[niteowl77]

I would personally save a 642 for down the road, as I feel it is more for someone who has spent a bit of time behind the trigger. Getting a novice shooter started on a light, short-barreled, fixed-sight, centerfire handgun sometimes - not always, but often enough - leads to frustration. After almost a half-century of handgun shooting, I still believe that a 3" or 4" .38 or .357 Magnum revolver as large or larger than a K-frame S&W or Ruger SP101 fed .38 Special lead wadcutter target loads is where to start if a .22LR isn't in the picture.

A family friend was sold a Ruger LCR as a "first gun," and they found it to be a difficult gun to get good results with when compared to larger handguns with more useful sights. The "helpful" clerk even recommended some FMJ ammunition to go with it as self-defense rounds! Madness. (I avoid that particular shop, myself.)

Even as a self-defense gun, a 4" Ruger SP101 or a Smith & Wesson Model 67 loaded with LWC Target loads would have been far more useable for this individual.

Mr. niteowl77

[yarddog]

I had not thought about it but now that you mention wad cutter target loads, they would not be bad in a 642.

I used to use them in a Colt Agent and they were really mild.