CCW Opinion

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ndmiller65

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Dec 18, 2005
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A little history first. I have extensive training with the Glock platform and carry a Glock 19 ten plus hours a day at least 5 days per week. Wanting somwthing for weekends I picked up a Glock 26. Shortly thereafter I wasn't happy with the comfort (weight & thickness). of the Glock 26. I figured I may as well carry the Glock 19. So... I picked up a S&W 642 because I was concerned about the reliability of a small .380 and i fwlt they were just too small. Rigt now i'm pretty much set pn trading in the G26 for a SW 640 Pro. No reason other than I want a .357. The 640 will become my primary backup carry and woods gu n. The question is, should I keep the 642 or trade it in for a Glock 42? The lighter weight and especially the thinner width is very appealing. In theory I think it would be easier/more enjoyable to shoot than the airweight as well. Reliability is always a concern because the 642 is a great revolver. Either way, I kind of have my mind made up. ij ust wantt o see opinions before I take the plunge.
 
I carry The G29 10mm IWB & S&W642 or Kahr P380 on my ankle. The G42 isn't that much smaller than your G26 - keep the 642. That 640 Pro is going to be an accurate shooter, just the trigger is heavy.
good luck -
 
Just something for you to think about……..

I think that the 26 is still your best bet for weekend edc because of the commonality with your duty gun. You are already so familiar with the platform.
Consider a change to the way you carry the 26. Try a Crossbreed Supertuck with the 26. I think you may be very surprised just how comfortable it is.
 
ndmiller65 said:
The question is, should I keep the 642 or trade it in for a Glock 42?
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I carry a 442 in my RF pocket everyday, so I vote for you to keep the 642. In my view, 5 rounds of spicy .38 is sufficient to dissuade bad behavior, plus you get all of the bennies of a small revolver - dead nuts reliability, no failure to feed/eject, second strike capability on a hard primer, etc. Plus, the 442/642 is smooth like a bar of soap for easy pocket carry if you are into that.

Of course, if your mind is already made up, then all of this is moot. :)
 
I carry a S&W 442 (the "blue" always appealed to me more) and have been satisfied as it is very flexible for pocket or other carry. It has been very reliable.

I don't want a 357 for carry. Home use, sure.

The problem with Glocks has always been the one size fits all approach to the design and hence you had these thick guns that didn't conceal easily. If you're law enforcement, they work great. I still carry a G23 from time to time on my belt unconcealed or slightly concealed when the situation calls for it. I'll usually have my 442 in my pocket too during those times.

It is a trial and error thing unfortunately.... guns and holsters....
 
Pocket carry is not the best way ! Especially with all the good holsters out there .I've used a 380 on 4 legged creatures and have never been impressed. Stick to a good 38, 38 +P ,or 357.
 
Thanks all. Best bet in my mind is to continue to play with holsters a bit. I did place an order for the 640 Pro. Worst case is I add it to the collection. Fyi, I only carry owb or iwb. Occasionally on the ankle. Any suggestions on IWB holsters other than the cross breed? Any experience with Stealth Gear?
 
powernoodle said:
I carry a 442 in my RF pocket everyday, so I vote for you to keep the 642. In my view, 5 rounds of spicy .38 is sufficient to dissuade bad behavior, plus you get all of the bennies of a small revolver - dead nuts reliability, no failure to feed/eject, second strike capability on a hard primer, etc. Plus, the 442/642 is smooth like a bar of soap for easy pocket carry if you are into that.

Of course, if your mind is already made up, then all of this is moot. :)
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:thumbup:
 
.380 ACP just doesn't offer reliable penetration in any hollow point configuration with exception to maybe a brand or two. I generally pass on the caliber.

mete said:
Pocket carry is not the best way ! Especially with all the good holsters out there .I've used a 380 on 4 legged creatures and have never been impressed. Stick to a good 38, 38 +P ,or 357.
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I agree that pocket carry is not the best way to carry. Unfortunately, it might be the best option considering dress. I mostly pocket carry because I have to tuck in my shirt and it's too warm for an over garment here. When I can get away with not tucking in my shirt, I carry IWB.
 
Have you considered a shoulder holster type carry? I lucked onto a few I really love and for not much money! Check out "a better holster.com" it's a compression type shirt that's super comfy if not much over 80 degrees. Holds 3 extra mags to! Order a size larger than you wear,,, I like it much better than the 5.11 shirt that's sorta the same. The other one is Kangaroo carry out of Houston, it's all cotton and can be comfy just past 90 degrees, this is outside of course! I carry everything from Berreta Nanos, Sig290s with laser and a Kimber Ultra in these and they are super concealed to 5.11 makes shirts for quick access to them ! I ride an ATV around 50 miles / day all summer and they work well! In the winter meetings they are great also.I also have Belt and super tucks I like also but find these great for driving and working in!
 
Keep the 642. The .38 has more juice than any .380. The J-frame is the easiest to grasp out from a pocket over any auto pistol. Any quality snub remains reliable with the crud that can develop in your pocket after a couple of weeks of carrry, not so with many autos.

You'd be insulted at what they offer you in trade on the revolver, PARTICULARLY SO with the 'be first on YOUR block' hoopla on the G42. By all accounts, the G42 'may' be experiencing a lot of beta-testing on the public. Once more, the caveat to wait a year, or so, on any new model is worth heeding. (LOL, I say this as I continue to salivate after fondling my first Remmie R51)
 
The 642 is IMO strictly for close contact use. If you need to shoot from a distance you better be an extremely good shot under stressful conditions. My vote goes to g26 but the g19 is probably the best.
 
Personally, I think the Glock26 is one of the best CC pistols out there, just not with a holster. Take the holster out of the equation and you'll probably find the G26 rides in the waistband more comfortably than a single-stack in an IWB holster. And, much to the chagrin of some, I'm one of those condition 3 carry guys who drills with chambering a round on the draw. This is the Clip-Draw, which Google will turn up for around 25 bucks. I find it great to slip into small-of-back (unchambered only and with trigger depressed -- good enough for the Israeli Military, good enough for me), and it slips over a 1-1.5" belt and holds in position securely for me.

I don't always carry 9mm, but when I do, I prefer the G26.

Prof.

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Keep the Smith.... Simple as that. Flock makes a great gun but .380 vs. .357 come on really. Plus I like the character of a nice revolver and prefer its function. The 42 is fairly new and still needs to prove itself as the Glock name is not enough.
 
Professor, Stop. You are giving the shittiest advice I have ever seen. SOB carry is not only sub-optimal with regards to draw, it is DANGEROUS. You are 1 hard fall away from being a paraplegic. There are multiple accounts of people falling on the pistol they had in the small of their back, crushing vertebrae and mangling their spinal cords. Also carrying a pistol with an empty chamber is more advice that has the potential to get a person killed. Ask any of the people who have served in the IDF how they carry off duty. They put a round in the goddamn chamber. Anyone who tells you that they carry empty chamber voluntarily has piss poor knowledge of both how the firearm operates, and how real life self defense situations occur. Unless you are training as rigorously as IDF special operators, you sure as fuck aren't going to get your gun out, rack a round, and bring it on target before an attacker is right up your ass. Carrying empty chamber is NOT safer than carrying with a Loaded chamber. On a modern, QUALITY handgun (Im lookin at you Taurus) the gun will ONLY fire when the trigger is pressed to the rear. If you have trained to keep your booger hook off the bangswitch until your gun is pointed at the target and have made the decision to shoot, you will never have a negligent discharge. That Clipdraw is fucking retarded, If you can't handle the extra .8mm of a good kydex or slightly more for leather of a holster, you aren't committed to carrying the gun.

To the OP The 642 will serve you much better than the G42. Almost no .380 ammo meets FBI/IWBA standards for penetration through intermediate barriers or even just through ballistic gel.

PS... a S&W 642 is a .38 SPL not a .380, .380 is a semi-auto cartridge and the two are not anything alike
 
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AKSpade- Welcome to bladeforums! I'd hate for a moderator to give you a slap for foul language so early in your time here. You might want to go back and clean up your post before a moderator sees it. While your advice might be good, t wouldn't hurt to treat others here with a little more respect, too. Things will go easier for you if you do.
 
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No disrespect taken. I just don't agree, and my advice to the OP was just that, advice. If carrying becomes a chore, you won't do it. The clip allows me SOB, appendix, and 4 o'clock carry in seconds. Sure, if you're a big burly dude, I suppose you could carry 4 seasons where a pistol the size of a G26 won't print. Not me. I'm 5'9", 150 lbs soaked and wet, and since I refuse to carry a pocket pistol, this works for me and works well, yet can still print without significant cover.

I do see your point about SOB being a hazard if someone slams you on the ground flat on your back -- point taken.

I have to disagree again, however, about carrying without a round in the chamber. That split second it takes me to chamber a round and get on target is not going to make or break the fight. This is an old argument, and it's up to the individual to weigh the pro's and con's of carrying chambered. Maybe I'd consider it with a manual safety, but I've picked one platform (Glock) and stuck with it, and manual safeties are not an option there.

Lastly, I'm not an armchair shooting enthusiast (and I'm not in any way implying anyone else is). I poured money into intensive handgun trainings where others I know simply poured money into handguns. I'm on the range every other week and drawing/dry firing a few nights every week. With my environment, my carry solution is the best for me, and mileage is always going to vary.
 
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