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S&W M&P 340 or 340 PD...

13K views 22 replies 11 participants last post by  GCF 
#1 ·
I have never been much of a snubby enthusiast. I have shot a few in the past, but never really had to have one.

However, I recently decided to pick one up for pocket carry.
I impulse bought a 442 from a member here, and now I am interested in getting one with the capability to fire .357 Magnum (while I doubt I will shoot much if any in an airweight, I still want the option)

I have narrowed my choice down to either the M&P 340 or 340 PD.

Other than 2oz less weight, a titanium cylinder, and aesthetics...
Are there really any benefits of going with the PD over the standard 340?

Thank you!
 
#7 ·
I carry my 340pd with .357mag everyday at work. Its light enough to not pull my scrubs down. Its definately not a range toy buts it's not as bad as most people say it is. Most people I hear talk about it have never owned one.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I guess you’re more of an man that I am. I have owned one, and as I’ve stated quality 357 loads are brutal. More power to you if you are shooting 357 in it.
 
#6 · (Edited)
Some thoughts on the 340 PD: more expensive than a 340; more recoil; added concerns about some bullet weights potentially jumping their crimp and locking the cylinder -- so you need to thoroughly test your carry loads. Is it worth the weight savings? That is up to you -- some think so and others not so much.

Either way -- I would personally prefer the no internal lock option on either -- some don't care about that.
 
#10 ·
Some thoughts on the 340 PD: more expensive than a 340; more recoil; added concerns about lighter weight bullets potentially jumping their crimp and locking the cylinder -- so you need to thoroughly test your carry loads. Is it worth the weight savings? That is up to you -- some think so and others not so much.

Either way -- I would personally prefer the no internal lock option on either -- some don't care about that.
You shouldnt be shooting light weight bullets in a ti cylinder anyways. 125gr and above. You can shoot lightweight .38spc though

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk
 
#8 ·
I have never been much of a snubby enthusiast. I have shot a few in the past, but never really had to have one.

However, I recently decided to pick one up for pocket carry.
I impulse bought a 442 from a member here, and now I am interested in getting one with the capability to fire .357 Magnum (while I doubt I will shoot much if any in an airweight, I still want the option)

I have narrowed my choice down to either the M&P 340 or 340 PD.

Other than 2oz less weight, a titanium cylinder, and aesthetics...
Are there really any benefits of going with the PD over the standard 340?

Thank you!
forgot to mention

pay attention to the ammo restrictions due to flame cutting. I believe Smith suggests no ammo less than 125gr
 
#18 ·
Depends on how your gonna carry it. As stated for pocket carry 1-2 oz matters. I have both a 340M&P and a 342 (38spl) that a tiny bit lighter than the 340pd. I notice the difference b/w them, but both are silly light. The sights on the M&P are a tritium front and on the PD a colored ramp or fiber optic. Other than sights and ti vs steel cylinder they are the same gun as far as I know. I got mine w/o the internal lock and on these guns I think it matters. I don't like it for a variety of reasons but it seems especially foolish on a hard recoiling carry gun. So far as I'm aware it combines the most likely to fail and highest consequence of failure scenarios into one. There's at least one maker of a well machined lock delete out there FWIW.

As previously stated these are brutal with full strength 357. I like lightweight revolvers, and have a 329, the 25oz S&W 44mag. The 340M&P is more painful to shoot that the full framed 44mag with most rounds. Maybe b/c it's a smaller grip etc but whatever the reason I shoot very little if any 357 out of mine.
 
#20 · (Edited)
I had the M&P 340 with the big night sight up front and black oxide stainless cylinder. It was not that fun to shoot with full house .357 ammo unless I used 110 grain JHPs. With .38 special +P it was great. My brother had a titanium cylinder J frame and it had some reliability issues and fired cases were sometimes hard to eject. It went back to S&W at least twice. I never had any problem with that with the stainless cylinder on mine. They are great for backups or deep concealed carry.

I do prefer the 340 over the 360 because the high back strap on the 340 lets you get the web of the hand up much higher for better control. It seems to roll less in the hand during recoil.

What I really have my eye on right now is a S&W 640 Pro.
 
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