Just picked this little guy up this last weekend and thought I'd share it with you guys. This is my first, and likely last, 9mm revolver. I always thought the idea of the 940 sounded "neat", but never particularly wanted one. Well, I couldn't pass this one up...so now I own one I suppose it'd make a good CC piece, but I don't know if I want to go through the added steps w/ the clips, tools, carriers, etc. It may end up on the ol' chopping block before too long, but the jury's still out. Figure I'll run a few cylinders through it before I make any decisions. I do like the heavy 9mm barrel profile when compared to the .38 Special profile...I think it looks cool Also doesn't hurt that 9mm is both hotter and cheaper than .38 Special too.

Thanks for looking
-Rob

A few years ago I asked myself the same questions you asked when I thought I might want one. Why not a 9mm revolver when I own a number of 9mm pistols??? The 940's were expensive then, so I purchased a Taurus just to see if I might like a 9mm revolver. I didn't like the moon clips and I didn't like the weight. I didn't carry the 9mm revolver at the same time I carried the 9mm pistol so having a common ammo wasn't a factor. I reload, so ammo prices were not a factor in this decision. I just couldn't see spending a lot of money on a Smith 940 when there were so many other cool Smith's in other calibers I would rather own. So I sold the Taurus and am content with my .22, .38, .357, .44 mag and .45 Smith revolvers.

Nice 940 it looks just like my 640. I tried a Taurus 905 out and didn't like it but I don't think it was the moonclips I didn't like I think it was the ****** trigger. I'd like to try a 940 but can't seem to find one near me.

I would like one! Many years ago I had a 547. As cheap as 9mm is now it just makes sense to have one. Great find.

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2 Timothy 1:7

Congrats on your 940. Shoot it and it will grow on you.

Rob, thanks for posting pics of your new gun. I've always thought it would be good to have one of those but they are as rare as hen's teeth. Congrats on finding one.

Vern

I had one and foolishly sold it. It's a heavy thing but I liked it.
In spite of the weight,IMO the recoil of the 940 is both heavier and more unpleasant than my 642. Also the muzzle blast/flash is impressive. Much more than a .38, even '+P'.
Would I buy another? For the right price, in a heartbeat!

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Field Researcher. IGC

I had one, it tended to have extraction problems although I don't know if it was because of the tapered case of the 9mm or if there was a problem with that particular revolver.
in general I like the idea of moon clips, handier than a speedloader, just didn't work out so well in that particular piece. Hope yours does better.

I recall seeing several reports of folks dealing with poor finishing in the cylinder which addressed the extraction problem. The extraction problem you described seemed to be pretty common, but the fix also seems to be more or less universal. I've got this revolver on my someday list for a BUG.

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NHI, 10-8.

I have owned several of the 940 family, I had 2 No dash one a 3" the other a 2" and I also owned 2 940 PCs (.356 TSW Pocket Rockets). Loved them all but sold them off and I currently only have my favorite of them all which is the 940-1 snubby that is only a few digits off from your serial number. I love these handy little revolvers and the 9x19mm combined with a short barrel revolver = very nice internal, external and terminal ballistic performance. Enjoy that gun and congrats.

now ? why did i have to find this old thread ?
iv

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yer dawg ate my duck

i must .. have one of these !
I've thousands of rounds of 9mm ...
never knew they was made in a revolver !!!!

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yer dawg ate my duck

Here are two 547 9mm and two 940 9mm. The 547's aren't bad but the 940 REALLY gets your attention. I pocket carry one and love the size and power BUT there is a recoil price to pay.

They started popping-up on places like Gunpoker during the recent panic. I'm sure folks were digging anything out of the back of their safes that would sell....at a very high price I may add. Run-of-the-mill j-frames have gone over the top as well lately. Last year, a man could buy a good Jay 38-special for $300-$350 and turn it over for $400-$450. Seems like the going price now is closer to $550-plus. I watched a 640 go the other day for $625. He!!....did I have my wife kick my butt, because I sold one of mine pre-panic for $425.

I bit on a 940 and was able to buy one before the prices sky-rocketed. Played with it for a while, put a ridiculous price on the tag and laid it on the table thinking all along that nobody would want that gun and I would be bringing it back home from the gun show. Well....here comes a couple looking for a hammerless for the wife. To make a long story short....he paid my price and took the gun. I think he would have taken a hammerless howitzer....she just wanted to buy a gun and leave. As soon as I got home I wrote the seller a letter and told him if he was dissatisfied with it...please let me know and I'd buy it back.....never heard from him.

Put me in the same category with pilgrim.

But....don't go purchase the Taurus. The moon-clips suck and if you can find some replacements when they break....they suck too. I passed on one last week for $200.The chambers are bored all way through, unlike the 940 and the Ruger SP101, which you can shoot without clips. The Taurus also has a hammer making pocket-carry problematic. I have never heard anything but bad-press on the Taurus version.

The 940 prices have been sky high for many years...

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Centennial Every Day

If nothing else digital photography has gotten a lot cheaper and easier to use especially on forums.
Oh I also have always wanted a 9mm J frame but well maybe some day.

2 & 3"

I miss the quality, heft and caliber. I just couldn't warm up to the moonclips. I'd definitely of kept it if it had a system like that found in the Model 547.

I think I got that for $425 from a WAC show here last year...which was a ridiculously good deal.

x 2 on the moonclips. I have to admit I've never owned a gun that used them, but I just don't like the idea. I'd love to have a 940 IF it had the 547's spring-loaded-fingers ejection system (or similar). I prefer the heavy bullets (148 & 158) when loading for my 38 spl's, but I think a 115 gr 9mm bullet at 1100+ fps out of a 2" revolver would be good medicine.

I know this is an old thread but thought I'd share that I was fortunate enough to find a new old stock Model 940 on Gunbroker a few years ago. Paid a bit of a premium but felt OK for NIB. I added a LaserMax grip to it and modified a Galco leather paddle holster to clear the laser. Also have a Galco ankle holster for it. Both work great. The 940 is too heavy for pants pocket carry but is practical in cold weather when carried in the pocket of a jacket. Had been told moon clips were hard to find but S&W had them in stock at a very reasonable price so I loaded up. I thought this might be a good gun for my petite wife but it's too hot (she's a trooper but it always makes her eyes water). In fact, it's too snappy to be much fun for practice even for most men. Still, I'm more than happy with it. Loaded with JHP I consider it a very viable BUG. My LE family and friends all covet it and there's a waiting line if I ever decided to sell it. I've never had extraction problems. Plastic prescription medicine bottles that are about 3 inches tall will hold three loaded moon clips so you can carry 20 rounds total very conveniently. For what it was designed to do, I think the 940 is just about perfect.

I really want one of these but I may just end up getting a 442 and having a conversion to 9mm done, I found a company that charges $200 for the conversion.

Nice to see this old thread pop up again. I still carry a hefty little pocket rocket, just in .357 instead of 9mm. They're ballistically similar, but you get heavier bullets along with easier-to-setup & carry reloads.


640-1 c.1995

Oh Yeah Sweet!!

9mm Snubbies