642 finish

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Smith used to have problems with that finish pealing off. They replaced a few Guns we sent back to them.
 
The frame is aluminum with some kind of 'finish' over it. If you carry it long enough, the finish will wear in the usual spots. Not to worry though. It's an inexpensive gun that they make a LOT of, so you don't have to worry abou messing up the collector value.

I've had one since 2012 and I pocket carry it nearly every day and I shoot it all the time and the wear on it is minimal.
 
Waxing the clear coat finish on the frame can do wonders in prolonging its integrity. The wax must wear away before the finish can. My 642 has been carried for years with almost no wear.
 
If you dont already own the 642, and are deciding which model to buy, and are worried about the finish wearing off, the Model 640 is the all stainless version. No worries with the 640 about the finish...
 
I have a 637. It has a the same construction and surface finish as 642. Been carrying it for close to three years now. It has held up well, for a carry gun, with one minor exception. I recently noticed a spot of bare aluminum on the underside of the trigger gaurd at the six o'clock position. I guess the Kydex on my Crossbreed holster puts a bit of pressure there.
 
Picked up my 642-1 Pro series .38 today. $357 (odd that price) including tax.

It has no lock and the clear finish. If the finish wears, it wears. But it is a CARRY GUN, not a safe queen.

Shot just about inch high at 7 yards with 158gr SWC handloads.

Plan on using 38 SPL +P BUFFALO-BARNES LEAD-FREE 110 gr. BARNES TAC-XP.

Yep 110 grains at 1119 fps ought to do it from a 2 inch!

I only wish it came with a red insert front sight.

Deaf
 
I only wish it came with a red insert front sight.
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Go to a Dollar General store, or some other such discount store. Buy a bottle of cheap fingernail polish. It comes in every kind of bright, day-glow color you can imagine and some you can't. I like the BRIGHT orange myself.

I got two actually. One of white and one orange. Put on a stroke of white as a base, then a stroke of whatever color you picked. The stuff is tough. It hasn't worn out on mine yet.

There is enough in a bottle to last us a couple of lifetimes.
 
Yea, but that makes the gun look cheap to.

I have a red insert sight on my old stainless steel 640 centennial I've carried for 20 plus years. Had a local gun smith do it but it's harder and harder to find local smiths to do anything but swap parts.

And since this is a 'Pro' series 642-1 one would think they would do so.

I've never understood S&Ws marketing strategy.

Deaf
 
If you want it done so it doesn't look cheap, take it to one of those nail salons and you can get a mani-pedi while the nail painting lady does your front sight in one of the many hundreds of colors from which to choose. :)
 
I remember the clear coat finish problems on early 642's. I think they dropped the anodizinng process and just dipped or sprayed the frame. I had a beautiful little 632 2" finished the same way. Another "wish I sill had" gun. I seem to recall cleaning with Hoppes was suspect in finish pealing. I've got a newer 642 and while it's not as pretty as the clear coat, the current finish wears well.
 
Deaf Smith said:
Yea, but that makes the gun look cheap to.

I have a red insert sight on my old stainless steel 640 centennial I've carried for 20 plus years. Had a local gun smith do it but it's harder and harder to find local smiths to do anything but swap parts.

And since this is a 'Pro' series 642-1 one would think they would do so.

I've never understood S&Ws marketing strategy.

Deaf
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depends how careful you are, it can look factory if you put a little time into it.
 
642-1 Pro Finish

My finish wore badly in the first 11 months I owned it. I called S&W and sent it in. It came back looking like new. Because I had read about this on THR, I promptly waxed it and was careful about using solvents around the 'waxed' areas. I continued to carry it, (a lot) and after another year, it still looks new. I don't know if they used a different process the second time around or what, but, the second finish is holding up far better than the first ever did, (might be the wax?).

I also used the finger nail polish tip. Bright orange, applied several times carefully and it doesn't look cheap. Had a guy at the range ask me where I bought the sight!! It's not a safe queen, it's a carry piece, but, that doesn't mean I want it to look like some butt ugly Tactical Tupperware shooting appliance either, IMHO.
 
Well here is my 640 I've carried over 20 years... on the left.

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And that's the way I think they should make them.

Deaf
 
IMO, if the like the Centennial and can't decide which to buy, but both the M460 and M642. That's what I did :p

Now back to the question, as you see from the posts the M642 has an Aluminum frame that is clear coated. I have one and the finish is just fine. I also carry a M442 a lot and that is starting to show some shinny spots through the black anodizes finish. Of course the stainless M640 will last practically forever.

twins-1.jpg

M442-2.jpg
 
The first one is an all stainless Model 649 which I polished up a bit with Mother's Mag Polish.

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The second one is an aluminum frame Model 638 that I have had for about 5 years now. Finish has held up really well on it.

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