SW 637, 638, or 642?

[vellnueve]

I've been looking at a J-frame snubbie for a while. The .357 snubbies do nothing for me and I cannot control such a small, light gun in that caliber very well, so .38 +P is good enough for me. I like the 637 as a gun because I like being able to shoot single action if I want, but I'm leaning towards the 638 because of its less likely to snag design. The most popular seems to be the 642. Any thoughts?

The 642 is the hammerless gun
The 638 is the shrouded hammer
The 637 is the normal hammer design

 

[News Shooter]

This is just me

I had a Smith Model 38 which is an old version of the shrouded hammer.
It was pretty nice to carry in a Mike's.

I sold it for some reason and got a Colt DS (Which I love and will keep)
but I don't feel as comfortable carrying it.

I agree about the .357 in an airweight, but then you don't use them for target practice. A lot of folks will tell you you might as well have the extra pop when you need it.

 

[vellnueve]

With a little bit of luck, target practice might be all I ever use this gun for.

 

[ZenShooter]

I've had both hammered and hammerless J frames down through the years. The hammerless design is good in terms of preventing a snag from slowing your draw, but I've never liked being limited entirely to double-action in a revolver (or a semi-auto, for that matter). With practice, snags become less likely, unless you plan pocket carry.

As to .357 snubbies, have you tried the Ruger SP-101? It's heavier than the S&W snubs, which allows more control of a full-power round, though the kick is still not exactly pleasant.

Really, though, it's a personal question. Match the gun to your intended carry style and your shooting preferences.

 

[The Goose]

I have had the 3 models mentioned and then some. I prefer DAO so I would lean toward the 642 for it's snag free design. My wife has a 637 because she likes to shoot single action and usually carries in either a handbag or fanny pack and the snagging seems to be less of a concern. I suppose the 638 is the best of both worlds. I have had a 38 and also a 649, both with shrouded hammers. If you are going to carry it go with either the 638 or the 642.

 

[Len-2A Training]

If it was belt-carry, I'd opt for the one with a hammer (I used to carry a Colt Detective Special).

If for the pocket, I'd suggest the 642.

Depends on how you'll carry it.

 

[dwarven1]

I have a 637 and since I pocket carry, I'm debating having it dehorned - getting the hammer spur removed. Only reason I'm hesitating is that I don't know what that will do to reliability - if I remove the mass of the hammer spur, will it still hit the primers hard enough?

My vote is for hammerless or shrouded.

 

[drgrant]

I had a 642 but got rid of it because I couldnt hit a broad side of a barn
with it... but that was not the fault of the gun, but of the
shooter. A friend of mine has the same gun and loves it. FWIW, the 442 is
the same thing only in black.

I recently revisited revolvers and bought a 640.... what a difference. It is a
lot easier to shoot that gun, due to the bigger grips and extra weight. All that
and you can still downsize it by putting smaller boot grips on it. I even
ran some .357 through it, although that was a "ride" to put it mildly... recoil
wasnt bad but the blast/concussion of the thing was pretty obnoxious.
Sure was fun to shoot, though. I just carry it with .38 +P+ loads in it..
seems to be a happy medium.

-Mike

 

[MassMark]

As I posted in another thread, after 20-years of carrying bottom feeders, I can honestly say, I have never been more impressed with any handgun as I am with this 642. The DAO trigger does take some getting used to, but if you're a quick study it can become a very potent weapon to carry. I have the 642CT and could not be happier with the grip feel of this revolver. Recoil is more than manageable and I have been firing a broad array of loads from mild to hot. It's not a target gun by any stretch, but the accuracy out of a 1 7/8" barrel is very impressive. Using the gun for that which it was designed, it's a tough package to beat.

 

[DR]

Personally I would (and did) go with the hammerless J frame. Even shooting double-action it's more than accurate enough for its intended purpose. Just for fun I tried mine out on a plate rack last Saturday. With the J frame I was only a little slower than my usual pace, for the first five plates at least.

 

[OnTheRoad]

I have been carrying a 638 (shrouded hammer) in an IWB holster for about 8 months; never had a snag and firing single action at the range is smooth and effortless.

 

[vellnueve]

Thanks for the input everyone. I think I've settled on the 638. I was going to save the cash for a carbine from CMP, but decided to wait until the IBMs and Rock-Olas come around.

 

[Pilgrim]

I have a hammerless jframe version in .32mag :

Nothing wrong with it at all but I'd like to be able to pull the hammer back. If I could find a 338, I'd buy it in a minute. It's the best of both worlds.