Make sure your search is . Description: Smith & Wesson Model 342PD Airlite, 38 Special +P, with 2 sets of grips and original factory box. I bought a 340pd and installed the XS big dot front sight for a M&P 340 onto it. Smith & Wesson 340PD: The World's Lightest 357 Magnum! Now, if you notice closely, the cylinder will not lock in position after pulling the trigger. Pennsylvania Game Commission, State Agency: WTS. Durability: The M&P340 brings to the table a well-crafted mix of metallurgy. The Model 340PD is available in 357 Mag. Best way to get away. The partially burnt charge will leak out onto the cylinder and frame while still burning, causing damaging oxidation to the gun's exotic metals over time. Georgia Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: At 7 yards I was able to get groups just larger than the size of my palm, not great but not horrible. Th Home Firearms Handguns Review: S&W 340PD The Lightest .357 Magnum Revolver. As this is written, S&Ws MSRP for the M&P340 is $869. Perfect gun for hiking, Mt. In both civilian and law enforcement circles, the Smith and Wesson double action J-frame revolver chambered in .38 Special has long been a favorite since its introduction in the 1950s. And retired the 2 of them anyway and replaced with Hellcat 9mm. Like all Centennial models, the high horn shape at the back of the frame allows shooters to obtain a higher grip. S&W M&P340 Specs Caliber: .38 Special/.357 Magnum Barrel: 1.88 inches OA Length: 6.31 inches Weight: 13.8 ounces (empty) Grip: Synthetic Sights: XS tritium night Action: DAO Finish: Matte black Capacity: 5 MSRP: $869 For more information, visit smith-wesson.com. Shooting champion, instructor and gunsmith Ernest Langdon was working for S&W at the time, and he introduced me to the new M&P340. GDHP +P (780 fps) and Aguila 130-gr. I have the 329PD, had the trigger done over at the S&W custom shop. A hopeless attempt at child-proofing had been the designs raisondtre. 1974: In little more than 20 years, times had changed. I have the simply rugged convertible IWB/OWB holster. Required fields are marked *. Editor Dan Shideler. Gold-Dot .38 +P short-barrel. The Smith & Wesson Model 640 Centennial is easily the most recommended variant of the J-frame line if the Internet counts for anything in gun selection. It may not display this or other websites correctly. One of the fun parts of revolvers is changing out the grips. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Posted June 24, 2020 in Editorial, Pistols, Revolver, Wheelgun Wednesday by Rusty S. with No CommentsTags: model 60, Pro Series, S&W, Smith and Wesson. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. Elite V-Crown JHP. Weighing in at roughly . To subscribe, visitoutdoorgroupstore.com. Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, State Agency: From the 340 PD the 158 was stout. gun shop transfer on my dime in the Reading area. There have been enough J-Frames for a gun collector to specialize in and gather a substantial herd of them. 340 PD has a titanium cylinder and a warning not to shoot 110gr or lower 357 mags in it. JHP. I swapped the standard rubber grips for Hogue G10 grips. Scandium340PD-StressCorrosionCrackingFailure.jpg, https://aluminiuminsider.com/aluminium-scandium-alloys-future/, http://www.dunand.northwestern.edu/refs/files/JOM-0302-35.pdf, https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/21/scandium, Wilderness Survival, Hiking and Camping Forum. Contest void where prohibited by law. 1990: Steve Melvin had become CEO of Smith & Wesson, and had wisely reached out to a broad spectrum of gun experts. Add to Cart The item has been added. But I sure wouldnt wanna make a career out of it.. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM Old West 2023, PO Box 488, Escondido, CA 92033. There have been zero malfunctions. This is a carry pistol by nature. I checked elsewhere smith and wesson quality has gone down. Frame Finish. For carry, I go with a light .357 Mag load such as Speer's short barrel rounds (they are just 130 feet per second faster than the same bullet in Speer's 38 +P short barrel load). The 340 PD at $1,019 MSRP is obviously a premium offering, featuring a 2-piece sleeved barrel, scandium frame and a titanium cylinder. If you don t need the ultra light weight, I d recommend the S&W 442 at nearly half price. The two combine to produce a powerful .357 Magnum revolver that is unbelievably lightweight. Rhode Island Department of Fish & Wildlife, State Agency: Lately, the .40 S&W has been awash in a stormy sea of unflattering ink. You remember the way old-timers used to describe these kinda guns? I asked. This ultralight Titanium cylinder revolver has seen some finish wear most noticeably around the muzzle but mechanically it is in excellent condition. I had an old retired sherif deputy tell me that, one thing about a wheel gun is that it will never lie to ya. Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, State Agency: Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, State Agency: I follow the directions and have not had any problems. As a retired guy, I go back and forth from a S&W 340 to a Sig 365. Though I do not carry in this way, the Galco Ankle Glove seems to be the gold standard. Heres why. Careful inspection reveals a steel shield embedded in the topstrap of the frame, just above the barrel/cylinder gap. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. I am not a fan. The frame of the LCR is in two parts. Super lite 357 Magnum. Easy as pie. As time went on, S&W incrementally strengthened its J-Frames. 1952: The great combat shooting authority Rex Applegate had linked up with S&W in the postwar years, and sold the companys guns among other materiel in Latin America. Box 488, Escondido, CA 92033. Contest void where prohibited by law. So this revolver was born. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. The muzzle can be pressed against the attacker and the gun will still fire at contact range. At 50 feet we grouped the following .38 Special loads: Black Hills 148-gr. Featuring a slab sided barrel, Trijicon tritium front ramp sight, brushed stainless finish and wooden grips, this 60 is a handsome devil. Re: Smith & Wesson 340PD revolver. All entries must be received by giveaway end date. For more information, visit smith-wesson.com. Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. Of its many variations, one seems to stand above the rest in terms of performance. Im an old revolver guy and have a soft spot for snub nose revolvers. The demand of used SMITH WESSON 1066 pistol's has not changed over the past 12 months. weight and magnum potential. The HUD Agreement, designed to save Smith & Wesson from bankruptcy, was instead killing revenue. The very first time I held a Smith and Wesson 360pd in my hand, I knew that I wanted one. America's Ultimate Shooting Sports Discounter, Review: S&W 340PD The Lightest .357 Magnum Revolver, Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). UPC. Both are carried in my front pocket of my jeans. Illinois Department of Natural Resources, State Agency: Once we passed the Manly Magnum Test, we thankfully returned to the .38 Specials. There are many different J-Frames on the market, but I believe the 340PD to be the most unique. Ph: (800) 331-082. Grips for Smith Wesson Model 340. The S&W M&P 340 is a solidly built, purpose driven revolver that covers a whole host of purposes it could function well in. 's blog. (Interesting side note: the 1965 Model 60s were the first stainless revolvers produced by S&W) The rear sight is also easily adjustable for windage and elevation. The Smith & Wesson Model 10, previously known as the Smith & Wesson .38 Hand Ejector Model of 1899, the Smith & Wesson Military & Police or the Smith & Wesson Victory Model, is a K-frame revolver of worldwide popularity. With practice, Im sure you could trim that down a bit. Quantity: Buy now. The pistol demonstrated superb accuracy for self-defense at close ranges. They fit well and the seams blend together nicely. Lets look a little deeper than the bare bones of how its described on the S&W website. Contest open to U.S. residents only. You are using an out of date browser. After all, it could provide just one more level of distraction should it ever come time to use the gun in the type of emergency it was designed for. My thoughts exactly. This M&P340 review was originally published in "Pocket Pistols" #186. Then it went in for re-timing. Deposits have been located in Australia, but are not currently being mined. With Smith & Wesson bleeding badly, influential people in the industry tried to calm tensions and save the brand from destruction, but a large part of the gun community wasn't having it. The gun's design makes it a good concealed carry option. We want you, our readers, to be able to make informed decisions. This is not a gun for new shooters or those who are sensitive to recoil. Therefore I often bloodied the web between my thumb and index finger, even though the 340PD had formed a callous where most of the force would transfer to my hand. Arizona Game & Fish Department, State Agency: I have the 360 PD, and I think that it is a great carry piece. A 12 ounce 357? 6-shots and you can make an argument for a revolver over a semi-auto, but not with 5. The 340PD is 12 ounces. i would go for the .38 "J" vs a .357 "J" the .357's are a handfull as some have mentioned, probably the most unpleasant pistol i have ever fired and i have fired some pretty big stuff (ie 454 casull, 50 S&W & lots of 44 mag and 41 mag). The triggers are heavy and stack up at the end of the stroke making the revolver difficult to shoot accurately. .45 &.357 are my favorite calibers. Smith & Wesson M&P45 Shield 45 ACP Conceal Carry Handgun with Night Sights and 3 . Factory warranties may apply in some cases. The mechanism was designed around a very long and heavy double-action-only (DAO) trigger pull, again in the hope that a responsible adults hand could operate it and make it go bang but a little kids could not. No substitutions or transfers to third parties allowed. What are the problems with a Smith and Wesson 642? For almost everyone, the lightweight series of J frame S&W revolvers, even in .38 spl., are difficult to control. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Winners will be notified by certified mail on official letterhead. Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, State Agency: On mine, I took the flag and ground the nub off though. For range work, I mainly shoot 38 Special +Ps. I have owned and carried several J frames revolvers. To date, I've probably fired 1,500 rounds of factory .327 Mag. (II) Limit one (1) entry per household; multiple entries will disqualify entrants. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. I try to train with at least 100 rounds of full power defensive ammo in my carry pieces. Theres a small stainless steel insert in the topstrap right above the forcing cone, appearing to act as insurance against flame-cutting from the high pressures of magnum loads. New Hampshire Fish & Game Department, State Agency: Ruger changed the trigger linkage so the DA pull is smooth and medium-heavy making the revolver easy to shoot accurately. Mail-in entries accepted; send postcards (no envelopes) to: GUNS Magazine, GOM March 2022, P.O. Come join the discussion about collections, gear, DIY projects, hobbies, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! And while the Hogue grips look nice I wouldnt want to shoot this gun unless it was fitted with standard rubber grips. The previous poster was close in regards to the cylinder comment. Giveaway prizes may have evidence of being test fired or exhibit minor handling marks. Minnesota. True? Description. Estimated Value *Using 80% condition for calculating used Values. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. synthetic grips give clearance to an HKS speedloader. Hence the need to spend a considerable amount of time on the range learning to control shooting these lightweight revolvers. Similar to your standard Airweight revolvers. That was a few years ago at an NRA convention if I recall correctly. So I have been hooked on and obsessed with a Smith and Wesson model 340pd revolver in .357 Magnum with a Scandium frame, Titanium cylinder and the high Viz front sight. Throwback Thursday: Taurus Judge Range Report, ATI Milsport SGA 410 All the Advantages of an AR in .410, Ruger SR1911 LW Commander The Lightweight .45 ACP, Rifle Hack: Sighting for 100 Yards at a Distance of 25 Yards, Throwback Thursday: All About Bullet Grain. Employees and agents of Publishers Development Corp. are not eligible. SKU: 163064 Model: Model 360 PD Caliber: 357 Magnum, 38 S&W SPECIAL +P Capacity: 5 Barrel Length: 1.875 / 4.8 cm Overall Length: 6.3 Front Sight: Hi-Viz Fiber Optic Orange Rear Sight: Fixed Action: Single/Double Action Grip: Synthetic Weight: 11.7 oz / 331.7g Cylinder Material: Titanium Alloy Barrel Material: Stainless Steel Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. Spydercos Squarehead. By. The Smith & Wesson Model 29 is the sixgun by which all other .44 Magnums are judged. Box 488, Escondido, CA 92033. But what sold it to a great many buyers was the sleek silhouette of the hammerless design. For the senior officers in my department, the 2" barrel (often referred to as a snub nose) 5 shot revolver was a favorite "unofficial" carry pistol. The Scandium is added to improve both tensile strength and the finished appearance of the product. As a pocket gun they are great, but I always prefer something that starts with a 44 or 45 & 357. S&W said that happens sometimes from hoop stress transferred through the aluminum when the machine screws on the barrel or when they thread the frame for the barrel. We reserve the right to edit as appropriate, delete profane, harassing, abusive and spam comments or posts, and block repeat offenders. Sales instantly exploded, and the Airweight 042 and current 442 (blued and nickeled) and 642 followed. The 340PD is a great carry-a-lot-use-a-little gun and it is one of the best BUG guns for LEOs ever . But if you have your hand on your 360PD in your pocket, you will beat him every time, even if he had his gun pointed right at you with his finger on the trigger. I am comparing the S&W 340PD with the M&P 340. It shoots great. 2: 459: Ruger Revolvers, H&K VP9LE, Ruger American 45acp. To that end, the hammer was completely concealed inside the frame and thus could not be cocked to a lighter single-action pull. This is a carry pistol by nature. FMJ (648 fps). No function. Factory warranties may apply in some cases. Nice touch. The Smith & Wesson J-Frame has become the most popular small frame personal defense revolver on the market. At . Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. The result here is a pistol that tips the scales at only 26 ounces. Rex approached S&W and asked the company to resurrect the Safety Hammerless in the format of the conventional outside-hammer, five-shot J-Frame in .38 Special, which the company had introduced two years before. Any one own one? Hot 357 loads, like Cor Bons, are truly brutal. 6: 2,020: Model 629-6 6" 44 magnum, Model 647 no dash 17 HMR(reduced) posted by outdoorsdad 02-22-2023. Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, State Agency: Trijicon HD Night Sights - Smith & Wesson M&P / SD9 / SD40 Associated taxes and fees are the responsibility of winners. Have (3) J frame S&W revolvers. I'm not up on current Ruger quality, but the Ruger's are gone, and it's a corporate entity now. The information provided here does not represent the views of Cheaper Than Dirt! I carry it when hiking, mountain biking, and riding my dirt bikes because it is so light. I just have a sweet spot for Smith snubbies and although I have a 638, I've always been intrigued by the 340pd. JavaScript is disabled. Athens, Tn. (I) Giveaway ends February 28, 2023. Looking at the brown stain adjacent fracture looks familiar, this appears to have been working a while and picked this time to let go. 32 years as a deputy sheriff. Smith & Wesson. Of course, this model builds upon a decades-old tradition for lightweight, hammerless pocket revolvers, and I think the concept reached its apotheosis with the M&P340. My bet is that the failure crack originated from a tool mark left over from broaching the cylinder recess in the frame. Deployed military should use stateside address. For a law enforcement back up or EDC gun, the Smith & Wesson Model 442 is the way to go. It incorporated a grip safety in the backstrap that supposedly would require an adult hand to span both that part of the handle and the trigger. As stated, the .357 can be a hand full. Action is quicker than reaction, every time. These offer a powerful green laser and are shaped to absorb recoil very well. This revolver is a favored back-up and concealed carry firearm due to its lightweight, enclosed hammer, and reliability. www.gunsmagazine.com/company/smith-wesson/, Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism, Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife, Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Rhode Island Department of Fish & Wildlife, North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, New York Department of Environmental Conservation, Mississippi Deptartment of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks, Minnesota Deptartment of Natural Resources, Michigan Deptartment of Natural Resources, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife, Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources, Hawaii Department of Land & Natural Resources, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, Alabama Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. If you are looking at purchasing your own I would look into the standard 38 special aluminum model with a stainless cylinder. At that price I'd buy 2. No purchase necessary. The assembled features and good looks of the M&P 340 do come at a cost though, as Smith & Wesson's MSRP is listed at $869. This doesnt mean its not accurate, however. I have the 360PD version, which is the same scandium-alloy frame but exposed hammer. 342PD is .38 Special and 10.8 ozs and discontinued. I only use mine for shooting people, not target work. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. The frames are at least 90% aluminum and well under 1% Scandium. Prizes will not be awarded if illegal in jurisdiction of winners. Physical characteristics. (I) Giveaway ends December 31, 2022. Caliber.357 Mag. That is up to you -- some think so and others not so much. It is the 340 M&P .357 Magnum Centennial revolver. Having always had a passion for firearms, Rusty S. has had experience in gunsmithing, firearms retail, hunting, competitive shooting, range construction, as an IDPA certified range safety officer and a certified instructor. Im not outgunned with 13 rounds of 380. I dont have a problem shooting hot loads in lt guns but the 360 is not a lot of fun but can be shot double tap with practice. Weighing in at roughly double the weight of the 340PD, the Model 60 in Pro Series guise was introduced in 2007. The unconventional bit of S&W did just that and offered an Airweight version with a then-novel aluminum frame. Same for the underlug on one side. To protect the privacy and security of winners, names will not be made public. Winners must respond within 30 days of receiving notification or an alternate winner will be selected. The matte finish is durable in wet environments and I didn't hesitate to take it out in the rain. Smith & Wesson Model 642 38 Special J-Frame Revolver with No Internal Lock - 103810 $519.00. However, when I am in a city, in addition to my duty pistol I always carry the 360PD in my front pocket. The Smith and Wesson 340PD is no ordinary J-Frame revolver, it is the lightest weight .357 Magnum revolver on the planet.