Well, after years of stating (here and elsewhere) that I would never own an S&W revolver with "the lock"....I own one. And to top it off....it's a .357 Magnum J-frame....a 340PD.....something else that I've always considered an abomination. In my defense....I didn't plan on owning one. A friend bought it new, never shot it, and no longer wanted the responsibility of owning a handgun for various reasons. I already own a 649 that I really like. The 340PD is lighter and will handle +P ammo, which my 649 is not rated for. I have no desire to shoot Magnum rounds from a J-frame. I may occasionally carry the 340PD. I can deal with the "ugliness" of the hole above the cylinder latch. My reason for considering plugging it would only be for reliability/functionality reasons. My main concern would be the gun locking itself up at an inopportune moment. Are there any negatives to removing the lock? How many different folks make plug kits? I'm aware of two from the Classifieds here. Is one better than the other? Your thoughts or comments are appreciated.

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'Merica!

I also never wanted to own one of these and so far haven't. Every one I know who has one says they have never had one malfunction. Other than it was a bad decision on smith's part to add that, once you have one, there is one thing to consider:

If you carry it for self defense: You have removed a safety device, altered the gun etc...this may never be a point to worry about in court but then again who knows. I would leave it alone or sell/trade it for a classic.

I had many discussions on the firing pin safeties on automatics. On a home or carry gun it is highly advisable to leave it be.

I have a 60 that is an EDC. I just took out the flag and left key way portion in . I don't look at it so I don't care beyond that.

Just bought a used 340PD myself... DOB 2010....
Came with box and papers... only 10 rounds fired...
BUT....looked like it had ridden in the previous owner’s toolbox since new...
However, for $400 I couldn’t walk away....
I hate the idea of the lock (and it didn’t come with a key), so I ordered a plug to replace it...
Nice CCW, but hurts on both ends shooting .357... lol

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Travel light..stay aware..

I just never use the locks on guns.

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"He was kinda funny lookin'"

Sounds like a candidate for sale or trade for a gun you like

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Some collect art; I shoot it!

I simply buy older Smiths without the lock. Nothing to ponder and IMHO they are far superior anyway (obviously debatable - but not here). Weather you plug the I/L or not depends on how much faith you have in it not locking on its own and how much you hate it. Personal decision time.

I would plug the lock on principle

I bought it mainly to help a friend that wanted to sell it. The price was right and I thought having a "modern" S&W in the collection wasn't necessarily a bad thing. You have to jump through a few hoops in this state to get a gun added onto your permit so buying it just to turn around and trade or sell it usually doesn't make a lot of sense. I do like the light weight and I added a DAO Smith to the collection. Not saying I'd never sell or trade it but probably not anytime soon.

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'Merica!

I am one of those who supplies lock plugs. Whether or not you decide to remove the lock is a a matter of individual preference. If you do decide to remove it do so and plug the hole. Don’t disable the lock and leave it in place. That could potentially cause a tragedy down the road. Someone could get ahold of that gun years after you’re gone and mistakenly believe the lock works.

A matter of balancing two very small risks, one deadly and one not. For most of us, who own more than a few guns, it's a no-brainer - don't carry a gun with a lock. If you are worried about post-shooting, when a shooting will probably never happen, don't carry a gun with a plug. Why incur more risk than you did last week?

I’ve fired many, many, many rounds, light and hot, through S&W revolvers with internal locks and never had a problem. I don’t bother the locks, the locks don’t bother me. I’ve thought about plugging, but if it ain’t broke, as the saying goes...

My personal preference...

Range gun: Don't care.

Self defense gun (carry or home): No lock or plug.

For those concerned about liability issues with using a plug in a self defense gun, do some research and find documented instances of internal lock failures. Keep them handy. IIRC, this is the method Ayoob recommends if you decide to disable the lock on the gun.

Removing the lock and inserting the plug makes the gun lock-less and a far better idea then inactivating a lock that some uneducated person would believe they activated that really does not work. There is no lock liability if there isn’t a lock.

Count me as one who has experienced a lock failure. The flag popped up under the severe recoil of a full house load in a 329PD. It took a while to realize what had taken place and correct. I wouldn't make a blanket recommendation to all, but I've installed the "plug" on the three locking guns I have and moved on. It's a personal choice, mine based on first hand experience. I did refit one lock on a warranty return to S&W, immediately reinstalling the plug when I got the gun back.