340PD

[Anton Chigurh]

Just some random observations and a pic.
Picked up the title gun yesterday, was expecting a big ol' HiViz front sight........and got a RR. Seems it was test fired on 9-29 of last year, and just made it to a dealer late last week.
I have a very good scale, and with the factory rubbers, it weighed 11.8 oz. With Hogue's boot, it was the advertized 11.4 or 11.5, scale couldn't decide.
With some dessicated old walnut service stocks, which solved one issue, it checked out at 11.00.
The issue was I kept pinching the hell out my trigger finger with both sets of boot grips. Seems there was enough gap between trigger and rear of the trigger guard to pinch it between the two, and enough finger tissue to allow that to happen. Plus, the finger couldn't move more to the rear due to the stock configuration. I was using the DIP joint as my fulcrum, would have liked to use the pad, but the DA pull is not what you would hope for on a $1000 retail gun.
With the service stocks, my trigger finger passes well past the rear of the trigger guard and doesn't get pinched. Hopefully the above is not ridiculously hard to follow, and maybe is something others have dealt with. And it wouldn't hurt if S&W made a trigger with more depth (more metal front to back) to alleviate the issue. A 5 year old could get his paws around a J frame, if anyone chose to allow that.
I like the feel of the service stocks, but I fear they may cause my social finger knuckle to get beat black and blue. More to follow, after a shooting session.

 

[P&R Fan]

I have one of about the same vintage.
I put my Eagle Secret Service wood boot grips on it that I had for years on my M640-1. They work well for me. Even the finger grooves are well proportioned.
Jim

 

[M29since14]

I would be grateful that I got one without the silly front sight. The red ramp will do on that gun, and if you need something more visible there are better options than the factory glow-worm sight.

I didn't have any problem with stocks. My gun is considerably older and it came with Hogue Bantams. For me, they are the best compromise between being able to hang on to the gun and unwanted bulk. I wouldn't want to try to shoot my 340 with the standard wood J-frame service stocks. I have a hard enough time working my way through 2-3 cylinders-full as it is.

Good luck with your new gun. Let us know how it works out for you when you get a chance to shoot it.

 

[Packard]

I think this will work, but I'm too lazy to try it.

Make your own "plywood" from 1/8" thick sheets of balsa wood. Make sure that the plies are at 90 degrees to each other. Then carve the grip from the plywood. Don't apply a finish.

Balsa, I believe, has the ideal surface for grippiness. It absorbs sweat so it is not slippery in the hand, and it is smooth enough not to grab at your shirt or pants pocket.

It is very light and easy to carve. But if you drop it, it most certainly will be damaged.

The "plywood" is necessary as I believe it will split if carved from a solid block of balsa.

Do not apply any finish as this will almost certainly make it more slippery in the hand. If it gets soiled, then just go over it lightly with some 200 grit sandpaper to clean it up.

It would be a "consumable" grip. I would guess you'd get 2 or 3 years out of one (if you don't drop it on the ground).

But mostly it would be light. Very light. Even if you carved an oversized grip it would weigh less than the boot grips.

I may still do this--but like I said earlier, I'm too lazy ordinarily.

 

[kylesaturday]

Sounds like the kind of gun I need to get for my self.

Police Batons

 

[Anton Chigurh]

I AM happy not to have gotten the "worm glow" sight. Might stick the M&P 340 front sight on at some point. Need to get the action slicked out some before anything else. It isn't the smoothest I've ever handled. Not a fan of removing side plates more than a few times, but this is one of those times.

 

[Anton Chigurh]

Well, spent an hour or so inside the action of the 340PD. Not easy getting there either. WARNING if you don't have the properly fitting screwdrivers, do not attempt to remove the sideplate.
I am serious, that unit is secure. A small perfectly tailored driver wouldn't budge any but the rear screw. A larger driver fit the crane unit, but I had to file down its diameter a few MMs to get it sized right for the rear guard screw. Still had to lean into it. Don't think the boys in Springfield want you to take these apart.
Once off, some things were very obvious. Some rollmarked or punched numbers on the sideplate were bright and shiny, as was the rebound spring housing area where the two abutted. Polished them. And the trigger pivot pin, anchored in the frame, had a shiny raised machine tool ring around it. Had to sort of paint-scrape it down flush with the frame, but couldn't polish it. Also, sides of hammer got the 20 second emory cloth treatment.
But it seems the biggest flaw was on the hammer strut, where the lollipop end that engages the hammer had a whopper of a burr on it. So big it was actually causing the strut to sit a little cattywompus in the frame. Fixed and polished that. May or may not have clipped one coil off the main spring, and lovingly reassembled it all. No oil tonight, just letting metal on metal get to know each other.
Much, much better. I was glad I could recall the things I used to do, way back when.
Will probably order some Wolf springs (are they still being made and swap out the rebound as well as the main.
Next order of business: range time.