The 642 club

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6Gunslinger,

The same is true concerning my 642-2 and my Model 36 Chiefs Special. My Model 36 has a shorter cylinder and the flash gap is a little wider. Now comparing my 642-2 with another gun, my S&W 640-1, the cylinder lengths are the same. And while the 642-2 will only chamber .38 Specials, my 640-1 was built for .357 Magnums with the option of using .38 Specials. I guess S&W decided to economize by using .357 cylinders on their 642-2 but for safety reasons designed them to chamber only .38 Specials.
 
I cut and pasted this (below) from the 336 club to here (with slight edits). Not much energy left after this week. Please know that my absence from the 642 club house is NOT an indication that I've lost interest. Far from it. My little mule sits on my right side as I write this.

I'm just overwhelmed with work ... and will continue to be for a while.
But I'm reading with interest.

I miss being here more ... Keep it up, folks. Glad to see new members.

And what's this I read of someone hitting 18" metal at 100 yds with a 642? :what:
That must qualify for a Guinness record.
_________

Well, another work week done.

(Actually, since I have to work weekends right now - new business - the next one begins tomorrow. I'll be at work both Saturday and Sunday (for weeks to come...) But at least the client presence pressure is off for Saturday and Sunday since I'm "closed" those days doing catch up work ... I'd sure rather be at the range ... )

As a result, I haven't been around my favorite threads much this week. I miss them and all of you. I am reading, with interest on every break I can afford. It's nice to take a few minutes break and read up on my favorite guns.

My business has shifted gears. I've got three major projects :what: that started up unexpectedly, and all at the same time. They're a good thing for the business, but they're going to reduce the time that I have to spend in the club here significantly for a while. ... But the business must take precedence for a while. It'll slack off some by summer.

I'll be here as often as I can, learning new stuff. I'm reading everyday.

Stay safe, folks.

Nem
 
mikeb3185 - Mostly I go with pocket carry now but I like this OWB Holster.

glockman19 - 100 yds? I've got to try that. How much bullet drop do you get at that range? Open sights?

6Gunslinger - But we just got to know ya! Anyway fiVe says a snub is a snub so we'll keep you around. (bet you end up with another 642)

gitarmac - Great report. Glad you like it.

Nem - More work = more $ = more S&W. Hurry back bro, we miss ya!
 
glockman19 - 100 yds? I've got to try that. How much bullet drop do you get at that range? Open sights?
Click to expand...

Not exactly sure? I was aiming at the center of the 18" round steel target and hitting it...where? I have no idea. no spotter. Next time I go out I'll ask someone to take a look. my guess based on ammo and ballistice is: 0"-.5". again I was shooting CCI Blazer 158 +P aluminum cased. The 30 yard midrange trail is 1.4"
 
It can be done.

I watched a SWAT instructor many years ago put on a shooting demonstration.

First he used a scoped bolt action 30-06 at 200 yds and a 24" gong.. Hit it.
then in order..
scoped M-16
iron sight winchester mdl 94 30-30
Python 6"
and a S&W Mdl 10 2"

Of course, and he said it.. It helps to practice every day and know where to aim on the cliff above where the gong was hanging, but he did make his point that the guns were capable if the shooter was up to the challenge.

I always wondered if he didn't have an assistant downrange in a ditch somewhere with another gong and a big hammer!!!

:D :D
 
I posted the 642 for sale here since I can't really afford to keep both, otherwise I would!
Click to expand...

6Gunslinger,

There are two words that I've offered up before when someone is thinking of selling a piece due to $:

RAMEN NOODLES! :evil: :D :p

Yeah, well, look who's talking. I've pretty much decided on trading my Springfield XD 9mm for a Springfield Mil-Spec 1911 in 45 ACP. But, I don't have an attachment to the XD, so I'm fine with that. I don't shoot it all that well either, unlike the 1911.

As for hitting 18" steel targets at 100 yds, I tried doing the same thing many months ago with my 642 before I was all that familiar with it. I think I hit the target maybe 1 in 15 to 20 times. Most of the misses were directly in line with the target, just a little just short or long (most were long). Winds were blowing about 20 mph that day too, so that probably didn't help.

I haven't tried shooting my snub at that distance since, as that is really not what the little gun was intended for (though it is certainly capable of it). I do like to hit bowling pin targets 1 for 3 at 50 yds with my K-22 though, and maybe I'll take a few more shots at that 100 yd target with my 6" Model 14.
 
I was hitting 3 out of 5 or 7 out of ten without a bag. I believe I could have gone 9-10 with a rest. Two handed isocolese is how I was shooting. I'm prety happy. At the indoor range where I practice usually at 7 uards 21 fee I'm grouping tight All in the 10 ring. 1"-2" average. Of course if I was to slow down I could probably tighten it up a bit. My buddy an ex cop grouped my 642 @ <1" and I owed him $10. Three of the shots were touching the other 2 were within 1".
 
Using a Colt Detective Special and standard (not Plus-P) 158 grain cartridges.

Mount a B-27 silhouette target @ 100 yards. Hold the sights between the center to the top of the head with the front sight slightly elevated, and your bullets will fall into the center-of-mass K-zone.

At 100 yards the bullet drop is about 22 inches.

The S&W model 642 isn't the best choice for this, not because the gun can't do it, but because of the two-finger boot grips that come on it.
 
thanks for letting me stay guys, this seems like a great club and everyone is pretty darn friendly (which is more then can be said for a lot of boards...) That said, I've been mulling it over, but I still need to sell the 642... I'll probably wind up getting another someday but for now its just not practical for me financially to keep it now that I have the 640. I have it listed in the Trading Post for $420 which would include transfer/shipping, does that sound reasonable? The post has had 74 hits but no replies. Gun is NIB so I think the price is reasonable since I paid close to $400 for it, but I guess they're not hard for people to get locally so.... if I can't get more then $385 for it I may just have to keep it around.... just wondering what you guys think. thanks
 
NIB 642s in Eatern PA go for around 369.00 + tax. $420 might be a little high since they are so easy to get. If it were a limited production gun, you'd probably have it sold by now.
Good luck with the sale - I hope you don't regret selling it. :(
 
Congrats! I like my 642 a lot. Pachymar's minimalist concealed grips work very well on it and make it a wee bit smaller in my pocket than the OE Uncle Mike's boot grip and much easier to hang onto than the S&W wooden ones.
 
Trigger Problem

After coming home from the range from the initial 100 rounds from the gun. I bought some snap caps claened the gun with no break down. Cleaned the barrel and chambers wiped down and put a drop of oil on the ejector rod, crane, and yoke. I think that is what all those terms are? Dropped in the snap caps and started working the gun. After about 70 or so things started getting harder to fire as I was paying close attention around 100 there was no question something was wrong. I can be firing the after some trigger travel it will become hard to pull. At one time the trigger stayed depressed after I let go, this happenned twice. Checked to make sure there wasn't any obstruction of the cylinder. This does not happen on every pull but when it does I can here some strange sounds in the gun. Well a trip to the doctor is in order I guess I need to call the factory to see what they say and I will recheck my end, For what I do not know.
 
sev:make sure the ejector rod is screwed in all the way....sometimes it can work it's way out.....I had major timing issues w/ my 642 after only about 400 rounds...it had to go back to the factory..they fixed it free and it only took 4 days.
 
My fault it is the snap caps they are binding. Looks like two of them are coming apart around the primer area. I think this was the problem. Well that's what I get for buying the higher priced ones. Think I will get the ones Midway has, I need some drivers anyway.
 
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Wow - go riding for the weekend and I miss some great posts and new members!

Congrats Jamesp2000! Welcome to the club! You're going to love your 642 - feed it well, keep it clean and tuck it in at night....Welcome!
 
Jomax- Welcome to the 642 thread, I've seen you around other places on THR. 'bout time you got here.

jamesp2000 - Great pic. Welcome, you'll like it here.

sevenbark - Hey man, don't do that to us! When we hear about problems with these little monsters we take it personally. Seriously, glad to hear you found the problem, bet you feel better too. FWIW, I don't use snap caps and S&W says it's ok to dry fire centerfire revolvers without them. You probably know this already but just for general info.

ALL - I tried to duplicate the cylinder closing/latching problem at the range Saturday. This was quite interesting. Its not as easy to make this happen as you might think. Most of the time the debris gets pushed out of the way and exits between two chambers. When it doesn't most of the time it works anyway. When I did manage to get to the point where it would not lock/close, a quick push on the ejector rod or two would clear it enough to function. The biggest problem I encountered during this was hard extraction, not so much to cause a FTE but once I got quite a lot of debris in the cylinder I had to concentrate on the ejection when normally it is not an issue at all. I don't think I will worry about this anymore except to practice the one,two ejector rod push (about half way seems to work well) now and again.
 
Nothing to say on topic today but the 642 Club is dropping wayyy down the page, and this simply cannot be. So back to the top where it belongs.

Well, I guess I could say that I got my Kahr PM 9 back from the shop.
They replaced the barrel, the striker, recoil spring and polished the extractor.
All with a 3 day turnaround. :D All handguns back in the pen and working. Cross fingers. ;)
 
clipse - Glad to have you with us. I have read most of your flashlight reviews and some other posts you have made and I am looking forward to hearing from you here. I have seen the quality of your pictures and I expect some great ones as befiting the excellent 642. Welcome.
 
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