The 640 Pro Series is a Performance Center revolver that features custom machining, a polished action, and enhanced sights.
Webster defines a “belly-gun” as “a short barrel revolver used only at very close range.” The origin of the term is unclear but it has been in use for well over 100 years. Perhaps the most famous belly-gun ever designed is the Fitz Special. The original Fitz was based on a large bore Colt revolver that was cut down by John Fitzgerald, an employee of Colt. Proponents of the Fitz Specials included veteran gunfighters like Rex Applegate, William Fairbairn, and Charles Askins. As times changed, the large bore revolvers fell out of favor and smaller revolvers, such as the .38 caliber Colt Detective Special and Smith & Wesson Chiefs Special came into favor.
Over the years, the Smith & Wesson J-frames have been one of the most popular series of revolvers ever produced. The original Chiefs Special featured an exposed hammer. Many users bobbed the hammer to facilitate easier concealed carry, particularly pocket carry. Then came the Model 40 and Model 42 Centennials. The Centennials became the quintessential belly-gun for the pistoleros of the day. The concealed hammer design gave the little gun a sleek profile that enabled it to be easily carried in a pocket. As popular as the Centennials were, turmoil in Springfield caused Smith to discontinue both models in 1974.
The demand for Centennials, and other J-frames, never really faded and the Centennial was reintroduced as the Model 640 in 1990. It was an all stainless revolver that was chambered in 38 Special and handled +P and +P+ rounds without any problems. While recoil was stout, it was certainly more pleasant than the scandium guns. In 1996, Smith went one step further by beefing up the Model 640 and offering it in .357 Magnum. They also extended the barrel from the original 1.875” to 2.125”. While still a fire-breather, the 23 oz. of stainless steel, along with proper stocks, help make the 640 Pro “manageable,” at least to a point.
The 640 Pro has nicely beveled edges and a recessed crown on the muzzle.
One handicap with most J-frame revolvers has always been the hard-to-see sights. The standard front sight is a sloped ramp that is integral to the barrel. The rear aperture is a notch and channel on top of the frame. The combination of the .12” wide ramp and shallow notch make finding the sights, under stress, a challenge. In recent years, a few models have been offered with a dovetailed XS front sight. While this is an improvement, it does not resolve the rear sight issue.
The front sight is dovetailed into the base and features a white ring with a Tritium insert.
Then Smith produced the Model 640 Pro Series, perhaps the best J-frame ever! The Model 640 Pro is a Performance Center pistol that reminds me of the Smiths of old. The 640 Pro is based on a Model 640, stainless, five shot .357 Magnum, with a 2.125” barrel. As with all Model 640s, this model shares the same concealed hammer design as found in the original Model 40 Centennial. However, all of the new model Centennials lack the grip safety found on the original design. The most significant improvement has to do with the new sights. The rear sight has a profile that is similar to a Novak sight and has been dovetailed into the top strap of the frame while the front sight blade is dovetailed into the sight ramp. Both the front and rear sights feature tritium inserts surrounded by white rings.
The 640 Pro features a “Novak” like rear sight that is proportional to the pistol. Tritium inserts are standard.
Several other features set the 640 Pro apart from the standard 640. The Pro Series has two attractive flutes that have been machined on each side of the barrel. A full-length lug surrounds the standard length ejection rod. As with other snubs, the ejection rod does not fully eject the longer Magnum loads. Smith also chose to recess the cylinder to allow the use of moon clips. The 640 Pro comes standard with three, 5-round moon clips. This is a nice touch and improves ejection while eliminating the need for speed loaders. The trigger has been smoothed and the action is significantly better than a stock pistol. The entire pistol has received a soft bevel giving it that “bar of soap” feel. Finally, purists will notice the lack of the nefarious key lock on the left side of the frame.
The 640 Pro has nicely beveled edges and a recess crown on the muzzle.
The cylinder on the 640 Pro is recessed to allow the use of moon clips.
Five full house Magnum loads are shown loaded with a moon clip.
The frame of the 640 Pro has been beefed up to handle the .357 Magnum cartridge. Note the reshaped cylinder release to minimize the chance of getting cut while shooting.
The author installed Crimson Trace Laser Grips on the 640 Pro. The extended length and padded backstrap aided in controllability and comfort.
S&W soft rubber boot stocks are standard on the 640 Pro but I found they were really inadequate for my purposes. For over twenty years, I have carried a J-frame in both a back-up and an off-duty role. I consider Crimson Trace Laser Grips as a mandatory addition when carrying a J-frame for serious social purposes. While I normally choose the more compact boot style Laser Stocks, I selected the LG-305 grips for the 640 Pro. The LG-305 stocks are longer than boot stocks and allow a full purchase on the pistol. They also feature a fully enclosed cushioned back strap that is designed to cushion the increased recoil on high-performance loads. CTC stocks increase the versatility of the little J-frame and give the shooter an added capability. While the LG-305s are a little large for pocket carry, they are suitable for ankle carry.
The author’s target after shooting a modified Hackathorn 10-10-10 drill from 7 yards. He was down five points for a score of 95.
On the range day, I was able to test the 640 Pro with three popular loads. The first was Speer’s 125 gr. Gold Dot. This is a non-+P load that was very mild shooting with an average velocity of 804 fps. The second was Federal’s new 130 gr. HST Micro load. This is a +P load that is specifically designed for use in short barrel revolvers and features a projectile that resembles a hollow base wadcutter. The HST Micro averaged 830 fps. Both the Gold Dot and the HST Micro are ideal loads for the little 640 Pro and are very controllable. From 10-yards, the Gold Dot and the HST Micro groups measured 2.25” and 2” respectively.
Given that the 640 Pro is chambered in .357 Magnum, I felt obligated to test at least one Magnum load. I selected the Speer 125 gr. Gold Dot Magnum load. The 125 gr. JHP has always been the personal defense round by which all others are judged. The Gold Dot Magnum load averaged 1,232 fps out of the little J-frame! This is a 48% increase in velocity over the 125 gr. .38 Gold Dot load. Needless to say, the recoil of this load was violent. Even the padded backstrap and extended length of the Crimson Trace Lasergrips couldn’t tame this load. After the five rounds for the chronograph test, I fired five rounds for accuracy and quit! I did manage to shoot a group that measured just under 3” at 10 yards.
The definition of “violent” is a Magnum, 125 gr. Gold Dot, out of a J-frame that averaged 1,232 fps. Even though the 640 Pro is chambered in .357 Magnum, the author sees no reason to punish the pistol or the user with Magnum loads.
The remainder of my shooting was done with American Eagle 158 gr. RNL loads. I fired several of my standard drills, to include a modified Hackathorn 10-10-10 drill. From seven yards, I fired two strings of five rounds with a par time of five seconds for each string. The target was an NRA 25-yard bull’s eye. On my first run, I made the par times and managed to shoot a 95 out of 100 with 3Xs. I let one round get away from me and it found the 8 ring. Obviously, the combination of a good action, great sights, CT grips, and .38 Special ammo, made the 640 Pro a real performer.
Carry options for the 640 Pro include a Milt Sparks PCH pocket holster, a custom IWB rig from Garrity Gunleather, and Galco’s excellent Ankle Glove.
There are a lot of carry options for any J-frame and most would be applicable to the 640 Pro. For over 15-years I have worn a Galco Ankle Glove on a daily basis. The neoprene cuff and molded leather holster are both comfortable and secure. For pocket carry, I have used a PCH-R rig from Milt Sparks. The PCH-R features a wide base with a malleable wire that is sewn into the edge of the holster. Recently, I received a gift from custom holster maker, Mark Garrity. The rig was Mark’s version of a Lou Alessi IWB that features a single snap belt loop. The rig is one of Mark’s exotic rigs and is ultra-comfortable when carried either appendix or at the 3-4 o’clock position.
The Sparks PCH is a wide body pocket holster that provides a smooth outline. There is a wire insert along the edge of the holster that allows the user to contour the holster to the pocket.
Mark Garrity sent this custom IWB exotic rig to the author. It is exceedingly comfortable and works well with strong side and appendix carry.
The author has carried a J-frame daily for years, using Galco’s Ankle Glove. It is the most comfortable ankle rig he has ever used.
As a J-frame aficionado, I found the new 640 Pro a welcome addition to the historic family of the little revolvers. It fills a niche and offers improved performance in the same size package and is one of those pistols you can “live with” on a daily basis. I think Bill Jordan, Skeeter Skelton, and Jeff Cooper would approve.
| S&W 640 Pro Series | |||||||||
| Manufacturer | Type | Bullet Wt. | High FPS | Low FPS | AVG | ES | SD | Accuracy | |
| Speer | Gold Dot | .38 Special | 125 gr. | 825 | 796 | 804 | 29 | 12 | 2.25″ |
| Federal | HST | .38 Special +P | 130 gr. | 836 | 823 | 830 | 13 | 6 | 2″ |
| Speer | Gold Dot | .357 Magnum | 125 gr. | 1244 | 1222 | 1232 | 22 | 8 | 2.9″ |
| Accuracy 10 YDS/Velocity measured at 10 feet | |||||||||
SPECIFICATIONS Model 640 Performance center Pro Series
SKU: 178044
Model: Performance Center® Pro Series® Model 640
Caliber: 357 Magnum, 38 S&W SPECIAL +P
Capacity: 5
Barrel Length: 2.125″ / 5.4 cm
Overall Length: 6.6″
Front Sight: Dovetail Tritium Night Sight
Rear Sight: Dovetail Tritium Night Sight
Action: Double Action Only
Grip: Synthetic
Weight: 22.4 oz / 635.0g
Cylinder Material: Stainless Steel
Barrel Material: Stainless Steel
Frame Material: Stainless Steel
Frame Finish: Satin Stainless
Purpose: Concealed Carry, Personal Protection, State Compliance
Visit Smith & Wesson by clicking HERE.
*Studio photography provided by Camera 1 Columbus, GA
Hello mates, its great piece of writing regarding cultureand entirely defined, keep
it up all the time.
My answer to the right load for the 640 Pro was to load a 125-gr or 158-gr all-lead hollowpoint to mid-range velocities of 950-1000 fps. Recoil is not nearly as violent as full-house .357 but you get great expansion and more power than .38 Special, +P or otherwise.
I have 6 J frames including the 640 Pro.Love em all.But know what I carry for my woods walks with my silly little dog? My 327PC . Yep its a N frame but its the same weight-sort a, as the Pro. 8 rounds of 357 in full moon clips.Belive it or not but with a Bulldog sticky type holster inside IWB it conceals very well and Im not a big guy.
I have one of these and love it. It is beautifully made and performs perfectly. The sights are excellent and the trigger is slick. But I could not get through a box of 357s. Violent recoil indeed. My hand hurt for days.
Elmer Keith was instrumental in the development of the first magnum revolver cartridge, the .357 Magnum, as well as the later .44 Magnum and .41 Magnum. If he was alive today and heard you whimpering and whining about recoil he would certainly tell you a thing or two.
Cmon guys. Toughen up. If you don’t like or can’t handle 357 then don’t buy it and then complain about it. I both hunt and carry 357 in different lengths and cartridges of course. It’s long been a great round for both. Many a Texas whitetail and hog have fallen to to this this round. In my sixties now I find it even better as a reliable friend.
I want buy 640 pro
I have a Model 60 Pro Series that I really like but no one except the custom shops seems to make a decent kydex hip holster for it. A leather belt holster would be nice but after years of carrying a variety of handguns in kydex paddle holsters I really prefer them- less “fiddly” to put on and take off and they don’t get sweat soaked.
Another review where I can’t find a price. Maybe it’s just me..but I can’t find it here anyplace.
All reviews should include a price. How can you compare apples to apples without knowing how much it costs?? Not possible.
Gary
My bad in not including it in the specifications. According to the S&W website, MSRP is $839.
Rob
i have a ruger sp101 semi rare 2.25″ barrel in .357, most of them are 3.06″
no problems at all, i see no need to switch
Carried a 340SC for years until I gave it to my Wife. She loves it! It’s never had a .357 round fired through it and I’m just fine with that. It still bites on both ends, particularly with +P loads. Bought her a 351C but the trigger pull is just too heavy for her. Even had a gunsmith do the best trigger work he could do on it but it just didn’t help, I like it and will probably carry it from time to time. I use Tamer grips on all of my J-frames.
The S&W 586L is a 7 shot 357 with a ported 3″ barrel. A bit heavy for concealed carry but a sweetheart to shot with almost anything you may feed it. I changed the front sight to a fiber optic. The night sight it came with was very small and not too bright. The 586L comes with both rubber grips and very nice hardwood grips which I prefer.
It’s nice to see that S&W is putting better sights on the 640 Pro. Their old orange/red insert is way behind the times.
I carry a 342 PD as a back up. I like this, especially the sights, and would like the conversion done on the 342. I know there are custom smiths that do the work, but it would be nice to buy it without the added expense.
I am baffled by all this whining about the ‘Hillary Hole’. So Flippin’ What? You unlock it and forget it. It is no different than any other modern day inconvenience. You can either ignore it or let it drive you to distraction. Your choice.
I don’t “whine” about anything, but I do speak my mind. The damn internal-lock is another absurd attempt to solve a problem that doesn’t exist. Caving to political pressure from gun-haters is never a good idea because it encourages them. I’ll climb down from my political soap-box and get to the real issue: the damn things can get you killed. I don’t care how rare it is – I don’t want ANYTHING that can “lock” my gun by itself. It has happened on both S&W’s and Tauruses. The repeated “explosions” of rounds being discharged can cause the mechanism to lock itself. Again, it’s rare, but why add to the list of things that can possibly go wrong, just to appease some anti-gun prick ? I’ll stick to my pre-lock S&W’s or any number of other handguns – 29 at last count.
Mark Garrity makes the absolute BEST holsters in the known universe. His are the only ones I bother with anymore, after tryin about all the rest. He’ll work with you to design holsters to suit your requirements and preferences, and then perfectly, I said perfectly, execute the design. Ask him to use horsehide. It keeps it’s shape and appearance for ever. Did I say I liked his work? Oh, and he does all this for kind of not a big price tag. Getting something perfect the first time costs a lot less than diddling with anything less, over and over, as we all have done, filling that “rejects and crap holster box” in the closet. Good stuff.
++++ On Garrity Gunleather holsters. Mark is great to work with. I bought a Sig P938 when they first came out and Mark didn’t have a “Blue Gun” for molding with a Crimson Trace Laser attached. So I had the laser shipped to him. He made me an exotic in the same colors and materials as the one in the article. Mine has the IWB metal clip that locks on to your belt. Very secure and beautiful. Mark was very accommodating and shipped me the holster and my laser very quick. Only cost me $89 dollars which was a real bargain. Highly recommend Mark.
Ditto on Garrity Gunleather. My EDC rides in a Garrity rig. Quality guy, quality work, great prices. He also “serves and protects” as a full- time police officer.
I getting ready to order an ankle holster from Alessi and read your comment….have you tried Alessi and if your answer is yes I’m wondering why you prefer Garrity’s brand?
Thank you!
Jack Marren
Greg,
I forwarded your comments to Mark.
Thanks,
Rob
I don’t get the whole +P and +P+ thing.
Some are rated at 38spl+P and some at 38SPL+P+
Why not just get the magnum and fire anything you want?
It should either be 38spl or 357 Magnum.
Nothing is rated for +p+ because it is above the Sammi pressures. Some guns that are built stronger like Ruger Redhawks or HK USPs are assumed to be safe with +p+
I bought a 640 when they first came out in 1990. “Tested +P+” was etched in the frame.
+P and +P+ can be nice loads to shoot in K frame .357 guns. It gives you good power while not beating up on you or your gun. Full house magnums will take a toll on both.
NO LOCK!!! YAY!!
Nice little pistol. If they come out with a 3″ 629 like this I would end my personal S&W boycott and buy one of each.
I had a M66 snubbie with a rounded butt, it was a lovely piece; I regret parting with it to this day. I carried it in a Bianchi holster in the small of my back. This Smith, from the review, has one problem: it’s DA only. I’d love to see S&W bring back the M66 snubbie.
Carrying in the small of the back is my absolute favorite place to carry! Next is right hip
I bought a 640-1 all stainless 357 magnum. After owning a 642 for many years, I though I would try an all stainless gun. I filled the cylinder with factory 357 magnums and shot off three rounds. Had to put the gun down and give my hand a break. Flexed my fingers to see it they were still working. The recoil was something I have never felt before. I then fired off the remaining two rounds and put the rest of the 357 ammo back in my range bag and continued to fire 38 special. What a relief! The 38 specials are very comfortable from this gun. A lot better then the 642.
I had a Ruger Security-6 with a 2.5 inch barrel. You could shoot .357 Magnum loads all day, without hurting your hand. There was recoil/barrel rise, but overall very smooth action. I don’t know if it was just a heavier gun, or if the Pachmyr grips made the handle larger for a better hold, or what that allowed for the ease of operation? I regret to say that the gun was stolen. I was impatient in finding a replacement of similar size, grabbing a GP-100 with a 4” barrel shortly after the theft. I have hope the weapon will be recovered at some point!
The S&W 642 has been my EDC for about 30 years now. It is an utterly fantastic firearm that I simply will not/cannot let go of. With the 642 in my pocket and a speed strip in my back pocket, I can forget about it and go on about my day. Yes, I know, it’s not a 16 shot Wonder 9, but I have every confidence it will get me back home, intact. My only complaint is the rubber grips. I do not like them and have replaced mine with Art Jewel Eagle grips of smooth Rosewood. Much more better!
If their ditching the Hillary Hole is a sign of things to come, S&W may still sell me a new revolver at some point in the future. But for now, it’s all old school for me. I’ve got a 686+ and a 642 with CT grips, and unless they get rid of that condescending Hillary Hole design, those will be the last of any new S&W revolvers.
Great review. I bought a 642 for my wife several years ago but she’s frail and the recoil on even .38 standard loads are a bit much for her. She also has trouble with the double-action trigger pull despite the addition of a spring kit.
SO I kinda adopted it. Nice little revolver, so lightweight I forget it’s there. With +P loads it’s got some respectable punch.
I liked my old 640-3. (Yeah, it had a Hillary hole, but…) Didn’t care for the sights and I’m not sold on this new arrangement. You’ve just added snag points to a pocket carry pistol.
The sights on the 340PD are what I wished for my 640: lower profile tritium front post, round channel down the frame as a “rear” sight.
I consider this a “grappling” gun, and a back-up to a G19, so I doubt I’d employ it at arms length. And if I do, that set up is adequate.
About .357 on a snubby… these aren’t “plinking” guns. They are no fun to shoot and after a couple of boxes of practice rounds, I’ve heard (myself) whimpering; even with the stainless frame.
Nice looking 640 Pro. I’ve always used speed loaders in a pouch, and they are simple and easy. The articles reads in part, “The 640 Pro comes standard with three, 5-round moon clips. This is a nice touch and improves ejection while eliminating the need for speed loaders.”
I was wondering about these moon clips…how exactly does they work, and how do you carry the (loaded and unloaded) moon clips? Isn’t the moon clip just a round disc with 5 holes in it for rounds? Wouldn’t carrying these be similar to carrying a speed loader in a pouch or pocket? Not sure I understand how this eliminates the need for speed loaders, or is an improvement. Also not sure I understand how moon clips aid in ejection vs pushing the ejection rod without moon clips. Wouldn’t moon clips be an extra component that would be easy to drop and lose? Would love to see a few extra pics on these moon clips, and comments from the pros. Thanks.
The ‘speedloader’ remains in the gun so there’s 2 less steps when loading moon clips.
1. unlock
2. drop
It aids in ejecting as the spent casings are tied together. Have you ever had a casing that
didn’t eject and you had to pull out by hand? Or a casing that slipped under the ejector?
You’re no more likely to lose a loaded moon clip than a loaded speedloader.
They can be reused a hundred times but in the end they’re inexpensive expendable items.
I use moon clips for .45 ACP rounds in my Smith & Wesson Governor. I use speed loaders for the .45 LC bullets. I feel that reloading is quicker with the moon clips than the speed loaders, as you just drop the moon clip in place, as opposed to inserting the speed loader, turning the knob to release the bullets, then putting the speed loader back in a pouch. (In a real engagement, discarding the speed loader would save time.) This routine works provided the first rounds are loaded loose. If your initial load is in a moon clip, you’ll still be holding on to that. Another benefit of moon clips is that they take up less space than a speed loader. I can fit 2 moon clips in 1 speed loader pouch. That works for .45 ACP rounds. I never tried it with .38 SPL or .357 MAG, though. They are a little longer. I hope this helps! Also, I prefer 5-Star Speed Loaders with the Governor or Taurus Judge Public Defender. They hold the .410 GA shot shells best. The HKS brand works well with .45 LC rounds in a 6-shot capacity (knob release), but not real well with 5 shot (all rubber). The 5-Star are about $20, HKS roughly 11 bucks.
I like moon clips. I have been using them for 30 years in a 625 “N” frame. I can generally carry 2 clips in the same space as i speedloader. Not sure how well they will work in a “J” frame, which has problems with ejection as is.
I have many S&W chambered for 357 but my shortest barrel is 3-inches. Even the 3-inch is as short as I would ever go on a .357 given the recoil. Reviews I read for the extreme short barrels in .357 all recommend using just a +P instead of .357 Mag. Why not just buy a lower cost .38 +P for these type of guns? .357 is my favorite round but have other revolvers chambered in .10, .22LR, .32, .38, .44, and .45LC . Great review and a nice revolver for a good carry revolver.
Thank the Heavenly stars S&W ditched the @#$%^& key lock on their 640 Pro. I, along with many others, refuse to buy another S&W revolver unless they X out the key lock on all their revolver models. This is unlikely to happen. Fortunately, there are many other fine revolvers to pick from. The ugly, completely unnecessary and potentially dangerous key lock has Bill Clinton and 1990s gun control written all over it. Even their Classic line of revolvers, which never had a key lock, now has them. I asked S&W in a phone conversation how they could call these guns “Classic” when they wore a key lock? The response was terse, evasive and subtlety condescending. Hello Kimber, and others.
Wow, no “Hillary hole”! How did S&W do that? Great sights.
Thanks for saying stocks instead of grips. Col. Cooper would be pleased.
Love S&W revolvers, this one looks awesome would love more than one if I could afford them, they are always priced out of the market, I see no price on this one but would imagine around 750.00…ouch. Not me.
S&W will get my attention when the come out with a 6 shot version. If Kimber can do it, I’m sure S&W can. They definitely need to at this point.
Thanks for the article.