340PD - ultimate lightweight carry gun or bag of frustration?

[JTaylor]

I put a couple of Walthers up for sale and want to get a lightweight J-Frame for everyday carry. I will probably be shooting regular .38 special rounds through it most of the time. Weight is a big factor and the 340PD looks like maybe the lightest current production J-Frame? It looks to be just about the perfect self defense gun for my needs at 11.4 Oz. I could look at a used 342 at under 11 Oz, but being able to shoot .357 rounds should I change my mind later is appealing. Also, it looks like the 342 goes for close to the same price as a 340PD? So, I was really thinking this was the gun for me. However, as I research it more I'm starting to see things about bullet-pull, temperamental titanium, and no bullets under 125 grains. How much of a problem are these issues? If the gun is having this many problems, why is S&W still making it? Should I look in another direction? Kind of bummed as this looked like the perfect gun for me. Any thoughts? If you own this gun, would you buy it again? Do the Pros outweigh the Cons?

Thanks for any insight,

JT

 

[Papa]

Lay your hand on the bench and strike it hard in the web between your thumb and finger with a claw hammer. That is 357's in a 340 pd.

 

[venomballistics]

Ultimate lightweight or bag O frustration ... why .. its both.
on one hand you can carry it with all the intrusiveness of a spare pair of socks. on the other hand some who shot them regularly, have burnt the titanium cylinders after they wore the requisite protective finish away from heavy use and subsequent cleaning.

 

[P&R Fan]

I've had one for about a year and a half. I carry it constantly in my non-dominant side pocket, loaded with full power 125 Grain .357s. Never had a problem with bullet-pull.
Yes, it kicks REALLY hard. And yes, I shoot it left-handed only, and I'm right handed. I also took the rubber grips off of it and put on wood boot grips, so they don't soak up any recoil. This is not a revolver I shoot for enjoyment. It is there to use to save my life, usually as a backup to something more substantial. It fits that need perfectly for me.
I say get one.
Jim

 

[JTaylor]

Lay your hand on the bench and strike it hard in the web between your thumb and finger with a claw hammer. That is 357's in a 340 pd.

So, I can assume you think they are a bag of hurt/frustration

 

[JTaylor]

Ultimate lightweight or bag O frustration ... why .. its both.
on one hand you can carry it with all the intrusiveness of a spare pair of socks. on the other hand some who shot them regularly, have burnt the titanium cylinders after they wore the requisite protective finish away from heavy use and subsequent cleaning.

Is that something S&W can repair? Costly? Are there any special cleaning requirements?

 

[JTaylor]

I've had one for about a year and a half. I carry it constantly in my non-dominant side pocket, loaded with full power 125 Grain .357s. Never had a problem with bullet-pull.
Yes, it kicks REALLY hard. And yes, I shoot it left-handed only, and I'm right handed. I also took the rubber grips off of it and put on wood boot grips, so they don't soak up any recoil. This is not a revolver I shoot for enjoyment. It is there to use to save my life, usually as a backup to something more substantial. It fits that need perfectly for me.
I say get one.
Jim

Thanks for the insight Jim. Yes, I want it because I think I will carry it more often because of the weight/conceal-ability. And the .38 special seems to be a proven round.

 

[venomballistics]

Is that something S&W can repair? Costly? Are there any special cleaning requirements?

yes, its repairable in the sense that a cylinder can be replaced. once the metal starts burning, its gone. and yes, it'll cost.
cleaning ... avoid brushes and dont give into the temptation to scrub the crud off the face. By the time youve gotten the black off, you have probably compromised the protective layer.
Understand, however, that these guns fill a role brilliantly.
That role is a personal protection piece that will be carried day to day every day till you find a gun fight where it'll actually see active use.
if thats what you want, go for it. that is what its designed for.
if your looking for a gun to burn a few boxes of ammo up with every weekend .. this isnt your kind of gun for both the afore mentioned burning issues as well as the recoil amplification technology incorporated into all ultra light guns

 

[wheelyfun66]

Why not look into the 340 M&P model?

It is only a few ounces heavier (don't have exact weight specs in front of me...) and has a blackened stainless cylinder...so you do not have the cleaning "problem" of the 340PD cylinder.

For those that say it is like "hitting your hand with a hammer"...
I used to believe that too....until I got a 340 and shot it!

Yeah...it ain't the most comfortable for range use, but if you use a short barrel load from Speer, or better yet, .38+P rounds...it is perfectly controllable and does not hurt (your hand might be sore the next day, if you fire 50 or more rounds in one session)
Good luck!

 

[raisedin99]

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...se-gentleman-your-thoughts.html#post135942394

Agree with P&R Fan, I only carry it for one purpose only.

It is not necessarily a fun gun to shoot but you'll get use to it, I shoot mine often.

 

[Packard]

I have this weapon. The first time I shot it, the trigger guard (nicely contoured like a fine knife) tore up my knuckle, and the trigger itself tore up my trigger finger. You'd think they'd radius some of those edges to protect the shooter.

I now shoot with a heavy cowhide workglove. I normally wear a large, I and fit into a medium but it is a chore to remove. I bought a small and soaked it in water for an hour and then wrung out the glove like a old dish rag. Then I squeezed my hand into the glove and opened and closed my fist to stretch the leather. As the leather dries it will shrink where it can and it will remain stretched where it has to. When dry it will fit like a second skin. (I used the burner on my stove to accelerate the drying process--a hair dryer would have worked better). I left it on my hand until it was completely dry.

This protects my hand enough that I can shoot 25 rounds of .38 from the gun with each session. I shoot 50 rounds per week. Once a month I shoot off some .357s.

I've been thinking of buying the same gun in .22 so I can get in more practice with less abuse (and at a lower cost).

I've only had this gun a few months and I am getting acclimated to the recoil. Eventually I think I will be able to shoot more rounds per session. The body adapts. Give it time.

 

[Lee D]

Lay your hand on the bench and strike it hard in the web between your thumb and finger with a claw hammer. That is 357's in a 340 pd.

i always compared it to an open hand slap on a slick finished garage floor...over and over again. BRUTAL

 

[safearm]

I have CT grips on mine and carry it with Gold Dot 135 gr +P. It's the perfect (at least for me) pocket carry gun.

 

[Badge54]

I love my 340M&P with the tritium front dot, like above poster I carry mine off hand front pocket. I load it with 38+p's and do very little shooting with .357. The .357 only gains about 50 fps but has much more muzzle blast, recoil and muzzle flash. The advantage being it "can" shoot .357's ... that doesn't mean you have to... I love the sight picture of this gun.

Hate to say and this may even be taboo on a S&W forum but I also have the LCR in .357 and love it. The trigger really was better out of the box. The grips are much larger and harder to fit in the pocket but absorb more of the recoil.

That said I carry the S&W in my pocket at work every day. The LCR is at home.

Badge54

 

[Joni_Lynn]

When I carry it's my 340PD. I shoot it enough to know I can handle it and yes you'll always know that it has gone off. 125 grain 357 is manageable, 158 grain is too much for me in this weight of gun.
I put a wood grip on mine.

Most of the people at the range want to try it but only one has wanted to shoot more than one or two rounds.

 

[Wee Hooker]

All the negatives you mention only come into play if your pushing the design envolope and stuffing it with light, ultra hot 357 mag rounds. Stuff it with 38 +P and enjoy. The 357 ( reduced recoil loads?) option is there if you want to experiment. I have a 360PD that shoots 38+P very comfortably and WELL within the guns design range. I never feel underguned. It's my favorite carry and as silly as it seems, I do notice the carry weight difference vs my 638.

FWIW, I bought my 360PD used with near a full box of 357 mag rounds. The guy bought it (new) was in love with the idea of an 11 oz 357 untill he fired it. One trip to the range flustered him enough that he wanted nothing more to do with it despite the shop owners pleas to try 38 specials. He traded it for a 9mm.
That guy missed out on one hell of a nice 38!

 

[Flipside]

I own one and commonly carry it.

200 rounds have gone down the pipe.

My biggest complaint: the trigger pull (weight).

And, shooting cheap Blazer .357 is a no-go. The bullets don't remain seated in the case, and prevent the cylinder from rotating after the 3rd or 4th pull.

I also really like the Hogue grips that I put on mine.

They're the solid Nylon, model 60100.

Yes, they have a pinky groove, and yes, they're a little heavier than the stock grips... However, they make a HUGE difference in controlling this little beast, and I've found there are no negatives in how well the pistol conceals. Besides, they don't grab at my pockets like the soft(er) stock grips that have a rubbery feel to them.

 

[JTaylor]

I really appreciate all the information! I keep going back and forth. I keep going back my original thought - lightest J-Frame so you will cary the darn thing! I'm thinking the 340PD is it.

Joni_Lynn - that gun looks pristine! I assume no brush on the cylinder, does everyone just use a soft cloth and solvent to get the thing clean?

JT

 

[sgt.207]

I have had one for about ten years i think, not one problem. Kicks a lot, but very accurate. I carry full power 357 magnum loads in it.

 

[Joni_Lynn]

Thanks. I doesn't get brushed or have solvent used on it. I keep the gun clean enough that it functions well, the cylinder and barrel will get cleaned when they require it.