Very nice

 

You gotta love the J frames, have several in everything from 22LR to 357 mag, not a bad one in the bunch, always looking to add another one.

 

How reliable is the internal hammer mechanism?

 

Nice

 

Carry the 135,s. My J frame will be my carry gun when I retire. Favorite carry gun.

 

Did you take a feeler gauge to it so you can tell if the topstrap is stretching? I heard a lot of stories about this being a problem with .357 in stainless J frames, so I mostly shoot .38spl in mine. Whether this is reliable info or not I can't say at this juncture.

 

I haven't noticed any wear yet that would suggest any stretching. Smith and Wesson doesn't recommend any +P in older revolvers made before 1980.
Not every 640 is stamped tested for +P+. My revolver does have a higher polish from other 640 revolvers. The person I did speak to at the factory said the metal was treated at higher temperatures to achieve the higher pressure loads available at the time.

 

I've carried this in my old DeSantis leather holster and the finish has very little wear.
A little heavy for pocket carry. With the right holster and ammunition, this is still a better option for me to use over my Glock 42.

 

I am not all that knowledgeable about magna porting. Is there a real advantage with a 1 7/8 inch barrel? Can you feel the difference between two like guns? I am wondering why a 44 mag with a 6 inch barrel is not magna ported as standard equipment?

 

Because the shorter barrel needs it more. The longer barrel means greater rotational inertia on the gun, less whippy. Hope this helps.