Who has a S&W 442?

Djstorm100

Djstorm100

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LGS has them for sale at 309 this weekend and thinking about picking up my first revolver. Just seeing if anyone had one and their thoughts on it.
 
Had a 642 (same gun just stainless) for a while. Solid little gun, easy to conceal. The internal hammer makes it good for pocket carry. Trigger was a little heavy for my liking. All in all, good for concealment, not so much for just shooting for the fun of it.
 
I have a 442. Very accurate and fun to shoot. You don't want to shoot a lot of rounds during a session because your hand will start to feel it. Good one-handed shooter. I had someone smooth out the internals and it made a huge difference in the trigger. A lot of people will recommend them for ladies, but recoil sensitive people tend to not like them after the first trip to the range.
 
Helped my sis-in-law buy one for carry. Put a beefy Hogue grip on it while we were at the LGS. Improved the grip, and I imagine absorbs some recoil in that lightweight peashooter.
 
I don't have a revolver and for 300 bucks..hell why not. Probably throw some VZ grips on it.

looking at the 642 as well
 
642 owner here and I love my j-frame! It's usually my "throw in the pocket and go" gun but a buddy of mine did make me a nice holster for it last year

As stated, the trigger is a bit on the stiff side, but lots of dry firing will smooth it out. There are after-market spring kits that will help reduce the weight if you want to go down that road.

I never did like factory grip, so I replaced mine with an Altamont so I could get my pinky on the grip.



Recoil is definitely on the stiff side with heavy loads!

That's a great price on those... definitely worth picking one up.
 
Everybody here has nailed it:
Easy to conceal
Accurate for such a little thing
Too many rounds at the range and you'll feel it
The recoil sensitive won't like it

I have one I carry when I need deeper concealment than I can get with my EDC. It's a fantastic little 'get off me' gun.
 
I have a 442 and love it. A go to gun in the summer for pocket carry. Accurate, concealable, reliable, and all at a good price.

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I have a 442 and a Mika pocket holster. Good combination. I paid somewhere around $370 for the 442 two years ago and thought I got a good deal then. Gun prices seem to be falling since Nov. 8!!! This is a handy little revolver.
 
People have already covered it well, but the 442/642 is a great pocket revolver.

I don't shoot mine enough to be very accurate with it, but I'm confident enough with it.

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Had one. Good gun, but I prefer a G26 for EDC. Honestly, were I looking for a 5-shot .38, I'd get the LCR. More comfortable to shoot & a better trigger.
 
I've carried a 637 AIWB dialy for almost 15 years. It's just so easy to conceal, no matter what I wear. I don't have to dress around it. If I have to tuck my shirt in it goes on the ankle.
I've tried to convince myself I need more capacity, and have many other guns I could carry, but I always come back to it.
A J Frame Airweight is hard to beat for every day carry IMHO...2017_040820_3351_352.jpg
 
Got one on my hip right now. Usually only carry it when my dress is limited, or going to be in gym shorts. I don't find the recoil too harsh, but its definitely not a gun I'd run 100 rounds through the range. Have had zero issues with mine, and it will probably stay in the family for generations.
 
Nice pocket revolvers. For carry, I wouldn't reccomended changing springs due to light strikes. Run 500 rounds through it and it will smooth up nice. The pro series 642 / 442 is cut for moon clips, there is also a performance center 442 with a factory action job if you can find one.
 
NKD said:
@Studentofthegun I believe has one, unless I am mistaken, which happens a lot. He's deadly with it.
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I've got a 642. It's a great little shooter. I've noticed that from an accuracy perspective, it really likes heavier bullets. Might have something to do with barrel length or twist rate. I'll let someone that knows more weigh in on that. What I can confirm is that it doesn't shoot the light 110gr bullets very well. However, I get marvelous accuracy out of 158gr hollow points.
 
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I had one for a bit, wicked thing in the recoil department so I sold it. Kept thinking about an LCRx, but then shot a friends 442 again which reminded me why I got rid of the first one. I like to shoot my carry guns a lot if at all possible.
 
Get it. I carry one everywhere I go. I put in the Apex Duty kit and slapped some VZ grips on her. Also, I painted the front side blade with Orange Paint from a hobby shop. I carry appendix in a Galco Stow n Go. It's great and lightweight
 
Got my first 442 (no dash) back in 91' . Non +P rated, no lock and grips took speedloaders. Sold it about 15 yrs later. The Centennials allow five shoots from a coat pocket without any snagging/hang ups.

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Missed owning a J frame so ordered directly from Smith & Wesson while in Astan and had them deliver a 442 Pro to my dealer. Got one built the first week of production (Jun 11'). Gun is basically a blacked 642-1. Stainless steel barrel and cylinder blacked. +P rated, no lock, new grips do interfer with HKS speedloaders, but no issue with moon clips. I carry speedstrips for reloads do to them being flat in the pocket. You can also load loose rounds without issue. So four ways to reload. Just added a set of CTC LG-305 laser grips to make those few rounds count. Other modification was to paint the front sight with two coats of white and then two coats of neon orange. White base makes the orange stand out brighter. I reloaded and cast my range ammo. Carry ammo is still same Federal Nyclad 125 gr. The -1's now have no locks were the -2 have the ILS. Gun generally rides in my front pocket when home in a Uncle Mikes pocket holster.

422_Pro.JPG



CD
 
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642-1 Great little pocket or appendix carry gun for backup, or primary carry within walking distance of my home in the mountains.

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Just get it. They and the sp101 are the best snubbies unless you include older model 10's or colts. And older 10'a and colts command a premium now.

If you get one they are somewhat difficult to shoot to begin with so make sure you run a lot rounds through them to master it.
 
Just put one up in the classifieds. It's a good little shooter, it was my ankle gun for almost 10 yrs when I was a cop. Now that I'm out I just don't carry it anymore. $309 is a good price for a new one, mine has some character to it.
 
The Swamp Fox said:
Just put one up in the classifieds. It's a good little shooter, it was my ankle gun for almost 10 yrs when I was a cop. Now that I'm out I just don't carry it anymore. $309 is a good price for a new one, mine has some character to it.
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Character just means it's a shooter
 
nbkky71 said:
642 owner here and I love my j-frame! It's usually my "throw in the pocket and go" gun but a buddy of mine did make me a nice holster for it last year

As stated, the trigger is a bit on the stiff side, but lots of dry firing will smooth it out. There are after-market spring kits that will help reduce the weight if you want to go down that road.

I never did like factory grip, so I replaced mine with an Altamont so I could get my pinky on the grip.



Recoil is definitely on the stiff side with heavy loads!

That's a great price on those... definitely worth picking one up.
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Thats what mine looks like. I shoot buffalo bore super wamo somthing others out of mine. Good reliable gun first thing i ever carried.
 
so 442 vs lcp? how about the hammer version, I'm considering stepping back in, I had a lcr 38sp that I couldn't hit the broad side of the barn with.
 
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