s&w model 642 recoil issue & wife

[rp85]

hello;

got a s&w model 642 for the wife.

thought i could down load it for her to shoot, but recoil is just to much for her. thinking about selling or trading it off for something else but don't a clue what could be a replacement.

any suggestions?

thanks for any input.

rp

 

[JBP55]

A 9mm semi automatic shoots softer and holds more ammunition.

 

[Scott.Thornton]

My wife hates the snubs, but loves a full size 9mm. Now wating for this kid to pop out so I can start working her down in size on the handgun. Next up glock 19. I've never quite understood why men think their wives would like a snub just because of the size of it. The sight radius, and capacity generally suck. Only upside is the commonly said "5 for sure" until a round isn't crimped enough and jams it up tight as hell. Easier to drop a magazine and re rack than get that fixed in a hurry.

 

[topgunz1]

I don't even like shooting my J-frame, I know better than to push it on my wife. I am giving one to my sister but she is a tough one.

Most women seem to only want to shoot something they enjoy shooting AND like the looks and feel of. Most men seem to shoot whatever will do the job they want and adapt to or ignore any downsides.

 

[rp85]

"i like it because it's light" = model 642

"i don't like it because it's to heavy" = ruger speed six

rock and a hard place.

thanks for the suggestions.

rp

 

[Scott.Thornton]

And how many women (or men, for that matter) do you know who are well-versed in malfunction clearance techniques???

Me neither.

It has been my experience that a nimrod is much more likely to cause a malfunction in a semi-auto through poor technique than to suffer an ammunition-induced stoppage in a revolver.

But that's just me.

.

Very few can clear out a jam every time under pressure. I was just saying that "tap, rack, bang" is easier to remember than figuring out why a revolver has quit turning.

 

[JBP55]

I recently saw a new revolver lock up the first time it was fired and it took about 5 minutes to clear with zero pressure. Stuff happens.

 

[Scott.Thornton]

I recently saw a new revolver lock up the first time it was fired and it took about 5 minutes to clear with zero pressure. Stuff happens.

Thanks, Someone that has seen a revolver quit. I learn from everybody so I don't have to learn for myself.

 

[Johnnyo]

My wife carries a Bersa Thunder 380 & likes it. She usually carries it in her purse & even though its steel frame, its still very light.
I would much rather she carry my 442 because they rarely malfunction and they don't have to be racked & she wouldn't have to remember to release the safety in a threatening situation.
She has fired both and prefers the Bersa.

 

[leVieux]

LSP is giving excellent advice this time; listen to him..........................................

 

[Scott.Thornton]

I've seen a lot of them "quit". That's not the point.

The point is, your average non-gun person, male or female, who can not or will not take the time to become proficient with a chosen firearm, much less take the time to practice and remain proficient, is better off with a revolver.

Make of that what you will; believe it or not, at your discretion.

.

I understand what you are saying, and I agree. My point was the fact that with a modern reliable pistol, and good factory ammo, the amount of firepower and reliability is unmatched at any point in history. Yes a revolver is a point and shoot item, but so is my wifes glock 17. She has 18 rounds on tap vs the 5 of a snub. The gun does not jam to any of our ability to make it do so, And if it does jam she knows "tap rack bang" better than the revolver equation. I'm not knocking revolvers but I will go for a reliable auto before a revolver any day. Revolvers have a hell of a place, and I love my lcr and 605, but I do not trust my wifes life with them.

 

[nwiniewicz]

I had a 642 for carry purposes, and I just didn't enjoy shooting it. It is difficult to become proficient with a firearm if you don't practice with it regularly. I recently sold it, and purchased a Sig P238. I absolutely love shooting this gun. Of course, you need to be ok with .380 vs .38 as well as single action.

 

[hdfinder47]

In my experience as a RO and having done LE and civilian training for a number of years, I have seen many times more malfunctions with SA's (even good ones) than I have with revolvers (even cheap ones), especially with inexperienced shooters. I do agree that revolver malfunctions tend to be more severe but I would side with LSP972 on this one since novice shooters will probably not train sufficiently on either.

 

[troy_mclure]

"My wife is too stupid to operate a semi auto, so I'm gonna give her a snubby revolver!" threads are awesome.

 

[MONK]

I would say slightly heavier revolver with wadcutters to break her in / build up tolerance. If you insist on a semiauto I carry a Ruger LCP a lot. I have fired about 500 rounds through it and it met my personal reliability...yes I was worried about it. I used to watch people try and qualify with Walther PPK/PPKS's that would not make a stage much less whole course without choking. They were thought to be high quality. I was cured of wanting to own one. I know the LCP is a .380, but it fits what i wear in the summer. I have a M-342 PD (Scandium) and decided to try a POST course with full loads (not +P) when I first got it in about 2002. I was bleeding well before the 60th shot. I recently challenged a friend co-worker to shoot a cylinder of +P's out of it. His first shot induced four letter words strung together. The fifth shot cured him of ever laughing at a 5 shot, and all but admitted it was more than he was willing to take. If all the recoil I could take was .22lr than I would be a dangerous .22lr toting fool. The other poster (too lazy to look up mentioned the G series. I love G anything except for .357 Sig, but that being said, I would never be comfortable carrying one in a purse , man bag, satchel, backpack, etc. (without a molded in "holster") safe action trigger is not lipstick, chap stick, eye shadow proof. That equals the present in a box in a box so to speak. I don't see the feasability of drawing a gun from a purse, etc. then having to pull the "wrapper" off the gun after it comes out of the purse before you can get to the point and bang part. I know you can get a Galco purse with a pouch, but Coach don't make'em like that. If she plans to carry concealed on person I'm all about a G-26 all day as long as the effort was there on her part to "run" it.

As far as a 5 shot failure to fire/stoppage.....running and or hard cover would be prudent. The wansta / gotsta reloading and malfunction clearance I've seen by MOST (not all......they know who they are) who carry revovlers has been laughable.

 

[gmshooter]

+1 for lsp

 

[wewaslim]

Load her (or your) snub with wadcutters. Low recoil, low muzzle flash, won't overpenetrate. 5 of them in the chest will change anyone's mind about agression. Best, Bill.

 

[VeedUp]

i understand what you are saying, and i agree. My point was the fact that with a modern reliable pistol, and good factory ammo, the amount of firepower and reliability is unmatched at any point in history. Yes a revolver is a point and shoot item, but so is my wifes glock 17. She has 18 rounds on tap vs the 5 of a snub. The gun does not jam to any of our ability to make it do so, and if it does jam she knows "tap rack bang" better than the revolver equation. I'm not knocking revolvers but i will go for a reliable auto before a revolver any day. Revolvers have a hell of a place, and i love my lcr and 605, but i do not trust my wifes life with them.

glocks don't jam? I need one of those, a jamless semi-auto! I've seen glocks jam when they were limp wristed, i've seen semi-auto's jam too where tap rack and bang didn't unjam them.

I think what steve is saying is in a stressful situation where things happen fast less is better.

If you don't train and practice with the semi auto so muscle memory takes over in stressful situations then it's another thing that might get you injured or killed.

 

[CUJOHUNTER]

My wife carries a standard weight S&W mdl 36-7 in her purse and keeps a Colt DS on her side of the bed. Both guns loaded with 110grn low recoil Hydrashoks. Till I find better ammo, the Hydrashoks will do. She's very recoil sensitive but she can shoot these two guns. She's not as proficient with semi auto but she does have one of those Bersa .380 thingies. Regardless, she prefers the revolvers and feels more confident with it's functionality.

Keep in mind that she's Canadian and does not really like handguns. She's metropolitan, cosmopolitan sex and the city kind of woman that found herself living in one of the most violent cities in the U.S. So, for her to even get as far as she did with guns is a miracle .

 

[LA_Huntsman]

My wife carries a standard weight S&W mdl 36-7 in her purse and keeps a Colt DS on her side of the bed. Both guns loaded with 110grn low recoil Hydrashoks. Till I find better ammo, the Hydrashoks will do. She's very recoil sensitive but she can shoot these two guns. She's not as proficient with semi auto but she does have one of those Bersa .380 thingies. Regardless, she prefers the revolvers and feels more confident with it's functionality.

Keep in mind that she's Canadian and does not really like handguns. She's metropolitan, cosmopolitan sex and the city kind of woman that found herself living in one of the most violent cities in the U.S. So, for her to even get as far as she did with guns is a miracle .

Canadian women will beat a BG with a beer bottle with a cig hanging out of their mouth.