I dropped my J-frame! Should I be worried?

[Doc Safari]

I have to preface this by saying that I've been mostly a Glock man for about twenty years and I've dropped them many times and never worried about it.

Revolvers I'm not that familiar with. An old timer told me years ago that if you ever drop a Colt revolver you need to have it checked out. I've never had anyone be able to tell me if that was sage advice or BS. So...

The other day I was carrying my S&W 642 in a padded Bagmaster discreet belt holster, and as I tried to clip it on my belt to unload the jeep that stupid metal belt clip decided to launch it into the air and onto the gravel in the driveway. The gun was zipped up inside the padded holster and didn't fly out, thank goodness.

Since I had just come from the range that day anyway, I decided that was as good a time as any to make sure I didn't hurt the gun. I went back to the range and it shot another fifteen rounds just fine. I also restrained the rattle in the cylinder and shook the gun gently to make sure nothing rattled. Nothing did.

So this thread is just for you SME's to reassure me or tell me to run to the gunsmith to have it checked out. :D

[steyrman13]

I am not a SME, but my experience with J-Frames has been that they are tough as nails. I know there is one thread on here that one member is trying to break/wear out his J-frame. I also know they are considered the Glock's of the Revolver world.

[srcochran49]

I have owned, carried and used Smith's for 40 years. I would not be concerned at all.

[The Dumb Gun Collector]

LOL. Don't sweat it.

[Kokopelli]

Sometimes the handles break if you try and drive too big of a nail..

It'll be fine.. Cheers.. Ron

[RyanB]

I should post pictures of my J. It looks like hell. Works great.

[Sam]

It's good to hear that bagmaster used good padding. Your gun is fine.

Don't ever trust any of those metal clips, especially when a gun is involved. You were lucky that it happened in your driveway instead of in a mall parking lot.

I have carried a J frame (642) for over 15 years and never once in a bagmaster. The J frame is small and light enough to carry either in a pocket holster or in a high quality IWB or OWB holster.

[Doc Safari]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I know it was kind of a "namby pamby" question, but I've always thought revolvers were more fragile than Glocks.

[rjacobs]

Take your j frame apart some time. You will see just how simple they really are.

[moonshot]

Glad his 642 is OK, but I was under the impression that revolvers were in fact more fragile than semi-autos, as in not as able to withstand physical abuse. If a revolver was dropped on its side, for example, the cylinder could rather easily get knocked out of alignment and tie up the gun.

I do not know from experience if this is true, but it's what I have always been told.

[JeremyW]

The S&W's that have owned are pretty robust and will take some abuse.

[williejc]

I also have had the same trouble with the metal clips. About your Smith,...,if the double action functions smoothly with the hand coming up and rotating the cylinder into lockup and there is no drag anywhere, then all is well. The ejector rod is not particularly stout, but if it had been bent, you would have felt it when dry firing. Gravel is a much softer landing surface than concrete. At the Smith factory, the fitting area has wood floors which lessen impact on guns and parts dropped.
You now may have a couple honest work marks on your revolver.

[T2C]

I have been carry J Frames for over 25 years and have beat the daylights out of them. They are tough revolvers.

Unless something appeared to be tweaked, sprung or malfunctioned, I would not worry about it. A few marks gives them character.

[youreacrab]

i would perform the same checks that you would perform on buying a used revolver. if it landed on the cylinder, i would be concerned.