Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns S&W 442

Looking around in a local shop today, and found this 442. It looks virtually unfired, but I believe it's an older revolver. It is a dash 1, and has no lock. There was no box with it, just as is at a very nice price.
I have a 442-2 that I bought NIB years ago and carry often. It's nice to have a back up now.

For some reason, you can buy the current 442 with or without the lock. When I ordered mine several years ago, I specifically ordered one without the lock. It's likely the only revolver they offer where they give you a choice.

Nice revolver . I have a 642 , Nice to put in a coat pocket or even a tackle bag while fishing.

Yep. Great coat pocket gun, because nothing to snag on.

I have a 642 with a kakabillion rounds through it. I filed the fs narrow. The most awesome of the bunch is the 340 M&P (not PD). I wish they made it in 38 spl only and 6 shot 32 H&R.
S.

I think Mannlicher has us all on ignore.

A friend of mine is an avid bass fisherman. He primarily fishes the swamps which are loaded with snakes, to include water moccasins. His primary deterrent is a 642 loaded with CCI snake shot. He had a local gunsmith mill a pined hole in the backstrap for a lanyard attached to his belt. That way he cannot lose the gun. The moccasins are known to drop into boats as they cruise by from overhead tree branches. The snake shot is very effective. I have a 642 that is carried as my summer/hot weather front pocket gun. Love that little wheel gun.

Love 'em.................change the grips & they become much more shootable. I carry one fairly often as a genuine "pocket" gun.

Don't leave home w/o it.

MM

Nice grab, Sam.

I'm a fan of the Airweight S&W Snubbies. My current favorite pop gun is a 642. In fact, I was telling my son over the weekend that he needs to grab him a snub airweight instead another plastic frame striker fired gun to throw on top of the half dozen Glock and M&P guns he already doesn't shoot very often. He would find that Snubbie a lot more useful than a neglected Glock in the safe.

I have had my 442 for more than 20 years.



Received it as a gift for graduating from a state academy.

Put literally thousands of rounds through it. It spent time as an ankle gun in the BUG role when I worked in uniform, then for years in my offside pocket when I was in investigations.

It may be a bit on the worn side cosmetically but it shoots very well and still gets used often in situations where a full size gun won't work. Stuffed with wadcutters, it is a great little reliable piece of gear.

I recently had a trigger job done on a 442 that had been in the safe a long time and added a Crimson Trace laser grip. With mild wad cutter loads it puts all 5 shots under an inch pretty much every time at 10 yards. I discovered that I can shoot it much more accurately when I place my finger on the trigger past the first joint. A normal finger position pinches my finger just before the trigger breaks.

Full power loads sting but the target level loads are a hoot. I ordered my first AA #5 for this project and have a stash of Speer 135 grain short barrel bullets to try.

I also added a shot timer app to my phone recently. I'm an old school bullseye shooter at heart and need to spend more time learning to shoot faster

Nice one, Mannlicher.

A man can't have too many S&W revolvers.

Sam,

That is what my eldest son carries daily. Loaded with Mac's +P wadcutters.

He could do far worse.

Looks like I'm not the only one that shoots high with these if ya choke way up un the grip. That spacer looks to be the ticket.

Sorta ironic, after 20 plus years I came to view my old school firing pin on the hammer Mod 39 as too cherished to be my carry piece.

So I picked up this 442-2, it does have the trigger lock, I don’t mind it that much. I check the action is unlocked most every day.

I actually paid $80 on eBay for that Uncle Mike’s Combat Grip, they used to come standard on j-frame .357’s but have been out of production for years now. I haven’t found a grip that fits my hand better and I find the longer grip positions it more consistently in a pocket (Remora holster) than the boot grip the 442 came with, indexes much more consistently in the hand when drawn quickly too.

I’ve been trying to warm up to the pocket nines, that Ruger LC 9 fits in my pocket about as well, flatter than a j-frame, is easier to shoot fast and well and with that nine-round mag provides twice the rounds on hand.

J-frames just seem so familiar in my hand tho, the 442 still gets the nod.

Got my wife a 442, thought the recoil might be a bit much for her, but she likes it.



MM, What grips did you put on yours?



Bird Watcher, I've got an Uncle Mikes K-frame square butt grip (on a Model 18), I like it a lot over the Pachmayr and Hogue's that I've tried.



Yeah, I don't get this... if they can offer the 442 without the lock, why not others? edited to add; If they did, I would buy more new S&W's vs. just pre-locks.


Jerry

Same here.

This is primarily a recoil mitigation and comfort modification, as I found that shooting the J Frame to be unpleasant at times, especially with extensive practice. I tried various types of material on the backstrap, including strips of thin rubber, before finally settling on the strip of leather that is currently on there. Then wrapping it up in Vet Wrap bandage or hockey tape. The combo I found helps soften the recoil a bit and shooting 50-75 rounds at a whack on the range is not too bad, and getting a good grip is easier.