Which do you own M&P 340 or 340PD?

[Cal44]

Which do you prefer and why?

Do you carry either?

357 mag, 38 special, or 38+p?

I have a 340PD and am considering getting an M&P 340

 

[malph]

I have both. The 340PD has the better trigger pull. I think its due to the lighter weight cylinder.

Still, if I had to pick one, it would be the M&P.

I think Smith got it really right on the M&P. Highly durable finish. Big front tritium sight. Light but heavy enough to shoot.

For me, the M&P ticks all the boxes I want in a pocket able J-frame.

Still, I can't bring myself to sell the PD as it is also an excellent revolver and a marvel of technology.

 

[Old cop]

No lock 340PD b/c it’s the lightest revolver, and loaded w/Remington HTP 110 grain +P b/c of its accuracy and relative ease of follow up shots.

 

[lkabug]

I have both. I carry 340PD often.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

I had a 360 PD and an M&P340.

I liked both and shot magnums with no problems, but they both lost out to the 640 Pro. I weight 250 lbs so the extra 8 ounces in good leather (belt and holster) is not a consideration.

 

[transit]

M&P 340, no-lock.

I carry .38 Special Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 grain.

I've recently shot the Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 grain .357 Magnum through it too. (-The ".38 Special +P+", as it has been called.)

It works fine, but I find follow up time between shots would be too long, for the gain of maybe 130 feet per second velocity.

Legitimate .357 Magnum loads out of this gun? Not for me. I am NOT recoil-averse. Shooting them one at a time at the range is not the same as being prepared to shoot them quickly in a fight.

For similar ooommfff, I'd rather shoot Buffalo Bore .38 Special 158 grain +P SWCHP GC out of my M640.

But even then, I usually don't.

The M&P 340 with the NY load is a winner, for carry and street performance.

I'd rather not shoot .357 out of the M&P. I imagine that I might not realistically be able to for combat out of the PD. Combat shooting in the real world is all I care about.

-Also, I prefer the XS sight to the fiber optic.

There may be a serviceability component to the Titanium cylinder vs. the steel, as well.

So that's the difference.

 

[colt_saa]

I own both, but usually carry the M&P. I agree with malph, Smith & Wesson got it right. An ounce or two might not seem like a big deal, but when it is 10%-15% of the total weight, it is noticeable during recoil.

Plus cleaning the steel cylinder is less of a worry

My two revolvers have only had full power 357 Magnum ammunition through them

Initially they were loaded with the Remington 158 SJHP, but over the years I went through 5000+ rounds of that in these firearms. Today I carry the 125 SJHP or the Hornady 140 XTP (when I can find them)

 

[jerry52]

M&p340 with rem mid vel 357 loads best thing since sliced bread

 

[31FordA]

I’ve got the 340 M&P no lock. Bought it in 2015 as a BUG/off duty gun. I use the .38 Spl 135gr GDHP+P in it. The only changes I made were to replace the factory grip with an old Uncle Mikes boot grip and switch the thumb piece for the old style. The newer style thumb piece was cutting my thumb in rapid fire, the old style doesn’t. I have no problem qualifying with it, never scored worse than 97%. Always lose a point or two at the 25 yard line.

I picked the 340 M&P over the PD mostly because I preferred the big dot front sight. The M&P was also cheaper, always a plus. I have fired a bunch of .357 Golden Saber thru it, it wasn’t too abusive but the .38 allows faster follow up shots.

 

[kaaskop49]

I also own both. I carry my M&Ps because the steel cylinders safely handle the 110gr JHP .357 load which IMO is ideal in such a featherlight gun. If I can find a load that will not crimp-jump in my PDs, I will carry that. That project is on hold with the ammo shortage. I DO have a 25 round box of R-P Golden Sabre .357, but I would prefer to have a few boxes for testing and practice.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

PD for me. I can carry it all day in my pocket with no difficulty or stretching or sagging. Light and easy to draw when I need it. Five rounds of 357. No pleasure to shoot, but that is not what it is for. I don't plan on going on too many Seal Team missions at my age.

 

[joebuck]

Cant go wrong with either. Good points on all posts.

Lighter the better for me. If you do get the Ti gun just never clean the cylinder with anything but nylon brushes. The recoil thing is a mute point because you can load it up as soft or crazy as you want to. With Buffalo Bore 125gr full power loads it is a truly awesome concealed carry package for the ages. Just treat it like a Ferrari and check and maintain it often and it will perform as designed.

 

[ejr10mm]

M&P version for me. Couple extra ounces of shootability is worth the couple extra ounces of toting around.

 

[Marshal tom]

M&P 340 for about ten years with SB Gold Dot's in .38sp. I have shot a few .357's through it just to remind myself that I shouldn't do that again!

 

[gnystrom]

I have owned a 340PD for many years. I make it a point to get it out for excerise at least a couple times per year. Since all the riot stuff it has been replaced by a P365 but nothing beats the scandium frame for pocket carry.

Although I am not recoil sensitive, I use LG405's laser grips which are thin but probably help a lot on the felt recoil side.

Most of my training is done at 30' and with it's laser grips it is scary accurate at 50'.

I carry 135gr Short Barrel Gold Dots. I do use care when selecting the proper cleaning products (no amonia).

 

[jaymoore]

I have both. The 340PD has the better trigger pull. I think its due to the lighter weight cylinder.

Still, if I had to pick one, it would be the M&P.

I think Smith got it really right on the M&P. Highly durable finish. Big front tritium sight. Light but heavy enough to shoot.

For me, the M&P ticks all the boxes I want in a pocket able J-frame.

Still, I can't bring myself to sell the PD as it is also an excellent revolver and a marvel of technology.

Little to add to the above except either one is usually loaded with .38 Spl 158gr +Ps.

 

[hyena]

I have wondered about S&W's rationale for the combinations they offer on the 340 series revolvers. If you buy the M&P 340, it comes with the XS tritium sight, and you can get it with or without the internal lock. (How many buyers would actually opt for the internal lock?) If you buy the 340PD, again, you can choose internal lock or no lock. But the sights are different, according to the S&W web site. Choose the IL, and you get a fiber optic sight. Choose no internal lock, and you get a conventional red ramp front sight.

Assuming the web site is correct, I wonder what their logic is for different sights on the 340PD depending on lock or no lock.

I've never shot a 340. My preference would be a 340PD with the XS tritium front sight, no internal lock, which is not an option. But it's entirely possible I could shoot it once with 357 and never want to shoot it again. Which is why I have just stuck with my 642 with titanium cylinder, which weighs 12 ounces even.

 

[Old cop]

When I purchased my 340PD several yrs ago I put one cylinder of .357 down range and was done w/that; accurate follow up shots were too difficult. Even Buffalo Bore 158 grain +P proved difficult so I settled on Remington HTP 110 grain +P HP. Mine does not have the IL, my front sight is a red ramp but can be changed. It’s not something I’ve done, yet.

 

[Cal44]

I currently carry my 340pd more than anything else. Use 158 gr Buffalo Bore standard pressure LSWC-HP in it. That BB load is quite powerful.

But with all the turmoil nationally I'm considering carrying a second gun some days. Hence the interest in the m&p 340.

But I may decide to use my 442 no dash nickel finished gun as the second. Could just use the same BB standard pressure ammo with it. It's so pretty I haven't carried it much yet.

 

[hyena]

But with all the turmoil nationally I'm considering carrying a second gun some days. Hence the interest in the m&p 340.

I understand that feeling. For the past 3-4 weeks, I changed my EDC to my 640 Pro, because I have a strong preference for .357 magnum. I'm getting used to the extra weight over the 642.....but I still may well go back to the 642. That's why the 340PD continues to call to me. Even though my experiece would probably mirror Old Cop's.

I don't pocket carry my J frames. They'll fit, but I don't like it. Our minds play funny games with us. Last night I was out to dinner with a group of people, wearing a tucked in dress shirt, so I went with my BG380 in a pocket holster, with a spare mag in the off pocket. Not exactly unarmed, but sure not as mentally reassuring as that 640 Pro.