S&W 642 ammo

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RJ55

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I’ve been watching different videos on most +p 125 grain 38 special ammo. About all of them are not expanding like they’re supposed to. Just wondering if a person would be better off with a 158 grain lead round nose bullet, and be more concerned with bullet placement. Thanks RJ
 
I've recently moved over to the Lehigh copper solid (screwdriver tip) type projectiles. They're lighter than lead, move faster, barrier blind, and don't need to expand to create a wound channel that looks like it came from a much larger projectile. My experience so far says less felt recoil as well. May be worth giving them a try.
https://www.underwoodammo.com/38-special-100-grain-xtreme-defender.html
 
Quick Sunday pocket/ankle dump
Winchester super x 125gn silver tip jhp in the pistol and in a speed loader.
They have have always shot well in this revolver and shot placement is key it doesn’t matter what the bullet does if you can’t make contact.
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With snubs (I used to carry a 642 and now carry a Colt Agent pretty regularly), and this was extremely important for me, the decision for ammo is made exclusively by point-of-aim, point-of-impact.

You would have to test this.

I’ve had plenty of snubs where the only ammo that would shoot to POA was 148 gr wadcutters (advertised in the 650-700 fps range). Some would shoot everything unacceptably low except 158 gr LRN/LSWC (advertised in the 750-800 fps range). My Colt, for example, only hits POA/POI with 130 gr standard pressure FMJ (the USAF load). Heavier bullets shoot high, and it doesn’t stabilize them particularly well.

It all comes down to the height of the front sight, the dwell time the bullet spends in the barrel, and—this can be frustrating with snubs—even the shape of your grip panels and how well you grasp them. That’s right: changing your grips to something heavier and more ergonomic can change the weight and recoil characteristics of your snub, meaning your POA/POI can change with the same load.

Find the grips you prefer to carry and shoot, buy a couple of different bullet weights, and shoot deliberate groups at 10 or 15 yards. Something will shoot dead-on or close to it. Carry that. And buy a bunch of it for practice, because snubs are very demanding guns. They are capable guns, but heavy triggers and short sight radii leave little room for sloppiness.

At best, a .38 snub is going to throw a 9mm-ish bullet well below typical 9mm performance velocities—it’s a heavy-but-very-anemic .380 until you go up to +P and +P+ loads, and those suck to shoot and practice with long-term. A basic bullet going a reasonable velocity that hits the tip of the front sight is, in my opinion, the best a snub should be expected to do.
 
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Timfoilhat said:
I've recently moved over to the Lehigh copper solid (screwdriver tip) type projectiles. They're lighter than lead, move faster, barrier blind, and don't need to expand to create a wound channel that looks like it came from a much larger projectile. My experience so far says less felt recoil as well. May be worth giving them a try.
https://www.underwoodammo.com/38-special-100-grain-xtreme-defender.html
Click to expand...
I use the 60 gr version of this bullet in .380 in my G42.
 
I always wondered why the 158gr nyclad loads died off, I was under the impression they worked very well out of just about anything.
 
Desolo said:
I always wondered why the 158gr nyclad loads died off, I was under the impression they worked very well out of just about anything.
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I like the blue bullets, and have them in 125g also. Hard to find, but very nice for extra ammo carry with no lead rub off. Prefer to shoot them in K frames.

On the general subject of loads for snub nose .38 Special revolvers, POI has been a problem for me with anything other than 158, 150g and 148g.
 
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The two most important factors for incapacitation with common self defense handgun calibers is shot placement and penetration. In a j frame .38 spl, I prefer 148 or 158 gr wadcutter or semi-wadcutter.


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View attachment 431859we were working with first time shooters mostly women and elderly- left to right is mild to stout- we were interested in low recoil and follow up shots. Placement is key with any pistol. PS std j frame snubby aluminum frame boot grips.https://carolinafirearmsforum.com/index.php?attachments/78f93451-b1d4-4b2b-962a-71ad2575c59b-jpeg.425201/
 
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john galt said:
View attachment 431859we were working with first time shooters mostly women and elderly- left to right is mild to stout- we were interested in low recoil and follow up shots. Placement is key with any pistol.
Click to expand...
Thanks for showing those expanded rounds. What media did you shoot them into? Any opinion how they did on depth of penetration?
 
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Here is some Chrono data for giggles out of my 642.

1. My preferred load of 4.2gr 231 with a 158gr SWC. I shoot this almost exclusively. (I mistakenly said 4.0gr 231 up thread).

2. The Remington 158 LSWCHP known as the FBI load. Too slow out of a snub to expand IMO. I'm pretty much out of this anyway.

3. 135 Gold Dot load.

4. For fun, a Remington .357 mag 125gr SJHP out of a 640. LOUD!

(clicking thumbnail should enlarge)

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Frank C Lyons said:
Barrel cant to the right, throwing shots to the left. I finally got sick of it.
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Same exact issue I’m having with my 642, built late 2017. Received a return label to send back to S&W for evaluation but am a little hesitant to do so as I hate being without it. How long has Smith had yours back at the factory if you don’t mind me asking?
 
jdataco said:
Same exact issue I’m having with my 642, built late 2017. Received a return label to send back to S&W for evaluation but am a little hesitant to do so as I hate being without it. How long has Smith had yours back at the factory if you don’t mind me asking?
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I sent it in Dec 14 and got notice it will be delivered back to me today or tomorrow. I'll let you know what I find when I see it.
 
BatteryOaksBilly said:
@RS just in from B&M HQ....Michael has sent some 100 grain Lehigh [phillips screws] over to us....100 gr @ right at 1,000 FPS...2 incher
Click to expand...

Let us know your verdict on those Lehigh rounds. I’ve been wanting to give them a try.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
stiab said:
I like the blue bullets, and have them in 125g also. Hard to find, but very nice for extra ammo carry with no lead rub off. Prefer to shoot them in K frames.

On the general subject of loads for snub nose .38 Special revolvers, POI has been a problem for me with anything other than 158, 150g and 148g.
Click to expand...

I keep my 342 and a couple of speed loaders loaded with the 125g nyclads. I know what you mean regarding the poi with lighter bullets.
 
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