The official 442/642 "pro" thread

[RevolverRob]

Update: Got a response from Don Williams -

My initial email -

Dear Mr. Williams,

I am writing on behalf of a group of shooters who are seeking to improve the quality of our existing Airweight J-frames (namely the 442 and 642 models). As a group, we were particularly impressed by the quality of your work on the 642 of Brandon H (see attached). Ultimately, we are looking for a simple degree of work to improve our guns. We currently have individuals interested in having 25-30 guns modified and we’re looking for an excellent gunsmith to help us out.

Modifications wise we’re looking for something like the following:

Duty-grade action job - to include correction of any factory defects
Chamfer Cylinder Throats
Dovetailed front Tritium or Gold Bead sight
Zero’ing of the sights to 20-yards with 148-grain hollow-based wadcutter (Federal Match) ammunition
Recrown barrels with 11º target crowns

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

-Robert

PS: We were disappointed to learn that you do not accept livestock as payment. Our initial hope had been to trade you several hundred chickens and goats for the work.

And Don Williams' response

Robert,

I apologize for the delay in my reply. Yes, it’s something I could do under these circumstances, providing it was more than simply installing a new front sight. Also, keep in mind that any work on the blued variants may require the barrel to be refinished in some cases.

Given the list of work you have listed for each gun, the standard price for each ‘J’ frame revolver would be $425.00 per each, but if I get them in units of 4 or 5 at a time, I would reduce the price to $375.00 each.

Also, thank you for not insisting on payment via livestock. Although we have the room, I cannot afford the feed bill.

Best,

Don Williams

So, we're at ~$375/gun for a dovetailed trit night sight (in the fashion that Hizzie has), duty grade action job, correction of factory defects, chamfer of cylinder throats, zero'ed at 20-yards with 148-grain Federal WCs, and recrown barrel with 11º target crown - On your existing gun.

Also, apologies to those of you with goats and chickens who were hoping to barter.

[SeriousStudent]

I'n in for a 642 at $375 for the custom work performed.

[Spartan1980]

I'm very probably in. 2 questions:

Does this price include replacing aluminum trigger and hammer pins?

Does this price include return shipping?

For the work to be done it still sounds like a fair price either way.

[Willard]

Does this price include replacing aluminum trigger and hammer pins?

Can anyone here advise if the trigger & hammer pins are aluminum? Would love to know. I'll buy M&P/other going forward if I learn my 442 pins are aluminum. Thanks.

[MGW]

Deleted. My reading comprehension needs work.

[Totem Polar]

I'n in for a 642 at $375 for the custom work performed.

This.

Nice work, RevRob.


ETA: hell, I wonder if he’d squeeze a K-frame in there for the same treatment... i could send a boxfull of revolvers if I’m not mindful of budget...

[Spartan1980]

Can anyone here advise if the trigger & hammer pins are aluminum? Would love to know. I'll buy M&P/other going forward if I learn my 442 pins are aluminum. Thanks.

I doubt that they are but I thought I read somewhere they were in the 642/442. I suspect they are actually MIM steel.

[OlongJohnson]

Can anyone here advise if the trigger & hammer pins are aluminum? Would love to know. I'll buy M&P/other going forward if I learn my 442 pins are aluminum. Thanks.

I'd be interested in settling this once and for all, but all I have is an M&P 340. If someone in the Houston area is interested in sorting it out, I have appropriate screwdrivers to pop the side plate off.

[Totem Polar]

I doubt that they are but I thought I read somewhere they were in the 642/442. I suspect they are actually MIM steel.

A word on that: I did a little bit of googling/reading around and discovered that almost every size frame of S&W has numerous reports of hammer studs breaking (eg. 686, etc); as well, reports all over the S&W forum are that S&W replaces the frame if the stud breaks on the aluminum guns. I don't think it matters, ultimately, since the steel guns barf studs once in a while, but I'm not any great gunsmithing expert.

here's the part:

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/products/297560

I suspect that they all are steel, and harder than the surrounding frame, since the broken studs seem to have a tendency to oval the frame hole, but that's just a guess on my part, since I couldn't fine anyone saying one way or another. FWIW--which is probably not much.

I do suspect that our guy probably won't be touching the hammer studs with a 10-foot pole.

[RevolverRob]

You guys do realize that neither aluminum or scandium is magnetic, right?

Try sticking a magnet against the hammer pins.