i have a 642 i picked a couple months ago. finally got a chance to put some rounds through it. 2 shooters and 50 rounds each of blazer 158gr and remington umc 158gr. we couldnt hit the target. We found out the gun was shooting 9-12 inches above POA at 10-12 feet. this cant be right can it? or is it just 2 DA snubby noobs?
642 problem
- Thread starter droptrd
- Start date
Shadi Khalil
New member
Hmmm, that's a tough one. I'm pretty sure 158gr is what they use at the factory and you tried two different loads... Was the shooting done off hand or from a rest? The snub nose can be a tricky beast, I know my first time out was a show. I'd get one more shooter with some snubby experience behind the trigger (especially Airweight experience) before I called S&W.
If both shooters are new to shooting snubbies you might want a more experienced shooter to give it a try.
The short barrels tend to magnify errors. Make sure you have a good site picture.
Trigger control with a double action can be difficult at first. dry firing will help a lot.
The short barrels tend to magnify errors. Make sure you have a good site picture.
Trigger control with a double action can be difficult at first. dry firing will help a lot.
Kreyzhorse
New member
Spend some more range time with it. Take your time and try to learn the gun. An Airweight snub isn't the easiest gun to learn to shoot.
Doug Bowser
New member
What makes anyone think S&W shoots their products for sighting in?
Doug
Doug
Try a different brand of 158 grn standard pressure lead round nose bullet or better yet,148 grn wadcutter target rounds-if you can find them.
Shoot the gun at a target set at seven yards.
Hold the gun with both hands,with the gun rested on a bench.
When you pull the trigger back,do it very slowly to 'stack' the trigger like you are shooting single action.
Snubs short barrels and light weight amplify any trigger motion movement and that translates to bullets going everywhere.
You should have seen the -none- group I once got with a H&R snub 22.
I literally missed the entire paper at five yards shooting fast double action one time.
I'd have been better just throwing it at a bad guy's face.
Shoot the gun at a target set at seven yards.
Hold the gun with both hands,with the gun rested on a bench.
When you pull the trigger back,do it very slowly to 'stack' the trigger like you are shooting single action.
Snubs short barrels and light weight amplify any trigger motion movement and that translates to bullets going everywhere.
You should have seen the -none- group I once got with a H&R snub 22.
I literally missed the entire paper at five yards shooting fast double action one time.
I'd have been better just throwing it at a bad guy's face.
g.willikers
New member
You guys are a very civilized bunch, for sure.
All the shooter criticisms and not a one was insulting.
At the range, awhile back, there was a young lady trying out her new snubby.
(How come gun store clerks nearly always insist on selling a "little gun" for a "little lady")?
At seven yards, she was hitting dirt, birds, sky, everything but the target.
Those short revolvers are, indeed, difficult to shoot.
Experienced shooters know them for expert guns.
So, like the good folks here are advising, it probably less likely that it's the gun than the shooters.
Before sending it anywhere, spend some more time with it.
Betcha' it cures itself.
And, if it is the sights that are off, that is very easy to check yourself.
Consistently tight groups somewhere on the target would be a clue.
Enjoy your new revolver, it will soon grow on you.
All the shooter criticisms and not a one was insulting.
At the range, awhile back, there was a young lady trying out her new snubby.
(How come gun store clerks nearly always insist on selling a "little gun" for a "little lady")?
At seven yards, she was hitting dirt, birds, sky, everything but the target.
Those short revolvers are, indeed, difficult to shoot.
Experienced shooters know them for expert guns.
So, like the good folks here are advising, it probably less likely that it's the gun than the shooters.
Before sending it anywhere, spend some more time with it.
Betcha' it cures itself.
And, if it is the sights that are off, that is very easy to check yourself.
Consistently tight groups somewhere on the target would be a clue.
Enjoy your new revolver, it will soon grow on you.
I had a similar problem
But mine was shooting low with light bullets (125 grain). I'd shot our 642 for a few years now and when I tried my newer snub with XS dot sights I was shooting ~4 inches low at 5-7 yards. To confuse things even more these were reloads.
So I didn't know if it was the bullet weight, something I could adjust in the reloading procedure (crimp, seating depth) or the new style of sights.
It turns out it was how I was aligning the sight picture with these new sights. I went to the range with both the 642 and M&P340 and with the same ammo the 642 was dead on even with 125 grain reloads.
So just in case it's the sight picture: on a 642 the top of the front post is supposed to be aligned with the tops of the notch on either side - and not protrude any further than that. I don't mean to insult you if you already knew this but I'm surprised myself every time I take the 642 to the range with just how hard it is to see the front post. Everything being stainless grey doesn't help either. I do find myself tempted to raise the front post just to see it a bit more.
9-10 inches high sounds like a bit much for the difference to be bullet weight alone. But I'd try it with different bullet weights (walmart 125 grain) to see if it makes a difference. I just read an article that mentioned how using a Ransom Rest (or any rest) for testing will alter the muzzle flip of small revolvers so although the group size would be small the elevation of it would be off compared to "real life". However, the difference came out to about 5 inches at 25 yards when using 125 or 158 grain bullets which is not that much to me.
Don't give up, it's a great gun!
But mine was shooting low with light bullets (125 grain). I'd shot our 642 for a few years now and when I tried my newer snub with XS dot sights I was shooting ~4 inches low at 5-7 yards. To confuse things even more these were reloads.
So I didn't know if it was the bullet weight, something I could adjust in the reloading procedure (crimp, seating depth) or the new style of sights.
It turns out it was how I was aligning the sight picture with these new sights. I went to the range with both the 642 and M&P340 and with the same ammo the 642 was dead on even with 125 grain reloads.
So just in case it's the sight picture: on a 642 the top of the front post is supposed to be aligned with the tops of the notch on either side - and not protrude any further than that. I don't mean to insult you if you already knew this but I'm surprised myself every time I take the 642 to the range with just how hard it is to see the front post. Everything being stainless grey doesn't help either. I do find myself tempted to raise the front post just to see it a bit more.
9-10 inches high sounds like a bit much for the difference to be bullet weight alone. But I'd try it with different bullet weights (walmart 125 grain) to see if it makes a difference. I just read an article that mentioned how using a Ransom Rest (or any rest) for testing will alter the muzzle flip of small revolvers so although the group size would be small the elevation of it would be off compared to "real life". However, the difference came out to about 5 inches at 25 yards when using 125 or 158 grain bullets which is not that much to me.
Don't give up, it's a great gun!
Super Sneaky Steve
New member
Are you lining up the sights correctly? Make sure the front post isn't above the notch.
642-1
I find my copy of this gun tends to hit dead center at normal distances. I will tell you however that some loads were not as dependable as others. Obviously by dependability I mean they had a tendency to hit high or low.
I do not remember which didn't work however I can say for sure which ones hit the way I wanted them to.
Hornaday Critical defense, Speer Gold Dot, And federal premium all hit where they should.
Good luck, Vermonter
I find my copy of this gun tends to hit dead center at normal distances. I will tell you however that some loads were not as dependable as others. Obviously by dependability I mean they had a tendency to hit high or low.
I do not remember which didn't work however I can say for sure which ones hit the way I wanted them to.
Hornaday Critical defense, Speer Gold Dot, And federal premium all hit where they should.
Good luck, Vermonter
Update
Thank you everyone for your replies.
Ive just put another 300 rds of various weights through the 642. Ive really been working on my grip and pull. Ive come to the conclusion the problem was me. I suck
Ive made a concious effort to improve my grip, pull, sight picture etc and its paid off. While my POA does not yet equal POI, the gap has closed up conciderably. Ill keep practing. Thanks
Thank you everyone for your replies.
Ive just put another 300 rds of various weights through the 642. Ive really been working on my grip and pull. Ive come to the conclusion the problem was me. I suck
Ive made a concious effort to improve my grip, pull, sight picture etc and its paid off. While my POA does not yet equal POI, the gap has closed up conciderably. Ill keep practing. ThanksShadi Khalil
New member
You might consider a crimson trace grip. They do wonders for your dry firing practice as they let you see which way your pulling. Also, good on you for admitting its you and not the gun. A lot of us would rather blame the manufacturer and go on bashing everything they make. Keep with it, once you get the snub down you can shoot anything.
Probably you, not the gun. Try shooting it from a rest and focus on trigger control before saying it's the gun. My 442 shoots very well. Very hard trigger pull, but when I stage it properly I can put all five rounds in a less than one inch group at 7 yards. Not bad for a 1 7/8" barrel revolver with a very heavy trigger pull and not the best shooter behind it. The 442/642 can be an accurate revolver considering what it is. Spend some more time with it and see if you still have problems.