S&w 642 Vs S&w Mod 12

[Brian Williams]

I have a S&W 642 and it is a great gun, with the dual cylinder I can shoot 38s or 9mm. I really like the way is drops in a pocket or behind the hip. I am looking at a 2" mod 12 and i was wondering, WHY. I really like my 13 and 65, and would like to get another 3" mod 10 soon. But why do I want a 12...will it carry like a big 642(really a 637) but, anybody have a 12 to let me know how it carries.


Kind of an oddball dream gun. S&W Mod 12 with a 547 cylinder installed and a 3" mid weight tapered barrel from the French contract for mod 12s or from the 10-5 or -7 line

 

[Ala Dan]

Greeting's Brian My Friend-

Well, I don't have a S&W model 12, but I do have a 642 and a 2" model 10.
As you know, we are talking two different frame sizes here; with the 642
being a J-frame, and the model 10 (or 12) being on a K-frame. Honestly,
I do not ever CCW the model 10; as I have far too many better
choices in my battery of arms. However, I do alternate the 642 with my
old S&W model 60 from time to time. I find that the model 10 is just to
heavy for all day comfortable carry. Probably, with the right IWB this
problem could be resolved?

 

[Master Blaster]

I have a S&W 642 and it is a great gun, with the dual cylinder I can shoot 38s or 9mm.

I have never heard of the cylinder mod for a 642 that lets you shoot 9mm, I would have thought that the higher pressure of the 9mm would make such a thing impossible in a .38spl revolver with an aluminium frame.

Did S&W do this mod / make a conversion cylinder for you in the custom shop or is there some smith on the net who does it????

Thanks

 

[Brian Williams]

ALA Dan : I was figuring a 12 would be around 18 oz and a 10 or 13 is 32oz.
I was wondering if a similar gun to my 13 would be a way to go, The "beware of the man with one gun" idea. With a S&W 3" 10, 2" 12, 3" 13 and 4" pencil barrel 65 it would be 4 guns, a little different but very similar.



Master Blaster : I bought a 940 cylinder from S&W and had it installed in my 642, like what S&W did once for eval with Wiley Clapp only the 942 was port where mine is not.

 

[Jim Watson]

I have a M12 but it doesn't get out very often. It is light but too bulky for pocket carry even with the hammer spur bobbed, and if I am going to wear a holster it will normally be either for a magnum revolver with more power or an auto with more shots.

If it were remade to your plan it would be more interesting. I wonder how the aluminum frame would hold up to 9mm P? I wonder where to find a 547 cylinder? I wonder if anybody makes K-9mm moonclips?

 

[Fastlane]

What Jim said. I have a model 12 that I bought for my wife to carry in her purse. She loves the fact that it weighs only 18 oz.

 

[RON in PA]

I think that shooting 9mm in a model 12 would destroy the frame real fast, I don't think the model 12 is approved for 38+P. It's an older technology gun.

 

[BluesBear]

I wonder if anybody makes K-9mm moonclips?

Why would you need 9mm moonclips?
The 547 cylinder has its own rimless extractor system.
HKS, however, does make 9mm speedloaders for the 547.

 

[AK103K]

How many rounds of 9mm do you have through that 642? I had two 940's when they first came out, neither made it past 200 rounds before taking a dump. Both had to be disassembled just to get the remaining loaded rounds out so I could send it back.

 

[Brian Williams]

I wonder where to find a 547 cylinder?

last I heard S&W still has a few....

I think that shooting 9mm in a model 12 would destroy the frame real fast, I don't think the model 12 is approved for 38+P. It's an older technology gun.

This is a dream gun will probably never be made and would need a tougher frame. But it would be cool to have an 3" K aluminum frame shooting 9mm with the 547 ejector!

How many rounds of 9mm do you have through that 642? I had two 940's when they first came out, neither made it past 200 rounds before taking a dump. Both had to be disassembled just to get the remaining loaded rounds out so I could send it back.

I have 10 rounds of carry ammo and 25 or 30 of 38spec level 9mm reloads. I also have about 100 riounds of 38 spec thru it. I also had a 940 and it held up thru a number of boxes of 9mm.

 

[BluesBear]

You carry a gun that you have only fired 10 times with carry ammo?

 

[Brian Williams]

You carry a gun that you have only fired 10 times with carry ammo?

Yep
I know the ammo works as I have shot it in a Glock 19. I know the 9/642 works because I have shot it with 38s and 9mm reloads. I shot 10 rounds of my Speer Golddots +p125gr to verify POI=POA, Why should I shoot 100s of rounds of my carry ammo when I know the gun works otherwise? I also shoot mostly S&W revolvers so I know manual of arms/operation of the gun.
It is kind of like the old S&W K frame addage practice with 38's, carry 357's.

 

[VictorLouis]

The answer is that the K-trigger, ANY K-trigger, almost always will beat out the best of the J-frame is smoothness of action.

IF your pocket 'fits', the 18oz. M12 is workable, as is even the heavier, all-steel J-frames. Ditto for ankle use, though finding a K-frame rig is admittedly going to more of a challenge, LOL.

Don't forget that sixth shot, and more fumble-free reloads.

 

[Gary A]

This is a dream gun will probably never be made and would need a tougher frame. But it would be cool to have an 3" K aluminum frame shooting 9mm with the 547 ejector!

I agree that an aluminum-framed 9mm would probably not last real long but add a little Scandium to that frame and the situation would change.

 

[BullfrogKen]

I saw Brian's "942" concept gun this summer when I met him at a local shop. I've also spoken to the 'smith that made the conversion . . . oddly I talked to him about this very concept myself a few weeks before I met Brian. Its wierd how things like that happen, isn't it?

Anyhoo . . . the 'smith didn't express any reservations about installing a 940 cylinder into an aluminum frame. He did mention these aluminum frame guns last longer with the lower pressure .38 Special loads. Like Brian, I'm not looking for something to shoot a bunch of, but rather a back up in the same caliber as a primary.