# My new Centennial 642 & CT report



## DanP_from_AZ (May 8, 2009)

An update on my 642 Centennial Airweight snubby I purchased a couple of weeks ago.

1. I got Crimson Trace laser grips off the Internet. $299 list. $219 price with free shipping.

2. I've been doing lot of dry practice. Loading snap-caps off the "speed strip" without looking, and
"firing" at my 6" x 8" sprinkler system control module on the wall while watching TV. So far, I haven't
made a "ammo mistake" and destroyed it. I don't aim at my Sony TV. The laser is a GREAT help for
practicing trigger control. It's pretty easy to keep the red dot well inside the 6' x 8" "target".
At the same distance from my bed to my bedroom doors. But, my eight shot Mossberg 500 is there too.
"You're not paranoid if you think they're out to get you, and they are". Not really, but I was a Boy Scout.

3. I bought an El Paso Saddlery leather belt holster with the gun. It has an adjustment screw. 
You can tighten it enough that the gun will not drop out with the holster upside down. Its very nice.
Monday I did one of "my hikes". 1450 ft. elevation gain to the peak. A 5.4 mile round-trip.

The "ease" of packing compared to my previous hiking guns (.45 Long Colt single-action or Beretta 92)
was GOOD. I fell twice in the rocks. Even without a security strap, the gun stayed put. I saw plenty of
coyote and Black bear scat. No lion scat. No snakes. No rabid animal attacks. My Lab mix dog did do
one "full alert", but I didn't see what it was. We were still in the trees. She survived the 90 degree day
and the climb better than my 66 year old body did. :mrgreen:

4. I had trouble locating a pocket holster on the Internet. No one had Uncle Mike's. Reading posts on this
forum led me to Desantis. They were also scarce, but I finally found their Super Fly. I like it a lot, with
the sticky exterior. It stays in place, and it is even easy to reholster in your pocket with one hand.
And, although it sticks solidly in place in my pocket, it doesn't gather dirt or lint from my glovebox or
console. That is a neat trick, and it really ups its utility.

All in all, I am VERY satisfied with this "snubby deal". Meets my hiking and CCW requirements very well.
Although, a friend bought a Ruger LCR at the same time, and last week we swapped guns while out
target shooting in the Prescott Nat'l Forest. As advertised, the Ruger has one sweet trigger.
And, I love living in the Arizona mountains !

Oh yeah, last Saturday I drove down the mountains to Phoenix. The NRA convention. I passed by every
vendor in the Exhibition Hall. And, talked to more than a few of them. It took 4 1/2 hours. I weighed my
brochure and catalog "sack" when I got home. 11 lbs. Much fun ! Life is good !:smt023


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## Gregg1LE (Jan 5, 2009)

Great price on the CT lasergrips. The best I could find was $229 on Opticsplanet...did you get the 305 or 405 ' s ?


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## DanP_from_AZ (May 8, 2009)

Gregg1LE said:


> Great price on the CT lasergrips. The best I could find was $229 on Opticsplanet...did you get the 305 or 405 ' s ?


I got the grips from OpticsPlanet.com. I must have just hit them on a good day. :mrgreen
I did see another site at a $229 price. These two were lower than any other place I could find on the Internet. 
But OpticsPlanet won. $219, $10 under the next price, plus the free shipping. A no-brainer.
The grips arrived on time, new in a sealed box, no problems.

I got the 405's. The 642 is just my hiking, car console, and CCW gun. Shorter grip is better for my usage. No need for the longer (and older design) 305's.

I do plan on shooting it until I'm really comfortable hitting something at a reasonable distance.
As many others have said about snubbys, I agree a fair amount of practice is needed to get reasonable results. Definitely applies to me.

I think I'll start a new thread about my first "laser comparison shoot". Others might be interested too.


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## Gregg1LE (Jan 5, 2009)

DanP_from_AZ said:


> I got the grips from OpticsPlanet.com. I must have just hit them on a good day. :mrgreen
> I did see another site at a $229 price. These two were lower than any other place I could find on the Internet.
> But OpticsPlanet won. $219, $10 under the next price, plus the free shipping. A no-brainer.
> The grips arrived on time, new in a sealed box, no problems.
> ...


You did get them on a good day !I have bought several items from them and have never been disappointed.

I got the 405's too. I think the rubber overmold will cut down on the dreaded perceived recoil !


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