J Frame (642) Accuracy?

[Eurodriver]

Didn't get any pics, but took my 642 to the range with 135gr +p Gold Dot.

Easy peezy. Very impressed with the accuracy.

I've owned a 642 before but it got stolen. Carried it a lot, but rarely shot it and had forgotten how accurate they could be. Unfortunately I did not have any plinking ammo and stopped shooting after a box. That shit hurts!

I agree with williejc's comment about the long pull making it easier as it is spread out over a longer period. You can easily "pre-load" the trigger almost using it like a 2 stage and then shoot for great accuracy. Also if you practice and get the feel for it you can do a continuous pull that is still decently accurate at 21 feet.

[T2C]

Didn't get any pics, but took my 642 to the range with 135gr +p Gold Dot.

Easy peezy. Very impressed with the accuracy.

I've owned a 642 before but it got stolen. Carried it a lot, but rarely shot it and had forgotten how accurate they could be. Unfortunately I did not have any plinking ammo and stopped shooting after a box. That shit hurts!

I agree with williejc's comment about the long pull making it easier as it is spread out over a longer period. You can easily "pre-load" the trigger almost using it like a 2 stage and then shoot for great accuracy. Also if you practice and get the feel for it you can do a continuous pull that is still decently accurate at 21 feet.

This is a slow fire technique I have been using for over 30 years. If you place your trigger finger far enough in on the trigger, you can touch the finger tip against the frame and pause while you clean up the sight picture, then squeeze what you have left. With practice you can do this during a timed fire course like you would fire in a PPC match.

[T2C]

I had a little (very little) free time this morning, so I stopped by the gun club for 20 minutes and fired 10 rounds of Speer 135g +P Gold Dot at 100 yards with my J Frame. I fired 10 nasty looking rounds that I had been carrying in the J Frame and a speed strip for the past few years. At times there was so much perspiration on the J Frame and speed strip they looked like I dunked them in a bucket of water.

The sun was facing me, but I did not have time to wait for it to move higher in the sky. I did not warm up, I just fired. I am a firm believer that you are not going to have time to warm up when you truly need your J Frame, so once in a while you should measure your ability to hit your mark without practice.

If you look at the target, you can see 2 holes up high and 4 holes down low on paper. The first 2 holes were punched when I aimed neck hold and the last 4 holes were shot when I aimed center of mass. I believe 3 of the first 5 rounds went over the target and 1 of the second 5 rounds went under the target.

Not bad, but I believe I could do better with a little practice and prescription shooting glasses.

[Eurodriver]

I went to the pictures first without reading and thought "Wow, this guy is terrible"

Then I Saw it was at 100 yards, haha! Good shooting! I took the 642 out again yesterday, and will be going again Monday. Those +P gold dots really smack the crap out of your palm, but are very accurate. Even rapid fire will still allow 8" hits at 7 yards. I think I assumed they were so inaccurate because my skill level was so much lower when I had my old 642.

[T2C]

Yes, I am terrible! I knew I pulled the shot to the right. The rest of the hits were in a 3" wide x 35" high area. I wish I knew how high and low off paper the misses were, but I'd bet horizontal dispersion is in the area of 12" or less.

One thing that I noticed about the BG38 is that the felt recoil is noticeably lighter than with my other J Frames. I think the black front and rear sights indexed on a black target do not make for an ideal sight picture. I may buy a Hi-Viz front sight and install it on the BG38. The laser just shot craps and a red front sight would come in handy. I would not think twice about carrying a 642 if that is all I had on hand. I owned one at one time, shot the daylights out of it, then sold it to my brother.

I am going to take another run at 100 yard groups when I have time during the afternoon and the sun is not a factor. I'll bet a 24" or better group is doable.

[T2C]

I fired another 5 shot group at 100 yards with my BG38 this morning and printed a 16-1/2" wide x 19" high group. I aimed at high center chest roughly where the upper "8" is located on the silhouette. The 135g +P GDHP shoots POA at 25 yards, but seems to shoot a little to the left at 100 yards. I placed contrasting pasters on the holes to make them easy to see.

I am sure a good wheel gun shooter could shoot tighter groups at 100 yards with a J Frame, but I am not disappointed with my results. If you had to engage someone at 100 yards with your J Frame, you can at least place some rounds in the vicinity of the threat.

All I have shot to date are nasty looking carry rounds that I am not certain will fire. I am having some difficulty finding Speer .38 Special ammunition locally and will hold off further testing of 135g +P GDHP until I have a few more cruddy looking carry rounds to expend. I may break out some Winchester 158g +P LHP (my old carry round) and try it at a later date.

Now if I could just figure out why the sights are so blurry.........................

[KrampusArms]

T2C

Fantastic shooting. I have a difficult time even getting a good sight picture with a rifle, let alone a snub. I am curious to try this out myself, I doubt I would best you.

Hell, at 7 yards my vision goes to absolute crap, even after a short period of time. The front blade on my 442 is bright red, testers paint. It helps, but only so much.

Your excersize here was interesting, I look forward to seeing how you do next time you attempt it. Very cool you can connect with man size objects at that range.

Yet another data point for snub carriers in the community. Thank you

[fowler]

25 yds in trained hands.

[CAVDOC]

Nice job t2c ! I have shot my j at 100 and people are amazed a snub can hit at that distance but it just comes down to perfect application of the fundamentals- like any other shooting. While a bigger gun may be more forgiving past 25 yards it boils down to every aspect of technique being perfect!
I find since most revolvers are designed around the old standard 158 grain ammo they tend to shoot tighter groups closer to point of aim with 158's so you may be pleasantly surprised when you try that bullet weight

[PriseDeFer]

Bob Munden, milk jug, 200 yards...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tied-t1fFsk