Need advice, 442 or M&P 340, your thoughts..

Eagle1*

Eagle1*

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My area shop has 442's for a really good price and also a used no lock M&P 340 in original box for around 600. I know they would take less for the 340 cause they have had it for awhile.

My question to you guys is what benefits the 340 would have over the 442 besides the obvious ones that i know like weight, night sights and 357 capable cause i could buy 2 442's for what the 340 cost. And yes, i would be carrying for off duty. Thanks in advance
 
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Unless you plan to use 357, the 442 sounds like a better deal. A new 340 or 640 Pro runs about $700. The 340 is so light you'd probably end up using 38s...I personally prefer all steel like the 640 Pro.
 
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Yeah i already have a pro so i see what your saying
 
Well, I'll go against the grain here. I have a 340PD I carry OWD in the 5 o'clock position and I'm getting a 442 today or tomorrow. Depends on when I get off of work. I plan on continuing my .357 carring and occasionally having the 442 as a New York reload IWB appendix style w/ the DeSantis Clip Grip. I may just go solo with the 442 occasionally while around the yard or out for a walk.
 
I've owned 340 M&P's, 442's, 642's and 640's.

I still have a 442 and two 642's. I don't see the 340's supposed advantages offering any actual practical benefits over the 442/642, so I would opt for the latter and save some money.
 
I think the only advantages of the M&P 340 are 357 Magnum capability, and better sights. I think the 340's have pinned sights and can be changed to what you want. 442 is fixed.

Not much difference in weight between the 442 and the M&P 340. The 340PD is lighter due to the Titanium cylinder.
 
M&P 340 is the quintessential J.
Pinned front sight, so you can try any front sight you want without the expensive services of a gunsmith.
Steel cylinder to add a bit of mass and avoid the durability pitfalls of the Ti.
.357 rated, which means stronger frame, blast shield under the top strap and steel hammer and trigger pins. Collectively, I think of this as the "Endurance" package. Every case of pins breaking or walking out that I've read about was aluminum pins in a non-Sc frame.
Everything you want, nothing you don't, even if you never shoot a magnum through it.
 
Tough choice. As much as I'd like to say "who needs a .357 snubby" I know at the price you're talking about, I'd have a hard time saying no. And yes, I'd try shooting some .357 rounds in it just to say I did... and probably regret it. You said it's a no-lock, and that would be important to me - I've sworn off buying anything with an internal lock.

You'll probably be carrying .38+p in it (I would) and probably not shooting it often at the range. With that in mind, if money is at all a consideration and you don't care if you never fire .357 rounds out of a J, I don't see how you can go wrong with a 442. I've got one, and it's doing its thing in my pocket just as well as a 340PD would; i.e. carrying light and ready to go in the unlikely event I'd ever need it.
 
I'm just typing/posting/replying what I'd do right now. I'd go with the no-lock M&P 340. I've not heard any reports of these M&P 340 models breaking, although this could be due to lower (a guess) sales numbers compared to the Mod. 442 guns.

I previously had three 442 models.
1st one had a lock which I suppose is ok; I just never used it as I already had a no-lock 642 and no-lock 640. I sold it off to a fellow LEO.

I later got a no-lock 442 and it broke an internal pin, causing the entire gun to replaced. I didn't really need it and fired a couple thousand rounds until it broke.

The replacement was the 3rd 442, which I immediately sold off to a Range Master friend. I already still had the aforementioned 642-1 and now had a 640 Pro, the older 640-1 was previously sold to another Range-Master friend.

I seldom, if ever, carry the 642-1 alone. It's usually a backup to another handgun, of which there are several from which I choose.
 
M&P 340 vs 442

Ok, I'll throw in my 2 cents worth here.

I have 2 M&P 340s (no locks). I believe them to be the quintessential pocket guns. I love the light weight and the big dot site. I load them with .357 Gold Dot SB 135s (a "mid range" .357) and find that's about the hottest round I can manage with them. Other than that, its 38 +P.

However, I wouldn't think of holstering them on the belt. If I want to put a gun on the belt, it will be a larger, heaver gun that I can shoot better. If staying with a snubby as opposed to a larger revolver or semi, I have an all steel 640 Pro (also no lock) that shoots most anything and is an excellent holster snubby, as is my all steel Colt Magnum Carry. Both too heavy for pockets, but excellent holster guns.

I've owned a m60, two 340 PDs (the titanium cylinders were problems with a lot of shooting) and a 442. All have long since been sold in favor of the four snubs listed above.

So for me, if its primary carry mode is to be pocket, you can't go wrong with the M&P 340. If it will be carried on the belt, then I would recommend a heavier firearm.

As always, YMMV.

Colt
 
I carry a 442 and have had zero issues with it, but if the price difference isn't that great I'd definitely go for the 340.. I'm also the kind of person that doesn't see the point of carrying .38 in a .357 so I plan and acquire accordingly


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Well I can get the 442 no locks for $310.00/pc plus tax which is what makes that a good deal right now. I could have 2 of the 442's NIB for damn near the same price as a used M&P340 no lock. So you see the reason for this question.. Now that I have thrown that out there?????.....
 
I have owned an M&P340 for a few years now. Paid about $400 for it from a forum member. I have two things to say about them. First off is that they do not buck uncontrollably even with full house 158's. I have watched others firing my pistol and it really isn't the recoil that you notice. It does feel like someone is slapping the palm of your hand with a ruler and it isn't pleasant but, it never feels uncontrollable. Second, in your entire life have you ever heard anyone say "my pistol is no good because it has the capability of firing .357 Magnums". They aren't as cheap as the 442's and I doubt I would have paid $700 for one. Personally though, I would rather have one M&P340 than two 442's. None of us knows what the future will bring and having a pistol capable of firing more than one type of ammo could come in handy. If you currently have or plan to buy any other .357's in the future it almost seems like a no brainer to have a carry pistol capable of firing the same ammo. If you buy, sell, and trade your pistols a lot than maybe the M&P340 is too expensive. Over the course of time though the cost becomes less and less important. Of course nobody should ever spend their mortgage payment on a pistol that was financially out of their reach otherwise. I'm sure that which ever one you chose will be the right one for you.
 
357 Magnum in a J-frame is not for everybody.

There is nothing wrong with that. Some people are built to take the additional recoil and others are not.

Only you know your limitations and that should be how you make your decision.

On the other hand, if you bought the 357 Magnum revovler, you could carry 38s in it until you felt comfortable with the full power 357s

Shooting full power 357 Magnum ammunition form a J-frame revolver (even a steel one) is not fun.

It was never meant to be fun.

It was meant to give you the most power available in the smallest package for those OH **** moments when you realize that you have inadvertently stepped into a bad scenario

Myself, I have been carrying a 357 J-Magnum revolver since their introduction in 1996. I carry and shoot full power ammunition

J-frames2s.jpg

Since I have access to more than one J-frame, I carry the heaviest revolver that my style of clothing will support.

Easily a hundred of my associates have tried my 340 in the off-duty qualification course. Not all of them were successful :(.

As to the NY Reload, I am a fan

NY-reload1s.jpg
 
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