Smith & Wesson 640-1 .357 Magnum

[Curare]

I took my SW 640 to the range last night, and I really love this little beast. It sports Uncle Mikes Boot grip. It's mid '90s production and has an amazingly smooth trigger job.

It is compact, and so easy to shoot well. I can empty all five rounds as fast as I can pull the trigger and maintain a fist sized group out to 10 feet. The sights are all but worthless (and frankly I don't think sights are very important for a snubby). Whether or not this rapid fire fist sized group is centered in the target depends entirely on how my hips and shoulders are lined up when I unleash the 5 rounds. It's very controllable with .38s, and I'll have to give some .357s a try.

Out to 30 feet, I can keep all 5 rounds within 3 inches slow fire with a 6 o'clock hold.

Unlike the 642 I owned, the 640 is very controllable and enjoyable to train with--it also doesn't feel like a toy. Plus, it has the capability of carrying .357. Weight is of course it's singular downside compared to its peers.

My dream pocket carry gun is the pre-lock 342. The 640 will make do in the pocket or IWB for now. Which holsters do you recommend?

 

[Jim PHL]

Curare,
members are, I'm sure, tired of hearing that my 640 in .357 is the one gun I'd most like to have back out of all the ones I've sold or traded. (I've often said if I could have that one back, or all the others, I'd still take the 640.) I moved to an auto for belt carry and a lightweight "j" for the pocket. I decided it was too heavy for extended pocket carry, and I still think so, but it is fine for short-term pants pocket, any time jacket pocket or IWB carry. Stone reliability of a S+W revolver, reasonable accuracy (actually, I was pretty good with it) and tough to argue against a .357 for a self-defense round, even from a snub.

This was the first gun I bought after I got my carry permit and still think it's damn-near perfect as one in your personal arsenal or even an "only" carry gun.

Good luck with yours. KEEP IT!

(By the way, it seems we're on similar wavelengths, as my primary pocket gun is a 342 )

 

[Bob79]

I just bought a 640-1 about a week ago, pre-lock of course. I plan to use it IWB, I agree that the all stainless J-frames are too heavy for pocket carry. But I have 3 other J-frame Airweights in .38 special with a Kramer pocket holster for that. I plan on carrying at the minimum Cor Bon's hot 110 grain 38+P's, but am also going to try out some .357

I've got some Speer GD SB 135 grain, Winchester 110 grain, and Black Hills 158 SWC. All of these .357 loads are on the "mild" side of the recoil spectrum. I put some Hogue Bantam grips on it, like all my other J-frame snubs. All it needs is an action job.

You're right they are great little guns. About as heavy as a Glock 26, with less rounds though, but more classy. In some ways though the J-frame still seems to conceal easier than a Glock 26 though. Anyways, the 640-1 is a great personal defense firearm.

 

[BigG]

The 640-1 is a super nice gun. I did not like the extended grip that came on the gun so put a Uncle Mike's boot grip on it like a 642. I also have the 9mm Model 940, which is a fine weapon, too. As you both have noted, the all stainless construction makes those too heavy for casual pocket carry.

I carry the ultralight 340-342 and 642/442 types and shoot the steel models for practice.