revolver · revolver | United States
| Caliber | .38 Special |
|---|---|
| Barrel | 48 mm (1.9 in) |
| Weight | 425 g (15.0 oz, manufacturer figure) |
| Capacity | 5 rounds |
| Action | revolver |
| Manufacturer | S&W |
| Country | United States |
The S&W 642 Airweight is a revolver revolver chambered in .38 Special, built by S&W in United States. From its 48 mm (1.9 in) barrel, Fiocchi 38 Special Lead Wadcutter (148 gr FMJ) leaves the muzzle at about 667 fps (203 m/s), adjusted from the 102 mm test barrel the figure was measured in. Zeroed at 25 m, the bullet drops 115 mm by 50 m with 182 J (134 ft-lb) left. At the muzzle that is enough to defeat Drywall and Pine Wood, and not enough for Plate Glass, Brick, AR500 Steel and Kevlar NIJ IIIA. It feeds from a 5-round magazine.
Computed by the BallisticEngine engine for this barrel length, zeroed at 25 m, 15 °C, sea level, no wind.
| Distance | Drop | Velocity | Energy | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 m | 0 mm | 199 m/s | 190 J | 0.13 s |
| 50 m | -115 mm | 195 m/s | 182 J | 0.25 s |
| 100 m | -836 mm | 187 m/s | 168 J | 0.51 s |
| 150 m | -2259 mm | 179 m/s | 154 J | 0.79 s |
Against a semi-infinite block of each material, with Fiocchi 38 Special Lead Wadcutter at the muzzle. The verdict compares the depth reached against a realistic barrier thickness.
| Material | Verdict | Depth |
|---|---|---|
| Drywall (½") | ✓ Full penetration | 233 mm |
| Plate Glass (¼") | ✗ Stopped | 6 mm |
| Pine Wood (1") | ✓ Full penetration | 53 mm |
| Brick (4") | ✗ Stopped | 28 mm |
| AR500 Steel (⅜") | ✗ Stopped | 1 mm |
| Kevlar NIJ IIIA | ✗ Stopped | 1 mm |
| Load | Mass | Velocity | Type | BC (G1) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aguila Aguila .38 Special 125gr JHP +P | 125 gr | 950 fps (290 m/s) | HP | 0.138 |
| Aguila Aguila .38 Special 130gr FMJ | 130 gr | 950 fps (290 m/s) | FMJ | 0.142 |
| Blazer Blazer .38 Special 130gr FMJ | 130 gr | 950 fps (290 m/s) | FMJ | 0.150 |
| Buffalo Bore Buffalo Bore .38 Special 125gr JHP +P | 125 gr | 1050 fps (320 m/s) | HP | 0.138 |
| Buffalo Bore Buffalo Bore .38 Special 150gr Hard Cast WC +P | 150 gr | 1000 fps (305 m/s) | FMJ | 0.120 |
| Buffalo Bore Buffalo Bore .38 Special 158gr Hard Cast Keith +P | 158 gr | 1000 fps (305 m/s) | FMJ | 0.140 |
| Federal Federal American Eagle Handgun, 38 Special, 130 Grain, Full Metal Jacket, 890 fps | 130 gr | 890 fps (271 m/s) | FMJ | 0.160 |
| Federal Federal American Eagle Handgun, 38 Special, 158 Grain, Lead Round Nose, 770 fps | 158 gr | 770 fps (235 m/s) | FMJ | 0.150 |
| Federal Federal American Eagle Indoor Range Training Lead Free, 38 Special, 100 Grain, Lead Free IRT, 960 fps | 100 gr | 960 fps (293 m/s) | FMJ | 0.110 |
| Federal Federal Personal Defense Hydra-Shok Deep, 38 Special +P, 130 Grain, Hydra-Shok Deep Jacketed Hollow Point, 900 fps | 130 gr | 900 fps (274 m/s) | HP | 0.160 |
| Federal Federal Personal Defense Hydra-Shok Low Recoil, 38 Special, 110 Grain, Hydra-Shok Jacketed Hollow Point, 980 fps | 110 gr | 980 fps (299 m/s) | HP | 0.120 |
| Federal Federal Personal Defense Hydra-Shok, 38 Special +P, 129 Grain, Hydra-Shok Jacketed Hollow Point, 950 fps | 129 gr | 950 fps (290 m/s) | HP | 0.145 |
| Federal Federal Personal Defense Punch, 38 Special +P, 120 Grain, Jacketed Hollow Point, 1000 fps | 120 gr | 1000 fps (305 m/s) | HP | 0.130 |
| Federal Federal Train + Protect, 38 Special, 158 Grain, Versatile Hollow Point, 830 fps | 158 gr | 830 fps (253 m/s) | HP | 0.150 |
| Fiocchi Fiocchi 38 Special +P 125gr Jacketed Hollow Point | 125 gr | 1100 fps (335 m/s) | HP | 0.320 |
| Fiocchi Fiocchi 38 Special 125gr Jacketed Hollow Point | 125 gr | 1000 fps (305 m/s) | HP | 0.320 |
| Fiocchi Fiocchi 38 Special 130gr Full Metal Jacket | 130 gr | 950 fps (290 m/s) | FMJ | 0.130 |
| Fiocchi Fiocchi 38 Special 148gr Jacketed Hollow Point | 148 gr | 750 fps (229 m/s) | HP | 0.167 |
| Fiocchi Fiocchi 38 Special 148gr Lead Wadcutter | 148 gr | 730 fps (223 m/s) | FMJ | 0.166 |
| Fiocchi Fiocchi 38 Special 158gr Full Metal Jacket | 158 gr | 730 fps (223 m/s) | FMJ | 0.206 |
71 loads available in .38 Special; 20 shown.