Smith & Wesson Model 642 Airweight .38 Special
Model: 163810
Smith & Wesson Model 642 Airweight .38 Special
Model: 163810
Full Specifications
About This Firearm
The Smith & Wesson Model 642 Airweight is an aluminum-framed double-action-only .38 Special built for pocket carry. It has an MSRP of $539. Its hammer is fully enclosed inside the frame, so the draw has nothing to cock, nothing to snag and nothing to clean around.
The sights are integral, a ramp machined into the barrel and a notch cut in the top strap, so there is nothing to adjust or replace. The grip is synthetic. The frame is aluminum alloy in matte silver, and the barrel and cylinder are stainless steel, which is the pairing that holds up to being worn against the body. It weighs 14.6 oz on a frame 4.3 inches tall and 1.3 inches wide, runs 6.31 inches end to end, and the 1.88-inch barrel turns 1:18.75.
If you're cross-shopping, the Smith & Wesson Model 442 Airweight is the same revolver in matte black with a carbon steel cylinder at an MSRP of $569. The Smith & Wesson Model 642 Ultimate Carry has an MSRP of $679 and adds dovetailed sights with a tritium front, chamfered charge holes and a beveled cylinder edge at 15.3 oz. This gun has the lowest MSRP of the three, and the other two differ from it in finish and sights.
Best For
Strengths & Limitations
- Stainless barrel and cylinder on an aluminum frame, which is the version of this gun that minds a sweaty pocket least.
- Nothing stands proud of the frame, so the gun can be fired from inside a coat pocket without the hammer binding on the lining.
- The ramp front and notch rear carry no screws, pins or inserts, so there is nothing on the sights to loosen or lose.
- Double action only, so there is no single-action shot.
- Both sights are machined in place, which means a tritium front needs the Ultimate Carry version of this gun and not an upgrade to this one.
- Five rounds, with a reload that comes from a speed strip or a five-shot loader.
Category Rankings
How the Smith & Wesson Model 642 Airweight .38 Special ranks among compact .38 Special handguns.
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Compatible Ammunition
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| NAME | BEST PRICE |
|---|---|
|
Smith & Wesson Model 637 Airweight .38 Special
Smith & Wesson
|
$507.99 |
|
Smith & Wesson Model 442 Airweight .38 Special
Smith & Wesson
|
$539.99 |
|
Ruger LCR .38 Special
Ruger
|
$607.99 |
|
Taurus 856 .38 Special
Taurus
|
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it rated for +P?
Yes. Smith & Wesson lists the caliber as 38 S&W Special +P, and the cylinder is stainless steel.
How does it differ from the 442?
Finish and cylinder material only. The 642 is matte silver with a stainless cylinder, the 442 matte black with a carbon steel one. Dimensions, weight and action are the same.
What is the twist rate?
A 1:18.75 twist.
Can a tritium front sight be fitted?
Not to this gun. The front ramp is machined into the barrel, so a night sight means either barrel work or a model built with a dovetailed front.
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