S&W 642 life expectancy?

D

deadcoyote

New member
I owned a 642 for many years. I only put a few hundred rounds through it and mainly pocket carried it when I was doing physical activities where I didn't want to carry my Glock 23.

Since I didn't carry it often, my co-worker hit me up to purchase it for a back up for at work. I sold it to her for $350 a few years ago. I am now finding as my kids get bigger and I'm constantly playing football and basketball with them at the park, I'm leaving my Glock at home more and more often. I asked my co-worker if she still had the 642, she does and stated she retired it to her safe after her dad bought her an LCP. She ran ~600 rounds through it.

So quick question is, with about 900 rounds down the pipe is this aluminum frame getting tired or do these things run forever? She offered to sell it back to me for $300, and so long as you folks give me some good news I'll likely buy it back.

Thanks in advance.
 
Life expectancy????? I do not believe you will ever see it quit. They are made to last a long time. Unless you shoot everyday, seven days a week for a year or two. We are talking a lot of rounds of ammo going through that firearm.
I would by it back in heart beat.
 
I know it seems silly, many years ago my family had a norinco 1911 with an aluminum frame. To be fair, we were an active large shooting family and after many thousands of rounds the Norinco went down. when we took it to a smith he stated the aluminum frame had stretched due to the high round count and the pistol was not salvageable. I just had concerns as this is the only other aluminum framed gun I've owned, besides an department issued SW 6906, which cracked the frame after about 8k rounds through it.
 
I've got a lot more than 900 rounds through my 642, and it seems to be that it's just shooting better every week. Or maybe it's me. Regardless, I think you will wear out long before it wears out.
 
Well, it is no Smith and Wesson, But my ultralite Taurus has just a tick over 2500 rounds through it and it still shoots as good as the day I bought it. Granted, there has not been much more than a box of +p's (OUCH!) through it, but it has seen mostly 158g LRN.
So if my cheap ultralite Taurus can do it, I am sure your Smith can too.
 
When I bought my first 642-1 (marked as being rated for +P), I put a couple of cases of mixed standard pressure and +P ammo through it just to reawaken and dust off my DA revolver skills. Then, I used it for occasional practice & quals with +P ammo throughout the ensuing years. It still looks new, and the tolerances are still well within spec.

I seldom shoot standard pressure loads through it anymore, using an assortment of 125gr +P, 130gr +P, 135gr +P for my training, practice & quals, and every now and again I still use some 158gr LHP +P.

I bought a second 642-1 when they first started making them again, just to have it, as i really like the model. I used the excuse (justification, in my mind ;) ) of having the second one to spare the first one some of the 'shooting pressure', but I stopped keeping track of which one gets the most frequent usage.

I went a step further and picked up a then-newly released M&P 340, telling myself the stronger Scandium aluminum frame would be even more robust and durable than my 642-1's ... and even bought a second M&P 340 (when the No-Lock model was released) ... so now I usually spread my shooting across even more J's (and I have 3 more in the safe :) ).

I don't expect any of them to wear out any time soon. ;) I no longer worry about it.

FWIW, when I was talking about how much I shoot with one of the armorer instructors, he told me that if the barrel/cylinder gap ever opened up beyond the acceptable spec due to a LOT of shooting and the normal result of flame-cutting, I could just return the gun to the factory to have the barrel turned to tighten it up again.

Maybe I'll reach that point, as long as +P ammo remains available in the training inventory where I serve as an instructor/armorer, since I certainly couldn't afford buying enough ammo to try and wear it out myself.

Another caveat I'd offer is that I only shoot good quality standard pressure and +P ammo made by one or another of the major American ammo companies through my J's (and NO +P in a 37-2 I picked up, as I see no reason to stress the gun, after having spoken about ammo pressures with a couple folks from the factory). No more reloads or imported budget ammo gets fired in my J's, either.
 
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Wouldn't be afraid of that rd count at all on a 642. Mine has surpassed that and is still tight. Hell, my 442 has surpassed 900 rds and is still tight.
 
Originally posted by Jimmy10mm:

My 642 is made of stainless steel. Are you sure of the model number?
Click to expand...

Model 640s are all steel....642s have a stainless cylinder and barrel with an alloy frame.



900 rounds thru either is barely broke in.
 
900 rounds? I think you should go over to your co-worker's house and put your ear to the safe where the 642 is residing. You'll hear this tiny little 642 voice pleading, "Give me more ammo! I'm hungry for more ammo!"
 
it's done, I bought it back and made out like a bandit because she said she doesn't own another .38. I got my revolver back, with the same Milt SParks holster I had given her, and the box and paperwork plus 500 rounds of ammo for $300. It's like I basically rented it out for $50 and a half case of ammo.
 
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