Smith M&P 340CT shoots WAAAY to the right

Status
Not open for further replies.
1KPerDay

1KPerDay

Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2006
Messages
20,840
Location
Happy Valley, UT
My FIL has a S&W M&P 340 CT
http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...57767_757751_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

Shoots about 6 inches to the right at 7 yards. I have to hold completely left off the torso steel at 15 yards if I want to hit it. I re-confirmed this today, shooting back-to-back with my M37.

It looks to me like the groove in the topstrap and the rear sight notch were milled incorrectly. They look like they are farther to the right than center, and/or are angled to the right. Tritium vial in front sight is also broken after about 80 rounds.

Anyone ever heard of this problem? It's like a $1200 gun; you'd think they could get it right. :confused:
 
Have him call and arrange to have it inspected by S&W under warranty, for both the odd looking rear notch machining in the top strap, as well as the damaged XS dot sight. Something can slip through assembly & inspection every now and again.

FWIW, I own a pair of M&P 340's (1 w/ILS & 1 w/o ILS), and both will shoot a number of different loads accurately enough to hit wooden clothespins out to 5-7 yds.


Just my thoughts.
 
well, finally contacted S&W and they sent me a return label. We'll see. I like the revolver. It seems very high quality. It's not fun to shoot with anything resembling hot loads and I don't even bother TRYING 158 grain .357 loads, because I did a few times and learned my painful lesson, but hopefully they can sort it. It's a very expensive paperweight as it is. I shot it again back to back with my M10 and M37 and those both hit dead center, while this one you have to hold off the left edge of the torso to hit center.
 
Well, you don't rush into anything, do you? ;)

Hope they get it sorted out. There's no reason for the venerable J-frames to be inherently inaccurate, nor to tolerate any mechanical or production cause of such inaccuracy. Let us know. :)
 
I purchased a brand new LCR 357 several years ago, and it shot way to the left no matter what I did.

I finally sent it back to Ruger to be repaired and they said it wasn't fixable, scrapped it, and sent me a new gun -- which worked fine.

I bet that's what happens in your case.
 
I have a Ruger SR9c which shot very high. I tried to adjust the rear evaluation sight downward but the sight adjustment screw bottomed out before the sight reached its bottom position. I sent to back to Ruger and the return "cause and effect" sheet that they sent with it said that Ruger had "repaired the barrel", whatever that means? Regardless of why it shot high or what they did to the barrel, it's dead on now so I salute Ruger and this fine handgun. And yes there are problems that come with new handguns. Just be patient and let the factory work it out.
 
Well it took them 8 months and 2 tries to fix my M28, and I paid for repairs, so we'll see. This one I don't think I should have to pay for. I'm sure the'll make it right. If they don't I guess I can have it milled for a dovetailed front sight and adjust it myself.
 
It's not impossible for machining issues to slip through production and out the door.

If the topstrap was machined off-center, it would probably be easier for them to just destroy the gun and replace it with a new one, under warranty. That would probably require a new 4473, because of the new serial number (being a different gun), but in the overall scheme of things that's a relatively minor inconvenience. (You'd have to register a new car, with a new vin, if a car company replaced a vehicle, too. ;) )
 
I'd be interested to see a picture of the rear sight groove if you haven't already shipped it off.
 
did it really take 3 yrs to send it back. i thought it was just last month for the original post that's why i was wondering about the not rushing into things comment.
 
Well S&W paid shipping both ways and had it less than a month. They replaced the front sight and "adjusted barrel alignment". And test fired, with an "A"ccept on the test fire sheet.

Short answer is it's better but not perfect. It's useable as a defense pistol now, as I can actually HIT the torso at 15 yards by holding center, though the group is still about 4 inches to the right of POI. If I hold about 10 oclock on the plates I can hit them every time. So.... I'm not super happy but I'm not angry anymore. At 5 to 7 10 12 yards I can hit center mass quicky with strong or weak hand, and with 125 grain .357s it's actually not too painful to shoot. With .38s I can handle it all day.

I'll post a video when I get it edited but it basically says what I report above and has some range shooting.
 
"I'm not super happy but I'm not angry anymore."

Seeing as how long it took you to send it in I guess you can't be too angry. ;)
 
I have a 340 and a 640. The 1 piece barrel of the 640 shot 3" right at 7 yds. The 2 piece barrel of the 340 was 6" right. I had a dovetailed front sight fitted to both. They were then easy to sight in.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

A
  • Locked
What's the difference between the PD and the M&P?
Replies
4
Views
649
Alan Fud
A
bikemutt
  • Locked
Smith 640-1 thoughts
2
Replies
43
Views
4K
Deaf Smith
Deaf Smith
H
  • Locked
S&W Model 327 M&P R8
Replies
7
Views
3K
Glockopop
G
E
  • Locked
642 or M&P 340
2
Replies
30
Views
2K
L-Frame
L
T
  • Locked
Fair price for an M&P 15-22
Replies
9
Views
1K
Ibmikey
Ibmikey
Back
Top