Switching from Semi-Auto to S&W 642

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OldMarksman

Staff
The 3-3-3 is but an example of the qualification run....
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I don't think so. It doesn't make sense.

...and certainly an attacker might even be within 9 feet of you, ...
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Yes indeed. Not unlikely at all.

Or are you saying that all assailants are expected to stay more than 3 yards from you at all times?
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Of course not.

However, it doesn't seem unreasonable that after drawing the gun from concealment a proficient shot could still get off three shots in a second or less, even if that means pumping one or two slugs at nearly or contact distances.
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Of course. The discussion was about three shots in three seconds. That might occur, but it would be extremely unlikely for a defender to be afforded that much time at a short distance.

People sometimes say 5, 5, and 5. Sometimes people interchange feet and yards. They often attribute the source to "the FBI".

If you perform the FBI drill, you will shoot at varying distances, often very rapidly, often firing many more than three times.
 
O

OldMarksman

Staff
Regarding distance, of the sixty-plus actual civilian defensive shooing incidents described by Tom Givens in Chapter 7 of Straight Talk on Armed Defense, 92 percent took place between three and seven yards, and 5 percent took place at greater than seven yards.

That leaves 3 percent at "arms length or shorter".

That is an extremely small data sample. It may serve to illustrate the probable range of distances, but that's about it.

One thing to consider: a person will rarely really constitute an identifiable imminent threat to another unless the distance is short; the defender will not have drawn before the threat is presented; and assuming that the attacker is attacking, the time it takes to recognize the threat and to draw and fire at an attacker will likely leave very little distance.

Yet we do see numerous people practicing against stationary targets at a distance of seven yards.

Regarding the number of shots, a defender will likely be best served by firing until the threat stops attacking. No one can say in advance what might be needed, but averages don't matter at all.
 
T

tallball

New member
It just takes time and practice. I am not a great handgun shooter, but after decades of practice I can shoot a J frame quite well at seven yards and reasonably well at 15. Like other posters have said, they are inherently as accurate as longer-barreled revolvers. It's the short sight radius and stiffer triggers that make them challenging. If the shooter does his part, they will do theirs.
 
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youngridge

New member
I really wanted a 642...changed my mind when I got to my LGS and he had a 638, bobbed hammer. So I have both options. For starters like many said, dry fire and learn then the trigger hammer breaks, deep fingers(sounds weird) are your friend with a DA only revolver. That was my biggest adjustment for me. Going from a crisp Glock trigger to the long DA was a big adjustment. I added CT laser grips on mine awhile ago...they work fairly well, not a must. Lots of practice.

Best of luck!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
J

JC57

New member
I had a S&W model 60 J-frame in the 80s that I shot very poorly, compared to how well I shot K-frame revolvers at the time.

I bought a 642 a few years ago, and I paid a little extra for a version that was factory tuned by S&W. That one has proven to be quite accurate and a good little shooter, though I still prefer my 2" Model 64 K-frame.
 
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In The Ten Ring

New member
I've had three instances where men have threatened my safety and/or demanded money stateside. None of those happened beyond 7 yards and one was about 1.5 yards.
 
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Danoobie

New member
Maybe you just need to get a larger set of grips for your 642, OP.
Hogue and a host of others make oversize grips, IIRC.
 
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In The Ten Ring

New member
I don't like the feel of my CTC laser grips for my Airweight, but I can still shoot it well, and that laser sight sure comes in handy at night!
 
B

briandg

New member
It's a good point to know that shootings don't often occur at longer ranges.

Once in a while, take an entire day, and every ten minutes or so, do a tactical sweep of your surroundings. Set a ten minute timer on your phone.

What is the longest distance (be reasonable) that you may be called upon to fire at?
Pick a random subject, then focus on that person. Can you find the target zone? Determine anything about that person? Can you be reasonably certain that the background is safe?
Are you in a situation in which you can easily acquire your handgun and use it during a crisis?

There are many other tests to make. You can't buy a gun and shootout circles or silhouettes and call yourself proficient. A person must also know how to engage. A day spent doing errands with your wife can provide you with fifty or so totally random situations to examine. Do so quietly and discreetly, I shouldn't have to explain that any further.

Wake up and have coffee. Longest possible shot, twenty feet, maybe two possible points of entry. Gun accessible?
Drive to grocery store. No data.
Walking through store. Twenty feet or more, random points of attack, no safe background. If your gun isn't accessible while at the grocery store, you're doing it wrong.
Gas station and store? Strip mall? Lunch at Applebee? Card shop at mall? Macy's? Picking up a bottle of wine?

Fifty or more opportunities to make a brief assessment of your safe tactical options. Then, you open your own front door and face a possible ambush by burglars who came in through the back.

Crime occurs at random times and places and it is good to examine your random moments. It adds a real life component to paper training.
 
U

UncleEd

New member
Briandg,

Again all good points but one question:

Does it matter while out and about all
the "targets" are pretty young women? :)
 
B

briandg

New member
Do not wait for the timer if pretty women are in the area, make use of your observational skills at all times. Keep those eyes wandering, don't miss a thing.

I don't think that I need to remind you that it's much harder for a woman to hide a dangerous weapon on her person when wearing scanty materials. Does that mean that she doesn't have a weapon stashed?

No, It's just well hidden. It is an easily located fact that one in ten people carry a concealed weapon. Every beach with one thousand people on it has one hundred people carrying a concealed weapon. Simple facts, right? Well, half of them are women, so on a beach of ten thousand people, there are fifty babes in bikinis who are packing a weapon somehow. Those women are a test of observational skill that the concealed carrier most take advantage of. When you find the glock hidden in the thong, is there any better educational experience?

There it is. You read it on the internet. It must be true. Like, share, and post amen, and you will be able to spend summer at the beach enhancing your observational skills.
 
B

briandg

New member
Ed.

Do not look for concealed weapons at Wal-Mart. You need those eyes. A woman was arrested over on 20th street maybe fifteen years ago with about $200 of ribeyes packed in her dress. If she can hide ten or wenty pounds of steak in her clothes, it's doubtful that you will see that model 29.
 
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Doc Holliday 1950

New member
I used to live in TN. Where a majority
of people carried. I always assumed
that everyone was carrying. Now I’m
in So. Fl. & assume the same.
The moral of this is “Be Vigilant At
All Times”. The most dangerous people
down here are the Drivers!
 
H

HighValleyRanch

New member
If one's idea of situational awareness involves trying to detect the carrying of weapons, one should rethink the strategy.
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Jeesh, lighten up! Go to post 53! I was being sarcastic.
You are getting OLD Mr. Old Marksman!:D
 
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