consider what you have, what are your handgun requirements, and what you think you need. a snubnose revolver was and still is meant for ECQ defense as an EDC CCW, no more or less. that one can hit beer bottles at 25 yards was not its intent from the get-go. its forte, particularly in guns like the 1lb airweights is extreme concealment which means that the larger percentage of street clothing won't allow printing. if you need that kind of concealment, which pretty much guarantees it'll get carried daily, stick with an alloy j-frame - if not, you know what to do. as to the .38spl standard or +P cartridge, i believe it's just a viable today as it was many decades ago - so do the legions of perps it's terminated. if there are issues with yer 642, send it back to smith and get it fixed. my 642c has been the best handgun investment i've made in 60+ years. to each their own and i hope you find the right gun for the right requirements.