Either or. People get way too caught up in this stuff. Just comes down to preference. I am never under gunned with .38 special standard or +P, got nothing against 9mm but I prefer .38 in a revolver.
Your absolutely correct, sir! Shoot what you like, like what you shoot. Variety is the 'spice of life'. Peace Out!!
I have a question: At the range a while ago, a guy informed me that I was “shaving lead” from my S&W 642. Meaning that my cylinder and barrel are just a hair mis-aligned. Upon close inspection with lights and tiny tools, I believe he is correct, but super hard to tell. So is my LGS my next stop to fix the timing? Anyone else had this problem and repaired it? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
you can check your cylinder timing to make a better decision on your plan of action.. unload the pistol... place your thumb against the side of the cylinder fairly tight, and pull the trigger slowly (much easier to do with an exposed hammer ) the cylinder "hand" should rotate it sufficiently far so that the bolt lock engages the recess in the cylinder to lock it in place.. check all 5 cylinders... if it fails to lock in place the hand most likely needs to be replaced (send it to SW)... if you can find a brass or aluminum range rod that fits snugly down the barrel, insert it down the barrel and check if it slides easily into each cylinder... the throat of the barrel can be reamed if there is not a good chamfer to allow the projectile to smoothly jump from the chamber to the barrel, but this is something that a pistol smith should do as there is a special ream with pilot needed to do a good job
I ended up going to the shop. It was so hard tell visually, testing with a hook-like tool (same as your idea), or checking for lead/copper residue. Your first note was basically the same thing they said. I understand that it would be timing, but no idea what to do about it. Now I do, but the shop guys said the old man was mistaken. My gun is fine. And now I know what to do if this actually becomes an issue. It’s funny, that old man made one comment. But it stuck with me even though it seemed unlikely based on inspection. Good learning experience from the shop guys tho. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Robust is a mild word - these things are built like tanks! I had one in .38 that I probably could have shot magnums out of Great little guns if they weren’t so heavy.
Another of my model 60's. Purchased new upon academy graduation at Cheshire and Perez what seems like a hundred years ago
I have been religiously carrying that 642 all summer. It’s so lite weight and easy to conceal. No brainer. What really gets me excited is the missing dummy lock. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I am old school and only carry wheel guns. Ruger Speed Six like OP in the Winter with shoulder holster and 2 speed loaders under my jacket. S&W 442 in IWB for Summer, can even carry with shorts. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Its the way to go. I own wheel guns from Ruger, Smith and Wesson, and North American Arms, and in 50 years of hand gunning, I've yet to have a failure to deed, failure to eject, or any magazine problems. I had one Smith and Wesson that got out of time from massive use and over 30,000 rounds and was sent back to S&W for an over haul. Shot like new when it came back, and my son has it now and shoots if often. I don't miss any of the semi's that have come and gone in my life, and all had a problem. w and then.
I only have one today, an early non-+P S&W 442. Carried it for years in California (was ex-LE) but the one I loved and still miss today was my Colt Detective Special that was my off-duty weapon when I was a deputy sheriff. Today, I think of '30's and '40's crime movies when I see a "snubbie".
I think of Joe Friday. Or Frank Cannon. Or Peter Gunn. Or Kojak. Where would all those 1960's cop and P.I. shows been without the snubbie .38?
