that is a big mistake. Like I said I really like both my S&W 640-1 & my Khar CW-9,and just don`t leave the house with out one them with me. I carry mostly in my pants pocket or jacket pocket in a soft holster. I also use a Fobus OWB holster with both of them. But I prefer the pocket carry. That way if I find myself in an uncomfortable position or place, I can just put my hand in my pocket, and no one knows that I have my CCW in my hand. Twice in parking lot`s in the last year of so, I have needed them. And both of the confortation`s worked out in my favor and no one knew I had my hand on my CCW.

ken

 

[Tony_the_tiger]

Yankee,

They suit me perfectly, and draw easily out of a pocket. I'm not a huge fan of Dymondwood but function over form... they do the job well and are unapologetically utilitarian.

 

[angel1216]

got her new boots from altamont. thanks guys for a nice grip. i'll give a try but knowing me i'll just end up going back to the bantam grip.

 

[exdetsgt]

Angel, what is that strange thing below the holster?

 

[angel1216]

kabar TDI.

 

[marksman13]

I just joined the club......sort of...with a 342PD and a 331 Air Lite Ti.

 

[JWR]

Could some of you experts enlighten me on why the lock is a bad thing?

Far from being an expert, but have one heck of an opinion
The lock a bad thing ? Good question, let's put it this way, 'it's another variable' that has the potential to cause problems. Problems are the last thing you ever want in a defensive firearm.

Now lets talk political, S&W simply caved under the Clinton regime to political pressure from pending law suits that threaten to put them out of business. By agreeing to make available internal locking devises they where able to block any and all litigation against them. This was at a time when a British conglomerate own them, they have since been sold to what amounts to American hedge fund investors. (lend by a former executive from the former company) Don't ever let the name Smith & Wesson fool you into thinking they are of the same mind set and lineage of old. That died in 1964 when the last of the Wesson family sold their interest in the company.

Like America itself, they are only in name. (and you pay dearly for that name)

If you are using your snubby as a range blaster I would not be concern about it.
And S&W does offer snubby's without a lock. Which is what I would be buying if I where into Smith & Wesson revolvers. (Ruger man here)

To answer your question, I'm not so sure there is a right answer to that question except to point out it boils down to your 'confidence level'. How many people over the years have made arguments against seat belts in cars and motorcycle helmets to name a few. The gun lock is for the idiots who have a habit of leaving their guns laying around all over the place.
It was never intended to stop a criminal from using it but to keep a 8 year old from using it. Which in many ways would still be defeated because the idiots who leave their guns laying around are not locking them to begin with.

From a business standpoint S&W made the right choice even if it was a very unpopular one. What bothers me is that they caved to political pressure and then somehow want the general public to buy into the idea they are protecting our second amendment rights. The only thing they are protecting is their bottom $ line.

 

[HiVel]

Amen, but I still like the guns.

 

[JWR]

Nothing wrong with a status symbol if you can afford it.

 

[sappyg]

Nothing wrong with a status symbol if you can afford it.

Care to elaborate?

 

[JWR]

Oh no. I'm not touching that one.
I like this forum, by far the best one I've ever been on and some really good contributors here. You get me going on that one and I'm liable to get booted off to some other forum hiding under advertizement and tactical voodoo while stroking their safe queens and reminiscing about the good old days while the younger ones sell the pending invasion in rural America. Although that last one may not be that far from the truth, but I don't think it will be coming from Zombies or Muslims but rather from a total societal breakdown in America under the SHTF. (hopefully I'll be dead by then)

 

[sappyg]

Anyway.....

I joined the club. No idea what took me so long. My youth must have got in the way I suppose.

Trigger is heavy! Recoil is a bear and my trigger finger hurts but I am smitten with this little gun. After 100 rounds Saturday in the J rat (I don't recommend a serrated trigger BTW) and 100 rounds Sunday in the 642 I contemplated an Apex job on the 642. Think I'll just switch hands and keep shooting until it wears in. DANG my finger hurts!
The front sight kinda washes out on the target but it points so well I think I'll paint it with my wife's nail polish and leave it at that. Not much else that can be done anyway.

 

[Panzerschwein]

I shot the ol' 642 snu-snu today at the range. Here she is:



It's a 642-1 no-lock. Gun is beyond accurate for it's size. It's been a tick since I've shot it, not good considering it's my EDC, but I put it through it's paces today. I was shooting PPU 130 grain FMJ rounds, these are curious looking cartridges as the bullet profile is much like a 9mm Parabellum bullet:



These shot so well though! I've bought and shot PPU 158 grain round nose before, and boy were they dirty and they leaded my 642's barrel quite badly. These 130 grain FMJ loads are a totally different story, after 50 rounds the gun still looked unfired and there was very little fouling. Recoil was quite mild, and it was very consistant and I was ringing great accuracy (for me) with this gun and load, I made a big 50-round group that was about 3" across at 8 yards. Splendid.

I really forgot just how accurate and just how FUN it is to shoot the Smith & Wesson Model 642 revolver, which as I said earlier is bad considering it's my daily companion. I wear it strong side at the 3 o' clock position, with the Barami hip grips the gun rides super comfortably IWB with the lip of the Barami grip resting between my Wrangler jean's waistband and my Beltman 1.5" bullhide belt. Awesome setup that I've been using for months, and it conceals super well and is comfortable for all day use including nearly 7 hours long drives. My carry load is the Speer Gold Dot 135 grain +P Short Barrel load, and I keep a Bianchi speed strip loaded with 5 rounds either in my front right coat pocket or in my opposing jeans pocket it not wearing a coat.

This gun is just too accurate, reliable, respectably powerful, compact, lightweight, and dependable to NOT carry, and I have no excuse not to given it's size and weight. I love my S&W 642!!!

 

[exdetsgt]

sappyg, put some tape at the end of your index finger. Helps. And yes, point shoot.

 

[HiVel]

the old Duct tape fix!do it.

 

[DamnYankee]

I resisted the j-frame for a while opting for single stack 9's and bitty little .380's. None of them seemed to work out. I finally gave in and bought a 642-1. I love it. It fits so well in the front pocket of my jeans. I really do forget it's there.

 

[Panzerschwein]

With my Barami hip grips and Beltman 1.5" bullhide belt my 642 is almost unnoticeable as far as weight and bulk goes, my smart phone is more of a chore to carry around than that revolver!

Oh, by the way, can I join the club?

 

[sappyg]

Yesterday we checked the trigger pull on my new 642. Well over 12 lbs. Still, with a bandaid around my still sore finger I was able to get another 100 rounds down range. The heavy trigger has no negative effect on target at a reasonable distance. You just have to be deliberate.
Nail polish really helped pick up the front sight. Here's a pick of my target today shot at 15' with light loads and a big grin.

 

[exdetsgt]

Sappyg: Hogue grips help. They're longer and more of your hand will be on the grip. Helps also with accuracy, recoil, etc.