Let me try to clear this up. When I try to get my wife to shoot some of my guns, she get a little overwhelmed with my sig p220 .45acp . She doesn't like the concept of inserting magazine, pulling slide back, chambering a round etc. With the shield I have, she never shot it. Wasn't fact of too much recoil she didn't like it, just same as above. I started looking and thinking a revolver would be best for her. This gun will be keep at home for the time period. in case I am not there and she would need to use it for self defense. If she chooses to get CC later on and carry it in purse then that would be an option. I also bought this gun, thinking if she doesn't like it. I know I do. I was just trying to get input if changing grips and loading it with 38 would be managable for her to shoot occasional to get comfortable enough to use it if she had to. Not looking to take it to range as a range gun or put hundreds of rounds thru it at a time.
m&p 340
- Thread starter dl1340
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That's kind of what I was thought your intent was.Then the revolver makes a lot of sense then. I think a hammer-less snub is a great choice for the reasons outlined in the Ayoob article and especially no exposed hammer. I used to have a model 60-15 years many years ago which I thought my wife was was comfortable with, but then once during a break-in scare she panicked and kept wanting to cock it. I sold it shortly after that and only keep enclosed hammer/centennial models. For use in the context you stated, your 340 will work fine. The long heavy trigger pull and no external hammer make it extremely simple and safe. If for only home defense, a 640 might be even better, but if concealed carry in the future is a realistic possible, I'd stay with a lightweight.
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ridgewalker
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Thanks for the additional background info in your last post. Just about all of us will agree that a revolver is an excellent choice for your wife for all the reasons you stated. Yes you can help reduce the felt recoil with different grips. Lots of people like Pachmayr Compacts or Hogue Bantams. Yes please shoot the lowest powered 38 specials you can find. I have had good results with American Eagle 130gr and PMC 130gr.
But I am the kind of guy that likes to start a campfire (or the charcoal briquettes) with one match. I believe in practice, practice, practice. I can't support your idea that you can leave it in the drawer and if she needs it, she will be effective with it. It might work out but I rather help increase her odds of success.
Since now you are describing a house gun, I would suggest a 4 inch barrel revolver.
I still think you should get her a 22 to learn to shoot with.
Best wishes.
But I am the kind of guy that likes to start a campfire (or the charcoal briquettes) with one match. I believe in practice, practice, practice. I can't support your idea that you can leave it in the drawer and if she needs it, she will be effective with it. It might work out but I rather help increase her odds of success.
Since now you are describing a house gun, I would suggest a 4 inch barrel revolver.
I still think you should get her a 22 to learn to shoot with.
Best wishes.
Many folks that are just range guys often don't understand the attributes a snubnose revolver offers, even in a home defense scenario. They may think their only advantage is lightweight and ease of carry, but their positive traits such as greater weapon retention and strengths in a close quarter fights will often be just as valuable in a home defense scenario since they too often play out at extreme close quarters. The differences between shooting at the range and the dynamics of shooting in real world self-defense are night and day. Consider the following actual home invasion caught on tape and the specific context and circumstances you're addressing [ame]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dvvHMM6TF50[/ame]
You might also consider the S&W full size j-frame grips. They are same texture and basically an extension of the factory boot grips that came on your 340, so they will feel similar, but offer a more secure firing grip and offer better weapon retention while being easy to switch back to the boot grips for carry. Product: J Synthetic Full Size Grip with S&W Logo
You might also consider the S&W full size j-frame grips. They are same texture and basically an extension of the factory boot grips that came on your 340, so they will feel similar, but offer a more secure firing grip and offer better weapon retention while being easy to switch back to the boot grips for carry. Product: J Synthetic Full Size Grip with S&W Logo
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HarrishMasher
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OP given your updated post, If this is a home defense gun, there are much better choices than a lightweight snubby.
Since weight is not an issue, as it won't be carried, get a full sized all steel revolver, or even an all steel 3" J Frame.
I can't recommend or condone using a gun for defense that one does not practice with. You will wind up hurting yourself or an innocent person nearby, or even worse, a family member.
A beginner at the very least should take 2 or 3 defensive classes and practice once a month or at least 6 times a year. If you are not willing to do that, do us all a favor and don't buy a gun.
That said, an all steel revolver that shoots 38s will be pleasant enough to practice with at the range, she might even enjoy shooting it. The weight of an all steel revolver will significantly dampen the recoil, especially with 38s.
It is not easy to hit a moving target with a snubby, especially if you never practice with it. I don't care how close the target is. Did you ever hand a little revolver to a beginner and have them miss a target 7 feet away with all 5 shots? I can't tell you how many times I have seen that happen.
Since weight is not an issue, as it won't be carried, get a full sized all steel revolver, or even an all steel 3" J Frame.
I can't recommend or condone using a gun for defense that one does not practice with. You will wind up hurting yourself or an innocent person nearby, or even worse, a family member.
A beginner at the very least should take 2 or 3 defensive classes and practice once a month or at least 6 times a year. If you are not willing to do that, do us all a favor and don't buy a gun.
That said, an all steel revolver that shoots 38s will be pleasant enough to practice with at the range, she might even enjoy shooting it. The weight of an all steel revolver will significantly dampen the recoil, especially with 38s.
It is not easy to hit a moving target with a snubby, especially if you never practice with it. I don't care how close the target is. Did you ever hand a little revolver to a beginner and have them miss a target 7 feet away with all 5 shots? I can't tell you how many times I have seen that happen.
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Shorty 45 MK2
Member
Thanks for the update.
Given the intended use it could work, but she should practice shooting at least 50 rounds a month through it or a similar gun to be able to use it well.
The video linked is a good case in point where a snubby shines but with a fast and close situation like that it would be of even greater importance to be very familiar with the gun being used.
I'd keep the 340 for carry and look at maybe getting one of the snub model 64's or 10's on the used market for her as they are much easier to shoot well.
Given the intended use it could work, but she should practice shooting at least 50 rounds a month through it or a similar gun to be able to use it well.
The video linked is a good case in point where a snubby shines but with a fast and close situation like that it would be of even greater importance to be very familiar with the gun being used.
I'd keep the 340 for carry and look at maybe getting one of the snub model 64's or 10's on the used market for her as they are much easier to shoot well.
What's on your training resume? Do you train force on force, weapon retention and accessing your weapon in geared up full contact scenario training? What kind of H2H skills do you have and how do you integrate them with drawing and retaining your weapon when appropriate? How much do you do that training? If it's not up to par by my standards, maybe you should do us all a favor and not own a gun because it will just be taken away from you.
The OP comes on here worried about his wife being alone wanting some simple advice and gets dismissive snarky answers like this. Next someone will parrot Joe Biden's advice to just get a shotgun. If the OP got a full size revolver, even if it fit her hand, he would/should have to have it converted to DAO. He did mention possible carry, so the snub is fine. Even if only for home defense, it is already DAO and will work and can still do things a full size gun can't.
Most civilian defensive shootings(in public or in the home)take place at contact to just outside of arms length. The odds she'll ever need to shoot it in defense is astronomically low, but it will give piece of mind and as long is someone is safe with their firearm and understands it's basic operation there's no need to criticize. More training is better and she should at the very least put a few rounds through it, but extensive weekly/monthly training simply isn't necessary.
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Finally an appropriate answer. Thank you Daniel!
340 M&P
Some great advice here in this thread. I purchased a 340 M&P some time back; It is a marvel of great ideas... BUT: I believe it works best in the hands of an experienced shooter. I didn't find it pleasant to shoot .357, nor did I feel that my follow-up shots would be as accurate as desired. It was a joy to carry, though - great BUG, but probably not a primary EDC. I moved on to other j-frames. Of them, as a BUG, I carry an old model 36 or even my Ruger SP101, most commonly. I shoot these heavier revolvers better, especially when a follow-up shot is part of the sequence.
Certainly, if I focused on doing better with the 340 M&P, I could have kept it, with confidence. However, there are a lot of lower-tech options out there. Yup, loved that front sight. Put one on my new 360, and like it a whole lot better. Finally, from a distaff point of view, my ex-wife (still friends and shoot with) carried a model 36 for some years. When I recently offered her an opportunity to go back to a G19, she chose a new M&P 9C. Easy to control, plenty of capacity. She's happy and confident with it.
Some great advice here in this thread. I purchased a 340 M&P some time back; It is a marvel of great ideas... BUT: I believe it works best in the hands of an experienced shooter. I didn't find it pleasant to shoot .357, nor did I feel that my follow-up shots would be as accurate as desired. It was a joy to carry, though - great BUG, but probably not a primary EDC. I moved on to other j-frames. Of them, as a BUG, I carry an old model 36 or even my Ruger SP101, most commonly. I shoot these heavier revolvers better, especially when a follow-up shot is part of the sequence.
Certainly, if I focused on doing better with the 340 M&P, I could have kept it, with confidence. However, there are a lot of lower-tech options out there. Yup, loved that front sight. Put one on my new 360, and like it a whole lot better. Finally, from a distaff point of view, my ex-wife (still friends and shoot with) carried a model 36 for some years. When I recently offered her an opportunity to go back to a G19, she chose a new M&P 9C. Easy to control, plenty of capacity. She's happy and confident with it.
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ridgewalker
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Dan, the original poster described his wife as a beginner shooter. Since you posted that disturbing video, let's imagine her with a M&P 340 in her hand as the bad guy breaks through her front door. I really doubt a beginner shooter is going to get off any accurate, effective shots before he is on her. Let's say they struggle for the gun. Some shots go off during the struggle. Her one child is in the room, her other infant is upstairs. Not out of the question that a stray shot hits an innocent child. I don't even want to imagine what happens after he takes the gun from her.
Don't know why you take offense at the suggestion that the beginner wife learn to shoot and the suggestions that there may be easier guns for her to learn to shoot with. But the OP is free to hear input from anyone on here who wants to post and he can decide if any of the advice is worth following.
Don't know why you take offense at the suggestion that the beginner wife learn to shoot and the suggestions that there may be easier guns for her to learn to shoot with. But the OP is free to hear input from anyone on here who wants to post and he can decide if any of the advice is worth following.
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The primary statement that I took issue with was that if the OPs wife wasn't willing to take multiple defensive firearm classes and train at least once a month, then she probably shouldn't have a gun. I find that condescending and rather ludicrous. The video posted was to illustrate how quickly things can happen and why weapon retention could be a very important factor, especially with women. The Ayoob article hit on that as well.
You mention stray shots possible going off if there was struggle for gun. And? How is a bigger gun a benefit there. Bad guys don't stand still at distance and let you fire off rounds like you're at the range. They prefer to catch you off guard and are generally either closing or retreating. A longer gun can actually be a hindrance as the snub is much harder to disarm and is more effective in getting off shots in close quarters. For sure no need for an exposed hammer/single action. Even Clint Smith usually converts his big defensive revolvers to DAO.
Is the OPs wife supposed to train DT FoF, contact weapon retention scenarios? How many people on here do that kind of training, virtually none I would imagine. A Trayvon Martin/George Zimmerman scenario is much more likely than a running and gunning street shoot out with gang members, but how many posters here work groundwork realistically. I feel such training could be extremely important in an actual defense scenario, but I wouldn't tell someone who doesn't do it should not have a gun.
Civilian self-defense is defensive/reactive by nature compared to proactive/offensive like Military and a large percentage of Law Enforcement scenarios are, so we need different skills. Range work must be put into context. Most people simply train incorrectly essentially playing soldier or sharpshooter. The Snub is not an experts gun unless you put it into the wrong context. I refer again to the Ayoob article which outlines proper context.
Claude Werner documented nearly 500 civilian incidents over 5 years to show us what we can likely expect in a civilian self-defense situation. https://tacticalprofessor.files.wordpress.com/2014/12/tac-5-year-w-tables.pdf
HarrishMasher
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Wow, I haven't looked at this thread in a couple of days, look what's going on here! I had no idea it was like that.
I am definitely not here to argue with you or anyone. I am offering advice based on my 25 years of shooting experience and taking dozens of inexperienced people out to shoot for their first or second time. I am definitely not a shooting instructor, just a hobbyist who shoots at least once a week who has learned a few things a long the way. There is a lot I still have to learn. And you, no doubt, know much more than I do.
That said, in regard to this thread, my experience suggests two things:
1) A lightweight snubby revolver is not a good first gun for a beginner shooter.
2) Owning a gun and not practicing somewhat regularly with it, is not a good thing. I would much rather someone not own a gun, than someone own a gun who has no idea how to use it.
Maybe I am wrong, but I am fairly certain the overwhelming majority of experienced shooters would agree with both of those statements. You are welcome to disagree, but I have no interest in arguing with you about it. I am just here sharing my observations and experience. Take it or leave it.
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rmcnelly
Member
I have a 342 (.38 Special, Titanium cylinder and weighs less than 11oz) as well as a 638 (weighs just over 15oz). I guarantee your wife will hate the 340 unless you get some grips that pad the backstrap (she might still hate it). I have slim hands and the first time out shooting the 638 with stock boot grips and 158gr non +P ammo actually put a blister on my thumb near the web of the hand. It felt like my hand was being hit with a hammer.
I have the Crimson Trace 405's on both of mine and they offer a little padding right at the web of your hand, but below that the grip frame is exposed. These make the gun tolerable.
I have the Crimson Trace 405's on both of mine and they offer a little padding right at the web of your hand, but below that the grip frame is exposed. These make the gun tolerable.
I had an excellent post and it didn't "take". In any event I ended up with my wife comfortable with a 642, CT 305s and Buffalo Bore Standard Pressure .38 LWC.
686 3 inch with SP she liked to shoot, but it's just too heavy to be effective for her.
I bought a 340 when they first came out and started with Hogue Monogrips.
This is what our current configurations look like. Wife's able to manage and is quite effective with the 642.
686 3 inch with SP she liked to shoot, but it's just too heavy to be effective for her.
I bought a 340 when they first came out and started with Hogue Monogrips.
This is what our current configurations look like. Wife's able to manage and is quite effective with the 642.
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