Buffalo Bore and the S&W 642...Are They A Good Match?

J

Joe_Pike

New member
I was thinking about selling a gun in order to buy a S&W 640 in .357 for a carry gun. I carry a 642 now and have been happy with it but was wanting to have something that hit a little harder. After thinking about it though, I don't know if the muzzle blast from .357 in a 640 would be a good thing if I ever had to use the gun in a low light situation. Plus, I don't know about the extra weight of the 640 in the pocket.

Now, I'm thinking about just changing ammo and trying some Buffalo Bore. I hear it's a pretty hard hitter for .38 Special and that muzzle blast isn't as much of a problem.

So, any words of wisdom for me?
 
Standard pressure .38 special is plenty for a J-frame snubby. If you want to shoot a heavier load, I recommend the Remington R38S12, which is a soft lead hollowpoint round loaded to +p pressure. There are other snubby-specific loads made by various manufacturers.

Buffalo Bore makes great stuff, I'm just not sure it's going to be worth it from a snubby.
 
Well, one problem with that at the moment is that the Remington doesn't appear to be available anywhere and the Buffalo Bore is. I would be willing to try the Remington if I could find it.
 
Well you definitely won't be plinking with it. I tried heavy stuff in a snubby. Lasted 2 cylinders. But you may very well be someone who can handle it.
 
Remington doesn't appear to be available anywhere
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I hear ya, I believe there are similar loads made by Federal and others, aka the "FBI Load". It's pretty pricey. If you happen to reload I have a good practice load that I can't tell apart from the real thing, it uses a 158 gr. LSWC.
 
Buffalo Bore says their standard-pressure 158-grain LSWCHP is safe for any S&W revolver and tests at 880 fps from a two inch barrel, with a soft-lead projectile that expands well. They say the muzzle flash is reduced by the use of special powders. They don't say it's light-recoiling load, and I doubt that it is; but I carry a 640 so that's not a problem. I'm thinking of trying it, and some of the Speer Gold Dot 135-grain short-barrel load.
 
I have shot a fair amount of BB 158 standard out of my 442, and it was not hard to shoot.

I used either Altamont or Crimson Trace grips, covered backstraps, so that may have helped but I think it would have been ok using the factory rubber boot grips, too.
 
My experience with Buffalo Bore...

Their 38 std load is stout, especially from a S&W 642, which is what I carry. Their 38+P load is VERY stout, almost like a mild 357 magnum. I won't carry it in my snub. But it's what I keep in my 4" Model 13 for HD and it's perfect for that chore.

But I will say the BB is excellent ammo and I trust it completely. If you can find their offerings in 38 std loadings, that's what I'd recommend for snubby use.
 
I've shot a couple of cylinders of the BB 158gr +P ammo in my 642 and it's a handful. I don't think I'd want any more power than that in a lightweight pistol. It's what I've got loaded up now.
 
Their standard pressure loads seem to have about the same muzzle energy as a lot of other factory .38 +P loads. I just wonder if the +P Buffalo Bore loads are too much for the 642. I'd hate to tear a gun up with it.
 
Buffalo bore in an airweight is stout. Feeling is similar to holding on to a Black Cat firecracker for just a little too long. Try shooting some and you may decide that it is enough to make you not want a lightweight 357.
 
Buffalo Bore standard pressure in a steel J-frame sounds about right. They make a 150gr hard cast wadcutter that has very good penetration.
 
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