s & w 640 pro series 2" .357

Smith and Wesson makes the best wheel guns on the market IMO. If you are comfortable with that round in that small of a gun, then I don't think you can go wrong.

 

I have an aluminum 442. It is a little snappy but it isn't horrible. My wife shoots it sometimes with no problems.

 

I have a 640 and a 340. The 340 is for carry much, shoot little. The 640 is the range gun. Both were off quite a bit in windage. I had dovetailed front sights fitted on both so I could sight them in to my satisfaction. If the 640 Pro had been available, I would have jumped on it.

 

I've sold my 442 and M60. Should've never sold the 60, but I turned a $250 profit. My next will be a 340pd.

J frames aren't range guns, they serve purpose as a concealable handgun. And have done a fantastic job for decades.

 

I have no issues with the 640. I smoothed up the internals and the trigger is now very good. The accuracy is actually very good, it just required windage adjustment so I spent some bucks on the front sight. I don't remember what it cost, but it wasn't cheap.

I basically consider the little guns in .357 to be .38s with extra margins of strength.

I also like the 340. It will make a better carry gun, if I can ever get a CCW, but I am not convinced of the durability of aluminum frame guns. I have several, but I don't shoot any of them too much. I have nearly identical stainless guns that I shoot regularly. While the accuracy with less than full power loads is very good, with loads approaching full power the recoil is severe enough that the gun is moving before the bullet leaves the barrel and accuracy suffers, at least for me. The Pachmayr Decelerator grips help me. They are much bigger than the factory grips.

 

They're useless for pocket carry.

I love a chiefs special, and prefer it to a hammerless or DAO.

 

The hammers are internal. They are not capable of grabbing clothing in a draw.

 

I like shooting double action, so the double action only models 340 and 640 work well for me. In addition, the geometry of the hammer and trigger of the hammerless guns is supposed to be just a bit different, which is supposed to improve the trigger action. I don't know, but I do know that I like mine.

 

Chiefs Special is what they called the Model 36 before S&W used model numbers. When they made it in stainless in 1965, they called it the Model 60 and there was a waiting list to buy them for the first few years. The M60 was the first production stainless revolver.

Back to the 640 Pro Series...I think it's one of the best J-frames ever built. Very sturdy, great sights, easy to carry, and handles a wide range of ammo. What's not to like?

 

A chiefs special has a hammer. Useless for pocket carry. I carried mine in a JIT slide OWB.

Mine was a m60 with the 2 1/8". Greatest j frame ever.