I loved my S&W 642, but...

[VMIRat1995]

...I am kind of cheap. Besides, I think that I have enough guns and my wife would kill me if I bought another one.

Given the 642's properties and qualities, is there another snubby that is also as reliable and well-built as the 642?

Rossi, Taurus, and Ruger are the other revolver makers that I know of. Any opinions? And, why?

 

[RON in PA]

Ruger SP101 is available in 3" and 2" lengths, stainless steel with very good grips and chambered in .357 (most common) as well as 38. There are bobbed hammer models. Compared to the Smith 642 you are looking at another approximately 10 ounces. The 642 is a pocket gun while the 101 is a belt or inside the pants gun. The gun is, like most Rugers, built like a tank.

 

[VMIRat1995]

Thanks, Ron. I'll look into the Ruger.

 

[Majic]

Take a look at the D-frame Colts. The Detective Special may be the very best snubby ever made.

 

[JMag]

Majic is right on that...

+1

 

[mnrivrat]

I loved my S&W 642, but...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

...I am kind of cheap. Besides, I think that I have enough guns and my wife would kill me if I bought another one.

Does that mean you had one and sold it ? And does that mean the wife will kill you if you buy another gun no matter what it is ?

If your looking for cheaper than S&W in a airweight snub ,your choice is likely going to bring you to Taurus. I have their Model 731 in Titanium and I am pleased with it as a carry gun

Other Ultra-Lite & Ti models : 905 , 85 , 605, 850 , 650 ,851, 651

 

[Kor]

Why not buy a used 642? You should be able to get one for about $300 or less, if you're lucky and shop right. Seriously, a used Very Good/Excellent Smith 642 shouldn't cost any more than(probably somewhat less than) a new Taurus.

Airweight J-frame snubbies are probably the prototypical "carried much, shot little" guns, and if you find a used one for sale it has probably been fired less than 500 rounds by its previous owner - and odds are, it will only have seen between 100-200 rounds before said owner decided the recoil was just too much. As long as it passes Jim March's "Revolver Checkout" procedure posted in the sticky at the top of the forum page, it will serve you well.

 

[GunNut]

Brand new S&W 642;s are only $350, you're not going to save a lot going to something else.

You could check out the revolvers by Charter Arms. John Taffin did quite a write up about them this month, and speaks highly of them. I'm kind of wanting a Charter Arms Bulldog .44 special myself.

Steve

 

[Steve 48]

Your not going to go wrong with buying a 642. It will be worth more and its lighter than many others for the same price. You may want to look at a 442 which is a little less expensive. Steve48

 

[WC145]

I've owned both a 642 and a Taurus 850CIA and I feel that the Taurus was every bit as good a gun as the S&W, even had a better trigger. The only reason I preferred to carry the 642 was that it was lighter.

Now I have neither, the 850 went to my ex in the divorce a while back and the 642 was traded for a Taurus 4410 a couple of weeks ago. My current "carry" revolver is a Charter (2000) Arms Bulldog .44spl that I sent back to Charter and had them clean up the action, install a bobbed hammer and cut the grip frame down to fit the really small "Off-Duty" size boot grips. It shoots great and carries much easier with the modifications.

 

[Jkwas]

I carry a taurus 605 and it's a darn good little revolver.

 

[VMIRat1995]

Thanks guys.

I will probably go buy another new 642 since the price difference isn't so great.