I've been looking for a decent airweight "Centennial" model for over ten years now. Well, it's been an incidental thing. I go out to get something at the shop, and "oh, while I'm here..." Now that I've had my CCW for a while, I've been looking seriously, because I didn't have anything suitable for summer carry. Well, that is if I carry, which is unfortunately looking like less of an option every year.
Did I mention how hard it is to find a decent J at a decent price in my neck of the woods? I've looked at a dozen or more in the past year. I believe I posted about one I found, a bit worn but with inexplicable "tool marks" in the throat. Others were worn in various ways, but were unacceptably priced. I found a 42 safety model that looked like the previous owner threw it down range instead of shooting it. All at or above the $400 price point. I never realized the 442 had such a following, but I guess people just love 'em to death, and don't like to part with them.
So one of my local shops has two 442s listed on GA. I unwisely waited until the end of the week to get down there, and predictably, one is gone by that time. But wait, what's this? One is left and it's in great condition. And the price is right. And it's rated for +P ammo:
I picked it up and tried it out. Wow, a little stiff. Must be brand new. Oh, it is!
$380 might sound high to you, but around here, that's a fair deal. I've seen plenty of other brand new Js that were plus-$100, $200, or more! This past year, I really, really tried to find a 442. This was the best of the lot. I still can't believe people are trying to pass off their beaters at a price that's
higher than new.
The pictures will be a reminder what it looked like before I wear the finish off. It's had only 15 rounds through it. Already I wore a little bit around the muzzle, and part of the crane. Considering its weight, it was far better to shoot than the little .380s I've tried in the past. Very controllable, and only a little sting. I managed to put holes in a 10-inch-wide target at 30 feet.
So, I've come to apologize. I've been very bad. I broke my rule about S&Ws with a Hillary Hole. It was just so adorable, I
had to buy it.
I'm also kicking myself because if I pick it up and it says "Wesson" on it (Dan or Smith-and-), I tend to buy it. For this reason, I don't ask to "see" N-Frames or K-Frames. (I narrowly avoided buying a 4" 29 by insisting that my brother buy it. I made the mistake of asking to "see" a M67, and darn it, now it's in my gun locker.) I love my hand cannons, but my revolveritis is the worst around cute little five-shooters. Perhaps I made a mistake.
