GUNS & AMMO
Gun Review: Smith & Wesson Model 640
Pro Series
T
he Smith & Wesson Model 640 Pro Series is a
sleek, shiny, all-stainless revolver that fires the
powerful .357 Magnum cartridge, conceals in a
pocket or purse, and won’t break the bank. Sounds like
the perfect self-defense handgun, right? Well, let’s not
jump to conclusions. The 640 Pro is yet another in Smith
& Wesson’s seemingly endless line of small revolvers.
Two things distinguish the 640 Pro from Smith & Wesson’s inexpensive mass market J-frame revolvers like
the 642. First, the 640 Pro is a real stunner of a gun,
crafted of the most luxurious stainless you’re likely to
see. Second, one can buy two 642s for the price of one
640 Pro, with enough change left over for dinner for two
at the 99. What does a buyer get for his extra lucre?
Check out the appearance of the 640 Pro, because
that’s where most of the money went. Starting at the
business end of the revolver, there’s an elegantly fluted
barrel and an extractor rod that is fully shrouded by a
stainless steel Snuggie.
Oops, make that a small
lug if you prefer, you big
lug. The lug is sinuously tapered toward the muzzle,
and its edges have been
melted. I expect that the
stylists at Smith & Wesson
shaped the lug to enhance
its appearance, since the
sinuous profile has no effect on concealment or
draw. Together with the
glassy-smooth sight ramp
nestled atop the barrel, the
whole package looks as
sleek as Secretariat and bespeaks class.Continuing the
fly-by, it’s hard to miss the sights that embellish the 640
Pro. Unlike the vestigial and almost useless sights on a
typical J-frame revolver, the 640 Pro sports actual gunsights fore and aft. Both front and rear sights are dovetailed and drift adjustable by anyone who owns a punch
and a hammer. And these are not just any sights. Smith
& Wesson opted to embellish this revolver with Trijicon®
tritium night sights. Literally standing above typical Jframe sights, these Trijicons never snagged in my IWB
or pocket holster. Obviously, Smith & Wesson intended
the 640 Pro for something more than a gunfight in a
phone booth. A Centennial-style revolver, the 640 has
an internal-hammer like the silvery .38 Special 642 Airweight recently reviewed here and its nicely blued fraternal twin, the Model 442. Those two Airweights have alu-
minum frames to lighten the load. In order to withstand
the recoil of the .357, the 640 is constructed with plenty
of steel and no aluminum. As a result, the 640 Pro
weighs in at 24 ounces, making it positively porcine
when compared to a 15 ounce Airweight.The 640 Pro is
also outfitted with a barrel that’s ¼” longer than the two
Airweights previously mentioned. T H