The 642 club

[Chris40]

Just wanted to stop by and say hi to yall I got a 642 today. Now I need to get a holster and find a way to carry some spare ammo.

 

[fiVe]

Welcome, Chris40, you're home now.

 

[RTFM]

Hi Chris.
WOW look at all the new members here on THR that start off with the 642 thread.

STELLAR!

Welcome to both THR and the 642 thread Chris.
Enjoy!
We're starting to feel like family here (at the very least close friends that have a lot of good info to share!)

As far as spare ammo. I'm sure people will chime in with HKS speed strips and various speed loaders.

Sit back and let the info flow.


Welcome.

RTFM

 

[AStone]

Did you get the round or square cut? Round cut works better in my Carhart jeans than square.

308, I ordered the square cut.

Yes, I wear Carhartt trousers, but I wouldn't call them "jeans". They're more like work pants made of heavier canvas material rather than "jean" material. (Honestly, I didn't know Carhartt makes jeans, as in denim, until just now. I see them on their web site.)

Anyway, the pockets in my pants definitely appear square. Looks like the square cut should fit them perfectly. I've attached a snapshot. The inside bottom corner was in shadows, so I marked it with a white dot. (Note, the bottom edge of the pocket is where the dot is, not the arched stitching half way down.)
___

Brass, you make reasonable points about practice distances. I confess I didn't agree with the sales guy at the store about practicing only twice a year. I will shoot at least a cylinder full of rnds through the 642 every time I go to the range (usually once or twice a month now days).

My range is from 50 ft. slow fire and carefully aimed, (with both left and right hands and with 2 hands) up to 3 ft from the belt one handed (both left and right).

I wish my range had that much flexibility. There are only 12 yd, 25 yd, 50 yd & 100 yd targets. We don't even have a 7 yd lane. (I remembered that after commenting on my poor performance at "7 yds" in a post on the last page or two. It was poor in part because the target isn't at 7 yds, it's at 12 yds. Doh.)

Now that I'm a member, I hope to encourage them to provide at least one or two 7 yd targets for snubbies.

 

[jad0110]

RTFM,

That's the same article that convinced me to trade the 130 grn Federal Hi-Shoks for the FBI Load by Remington (R38S12) in my 686+. I always thought that the 38 Special is probably the most underestimated center-fire round.

I believe Nyclad "Chief Special" load is no longer manufactured. By any source.

I heard the same thing, but every now and then a few boxes will turn up somewhere. I also heard that Speer was considering making a modern version of it. That might be interesting...

Does anyone carry that load [158 grn LSWCHP +P] in their snubby?

I've been carrying the Gold Dot 135gr +P snub load. Not a bad load to shoot. From the article, it sounds like the 158gr. +P might be a little rougher in an Airweight.

Another Q: has anyone shot a lot of the lead Remington's? It's the cheapest 38spl. I can find locally, although I've stayed away because I don't know what it means come cleaning time. My standard routine is a brass brush dipped in Hoppe's, followed by a bore snake, followed by a slightly oiled mop. Still OK for lead?

Quite a number of people do (though I also carry 135 grn Speers). I've fired some of it in my 642. It does kick a bit harder than the Speers, but it's still tolerable. I really do like the performance that it offers and would probably carry it in my 642 except for the fact that it produces quite noticeable muzzle flash.

BTW, I have used the Remington 158 grn RNL practice ammo and it works fins for me. It may be a little nastier, but Breakfree CLP cleans it up just as well as any other ammo crud.

The Remington 158 LSWCHP +P is moving at around 800 fps from a 2" barrel. As I noted in an earlier post, if you are man enough you can get the Buffalo Bore version (also a 158 grn LSWCHP) that blasts out of a 2" barrel at 1000 fps!!! Ouch !

As I said, I am tempted to trade up the Remmis for Buffalo Bores in my 686.

I was looking around Buffalo Bore and came upon the following ridiculously powerful 357 Magnum ammo:

Heavy .357 Magnum

Item No. 19A20 180 gr. LFN-GC (1400 fps ME 783 ft. lbs.)

Item No. 19B20 170 gr. JHC (1400 fps ME 740 ft. lbs.)

Item No. 19C20 158 gr. JHC (1475 fps ME 763 ft. lbs.)

Item No. 19D20 125 gr. JHC (1700 fps ME 802 ft lbs.)

 

[jad0110]

$Five for fiVe - Help thank a great THR member!

On 13 May 2005 at 0922, fiVe created The 642 Club, and fiVe saw that it was good!

Since that moment, fiVe’s thread has gone on to influence the lives of more people than he or anyone else will ever truly know. Many of us gave the snub-nosed revolver far too little consideration, instead being drawn towards the latest high tech auto. Still others were sitting on fence, unable to decide. Others loved the simple goodness of the snubbie all along, and found a welcoming home in The 642 Club. Regardless, all of us have found a wealth of knowledge and great camaraderie in The 642 Club. FiVe has earned the gratitude of many of us who today rely on the S&W 642 (and other snubbies) as a primary or BUG for the protection of ourselves, our loved ones, and those that we don’t even know.

FiVe has truly earned our thanks. For this reason, the members of The 642 Club have created the $Five for fiVe Drive.

Please click the link above to learn more; you will be directed to Oleg Volk’s Armed Polite Society (the main thread was posted on APS at the request of The High Road moderators).

We hope that you will consider participating!

(Note: This post will be reposted on every new page of The 642 Club when possible)

 

[rickomatic]

Yippee!! Got my Bob Mika pocket holster today.
You guys are exactly right about him being a great guy to do business with.
Did you notice that he signs the inside with his name, and your name? Pretty classy.
I got the square cut, and noticed that the butt sticks out the top of the pocket of my jeans. Not sure if it's just the brand of jeans. Ha...I don't even know which ones I'm wearing. I'll try a couple other pair, to see if the pocket then swallows the whole gun and holster. Thinking out loud that maybe a round cut would drop farther into that jeans pocket. Any comparisons on how the square vs the round ride? I may go ahead and order a round cut just the same. I've got a Don Hume on order, so maybe I'll wait til that one gets here, and see how it works in the jeans pockets.

So...now I'm a member of the 642 club, the LG-405 club, and the Bob Mika club!!

We may have to start the 642A club......a 12 step program for those helplessly addicted to the J frame.

 

[308win]

The round cut will sit lower in many pocket styles but your pockets may just be too shallow.

 

[AStone]

Item No. 19D20 125 gr. JHC
(1700 fps ME 802 ft lbs.)

<...nearly uncontrollable laughter...>

Mikey likes it.

<...turns up the stereo...>

 

[1BLINDREF]

What would that be like out of a 340PD?

 

[RTFM]

Pain inducing?

 

[RTFM]

OK here is a new question.
Clip draw?

Any one try it with a 642?

The link to the S&W part of the Clip Draw site:
http://www.clipdraw.com/sw.html

 

[loplop]

I personally won't carry unless the trigger is covered, so that rules out ClipDraw style carry for me.

 

[1BLINDREF]

Looks like a good idea. I wonder if it fits with the crimson trace grips?

 

[RTFM]

wow good thought that would be close huh?

 

[jad0110]

I personally won't carry unless the trigger is covered, so that rules out ClipDraw style carry for me.

My thoughts too.

What would that be like out of a 340PD?

Hey Nem,

I bet those 158s at 1475 fps would make a great hunting round for your purposes.

My guess is that you would have two things to worry about:

1) When will the swelling in my hand go down enough to grab a can of coke

2) Where did my 340PD land???

Note that the situation in #2 is much better than #2 alternate: removing said 340PD from your forehead with a prybar.

 

[loplop]

jad, that Buffalo Bore stuff is nuts! I'd love to try some of those crazy +P's. EDIT: I just noticed that 1000fps 158gr LSWCHP is measured out of a snub!!! HOLY HECK!! (the have a near 357mag 9mm +P+ load, too: (+P+) 124gr. Speer Uni Core @ 1300 fps) wow.

I've noticed the Remington ammo has a lot of muzzle flash out of the snub.

Re: #2 alternate... The first handgun I ever fired was a 44mag loaded with some insane hunting loads. Mind you, I had no idea at the time what the thing was. A friend handed it to me (we had all met at a range) and said "shoot this one."

I was honestly a handgun idiot. My father was/is very against firearms, and so I had never been around them. I knew nothing of this gun other than it remotely looked like the revolvers I used to see in movies.

First shot: I drilled the center of the target...

But the muzzle smacked me in the noggin!!!

I held it with a little more force next time.

 

[wera72]

Ok, after finding this forum the day I bought my 642 I finally decided to register and post.

Bought the 642 about a month ago for pocket carry. So I went on a hunt for a holster. As a result of this site, I contacted and bought a Mika pocket holster. What a great guy! I've had the holster for about a week now and I think it is great.

I love the 642 for every day carry rather than my PT145 in an ankle holster. After a couple of days of carry in the pocket holster, it is like not carrying at all.

Next up LG405 grips.

Thanks everyone for all of the information.

 

[Aaron Staub]

Been reading this thread for a LONG time. Have had a hard time choosing between a Kel-Tec P3AT and the S&W 442. I still like the smaller size and greater capacity of the little 380, but the S&W looks like it will endure. I can't get past the cheap feel of the KelTec. Great value I am sure, but not for me. I took it for a spin for the first time today. My first revolver, so I won't post any groups. 15 feet was OK, but 25 feet was a bit humbling. Also, while I was shooting some target loads and a few 'FBI loads', I notice that the cylinder release was chewing on the knuckle of my thumb. Is that normal, or do I just need to adjust my grip? Anyway, here are my pics:

 

[1BLINDREF]

Aaron
Great choice over that kel-tec
Nice gun, I love the Black 442s. Try adjusting your grip. I've put somewhere around 600 rounds through my 642 and haven't chewed up any knuckles. Don't get discouraged with your group sizes. They'll get better with practice. Dry firing at home will smooth out the trigger and you can also change up your grip while you practice.
Good luck with it!

 

[GregAllCalibers]

Did the complete trigger job today on my 642-2 today. Moved from the 8.5lb stock hammer spring to Wolff's 8.0lb, and replaced the 18lb trigger rebound spring with a Wolff 13lb. Also buffed the trigger block, inside of the frame where it drags, sear, hammer spring strut, etc.

Trigger has no stacking, it's very smooth, and I estimate about a 10lb pull.

Ran 350 rds of Remington and Winchester through it. They have fairly hard primers compared to Federal. No misfires. Also ran my Golden Saber ammo and it appears fine.

I can rapid fire and the rebound spring is fine since I smoothed out the internals.

I use a buffing wheel and a dremel tool. It's critical not to take off any metal, I have done trigger jobs for years this way and never had a problem. I do not have the patience to dry fire thousands of times and find that's not the best way to fine tune the gun IMHO.

Also got my Crimson laser grips. Now it's easy to pull the trigger without moving the dot.

 

[loplop]

Aaron, welcome. Nice 442, black rocks

I actually went to look at a KelTec today. I am thinking about one for super deep cover, and a local shop has them for $249 which seems decent.

They are so darn cheap feeling in-hand, though. Just not something pleasant and satisfying, like the 442. Doesn't mean they're bad, but when I picked up the NAA Guardian next to it, I thought "ah, a real gun." But, it's much bigger. Maybe I'll get a KelTec after all, but today I came home with another SIG

 

[jad0110]

Greg,

Thanks for posting pics. Would a very small amount of flitz metal polish on the frame behind the rebound slide have the same effect as the dremmel?

Also, do you use a spring compresser tool to put the spring back in the rebound slide, or do you just squeeze 'er back in with your fingers? I am hesitant to remove it as I don't have a compresser.

 

[jad0110]

$Five for fiVe - Help thank a great THR Member!

On 13 May 2005 at 0922, fiVe created The 642 Club, and fiVe saw that it was good!

Since that moment, fiVe’s thread has gone on to influence the lives of more people than he or anyone else will ever truly know. Many of us gave the snub-nosed revolver far too little consideration, instead being drawn towards the latest high tech auto. Still others were sitting on fence, unable to decide. Others loved the simple goodness of the snubbie all along, and found a welcoming home in The 642 Club. Regardless, all of us have found a wealth of knowledge and great camaraderie in The 642 Club. FiVe has earned the gratitude of many of us who today rely on the S&W 642 (and other snubbies) as a primary or BUG for the protection of ourselves, our loved ones, and those that we don’t even know.

FiVe has truly earned our thanks. For this reason, the members of The 642 Club have created the $Five for fiVe Drive.

Please click the link above to learn more; you will be directed to Oleg Volk’s Armed Polite Society (the main thread was posted on APS at the request of The High Road moderators).

We hope that you will consider participating!

(Note: This post will be reposted on every new page of The 642 Club when possible)

 

[jad0110]

Hey, for any of you guys into reloading who have built there own reloading bench, I could use some suggestions for wall mounting my reloading bench (I have very little space to work with).

I posted specifics and a picture of where I'd like to hang my bench over in the Reloading forum:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=261424