S&W air weight 642/442

[Sigkid79]

Can anyone tell me about the recoil on these revolvers? I’ve read from some that it is a very snappy revolver due to its size and being lightweight, and I’ve heard from others that it was a joy to shoot in standard .38 special.

I’m buying for my wife who has very weak hands/wrists. It’s either this or the Ruger LCR in .22 magnum.


Thanks....

 

[gwpercle]

Small light J frames are made for extended carrying . Extended shooting can become wearing on the hands but a good set of recoil reducing rubber grips helps a lot .
Mine stay loaded with 148 grain Target HBWC ammo ... why , it's easy to shoot accurately and follow up shots are quick .
The truth is , in a situation you don't hear the gun or feel the recoil everything slows down and sounds are muted ... Shoot something you can hit with.
In a situation only hits count ... the other shots off in the wild blue yonder ...do Squat .
I mentally counted shooting 4 times but I swear the gun never recoiled and I only heard muffled sounds .
In 38 special J-frame air weights ...ammo and cushy grips can mediate recoil very well ...just choose wisely .
A 22 Magnum kills all out of proportion to it's size but requires good shot placement , I would prefer the 38 special but not feel too unarmed with a 22 Magnum revolver .
Gary

 

[John D]

I've fired my buddy's pistol and, yes, it can be "very snappy". I'm assuming, because of them being lightweight and given these two choices, you want something your wife can carry. My wife carries a S&W EZ .380 - lightweight, very safe and easy to rack, with manageable recoil in an effective caliber.

 

[74A95]

The S&W 38s are snappy because of their light weight. Wadcutter ammo has very low recoil and is preferred by many.

A 38 Special gun will also shoot 38 Long Colt and 38 Short Colt. The 38 Short Colt has around 33% less recoil than a 38 Special wadcutter.

An even lower recoil round is made by Matts bullets. Their 38 Special Comfort Plinkers, have about 60% less recoil than a 38 Special wadcutter.

The trigger pull on the S&Ws run about 12-13 pounds, which is too much for some people. You can get a lighter trigger pull by looking for S&W's "enhanced action" versions, which are supposed to have a 20% improvement in trigger pull.

The best route is to get your hands on these guns to see if she can handle the trigger pull. That alone could help you make an informed decision.


A couple of resources:

gun: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJCEdIIdXF4

ammo: https://www.shootingillustrated.com...atts-bullets-comfort-plinker-38-special-ammo/

 

[mikejonestkd]

The best route is to get your hands on these guns to see if she can handle the trigger pull. That alone could help you make an informed decis

Agreed! Airweight J frames are not easy to shoot, and, IMO, are a poor choice for an inexperienced shooter with weak wrists or hands.
Have her try one with light loads to see if she can handle the recoil before you buy one.

 

[JERRYS.]

get the LCR 22 mag, or better yet, the LCR .327 mag and load it with Longs.

 

[shurshot]

My 642 with +P .38's is VERY hard on the hand. Nice reliable gun though! Just don't use hot loads!!
I would suggest the 642 loaded with .38 wadcutters or standard .38 LSWC.

 

[DMK]

Can anyone tell me about the recoil on these revolvers? I’ve read from some that it is a very snappy revolver due to its size and being lightweight, and I’ve heard from others that it was a joy to shoot in standard .38 special.

No, they are not a joy to shoot at all. I once compared my lightweight 642 with +P self defense loads to my full steel Ruger SP-101 shooting .357 125gr Golden Sabers. Honestly, there wasn't much difference. Both got painful after a few cylinders.

I switched to a full steel j-frame (640 and 649) for my pocket carry gun and rarely carry my 642 anymore. I don't trust that I can shoot it accurately at 20 yards or more when under stress. Maybe I won't ever need that, but I don't want that kind of limitation with my carry gun.

It's not about how tough you are and what you can shoot, it's what can you consistently hit the target with.

I agree with the 327 mag suggestion. You have a lot of ammo options with those. (well in normal times at least)

 

[Armybrat]

.327 magnum Ruger SP101 With .32 S&W longs. Gun might be a bit heavy for a dainty lass though.

 

[lee n. field]

Can anyone tell me about the recoil on these revolvers? I’ve read from some that it is a very snappy revolver due to its size and being lightweight, and I’ve heard from others that it was a joy to shoot in standard .38 special.

I’m buying for my wife who has very weak hands/wrists. It’s either this or the Ruger LCR in .22 magnum.


Thanks....

The stock 442/642 grip will make that an unpleasant gun to shoot. Fortunately there're lots of better aftermarket grip options.

Ammo selection will play in to this too.

very weak hands/wrists.

Try before you buy. With weak hands she may have trouble manipulating the trigger.

I carry a 642. Doesn't mean I think it's the best choice for everyone.

 

[pete2]

I have 2 642s, my regular carry gun. Not a gun most women will want to shoot even with standard 38 ammo they kick pretty hard.

 

[biblethumpncop]

Will your wife be carrying the gun on her body, in a purse, glove box or night stand? If she isn't carrying it on her body, small size shouldn't matter. A Smith & Wesson model 10 would be a better option in a 2" if in a purse or a 4" if in a glove box or night stand.

I had two Charter Arms six shot .38+P revolvers made at the factory with 3" barrels and adj sights. At 22oz, it is more of a multipurpose kit gun that fits all the criteria and she enjoys shooting. They stay in the glove box and I have a 6" S&W model 14 (35 oz) which is in the sock drawer. My wife likes the 3" guns better for holding because they are lighter and the grip is smaller, but she can use the K frame just fine.

I taught a lady in her late 60's how to shoot along with my wife. She had a Lady Smith 642. Very difficult for her to shoot. She shot my wife's .38 well and preferred it.

 

[Targa]

The one gun I couldn’t sell fast enough. Stung my hand, the safest place to be when I was shooting it was in front of the target (I couldn’t hit a darn thing with it), trigger was horrible but much better after installing an Apex spring kit.
I tried to like it but ended up just cringing at the thought of shooting it.

 

[Carmady]

"I’m buying for my wife who has very weak hands/wrists."

Ime, the stock grips which DO NOT cover the backstrap on the S&W's, are the deal breakers.

The LCR's (all of them) come with comfy Hogue grips which cover the backstrap.

I'd recommend the LCR in .22 Mag for your wife. Holds 6 instead of 5, cheaper ammo, less recoil, comes with good grips, and probably has a better trigger than the center fire Smiths. The center fire LCR's definitely come with a better trigger, but the rim fire triggers are a bit stiffer. Take her to see if she can deal with the trigger. The only possible option I'd suggest for the LCR is the smaller Hogue Bantam grip, which still covers the backstrap and goes for about $20. Another thing, Ruger has excellent customer service.

If she's set on a .38, stock Ruger LCR all the way.

Jmo...

 

[Hawg]

My wife has weak hands and wrists. She bought a S&W EZ 9 but the grip safety digs into the web of her hand. She can shoot it with gloves but that's the only way. Then she bought a S&W 637 and the narrow grips hurt the web of her hand. It is very snappy. I put a set of Pachmayr grippers on it and she can shoot it now but she found a Ruger LC9S and it is perfect for her.

 

[bobn]

charter arms makes a 7 shot 32 hr revolver with similar weight as the airwieghts. with less recoil. it also has a lighter trigger pull in da mode. switch the grip to a hogue and it is a decent I am older and not as tough any more gun. fwiw

 

[RKG]

You are going to get a lot of opinions; here is mine:

1) All S&W J-Frame .38s are specialist weapons. It is possible to become effective with one, but there are two prerequisites that are not on your wife's horizon: first is developing serious pistol shooting skills, with .22s for openers and then with full size centerfires. Then (and only then) firing an awful lot of rounds with the J-Frame .38 doing serious defensive drills. So, yes, the revolvers you've identified are wrong for the lady you've described. She will find shooting them such an ordeal that she will give up trying. She might be better armed with an aluminum baseball bat.

2) My recommendation would be a Ruger SR-22 (if you can find one) and a whole bunch of .22 ammo (ditto). You start by giving your wife a chance to experience shooting that is fun. Then she gets good instruction and learns basic pistol marksmanship: sight picture, trigger break, stance. From there, expand to skills firing multiple shots, mag changes, clearance drills, carrying and drawing, and the like. So armed and skilled, your wife can do a mag dump against an aggressor with a far greater potential for a successful defense.

 

[Wishoot]

Snappy for sure. Quick follow up shots can be challenging and require practice.

I was carrying Gold Dot 135gr +P for a while, but had a very difficult time getting follow up shots on target. Changed to 110gr FTX's and the difference is night and day. Granted, the FTX doesn't have the extra oomph of the +P, but my shots go where I want them even in rapid fire.

I practice with my own reloads which are very manageable.

 

[Laz]

Interesting thread. I found my first 442 hard to shoot when I first bought it but it got a lot easier just with a little practice and familiarity. I agree with everything said about loads, etc. I think an important factor in a revolver whether a 642/442 or some other model is the ability to tailor the power level to the circumstance. As one ages, or otherwise undergoes changes that make heavy- recoiling ammunition problematical, a revolver allows a simple change of ammo to modify and lessen recoil with no loss of reliability or need for extensive function testing. Wild to mild in the same gun with no change in reliability. Not likely with a small semi-auto.

 

[DMK]

All S&W J-Frame .38s are specialist weapons. It is possible to become effective with one, but there are two prerequisites that are not on your wife's horizon: first is developing serious pistol shooting skills, with .22s for openers and then with full size centerfires. Then (and only then) firing an awful lot of rounds with the J-Frame .38 doing serious defensive drills.

I agree 100%.

Folks recommend these guns all the time for beginners or the casual CCW owner. It's usually a horrible recommendation. These guns take some serious dedication to practice and range time with the carry ammo. They are very difficult to control and shoot accurately.