Tony Grist
Despite its advanced age, the revolver is soldiering on admirably. While it’s true that auto pistols have overtaken it in popularity, those of us who are slightly long in the tooth still tote the old wheel gun from time to time.
Smith & Wesson needs no introduction, being an old institution as they are. They’ve long since enjoyed a justified reputation for producing high quality revolvers. The S&W J-frame was introduced in 1950, and it has been running strong since then, being the choice for the majority of folks who like to carry a concealable revolver. Other manufacturers have even copied the size of the J-frame due to its popularity.
Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Lipsey’s is one of the leading shooting sports distributors in the country. They partner and collaborate with leading manufacturers around the country, producing exclusive editions.
J-Frame Attributes
What makes the J-frame so popular? It’s light weight, for one. With some of the modern materials available, these little wheel guns feel as though they weigh next to nothing.
Beyond the weight, their small size is a huge selling point. Whether slipped into a pocket or a waistband, they seem to disappear. Our ability to conceal these revolvers in deep cover is a real boon.
It’s not all sweetness and light, though. Most J-frame sized revolvers only hold five rounds, which isn’t exactly serious firepower.
And while the light weight can be a real asset, it can also transfer the recoil directly into our hand in an uncomfortable manner when the gun is fired. Depending on the loads being used, firing the gun can actually sting a little.
The sights on most S&W J-frames are sadly lacking, in my opinion. With that said, though, they’re more than adequate for the intended purpose. No, I’m not losing my mind, I do realize I contradicted myself in the very next sentence. You see, these revolvers are mainly intended for bad breath distance, which is where most defensive shootings actually occur. The majority of shootings take place within three yards, expend less than three rounds, and take just under three seconds to unfold (we call it the 3-3-3 Rule).
On most J-frame revolvers, the sights are fixed, so there will be no adjustments if they are a bit off at the longer ranges. Since they’re not really intended for longer ranges, this should not really matter. However, I like to push the envelope for my gear, and so I tried shooting one of my J-frames (a 642 Airweight) at extended range. By the time I got out to 25 yards, the rounds were hitting very low on the target. At 50 yards, they were so low as to be nearly off the full-sized silhouette target. Since the rear sight is simply machined into the to strap of the revolver, there’s no way to adjust it.
Smith & Wesson 442 Ultimate Carry
Enter Lispey’s, as they decided to address a few of the shortcomings of the standard J-frame revolver with the S&W 442 Ultimate Carry. They had input from some of the leading trainers of the industry.
Lipsey’s stated that they didn’t want to simply throw on some Cerakote for the J-frame; they wanted to effect some meaningful changes to the platform to make it better. But did they succeed? And is the extra price tag worth it? I’m going to let you know on both counts!
At this time, I’ll take a moment to disclose that I have not received any compensation from Lipsey’s nor S&W; I bought this revolver with my own money and no discount whatsoever.
Sights
The first step from Lipsey’s was to improve the sights of the J-frame. They worked with XS Sights on a high visibility front sight that’s specially regulated to be spot on with Speer’s Gold Dot 135 grain hollow points in .38 Special that are designed to make the most out of a short barreled revolver. At 15 yards, these rounds hit point of aim, point of impact.
That front sight is .140 in width and features a bright, green ring around a center white dot of tritium.
The rear sight is by S&W and has a U-notch that’s serrated and .160-inches wide. It is dovetailed in and can be adjusted for windage. There’s a set screw that holds it in place.
Allow me to say that these sights are spectacular, they knocked this one out of the park. The front sight is large and bright in the daylight. For me, this is more important than to many shooters because, as I grow older, the sights are becoming blurrier due to degrading vision. The XS front sight really stands out and allows me to see it.
The rear sight, with its U-notch, seems to naturally cradle that bright front dot, making for a winning combination. These are the very best revolver sights that I’ve ever used, bar none.
Grip
VZ Grips came up with a G-10 grip that just has to be experienced to be believed. It gives a perfect length of reach for the trigger finger. Plus, it extends all the way up the horn of the grip, which allows the shooter to obtain a higher, more comfortable grip on the revolver. When compared to grips that don’t extend nearly as high, the difference is glaring, and I’m spoiled now, in that I never want to use a low grip again.
Being able to get a higher grip helps control the gun better, and better distributes the recoil because there’s more surface area to spread it around.
As an added bonus, the grip is relieved on the left side so that speed loaders will work with the UC. On my S&W 642, the grip will not permit a speed loader to work, so this added touch on the 442 UC is a very cool detail.
The model that I have has a grip that is red and black, giving a very attractive appearance that I like a lot.
As far as the texture, it is smooth so it won’t catch on clothing as the revolver is being drawn. However, there is just enough texture on the G-10 so that it gives a positive purchase in the hand, even if the hands are sweaty and wet.
Personally, I can’t think of a more perfect grip material or configuration than what Lipsey’s chose for this gun. There are two finger grooves that give additional purchase and make it all the more comfortable. Perfection was achieved here.
Trigger
Immediately, upon trying the double action only trigger (this revolver has an internal hammer), I noted that it feels slightly lighter than a standard revolver, and definitely is smoother.
The pins used in the frame are titanium instead of steel, and this is supposed to add endurance to the gun. As well, the trigger geometry has been changed and different springs are used, contributing to that lighter, smoother trigger pull. It’s not dramatic, but it’s there, and it feels nice!
Cylinder
The charge holes have been chamfered, so when inserting the rounds, they are sort of funneled into the charge holes. Again, it’s not dramatic; the touch is very subtle, but it’s there and it shows attention to detail.
As well, the front of the cylinder has been beveled, which makes holstering the revolver a touch easier. Once again, attention to detail.
Models
There is a 442 and a 642 in .38 Special. The 442 has a matte black finish with the black/cherry grip, while the 642 has a matte stainless finish and the grip is black and grey.
There is also a 432 and a 632 both in .32 H&R Magnum. The 432 has the black/cherry grip and black finish, while the 632 has the black/grey grip and stainless finish. Additionally, the .32 models each hold six rounds as opposed to the five rounds of .38 Special models.
Accuracy
So how was the accuracy? I’m here to tell you, I was pleasantly shocked. My revolver is more accurate than it has any right to be! Although it’s not really the job of a snubby revolver, I took it out to 20 yards to try some head shots. I figured if it will do head shots at that range, there’s not much that this little gun won’t reasonably do.
Well, I scored regular head shots at that range, and am convinced that it would score head shots even farther way If I take my time, though I didn’t try during that session. Suffice to say, body shots from contact range to well past 20 yards are easy. And really, what more could we ask from a snub-nosed revolver?
Again, not that it’s realistic, but I’m certain I can get hits on a full sized silhouette target out to about 50 yards with this little gun. And that’s stretching the capabilities of this tiny platform well past the maximum, but sometimes we just like to see how far we can push things. And surprisingly, the sights on this revolver will deliver the goods at extended ranges.
That said, I intend to use the 442 UC as a close-range defensive handgun, as it was intended. It’s just nice to know that it’ll reach out if called upon.
Other Considerations
Which factor won me over when I first picked up this revolver? Well, it was the combination of the grip and the sights. I wish I could tell you which weighed more in my love for this revolver, but they both kind of hit at once. It feels great in the hand and the sights are spectacular.
When I squeezed the trigger, that just put the cherry on top of the sundae. And learning that the grip is radiused so it will work with speed loaders only served to make my smile even wider.
The aluminum frames of these revolvers do not have the lock, which will make many buyers very happy, since those locks are not at all popular.
Final Thoughts
MSRP of the S&W UC series is $759.00. However, I got mine for under $700 at my local gun shop. Is the S&W UC series worth the extra cash?
In my opinion, absolutely! The sights, grip, and trigger, among the aforementioned features, really put the J-frame over the top. Yes, the UC series is that much better than the standard S&W J-frame series, and definitely worth the additional cost.
The additional speed and accuracy that can be achieved gives it superior performance.
If you have the means to pick one of these revolvers up, I highly recommend doing so. You’ll thank me. The extra features produce dividends on the range.
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