Originally Posted by Driz
Originally Posted by MGF1964
I've got both the LCP and a S&W 642.
Your mileage may vary, but IMO J frames just don't pocket carry as easily as small .380s.
Granted, they do pack more cartridge and granted they are almost certainly "5 for sure."
But also true: More felt recoil from an airweight .38 than from a .380.
Each type has its advantages, IMO ... it's a matter of which aspects matter most to the user.
Me too. The 642 is a fun shooter but let's face it unless you're wearing seriously baggy pants or a suit it's a tad FAT. Sorry there's no better description. It's just a tad too wide for a typical pocket. Guys tend to forget all the other 💩 they gotta carry. Add a wallet , your CC permit snd a decent sized smart phone your likely to start looking like ol a Droopy Drawers.. while Matthew Mc Conathy can get away with a 🙅ðŸ»â€â™‚ï¸Man purse . No way AINT Gonna happen me!
What I like about the LCP is what everyone else hates, THE TRIGGER. It ain't goin nowhere by accident which I consider paramount for s CCW whose intended range is 20-30' . It's still just fine for its minute of bad guy accuracy as intended. That heavy trigger lets you confidently carry one in the chamber just like a trusty safe revolver and let's face it with a 380 you really want all 7 and they better be good ones, Critical Defense ( my carry) or similar. As well as an extra mag. Best news is that fits nicely in nearly any pocket in a Desantis pocket holster and prints just like my cell phone. No big print no droopy drawers even when I'm wandering about in cargo shorts.
It's one vise is the recoil which easily matches the old 45 1911 I carried in the army. I don't use one but a cheap rubber grip cover is said to help. No matter what 50 is plenty for a range day , no chasing the far.........really far AND wide tiny cases either. They hide worse than any case I've ever seen🤨. Also they are expensive to buy which is why I reload mine.
The 642 is fun to shoot but like any J Frame it can be a beast to reload in a hurry. The cases even try to stick when ejected which is simply the nature of the beast. A speed loader of course has to be naturally fat so ...’. Nice enough in all but I'll take 7 lesser rounds and quick reload to 5 bigger rounds.
FYI. I got a chance to compare my LCP CUSTOM broken in to a new LCP. I. Found the cheaper LCP trigger to be every bit as good as mine. The sights aren't as good bring lower but they aren't snag prone as with the Custom. You can get one Under $200 almost any time with pretty much constant internet sales.
You and me are in spot-on agreement re the LCP in general and the trigger in particular. I like the firm break for a pocket pistol. And if you can run the gun and really want to, you can get some time in with it and ring plates at 15 yards with no problem with a little bit of work. All I've done to mine is added the Talon grip tapes and painted the front sight hot pink. I also use the plus mag in it for a little better finger purchase. Been carrying mine so long it's no looker, but still runs just fine.
And, yep, there's a lot I really like about the 642, and danged if I don't like having a handful of revolvers in the safe. But the 642 is not a pocket rocket for me. In a good OWB leather holster or good kydex IWB, not bad at all. That said, Once I go to a holster for wear on the belt, I'm just as likely as to put on my 9mm Shield. Still, wore the 642 today in an OWB with an untucked flannel. WTH, I was feeling old school.
Not getting rid of any of 'em.
