First Look Smith & Wesson 642UC -- Ultimate Carry J-Frame

[@MattMorris481]

They put the keys in the box and it doesn’t even have a Clinton hole thank god it doesn’t.😂

[@daithi1966]

I'll pass. I personally like the S&W 340PD. More expensive, and lots of kick, but crazy light for carry. Nevertheless, it's pretty troubling you had issues with a brand new revolver. Makes me question S&W overall.

[@BadDriverrr]

Same, but 342Ti for me. Lighter, more reliable. Only downsides are the price and availability - few floating around any more.

[@sombra6153]

I’ve sent several M&Ps back to warranty for everything from 5K round “tune ups” to just not working. The turn around for me was always pretty quick. Only had one I had to return a second time for the same problem. Hope yours comes back with good turn around time.

[@Pugh357]

Sorry, that really sucks. I recently bought a Smith & Wesson 43c that had issues with the cylinder rod bolt not wanting to move, was able to fix that and open up the gun and found two really big aluminum burrs bouncing around inside 🙄. I'm glad I was able to figure it out and not have to send it back. Last time I had to send a revolver back to Smith & Wesson they had it for 5 months and when I got it back it wasn't fixed so I just traded it off. My guess with your new J frame is the rebound spring is too light. The trigger not resetting has happened to me back in my amateur gunsmithing days of putting in two light of a rebound spring 😅. Also If the rebound spring in rebound block is cut at an angle, not sitting flat against the pin that holds the spring in the rebound block, sometimes when it contracts back to reset, the spring is trying to pull one way or the other it will hang up. Hopefully there will be a quick turnaround for you.

[@gunmonkey6545]

I had to send my 43C back after two cylinders. They replaced the main spring, cut the forcing cone, and repaired (they weren’t specific) the yoke. It’s been great since I got it back, but it’s incredibly frustrating and something’s going on with Smith, at least their revolvers.

[@OldManMontgomery]

I like the configuration of the new, improved sights; the shrouded hammer and the fully enclosed forend of the ejector rod. A standing inconvenience to me is the short extractor rod, which does not fully eject empty cases every time. This has been a theoretical drawback since the inception of the 'snubby', either I, J or K frame. On the smaller frames, the length of the barrel does restrict ejector length. I find that is less of a factor in K frame revolvers. But - I guess I want my cake and eat it as well. Also, I have a very strong aversion to the 'modern' design, including the Hillery Clinton Memorial Hole, deletion of the barrel pin and such. That is also a personal issue. The sights, fore and aft, look very good. I can use the older, smaller sights pretty well, but I like the idea of adjusting windage without the use of a fine file. The bright colors on the front sight likely simplify that use also. I note both sights seem to be smoothed so as not to be a snag problem. With all that, it does not seem to be a promising revolver for one not used to double action shooting. Which covers a lot of folks. Regarding sights: 1. The standards for accuracy is quite loose. That particular type of arm is for maximum concealment and use on a good sized target at less than five yards in the main. It was never (and should not be) considered a twenty-five yard target pistol. 2. One should not confuse 'grouping' of shots with correct alignment of sights. A tight bundle of shot holes some two feet from the properly aligned sights is a good group. One adjusts the sights, by tapping lightly, tapping vigorously or filing the rear sight notch will correct it. On the other hand, a twelve inch group evenly surrounding the properly aligned sights will NOT be corrected by fiddling with the sights. All in all, that is a good report. I do carry a M36 from time to time when I cannot carry anything larger. They do as they ought.

[@timivers8823]

Love how the cat is so interested in everything we do.

[@logangodofcandy]

I find your review to be appalling. You stopped riding motorcycles!?!? That's basically heresy. I'm just waiting for these grips to be made commercially available.

[@cdlund2840]

S&W QC just plain sucks. They are overpriced paperweights today. Sad a once great gun maker is reduced such junk today. You only have the one but there are so many bad smith revolvers that its more than a small problem. My 642 failed after 4 years and they told me it was "normal wear and tear" and would not cover a thing. Their "warranty" is a crock. No way I am buying a $700 + gun that only has a 4 year lifespan and they won't stand behind their junk.

[@JohnW-yv6yp]

That's sad, I was very excited for this revolver, would have thought they would have boosted quality control for such a hyped revolver.

[@wbwills2]

Exactly..ULTIMATE is a big claim to make. If the head honcho of whoever owns the place those are being made ,approved that name (and it seams to be a pretty nicely thought out little gun)wouldn’t you think a sane person would do everything with their power to make it as ultimate as it could possibly be. Add some extra ppl,time and checks on every step. Hope it doesn’t turn out to be too many problem guns. Or they might have ultimate egg on their face. I d be embarrassed if it’s more than a handful of sticky triggers or whatever. Get shamed mercilessly like Taurus with the twisted barrels. That was a decade or so of PAIN! No company needs that..

[@wbwills2]

Bottom line,they don’t make anything like they used to. Im not a “collector” but I do like searching pawn shops ect for old ones. Take care.

[@TedJ71]

I bought a 340 PD the first year they came out and still carry it.

[@The_Conspiracy_Analyst]

Your supervisor showed up to make sure everything is on the up and up

[@Heavy-C]

Bummer on the issue. I'm waiting on my 642 to replace my 642 pro series. IMO this is how the jframes should all come now.

[@nickmiller9262]

My cat loves when i mess around with my revolvers aswell. She always lays on my ruger GP100 6" barrel. I think its the clicking it does. Yeah, i wouldn't mess with those airweights man. I owned a 637 for a little while and it sucked bad. I sold it off and now have a chief special 36-10. Now that is a nice little j-frame. I did have to send it back tho bc when it was sent it was missing the front bolt locking pin, the forcing cone looked like it was cut with a blowtorch and a severely pitted barrel. Smith made it right tho, it only took 2 months 😂 i hate waiting on a firearm to come back

[@WalkingStreets]

I'll stick with my reliable LCR 38 special :)

[@HollyrockFarm]

I hope you got better quality than I did! My 432-uc is out on its second trip to S&W. S&W Ultimate Carry June 2024 kzbin.info/www/bejne/hHLaiX-qq7l0ndU

[@lord1557]

I have a 642 Airweight. Even standard velocity .38 Special ammo is way too much for me. I find that mid-range target wadcutters a perfect fit. Tolerable recoil and reliable deep penetration.

[@logangodofcandy]

About as effective as top tier 9mm. Everybody wants fancy stuff, but wadcutters and semis are highly effective.

[@jeremyclementmusic]

I have a 642 and when I need deep concealment I run the factory grips, but agreed, I can't make it through more than one cylinder at the range that way. The Crimson Trace laser grip absorbs recoil of the hottest plus p loadings and also greatly increases your effective range.

[@LA_Commander]

Try some Hogue grips for your 642 it will improve the gun 100%

[@WalterLitwinko]

I will stick with my Model 49 BodyGuard that I bought new in 1980.

[@jeffanon1772]

Haha...I bought my Mod 49 in 1980 also. Carried it for years as a back up & off duty...still have it & planning on giving it to my grandson

[@dane5896]

When I bought my 442, I had to send it back for repairs. The trigger was striking the frame, and left big scratches in the frame. (100 rounds) They replaced the frame and the trigger. 👍

[@SFsc616171]

thx! i'll stay with the 442.

[@keysgirl7699]

I was just replying the exact same thing. 😂

[@bobrowley4346]

Just a week ago I handled a NIB 442 Performance Center at a LGS and after about 10 dry-fire trigger pulls the cylinder quit turning thereafter when pulling the trigger... Unacceptable, S&W has let their wheel guns go to crap. Sad.

[@BertieW0oster]

Interesting malfunction, I wonder what was causing it.

[@timburton9514]

I’ve had zero issues with my 642

[@joeherrera3247]

Sample of only one, I still Instantly felt less confidence in S&W. I’ve been searching for one of these in H&R mag, disappointed to see this video. S&W collaborated with Lipsey on this new special series though, so…

[@doughunter924]

Just picked up my 432 in 32mag. Love it but finish on front of the cylinder is scratched all to hell. Also they didn’t Champher the charge holes. Debating on sending it back or just living with it! 😱👍🏻🇺🇸

[@deluxe1668]

A lot of them are same as yours, it stuck on the cycle. I think they should do a re-call.

[@desklamp1175]

We've all opened boxes. Boring.

[@adrock8203]

Wow. Hell of an issue to have on a carry gun.

[@woodystemms3799]

I have one on order ... don't know how long it'll take. In no big hurry, especially after seeing this video!

[@AK-ky3ou]

That grip looks incredibly comfortable, the extra on the backstrap will likely help with trigger pull compared to the standard j frame grips. Damn, it had to be returned.

[@fifty-sevenactual]

They did get the grip right.

[@jeffreyhall838]

Nice looking new J model, like you i own a few of these but lately i find myself packing a compact 9mm like my Hellcat or P365x, i find i shoot these little pistols much more accurately than my J's

[@wbwills2]

Y. Me too. But…when I was spending more time with my revolvers I could have it out & turned around,standing in a odd position and more or less point shooting better than with the little guns. You have to give the majority of your attention to the main one .

[@jasonashley4579]

Is Smith and Wesson still using that cheap watercolor finish?

[@weirdshibainu]

Wow. I own a Taurus 856 with over a thousand trouble free rounds through it. Sorry about your troubles

[@tiebear1]

I have several hundred rounds through my Ultimate Carry with zero issues. Thats a shame that you received one that is running right. Have you tried to send in the J-frame rebate yet? I summited mine and S&W isnt standing behind their product.

[@fifty-sevenactual]

I didn't know about a J-Frame rebate.

[@tchambers807]

I thought the rebate was only for certain j frames. I don't think they opened it up to any j frame for the $50 rebate

[@m1xt4pez11]

The Ultimate Carry doesn't qualify for the current SW rebate as far as I know, it's only their older series

[@tiebear1]

@@m1xt4pez11 I called Lipseys and they couldnt give me a straight answer. Either way its and awesome revolver

[@emaxxx13]

Sent my 642 back as well. Locked up hard after broke an internal part. They did fix it and returned with out any trouble. Still disappointing.

[@dividualist]

Man, that's disappointing to see. I'm still looking to buy a 432UC to replace my 442, but I'm a bit wary now after seeing this. I already bought a couple hundred rounds of .32 H&R wadcutters since I was worried about ammo availability, but I suppose I could still go with the LCR in .327 if I decide against the Ultimate Carry.

[@MrLanternland]

Get an old used good condition S&W from years ago when the quality was far superior to what it is today.

[@gunmonkey6545]

I purchased a brand new 43C and had to return it to S&W for repairs. It had 3 major issues that they repaired and so far it’s been running fine. I am not the only one and this is not the only model that’s had issues. For almost $800 mine should have run out of the box. How do they let these things leave the factory. I would rather they put 50 rounds through it than have to test it for them. I don’t know if it’s the move that they’re making or problems with the workforce, but they need to get their act together before this becomes a serious issue. They are in danger of having Taurus’ old reputation.

[@logangodofcandy]

Almost all of them work flawlessly and we hear about the 1% of them that have problems. 1% is a lot out of tens of thousands of guns a year, but it's cheaper fix 1% than replace expensive parts on machines to get it down to 0.1%

[@gunmonkey6545]

Logan, normally I would agree with you but this has been an ongoing issue for about 3 years. It’s not just this model either. The 43C, 617, 19 Carry Comp have had issues, and very serious issues. Furthermore, the problems seem to be with their revolvers, not their semiauto’s. This leads me to think that perhaps it’s their workforce or machines. This isn’t one KZbinr who received a lemon, or typical numbers you might see in mass produced guns, it’s more than that. Also, if it were one particular problem that they were having, even if it was widespread, that’s correctable with a recall. This is multiple issues that aren’t mechanically related.

[@wbwills2]

I’ve been thinking that a bunch of stuff was most likely rushed during the” record sales “time period. It makes sense. Im trying to stay away from as much as possible. Have more than enough anyway. I want a ultimate old shooters grade model 49 right now. Found one at a great price .couldn’t do it. Was too nice. Had 70s air in the box. Time capsule that made somebody’s day. Kinda regret that one,kinda not. Plenty of guns and they are stacked to the rafters in some cases.

[@boxerjoe1314]

Wow can't believe it had to go back. What holster did you used to carry your J frames in?

[@fifty-sevenactual]

Early years of my job an ankle holster. Later as our concealed vests improved, in a pocket on the center front of the vest, under my uniform shirt. Today with a ankle holster (Wilderness Tactical). Galco Yaqui slide for strong side carry. Or JM Custom Kydex for AIWB. Bicycle riding - a fanny pack. Still got the same one from the 90s!

[@joseywales877]

I got a HARRY"S 2.0 holster for my 637 smith j frame. absolutley love it! 100.00 bucks best one I've seen, I have 3 other ones don't care for them.Check them out.

[@f.scottgolder8085]

Why did a "no lock" revolver come with keys for a lock?

[@tom_olofsson]

Sorry you had problems. Good looking gun.

[@christianhardwick6530]

Why are there keys in the box. QC is so iffy these days

[@stephen562]

Trigger issue aside, how was the grip feel and recoil? I believe these are a couple of ounces heavier than the original J-frame. Do the re-designed grips and extra weight make it more comfortable to shoot?

[@fifty-sevenactual]

I like the feel of the grips. The higher grip on the top of the back strap seemed like maybe a bit more muzzle flip control. Felt recoil overall, not really sure. I didn’t get enough rounds off to fairly judge. When it comes back fixed (hopefully) I could run it side by side with my 342PD.

[@JohnBrown-wu4nc]

Where did you purchase your pistol?

[@fifty-sevenactual]

A local Lipsey's dealer in my area. Took about a week and a half to come in from Lipsey's.

[@JohnBrown-wu4nc]

Thank you, I ordered a 432 but have not recei.ved it @@fifty-sevenactual

[@kylewood8327]

I’ve carried a 1975 M10-5 snub and 1985 M66-2 snub. Something about older Smiths that cry’s quality! Bummer about yours. I’ve had 640’s that had barrel lineup issues, they’re gone.

[@GaryEtheridge-d5n]

I love carrying a Charter Arms .38 snub 5 shot..I also have pocketworn Beretta. .25 Bobcat as back up if needed- old school choices I guess..it works for me ❤ Best Of Luck To All

[@JohnDebasa]

i think the only advantages over the 638/642 would be the sights and possibly the grip but if you are firing at anything over 15-20 feet away, in the heat of the moment, you probably aren't going to hit the target unless you train a lot with the gun

[@logangodofcandy]

If you learn your trigger, they are extremely accurate. It's not harder than auto triggers, just different.

[@JohnDebasa]

@@logangodofcandy most people dont have the time or $$$ to go to the range multiple times a week to shoot and train...i do because im retired, but im talking about the average person

[@scubaguy007]

This is my first seeing your videos. Thanks for posting. I like the looks of this one. The Hillary hole is still there, but less noticeable. I might recommend you carry a soft sponge with you so you can cover your mc hole with a piece of sponge and a tiny piece of tape. It will knock out that wind noise. Just a little trick we used to do before the mic sock was intervented. 😉😊

[@anthonyperkins6364]

S&W 640 pro with a 3” fluted barrel is what would be great !!!!! How about it ? come on S&W !!!!

[@leonnorris3080]

I like the black one with the titanium cylinder better

[@Rnemhrd]

Stinks it malfunctioned. I have one coming. What holster is that?

[@fifty-sevenactual]

JP Custom Kydex, the quick ship AIWB.

[@maraudostrogoth747]

If it's DA only, I'm not interested.

[@ignatiusDOWN]

It’s based on the model 42 so yes, all DAO

[@robertwood3596]

Buy a Glock!

[@robertlast3052]

Hahahaha!!

[@robertlast3052]

Thats one ugly gun! I'll stick with my model 49. I also have a long memory and i havent supported and will not buy any new Smith since they bent over for Bill Clinton in the 90s.

[@cubanchurchill]

Damn brother !!!! You really holding a grudge for that long lol ? Time to let that go don’t you think 😂

[@jimterry8017]

How's the trigger pull on that I have a 38 Smith & Wesson at Sugar Bowl so hard