Got a "new" revolver. M&P 9mm

cleans up · Nov 11, 2016

A while back I decided, perhaps logically or not, that I wanted a 9mm revolver for carry. I went back and forth a bunch on practical advantages/drawbacks and finally said what the hell I'm doing it.
I have a M&P340 and shipped it off to get a 9mm conversion from mark at pinnacle performance. He was super easy to deal with and I'd recommend him based on this and the work done. Some time later it's back. The machining is precise and it works well with S&W moon clips. I haven't notice any problems whatsoever.

At the range it shoots to point of aim, recoil is manageable and moon clip reloads are as fast as anyting out there. I've probably put 1-200 rounds through it since it's return and I'm happy. It's not ground breakingly different from 38+p, but it does recoil less than 357 for sure. Mostly it's fun. And I like the idea of having a BUG in a caliber that i otherwise carry. 'Tis more of an academic consideration in reality because it's doesn't headspace w/o a moon clip. Who's gonna load a moon clip under duress? Not me I hope.

It carries superbly. 1 lb 0.1oz loaded w/ 147HP, and 1lb 3oz in desantis leather. I can just about forget it's there. Not that's a new concept here, but a J-frame just carries well. The cylinder sitting at about belt height seems to tuck it into my gut and hide the grip but it's still easy to draw and offers a good hold.

les.b · Nov 11, 2016

Just what all was involved in the conversion? New barrel? Or use the old one? I admit that this is something of a novelty to me. I have a M&P 340, and not sure that this would appeal to me or not, but just interested in the mechanics...is the barrel still stamped with the original caliber?

Best Regards, Les

usmcchet9296 · Nov 11, 2016

Yeah can you still fire 38/357 in it with and without moon clips
would be nice to have a 3 caliber gun

cleans up · Nov 11, 2016

The gun is still stamped 357. No barrel swap the 9mm 38/357 bullet is pretty much the same, might be .001-2 off but accuracy is good and no reports of saftey issues. This is well documented and lots of "conversions" have been done. The body of the gun/ barrel is unchanged. Only the cylinder and extractor need to modified. The pic of the cylinder face shows where it was recessed to accept moon clips. The cylinders are also modified, in this case they accept put to 9x21mm which is an odd-ball cartridge but tis what it is, maybe i'll play with it someday. As is it'll shoot 9mm 38 357 and possibly others...9x21 9x18? I'm not 100% but Mark would know. For me it handles 9/38/357 and that's all i plan on. The conversion wasn't cheap at $225ish but not crazy expensive either. I got my moneys worth. Given the cost differential b/w 9 and 38sp it'll pay for itself at some point, but that was a peripheral consideration for me.

les.b · Nov 11, 2016

OK, since I know nothing about this subject, let me ask you a question. I also have a 640-1 chambered for .357, and cut for moon clips. Obviously I could carry both .357 or .38 Spl In it either with or without moon clips. Would it also accept 9mm in a moon clip? Or would it have to be further modified?? Just curious, and I don't have it with me right now, or would probably just see if it would fit.

Does yours accept .357 in moon clips?

Best Regards Les

Stopsign32v · Nov 11, 2016

What in the world grips are those?

Stopsign32v · Nov 11, 2016

And so you shoot 9mm, 38 special, AND .357 out of only one cylinder?

cleans up · Nov 11, 2016

You can shoot 9/38/357 at anytime. 38/357 will space w/o moon clips due to the rimmed cartridge. Moon clips can be used if you'd like. Presumably some cartridges/mfg might have issues due to firing pin length/strike and the slight removal of cylinder to accommodate the moon clip. I have not encountered this but it might be the case. No pun intended.

An unmodifiec 38/357 cylinder will not accept 9mm rounds. They simply wont fit. I don't know specifics but the cylinders are machined/enlarged in some way to accept the 9mm rounds. I can now drop a 9mm and it sinks all the way past the rim. 38 still catches b/c of the rim. My reading (the guys who machine these) suggests that shooting 38/357 may lead to sticking cases as they expand slightly. In my shooting this wasn't dramatic but I mostly shot 9mm, the 38/357 i shot worked but did eject a touch harder.

Pics show a 9mm round in a 38spl, then the same round in the machined 9mm gun, and finally a 38spl in the 9mm machined cylinder.

FWIW I found 2 companies i thought would do a good job. Mark at pinnacle high performance (who did my cylinder) and TK custom. Both can be found with a google search and I have no affiliation to either.

The grips are houge tamers that I trimmed down. They are great at absorbing recoil and short as the frame for concealment. For me they are the perfect set up.

Stopsign32v · Nov 11, 2016

cleans up said:
The grips are houge tamers that I trimmed down. They are great at absorbing recoil and short as the frame for concealment. For me they are the perfect set up.

Looks awesome! What tools did you use and can you post other pictures showing what you did?

cleans up · Nov 11, 2016

Here's a link to an older thread on the grips. I didn't look it over but I think the cut/grind process is mostly there. If not I can update.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...ouge-tamer-boot-grips-modded-concealment.html

usmcchet9296 · Nov 12, 2016

May have to buy once cry once and then buy some more and cry some more

WC145 · Dec 4, 2016

I'm a little late to this thread but it looks like your gun came out great, your experience with Mark's work and his 9mm J frame conversion mirrors mine, though he did my 360J 8+ years ago.

I can clarify a couple of things. Unless he has changed how he does it, Mark cuts the chambers to 9x23 dimensions. Your cylinder should now shoot not only 9mm (9x19) but also 9x21, .38ACP. .38 Super, 9mm Largo, 356TSW, 9x23 Winchester (I don't recommend that, it's wicked nasty), etc.. Because the chambers are now larger diameter at the base and tapered .38spl cases can swell and stick, .38spl +P and .357mag can swell to the point of splitting so you want to avoid them. If you want to be able to shoot .38spl/.357mag you can source a cylinder and have Mark fit it to your gun to make it a convertible. That is what I did, I bought a titanium .38spl cyl from Numrich's about 5 years ago, finally got around to sending the gun back to Mark last year and had him fit the new cylinder to it. Now switching from the modified 9mm cylinder to .38spl is as easy as slipping one cyl off the crane and sliding the other on.

As far as accuracy and the .357 barrel vs .355 projectiles, that .002" is a much bigger deal in discussion than it is in reality. Like cleans up's gun, mine shoots as well with 9mm as it did originally with .38spl. I have used it to win an IDPA BUG match and haven't had any trouble qualifying with it on the duty weapon course of fire. In the years that I've been carrying and shooting it I haven't found a downside to the mods or regretted my decision.

cleans up - Keep us posted on how the gun performs for you!

Here is a pic of mine with both cyls-

6ioArXVxtjsSBNnKcxUAPLXbj-kvir7K4UeaAin3fBHq-PmgzI8UKx--ZftCe7GtWEojaccAIJ387FpH9HGfimNPRZFavE9PE2J8XIh9timJim9eH5ZaLkl5pCV3AxapW6pKa0_FTj9JHDCHXdlEzGEQjzWg7DwF8FCbJ_wl7SvdkOCtfHB7jthY0Qp1U7fgqqSUPgi7s6WNVy_RSpFhpN7QZMHYbvEJ3u96SBQfS1tZ4yp1AQDQS4-9pMDPg492kFiIoTJm0Jo6wXxM_LUO8W6ycYmf3CLvlIVF08fsys8QNvFhZP7hEdv1qgcLysdeT2N88mhHpzO9o2sUqLu6Hamf-LnkCyoqr5kikZgGVIMn0Sbt1-i9rEz_AseZ1bxVT7rE39krDoFFS5mhqYP2AGEKm9vlj_DkwqcQGxgA2g8sxRm-7UHCSAEqfqkcyMZov4-sgvFoiM_W61qnqE6Tp-k1wAopQWkNZWTxk_tsr0ywXEhjzAGJZG1U9l27l-NDsM4qc2ZkEP4zUGr07TzCd5vggGlC31KlzJF5q83x2cW7lI9FqX79CM2mkjHKoC70PD8XfQwq8vGmu2h6XgpN13Ofi4LKVsZHiJtjZi3c_n7GtllUWQ=w1280-h844-no

MajorD · Dec 4, 2016

Still wishing ( probably no way due to the way they only seem to release new guns in stainless which I hate) s&Wwould do a 919 ( 6 shot blued k frame in 9mm) and design it so it would work with or without moon clips

Tex1001 · Dec 5, 2016

I always thought that S&W ending production of J framed 9mms was premature. Prices on used ones are over the moon.
I have 2 9mm S&W revolvers. A 940 no dash and a 940-1. Both are easy to carry but they're really whippy, but I love the 9mm S&W revolver concept. Both have the Uncle Mike's boot grips. I may try a set of modified Hogue Tamers to reduce felt recoil.
I've thought about having them reamed to 9x21 so I can shoot 38 supers in them, but the additional recoil concerns me.
_______________________
I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.

WC145 · Dec 7, 2016

I've had a couple of 940s and they're great guns, just too heavy for what they are. That's why I bought the 360J in the first place, to have it turned into a 13oz 9mm snubby because all the others - 940, SP101, 905 - weighed around 22oz, just too heavy for the type of carry I had in mind. The Ruger is lighter at 17oz but they weren't making them at the time.

alexrex20 · Dec 7, 2016

I I can understand the appeal of sharing ammo across a few platforms, but why carry 9mm in a 340? Why not just carry light .357?

Sent from my LGLS991 using Tapatalk

WC145 · Dec 8, 2016

alexrex20 said:
I I can understand the appeal of sharing ammo across a few platforms, but why carry 9mm in a 340? Why not just carry light .357?

Because the recoil and muzzle blast from a 13oz, 1 7/8" J frame .357mag are brutal!! The 9mm is a more efficient cartridge than either the .38spl or .357mag so you get substantially improved performance over .38spl +P with similar bullet weights but without the recoil and muzzle blast of the .357mag.

alexrex20 · Dec 8, 2016

I'd love to see chronograph results. Not sure it would be that much better than .38 + p

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357-RevolverGuy · Dec 8, 2016

I like it. Good choice on going with Pinnacle. Might be another 10 years before S&W decides they want to go back to making a 9mm J frame.

WC145 · Dec 8, 2016

alexrex20 said:
I'd love to see chronograph results. Not sure it would be that much better than .38 + p

Okay. Here are some chrono numbers that I measured about 8 years ago when I first started experimenting with 9mm snubbies and having my 360J converted. I'd bet that current 9mm ammunition would perform even better considering the effort put into it's development compared to .38spl.

S&W 637 .38spl
WWB 130gr FMJ = 689fps
WWB 125gr JHP +P = 832fps
Fed Hydra-shok 110gr JHP +P = 873fps

Taurus 905 9mm
Magtech 115gr FMJ = 1057fps
Fed 9BPLE 115gr JHP +P+ = 1174fps

Got a "new" revolver. M&P 9mm

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