S&W 49 - New to Me

[Mark_Mark]

I like my 442’s the most.View attachment 1199048

No Locks too

 

[halfmoonclip]

Much prefer the enclosed hammer Centennials to the Bodyguard; the notion of uncocking it under stress has always concerned me. A gun that size should be fired double action anyway.
If you want a hammer, just get a Chief and be done with it.
I wonder if the decocking issue is why new ones aren't common.
Moon

 

[Riomouse911]

I bought my nickel Model 49 no dash from an FBI agent friend, he bought it when he was in Georgia as a back up/off duty gun. He said he hardly ever touched it, so rather than have it sit for another decade in his safe he transferred ownership to me.

I have fired it a few times over the past couple of years. The front sight is paper-thin compared to newer S&W J frames, so that (and the gun’s nickel finish) make sighted fire almost impossible at an indoor range. It wasn’t a whole lot of fun, I honestly prefer the 3” Model 36 with its larger Pachmayr grips and somewhat easier to see sights.

These are most of my J frame S&W’s; A 3” nickel Model 37 Airweight .38,,Model. 442 Airweight .38, 642 Airweight .38, 617 Air Lite .22 LR, Nickel 49 .38, and a 3” 36 .38. (Missing the 4” 34 .22/.32 Kit Gun.)



You may like a 49/36 etc., especially if you like small .38 revolvers (Like I do.) The Model 36/49 guns shoot well and kick a lot less sharply than the Airweight .38’s do.

Stay safe.

 

[Mark_Mark]

I bought my nickel Model 49 no dash from an FBI agent friend, he bought it when he was in Georgia as a back up/off duty gun. He said he hardly ever touched it, so rather than have it sit for another decade in his safe he transferred ownership to me.

I have fired it a few times over the past couple of years. The front sight is paper-thin compared to newer S&W J frames, so that (and the gun’s nickel finish) make sighted fire almost impossible at an indoor range. It wasn’t a whole lot of fun, I honestly prefer the 3” Model 36 with its larger Pachmayr grips and somewhat easier to see sights.

These are most of my J frame S&W’s; A 3” nickel Model 37 Airweight .38,,Model. 442 Airweight .38, 642 Airweight .38, 617 Air Lite .22 LR, Nickel 49 .38, and a 3” 36 .38. (Missing the 4” 34 .22/.32 Kit Gun.)

View attachment 1199141

You may like a 49/36 etc., especially if you like small .38 revolvers (Like I do.) The Model 36/49 guns shoot well and kick a lot less sharply than the Airweight .38’s do.

Stay safe.

Nice collection!

After consulting my S&W Standard Book. I’ll be looking for a 49 no dash like yours. with a no prefix series number & under 700,000.

Why? was mentioned in my 1st post. Eddie Adams was a war photographer that took the 1968 “Saigon Execution” photo that sparked protests here in America over our roll in The Vietnam war. The gun General Nguyen Loan used was a model 49 - here the link to the true backstory to the photo if anybody is interested

The Surprising True Story Behind The Iconic Saigon Execution Photo

Do you know what's actually happening in this photograph?

allthatsinteresting.com

I remember seeing that photo in my early college days and it left a impact on my way of thinking. I wanted to be/was a photojournalists for a bit. Was in my 1st year of photography school 2001 when 9-11 happened. My 1st self-assignment was to cover the weekend after 9-11 DC, Shanksville, and Lower Manhattan. Drove up there from North Carolina with my backpack full of film and my Contax 645 loaded with Kodak T-Max. Got some heart breaking photos & stories, and knew this was not for me. So, became a Wedding Photographer instead!!! Weddings are better than death!

 

[commygun]

Meh, not as ugly, nor as cool IMO.

Exactly. I bought my 442 after giving up my search for a decent, affordable, 49.
Yes a 442 may make more sense than a 49, but it doesn’t have a tenth of the character.