HELP! I can't hit ANYTHING with my 642! I could throw better!

[opus1776]

You could spend some $$$ and get a good trigger job on the 642. You don't necessarily need to lighten the trigger, just smooth it out. A smoooooth trigger will feel lighter than it really is...

 

[kludge]

Dry fire exercise:

Start with a blank wall. (This helps keep the focus on sight alignment only at the start, without the distraction of a target or bullseye).

Make absolutely certain that your 'blank wall' is a SAFE Direction.

Double and triple check that the gun is unloaded and put the ammunition away.

Concentrate on a smooth, steady, constant, but somewhat rapid trigger pull while keeping the sights perfectly aligned - level across the top and equal space on either side of the front sight. No jerking press the trigger straight to the rear.

Make all your motions slowly and smoothly to start.
Take a proper grip ***
Start from low ready, find the 'target' and raise the gun.
Adjust your body (move your feet) to align your shooting position to the target then go back to low ready.

Start from low ready, find the 'target' and raise the gun to the target.
Align the sights (your concentration shifts from the target to the front sight); press the trigger; follow through (keep the sights aligned and on 'target', hold the trigger back, count one... two... then release the trigger to the reset position, keep the sights aligned and on 'target')
Go back to the low ready position (notice I did not say 'relax').
Repeat 50 times, you're creating muscle memory and breaking bad habits.

Increase your speed (but keep the smooth) on the next session and repeat 50 more times.

Repeat the exercise until you have the speed you want.

Do not attempt doubles until you've mastered the first exercise.

Once you are comfortable with your sight alignment and trigger pull then you can add an actual 'target' to the exercise.

After all this, and after you've broken any bad habits, you can add live rounds. I like blank paper plates for pistol shooting, start at 10ft. (3m). Once you have a 2"-3" slow-fire group you can move back to 15ft. 30ft. would be about max for self-defense ranges, anything beyond that I would be moving, moving, moving.

Do the live-fire exercise just like you practiced the dry-fire exercise.



*** Some people that transition from autos to DA revolvers are not actually gripping the gun (auto or revolver) tightly enough. A tight grip is essential for double action shooting accuracy! A weak grip on an auto doesn't penalize you as badly as shooting a DA revolver. Grip the gun as tightly as you can (the gun will shake), then back off just until the shaking stops.

 

[BE Mike]

Kludge- You left out a very important first step. Make sure that the revolver is unloaded!

 

[kludge]

Actually I though about it but, since it was in other posts, I didn't bother. Post edited.

 

[Agent 007]

I've got a S&W 642 and I can't get a feel for grip, trigger pull or both! It'd be better if I just stuck with m G19 and sold the thing.

Problem solved with the first post.

If you need something for pocket carry, get a Kahr PM9. Flatter than a J frame, MUCH easier to shoot well, smoother and lighter trigger, night sights available, 7 rounds of 9mm +P beats 5 rounds of .38 +P any day of the week, quick reloads with a spare mag. If you've never shot one, it will surprise you how accurate the PM9 is for such a little gun. Plus, it shoots the same ammo as your G19.

If it's for belt carry, buy a G26. Again, same ammo, and you can use a spare G19 mag for reloads.

I've owned 3 Airweights and a Taurus Ultralite in an attempt to like them. Meh....the triggers all suck compared to even a bad DAO semiauto pistol, and shooting them is no fun. The things are downright unpleasant with +P ammo, the sights are not that great, and putting larger grips on them to mitigate the recoil defeats the purpose of the gun in the first place. (Pocket carry) I have a Kahr PM40 that I was ringing steel with this morning, and that little blaster is actually FUN to shoot! Nothing you can stuff in a J frame will beat 6 rounds of .40 S&W, and the PM40 rides light and easy on the rare ocassion when I pocket carry.

Get yourself a Crossbreed Supertuck IWB holster, and you can easily conceal a G26 wearing shorts and a T-shirt. I imagine you would forget you were carrying a pistol with a PM9 in a Supertuck!

 

[Claddagh]

You're not alone. IMO, there isn't any handgun harder for most folks to master than a DAO snubby revolver. Ditto to the dry-fire practice, 'ball-and-dummy' drills and using very low recoil ammo at first, especially .38 Spl. WC loads. With a bit of dedicated practice you will begin to see some marked improvement in fairly short order. As your skill sets improve, you can progress to 'hotter' loads and longer ranges at your own pace. Hang in there! If I can learn to do it, you can too.

 

[possum_128]

I found out with mine, after lots of dry fires, that if you listen real close during dry fire you will hear and feel a "click" just before the hammer drops. Practice this and you will get better when shooting it. The trouble I see is you don't know when it will fire and therefore jerk when shooting. As others have said it's not a target gun, but will shoot well within self defense range with good results if you learn to know when it's going to fire.

 

[jason conley]

Ball and dummy! Put three bullets randomly in cylinder then put two empty shells in the other holes. When you hit the empty bullet you will see what you are doing wrong if anything.

 

[Claddagh]

The problem I have with the "trigger cocking" technique possum describes above is that I've always been taught that the degree of fine-movement motor control and attention to momentary tactile feedback needed to use it effectively will, for most folks, be rendered unavailable when they're subjected to severe stress. IMO, that makes it a somewhat-less-than-practical skill set to concentrate on when training to use a DA revolver in a purely SD context.

I'd also respectfully disagree that the trouble is not knowing when the trigger is going to break. IME, "jerking" the trigger is most often the result of trying to anticipate or 'force' when the shot will break. All of my formal training has emphasized concentration on sight picture and the cultivation of a smooth, continuous trigger press straight back culminating in a "surprise" break. When I do that correctly and consistently, I generally do pretty well at hitting my mark.

Just my $0.02. YMMV.

 

[flightsimmer]

Hi Mettle;

Lots of good advice here but the one thing I haven't seen so far is for you to buy a pair of Crimson Trace Laser grips. Yeah, their costly but they do a great job. I'll bet that once you use them you'll never regret it. But Hey! If you do I'd be glad to take it off your hands.

 

[Mac4444]

It's happened to all of us that shoot a lot

It ain't the gun. I carry a S & W 640 .357 and 2 1911's. With all my guns , I slick up the insides with several polishing compounds so the parts that mate look like mirrors. I started doing this many years ago to get a Colt SAA slicked up. On my 640, I polished the action and cut off 3 links from the hammer spring to lighten the double action pull up a little. I can shoot at my own home range and I practice a lot with everything I carry. Try this, shoot one handed, bullseye style as opposed to 2-handed and see if it helps. All the accuracy methods work, even with a short barrel, hand steady, let half a breath out, be surprised when it fires, don't jerk a shot. Remember your trying to see how accurate it really is, not train for a gun fight. The reason for this, in my opinion is that you have to get confidence in yourself and the gun. (it's like having confidence in your favorite Bass lure) I shoot from 7 -12 yards and print up my own targets with a 9" gray bull so I can see the shots hit easily. I've owned a 642 and other Smith and Colt snubbies. I reload so I can shoot/practice with what I carry. I load up .357 +P's. I can always keep my shots inside of 7" at 12 yards and 4" or less at 7 yards. Somedays even better. I'm confident enough in my 640 to take a head shot (gangbanger holding a hostage, God forbid) inside of 7 yards. This is how I train. I can do the same thing with my Colt Defender .45 ACP with a 31/2 bbl. Look up a shooting circle to see if your clutching, pushing on the gun while firing, etc. and finally have someone that is an experienced shot shoot your gun. I have a full size 1911 bullseye pistol that I shoot low and left two handed and in the bull single handed. I don't know why but I just do. They're both tight groups ??? I've wrestled with it for years. Other bullseye 1911's, no problem. Might be my own confidence letting me down on that one. I think your best bet is to have someone else shoot to wring it out and maybe show you where you can improve. It's an excellent gun if it hasn’t been shot out. Don't hesitate to ask me any questions, I've been there to, just like a lot of others here. Good Luck, Mac

 

[shooter@5(4)life]

I have a 642 and Glocks and I shoot them all really well! The trigger control is the trick on a D/A only revolver. Practice until you get it (and you will get it) And no jerking! Also try to use only your first pad on your trigger finger. That should help some!

 

[BillD]

I know this thread is a little old but I could meet you sometime at Martinsville to help if I can. I've carried a LW J frame as my summer gun for years.

PM or email me

 

[jesse485]

Dry fire the heck out of it. Double action revolvers are very difficult to master.

 

[m2steven]

I'm also a new owner of a 642. I'm having very good luck with the gun in terms of hitting a target. It took me a while to get used to the sights, but now that i'm adjusted - the little gun is quite accurate. I can see that in such a short barrel that some bullets may not catch the
rifling enough to be accurate. Maybe it's just your ammo.

I would think you will improve quickly with your new 642. Just prepare to have a nice sore hand . The little gun has pizzazz.

Also, I only shoot standard 38 special in the gun. It may make a difference.

Enjoy!

 

[dubsac]

Your not the only one having that problem, the same thing happened to me. Dry fire your way to the bullseye

 

[dice dealer]

Its junk Ill give ya $10 for it


S&W J frames are hard to get used to ...I carry a 442

dry fire (with snap caps ) get a good feel for the trigger .

I have seen people that could shoot a nat off a ticks @SS with a semi auto , that could hit the ground with a J frame if they dropped the thing .

Just have to get used to it

 

[jason conley]

try shooting ball and dummy , put in 2 live bullets and 3 empty brass , spin cylinder like russian roullette. After closing cylinder shoot at target and you will see what you are doing right and or wrong.

 

[sporter]

Here is some of my handy work @ 10 yards with my 442:

 

[Bisley Man]

If you don't carry in the pocket or ankle, try Pachmayr Compac grips.They give your little finger some grip. They are slightly larger than the "boot grip" that J -frames come with, but they're much easier to shoot with.