Nutdriver barrel normal?

[tweaker]

My first new handgun purchase, an S&W 642. The barrel is almost the shape of a nut driver. Yesterday I went and put ten rounds through it and from the markings left, this barrel is definitely not round. Is this normal?

[xenophobe]

Normal. It's called 'rifling' and it turns as it goes down the length of the barrel to send the projectile spinning when it leaves the muzzle. A spin is necessary for the bullet to stabilize in flight and increases accuracy.

What you are seeing is grooves and the rise of the lands... it gives this appearance that you describe.

[tweaker]

Thanks. Glad it will help accuracy, I was having problems hitting the broad side of that barn yesterday!

[xenophobe]

The sight radius on those make them difficult to shoot accurately at any distance. 5,7,10 or 15 yards at most. If you're at an indoor range, use the first or second stop. At the pistol range, use the closest target distance you can. That is primarily the range that this pistol is designed for. It's more a home defense gun, and the size and recoil that it would produce with a .38 +P load would make it painful for regular target shooting, and lighter .38 loads still give quite a bit of noticably felt recoil.

[tweaker]

I was on the shortest range. I'm thinking the double-action only is the biggest problem.