LCP V.S. Smith 642 My Evolution

V

Vermonter

New member
Friends,
The rather different warmer than normal Vermont summer got me thinking about carrying the mouse guns as a primary. This is not a normal situation for me however I digress. I do not typically carry a mouse gun as a primary so this isn't about that.

Because I was a little mouse gun rusty I have spent some time on the range recently working out my two main mice. My Ruger LCP and my Smith 642-1 pre lock.

The long and short of it came down to 4 seconds. With not much work I can now draw both pistols at seven yards and empty them into the a zone in 4 seconds. The difference is that that is 7 rounds of .380 in 4 seconds and 5 of .38 in that same time.

Also my reloads with mags are faster than my reloads with speed strips or speed loaders. (This is akward for me as I am shooting lefty and the cylinder swings to the opposite side of my hand).

The LCP is easier to conceal which isn't really even a fair fight. So there really is no comparison there.

The 642 Gets the nod for bgeing a revolver and for literally never having any malfunction of any kind ever. (I will say however LCP is reliable and has never failed with Hornaday Critical Defense which is what I carry)

The 642 Also gets the accuracy nod as far as one shot accuracy. In other words I would not take a hostage shot with LCP but I am 9/10 on kraigway's ballon drill with the 642.

My 642 Will always have its place but The LCP has gained ground with me.

Regards, Vermonter
 
Yes, I have the same two guns and find myself bouncing between the two. As you said the first shot from the S&W seems to be more accurate for me, but if I empty the gun I do better with the LCP. However, doing better is sort of relative since neither is a target pistol, but they can be pretty consistent for self defense. I think the big thing with these little guns is to actually shoot them on a fairly regular basis and stay familiar with them.
 
Interesting. I have those two also. Carry the 642 without a holster these days, it rides fine and doesn't print. Just like the heavier bullet, and NEVER having to worry about a malf even though the LCP has been quite reliable.
 
Me too.

I also carry one or the other daily and feel confident with either. I practice once a week on average with whichever I am carrying when I go to the range. I don't go to the range specifically to practice with either, but since I have one on me I put a few mags or cylinders through it. I like both because they are both so easy to carry concealed. I agree that the LCP is easier on the reload, but I am fairly quick with a speed strip also. I practice reloading the guns at home sometimes.
 
I have found since acquiring a Taurus 738 TCP, that even when I carry my S&W 638 anymore, I will also carry the TCP as backup to the 638.

It is just to easy to "always have" the little .380 with me.
 
I went to a pocket revolver not too long ago. I picked the s&W M&P 340. It is a couple ounces lighter than the 642 and I seldom know it is in my pocket. Personally I do not like an autoloader in my pocket. My autoloader is a S&W 3913. I typically do not carry a reload. If I feel a need to, I carry a 'NY reload' ... the 3913 is in a camera type bag on my left hip, cross draw fashion. i can unzip that bag and draw the 3913 a lot faster than trying to reload the J-Frame.

Not everyone is as old and disabled as I am, and different strokes for different folks is very much a reality. Whatever works for you best is the way to go. Enjoy, and stay safe.
 
Had a 642...shot 100 through it and I couldn't keep it..My hands are way to big for that thing. Sold it.

The LCP...I've shot my uncles..it's like lighting a firecracker in my hand. That thing is waaaaaaay too small.

I just bought myself a Kahr CW9...let's see how that goes. Sure it's thin and has a mid sized grip..I have high hopes for it.
 
I have a 642 and carry it sometimes IWB. It's a perfect CCW for what I used to consider self-defense. It's not the easiest gun to shoot but with practice if I do what I'm supposed to do, it will do its job. The LCP has always seemed to small to me, especially weight-wise, to be worth the change even for a couple more rounds. I haven't shot one but other people's stories about how they shoot only confirm what I would have suspected anyways considering what I know about physics.

These days instead of trying to go smaller I took the opposite tack and went bigger - a Px4 compact. I have to say I don't notice it IWB anymore than I did the 642. And with what seems to be becomong an arms race in the street with what is now so readily available, I wouldn't want to be stuck with the 642 when I can just as easily carry a much more accurate gun with 3x the ammo. I never thought it at first but I now feel if I'm only going to CC one gun, I'm going for a bigger one.
 
Constantine, you got rid of a revolver because the grip didn't work for you? That is maybe the best thing about a revolver, many (literally hundreds in some cases) grips can be had in two and three finger variety, laser grips, adapters, etc.

My old revolver loving soul cries at the thought of you missing out on a fine wheel in your collection.

More on topic, I like revolvers for up close work as they cannot be pressed out of battery. That being said, the small autos are much more reliable nowadays and I have a few with hundreds or over a thousand rounds through them with nary a hitch. I will also admit to having a few pairs of pants that the pocket is too short to stuff my airweight jframes into.

That said when I can I prefer the revolvers. Maybe that is because I like to reload how them folks up north in the big city do it, no magazines necessary. :-)
 
Good Morning,

Have you handled an LC9? To me it feels much better in my hands than my buddies LCP. I also carry the LCR which I feel has a much better trigger than the S&W's I have shot.

Ken
 
I have a 642 and an LC9. The LC is the newest, I shoot it much better than the 642. It may become my new carry gun.
 
Was in Portland last month and went to the range with my daughter. Shot both her LCP and LC9...................no thinks, I'll keep my 642.

But I didn't try to persuade her. Though when she shot my 642 she did better then she did with either of her two guns.
 
Especially in the summer, dress in Florida is minimal, and for me, pocket carry is a great way to go. I decided revolvers were best for me, and I carry in a pocket holster- my favorite being a Uncle Mike's or a Bob Mika. I bought a 642 first, but found it uncomfortable to shoot. I also didn't care for the trigger stacking. When the Ruger LCR appeared on the market, I was smitten- the Hogue grips were designed to absorb a lot of recoil, which they did, and the trigger was a little smoother. I shot it a great deal, and enjoyed range trips. When S&W came out with the new Bodyguard .38 with the integrated laser, I had to have it. So now I have three pocket guns... I took note of a post on this forum about how the Airweights could be improved with a slightly longer grip, so I ordered a full size grip from S&W, which provided one more finger groove and barely noticeable size difference. I had my local gunsmith smooth out the trigger,and combined with the new grips, the 642, by far, is now my favorite of the three. If I had considered those improvements earlier, I might have saved a few bucks. On the other hand, I have choices...:-)
 
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