copaup
Member
Well, since my 637 is MIA, I felt the need for a new BUG. While browsing at my local shop I came across a SW 342 for 489. Seems that since smith discontinued the model Guns and Ammo bought up a busload of them and are selling them off substatially lower than the 357 chambered guns. Cool for me, I'm secure enough in my masculinity to admit that 357 mag out of a 13 ounce gun just isn't fun. I snatched up this little cannon for a bit less than listed and hit the door running. After tossing the 342 to several coworkers and going "check this out. No really, its a real gun. No really. Its just all space age and stuff" I took my new toy to the range with a couple of boxes of shells and a little trepidation in my heart.
Much to my suprise, the gun did not try to tear my wrist off, even with the rather stout Speer 135 Gold dots. I mean it snapped a bit, but not really noticably more than my older 637. No, I'm not going to run out and get one in .357. I have reached my comfort level. Only real discomfort was the trigger slapping the underside of my trigger finger. I've got a little bit of a lump there now. Note to self, don't shoot 100 rds of +p ammo at one time in the future.
Only problem I had was the trigger not reseting a couple of times when firing rapidly. Using my highly analytical mind I noted this was always happening on the fifth round. I further realized that it was always happening with the cheap reloads, and never the quality new stuff. Hmmmm. It seems that the reloads were pulling just enough that the nose of the bullet could just barely touch the forcing cone, causing the cylinder to stall. Well, simple enough, no more cheap reloads, no more problems. Only drawback to this was that the cheap reloads were the only standard pressure stuff I had on hand. Hence the sore finger.
Good news, gun shoots precisely to point of aim with the 135 gr gold dots at 15 yards. this makes me happy. Bad news, they are serious about not using lead bullets. The 158 lswchp showed enough pull that I would not carry them, even though they didn't ever jam up the cylinder, unlike the reloads.
Fit and finish, at least on mine, is very good, with the tightest cylinder gap I have seen outside of Freedom Arms. I even like the funky two tone effect from the titanium cylinder. All in all, I am so pleased with this new blaster that I am no longer quite as upset about my 637 still being away. Its gonna be jealous when it finally gets back. Maybe I can just carry 2 BUGS...
Much to my suprise, the gun did not try to tear my wrist off, even with the rather stout Speer 135 Gold dots. I mean it snapped a bit, but not really noticably more than my older 637. No, I'm not going to run out and get one in .357. I have reached my comfort level. Only real discomfort was the trigger slapping the underside of my trigger finger. I've got a little bit of a lump there now. Note to self, don't shoot 100 rds of +p ammo at one time in the future.
Only problem I had was the trigger not reseting a couple of times when firing rapidly. Using my highly analytical mind I noted this was always happening on the fifth round. I further realized that it was always happening with the cheap reloads, and never the quality new stuff. Hmmmm. It seems that the reloads were pulling just enough that the nose of the bullet could just barely touch the forcing cone, causing the cylinder to stall. Well, simple enough, no more cheap reloads, no more problems. Only drawback to this was that the cheap reloads were the only standard pressure stuff I had on hand. Hence the sore finger.
Good news, gun shoots precisely to point of aim with the 135 gr gold dots at 15 yards. this makes me happy. Bad news, they are serious about not using lead bullets. The 158 lswchp showed enough pull that I would not carry them, even though they didn't ever jam up the cylinder, unlike the reloads.
Fit and finish, at least on mine, is very good, with the tightest cylinder gap I have seen outside of Freedom Arms. I even like the funky two tone effect from the titanium cylinder. All in all, I am so pleased with this new blaster that I am no longer quite as upset about my 637 still being away. Its gonna be jealous when it finally gets back. Maybe I can just carry 2 BUGS...