Both of the snub-nose revolvers that made it into this test were updated versions of existing models. Smith & Wesson provided us with a Performance Center Model 442 with a few upgrades, including Crimson Trace LG-105 Lasergrips.
Introduced in 1993, the ubiquitous Model 442 is probably the most prolific snubbie on the market today. For 2019, the Smith & Wesson Performance Center, with its talented gunsmiths, decided to overhaul the Model 442. They tuned the action, then polished and beveled the trigger, taking the revolver to a whole new level. Then, to make the Model 442 really stand out, the Performance Center gunsmiths polished the cylinder flutes, the face of the trigger, the sideplate screws and the thumb latch. The rest of the cylinder has a matte stainless finish. All told, the Performance Center Model 442 weighs in at 26.4 ounces and holds five rounds of .38 Special +P ammunition, so there isn’t much to dislike about the little gun. And did I mention the Crimson Trace Lasergrips?
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Several of the evaluators had already spent considerable trigger time behind Smith & Wesson J-Frames. This familiarity was reflected in the scores. The little Model 442 scored well in the aesthetics, ergonomics and trigger control categories. In terms of accuracy, the revolver performed well at 7 yards, too.
With an MSRP of $742, the Performance Center Model 442 sells for roughly $273 more than a stock Model 442. Given that the Lasergrips alone sell for more than $200, the buyer is paying only $100 or so for all of the Performance Center work. This is one of the many reasons why the revolver came in third place with 36.52 points.
