Question for those who have the S&W 442 Moon Clip (Pro)

[soIcouldSee]

The short version: Does the S&W 442 Moon Clip (Pro) (SKU 178041) have any carbon steel on it?

The long version:

Hi all, I'm planning on getting either an S&W 642 or 442. I much prefer the look and concealability of the 442, and hear that the finish on the alloy holds up better, however I've read that due to the fact that the barrel, yoke, and cylinder is carbon steel on the 442 vs. stainless on the 642, the 442 is much more prone to rusting in those areas, especially if it touches sweat.

Then I found out on S&W's website that they make a 442 Pro "Moon Clip" model (SKU 178041) that apparently has a stainless steel cylinder. But it doesn't say whether or not the barrel and yoke are also stainless. I've Googled and read conflicting reports, some people saying that the cylinder is indeed stainless but the barrel is still carbon steel, other saying that the barrel is stainless and the only part that's carbon steel is the yoke (I assume the yoke on the 642 isn't carbon steel...).

I contacted S&W customer service, both by phone and by e-mail, and both reps said that the 442 Moon Clip has stainless parts, and no carbon steel parts. But with all due respect to them, I do know that sometimes customer service reps of any company aren't always the best place to get answers from.

Does anybody have an idea as to who's right or who's wrong? Thanks in advance!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[soIcouldSee]

Alright, so I found another spec sheet on S&W's website that said that the barrel is carbon steel. So I e-mailed the S&W customer service rep again, and the person I spoke with (Paul, who it seems to me probably isn't "just another" customer service rep like I first thought) said that the spec sheet is wrong: the barrel is PVD coated stainless steel, and in fact the 442 Pro Moon Clip has no carbon steel and is "basically a 642 with PVD coating". Hope that helps anyone else who was wondering the same thing.

[Ransom]

Good to know. Thanks for posting this info. I've thought about buying a 442 and now I know which one I want.

[oneshot]

Yeah.

I picked up a 442, and my mom got a 642.

My 442 was in a holster by the pool this past summer.
Got a few splashes on it, didn't notice untill a day or two later, and the chlorine in the pool started to rust a small spot on the cylinder, and another spot on the barrel.

Wish it was a 642 as well.

[gasmitty]

Chlorine compounds are not friends of "stainless" steels!