What the heck is this?

[v84x4]

Today I walked into my local Gun shop to find a brand-new
in the Box M&P340 for a great price so I bought it !!!

However........

This M&P340 has a Titanium Cylinder
Does anyone know why
S&W would have put a 340PD cylinder on an M&P340 ?
P.S. I changed the grip out and put a Belt clip on it already

 

[Richard Simmons]

Congrats! Perhaps a special order for Lew Horton, Lipsey’s, etc?

 

[murphydog]

Congrats! Perhaps a special order for Lew Horton, Lipsey’s, etc?

This, or perhaps a parts cleanup gun.

 

[stansdds]

Either a special order for a distributor or a special run to use up existing parts.

 

[Hawg Rider]

add text

Very interesting revolver! Kind of a hybrid...perhaps thinking it would be a compromise between the very lightweight and hard recoiling 340PD (Sc frame and Ti cylinder) and the slightly heavier but more comfortable to shoot 340 M&P (Sc frame and steel cylinder). And I prefer the XS front sight of the M&P to the red ramp on the PD. Not sure why a NIB revolver would be set up this was unless it was a special order, either by a customer or a distributor. Is there a Special Code on the box label? It's basically just a 340PD with an XS front sight, so no real weight or recoil compromise.

 

[v84x4]

Very interesting revolver! Kind of a hybrid...perhaps thinking it would be a compromise between the very lightweight and hard recoiling 340PD (Sc frame and Ti cylinder) and the slightly heavier but more comfortable to shoot 340 M&P (Sc frame and steel cylinder). And I prefer the XS front sight of the M&P to the red ramp on the PD. Not sure why a NIB revolver would be set up this was unless it was a special order, either by a customer or a distributor. Is there a Special Code on the box label? It's basically just a 340PD with an XS front sight, so no real weight or recoil compromise.

I don't see any indication on the box that it is a hybrid
But there is some weird drilled dots all over the frame
And I don't know what those would be for

 

[stansdds]

Uh-oh, another moth eaten S&W revolver frame. There was a discussion about the extra blind holes in recently produced S&W revolver frames. They may be locator points for CNC milling machines.

 

[Beju]

They may be locator points for CNC milling machines.

Almost certainly what they are.

 

[Greyman50]

“ Lightening holes”, LOL.
No doubt locaters for CNC.

 

[BE Mike]

If the barrel were that color, you'd have a pinto!

 

[balin]

The cylinder could have been put on by the owner of the gun. Ti cylinder can be had from a few places