chp
Member
I suspect the answer is that lack of sales is the answer, but not sure.
Why did S&W discontinue the 940?
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NFrameFred
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Lack of sales, coupled with the fact that the manufacturing process did not include sufficient polishing of the cylinder chambers resulting in sticky extraction in a lot of cases. Those who go the extra mile and hone/polish the chambers generally love the little guns, but the average joe feels like if he pays for a new gun it shouldn't have those kind of remedial needs out of the box.
Had one, liked it well enough (honed the cylinder, thanks Headknocker!) but in the mean time procured an airweight with a titanium cylinder and got used to toting light. A police officer member here needed a 940 for a BUG to his issue 9mm sidearm and was having a hard time finding one on a cop's salary . . . so we did some trading. He needed it, I only wanted it.
Had one, liked it well enough (honed the cylinder, thanks Headknocker!) but in the mean time procured an airweight with a titanium cylinder and got used to toting light. A police officer member here needed a 940 for a BUG to his issue 9mm sidearm and was having a hard time finding one on a cop's salary . . . so we did some trading. He needed it, I only wanted it.
Someone has one for sale here.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/guns-sale-trade/189442-wts-lnib-s-w-940-1-9mm-revolver.html
Nice guns, 9mm unusual in a revolver. I know a gun shop owner that has one loaded under his counter. I bet he could sell it for a good price too, but is keeping it for himself.
http://smith-wessonforum.com/guns-sale-trade/189442-wts-lnib-s-w-940-1-9mm-revolver.html
Nice guns, 9mm unusual in a revolver. I know a gun shop owner that has one loaded under his counter. I bet he could sell it for a good price too, but is keeping it for himself.
Bwilli88
Member
I had one, it was heavy, I bought a 940 cylinder and had that installed in a 642, the best of both worlds. If S&W can make a 340 in 357 it would work in 9mm.
walkin' trails
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I bought one in 91 or 92 thinking it was the neatest thing since sliced bread. I was carrying a 9mm semi at the time and wanted something that would fire my duty ammo - 9mm +P+. It fired the +P+ fine, but locked up on 147 grain subsonics. I had it sent back to S&W and the problem was allegedly fixed. When I asked the store rep what was done, I was told they didn't say what they'd fixed. I traded it right then for a 640. I do wish I'd kept it long enough to see if it had worked from then on. The moon clips were a bit harder to carry concealed than speed strips, but the concept was good.
Gearhead Jim
Member
I had one. Too heavy for constant pocket carry, and the moon clips often got bent in my pocket. It was nice in a holster, but there are much more effective guns that are similar weight and just as easy to conceal in a holster, so i sold mine. Don't miss it.
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Caught my eye
What parts were needed to convert it? Just the cylinder? How does it shoot? Do you have any photos to share? Sounds like the perfect mix.
I reload 9mm, so its dirt cheep to shoot compared to .38 spec.
What parts were needed to convert it? Just the cylinder? How does it shoot? Do you have any photos to share? Sounds like the perfect mix.
I reload 9mm, so its dirt cheep to shoot compared to .38 spec.
stiab
US Veteran
I found a 940-1 at a really good deal in a gunshop, and carried it for awhile. The dash 1 for the most part didn't have the sticky extraction issues NframeFred mentions above. But I have been carrying a .38 Special J frame for 40 years, and could not see myself making the transition to a heavier 9mm. If you are going to carry a 9, they now make some higher capacity bottom feeders that weigh less than the 940. Back to the M442 and M38, with a nice profit in the process. It just wasn't practical for me.
If you reload 9mm, it's really not that hard to load .38 SPC. Just get a set of dies (carbide, preferably) and a shell holder, and buy a box of .358 plain lead bullets in your favorite weight. .38 cases use the same primers you're already using for 9mm, and in many instances, you can find 9mm and .38 SPC loads that use the same powders. Sometimes, they even use exactly the same charge weights.
If you have a .38, you owe it to yourself to load for it. If you don't, but you're thinking about getting one, and hesitating because you're not set up to load for it, it's really not that big of an expense to get a set of dies and shell holder, so don't let that stop you!
AgentM
Member
Once LE interest evaporated (guns were heavy, moon clips bent too easily), the 940 was doomed. S&W needed to make this gun lighter, and capable of functioning w/o moon clips. And, they had to fix the sticky extraction issue. But, that never happened. There is no use in carrying a revolver whose reloading mechanism is shaky. Especially given the quality and functionality of .38/.357 guns built on the same frame.
texmex
Member
Using the technique from the Governor, they could make a revolver that would fire 357 Magnum, 38 Special, 38 Super (which is semi-rimed) with or without moon clips and 9x21, 9x19 (Luger), 9x18 Ultra or 9x17 (380 ACP) with moon clips. I might be able to shoot all of these calibers in my 640 Pro Series or 627 PC. I just hadn't thought of it until now. Not a bad idea with all the ammo shortages. I may have to give it a try.
snubbiefan
Member
Several manufacturers produced one about the time frame LEA's were going to the 9-mil semi auto plastic pistols. Even Charter made some god-awful thing that used a rimmed case so moon-clips were not required. Last time I looked, I found some ammo for $3.95 per round...no thank you. That rendition did not last very long. Taurus may still make one (905 I believe), but they are off-n-on with their product line and their clips sucked.
I have a 940 and I luv it. The S&W clips are the same as those for the Ruger version and they are a bit thicker than the Taurus clips. I have never had any issues at all with mine. Having a bull-barrel...they are a tad heavy for pocket-carry. I always have something that will shoot a NATO round. If I had found my 940 first....I likely would not own my 1911 9MM.
But...the subject was...why did they stop making them and the answer has been given I think....lack of demand. I'm still glad I have one.
If anyone is contemplating a cylinder swap to a 442, or other 38-Special....be very careful. Pressures developed by the 9 are MUCH higher than the 38-Special. If you want to blow-apart a 442 barrel.....have-at-it.
I have a 940 and I luv it. The S&W clips are the same as those for the Ruger version and they are a bit thicker than the Taurus clips. I have never had any issues at all with mine. Having a bull-barrel...they are a tad heavy for pocket-carry. I always have something that will shoot a NATO round. If I had found my 940 first....I likely would not own my 1911 9MM.
But...the subject was...why did they stop making them and the answer has been given I think....lack of demand. I'm still glad I have one.
If anyone is contemplating a cylinder swap to a 442, or other 38-Special....be very careful. Pressures developed by the 9 are MUCH higher than the 38-Special. If you want to blow-apart a 442 barrel.....have-at-it.
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Dave T
Member
Haven't you noticed, it's a new corporate policy. Any revolver that is popular or a long time favorite is discontinued and replaced with a newer, cheeper to make version or substitute that nobody much likes but will eventually buy when the good ones are priced out of reach by demand.
Well, I fell better for getting that off my chest...or maybe it was just indigestion! (LOL)
Dave
snubbiefan
Member
The way people have been snapping-up 940's off Gunpoker lately....the supply stuffed back in the deep dark recesses in the safes and vaults where people had stored these unwanted jewels for years will soon be depleted. For a long...long time, you rarely ever saw one for sale and I know a lot of dealers that never heard of them or have heard of them and never saw one....until I show them mine.
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The 940s were exceedingly unpleasant to shoot. Now that we have the Shield, which has softer recoil, is flatter, easier to carry, holds more rounds, reloads quicker than even a revolver with moon clips (yeah, I know, but NONE of us are Jerry Miculek) and has, for all intents and purposes, the same type of operation - DAO - not to mention a lower price, the Shield is the way to go, unless you just want a 940 for collector purposes. And that is certainly a valid reason, but if you plan to carry it, I would re-think the plan.
As to the post about "converting" an Airweight 38 (Model 642, I think the poster said) to a 9mm by use of a 9mm cylinder, the high pressures involved with the 9mm round will cause frame stretching, end shake and your revolver will be an unrepairable paper weight in short order if you actually shoot it much. This "conversion" is an ill-conceived idea. I assume an AirLight (scandium) might be more capable of handling it without frame damage, but such a "conversion" would most likely void the warranty.
As to the post about "converting" an Airweight 38 (Model 642, I think the poster said) to a 9mm by use of a 9mm cylinder, the high pressures involved with the 9mm round will cause frame stretching, end shake and your revolver will be an unrepairable paper weight in short order if you actually shoot it much. This "conversion" is an ill-conceived idea. I assume an AirLight (scandium) might be more capable of handling it without frame damage, but such a "conversion" would most likely void the warranty.
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AgentM
Member
The 940s were exceedingly unpleasant to shoot. Now that we have the Shield, which has softer recoil, is flatter, easier to carry, holds more rounds, reloads quicker than even a revolver with moon clips (yeah, I know, but NONE of us are Jerry Miculek) and has, for all intents and purposes, the same type of operation - DAO - not to mention a lower price, the Shield is the way to go, unless you just want a 940 for collector purposes. And that is certainly a valid reason, but if you plan to carry it, I would re-think the plan.
I have owned two 940's over the years. Both beat the **** out of me when I shot them. S&W's "bananna"-shaped rubber grips (which came with both guns) were the only way I could comfortably shoot the gun. I qualified with the 940 several times. This is what is necessary for LE-level use of a 940 as a BUG: 30 loaded moon clips, a de-mooning tool, a good set rubber J-Frame grips on the gun, and both range and duty rounds which don't obturate upon firing to the point where extraction becomes impossible, and band-aids. 120 rounds later (my agency's standard, two 60 round courses), you will have a pile of expended moon clips requiring de-mooning of the casings. You will wreck a few of them while de-mooning, despite your best efforts. You will also be bleeding, because, if your 940 is like either of mine, the distal crease of your trigger finger will get chewed-up. Verdict? PITA!! Not worth the efforts expended! My old issued S&W36 square-butt Chief Special, in .38 Special, will get me through that same 60-round course with no "issues". The casings eject without effort (even +P), I'm not bleeding, and I never have a problem closing the cylinder or pulling the trigger because a moon clip is bent. I can load one round at a time rather than five.
I'd attest that the M940 is not a viable LE weapon for the reasons I listed above. Lord knows, I tried. Twice. 14 years apart. Now, if S&W or any other maker (Charter Arms??) can concoct a 9mm wheelgun that can be loaded with loose rounds, and that will eject casings whether they are nickel-plated or not, and is rated for +P, I'll be a taker. The Charter Arms gun is promising, but I haven't handled one yet, and it looks to be larger than a J-Frame, and all steel. GUN TESTS gave the Charter Arms 9mm a thumbs-up. I'll probably get one, eventually. But, it will be too heavy to be a BUG for pocket carry. Maybe as a vest-gun under a uniform shirt.
With S&W's manufacturing resources, they absolutely COULD make a metal alloy (Ti/Sc) 9mm wheelgun that doesn't need moon clips. Neither of their previous 9mm revolver efforts could be judged a success (M547, M940), despite an enthused following here at the forum. I hope they do it someday.
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