340 PD Good deal?

[rbrtweber85]

I was able to buy a new smith and wesson 340 Pd for $725.00. Is this a good deal or did the store get the best of me?

Also I was curious to the biggest differences between the 340 M&P and the 340PD. All I could really see are the front sights, about an ounce in weight, and finish on the cylander. :banghead:

Is this all?

 

[Peakbagger46]

Sounds like a fair price. The M&P has a steel cylinder while yours is titanium. I really like my M&P.

 

[340PD]

Good Buy

Put a set of laser grips on it and you will have one of the best pocket carry revolvers available.

 

[DAdams]

light, lighter, lightest. Although you have the lightest of the J Frame Centennials IMO it was a pendulum swing to an extreme when the PD Series was develoed. Light yes, but if you shoot .357 you will pay the price in felt recoil and possible cylinder issues including crimp jump.

The M&P 340 was a redesign based on moderation and some enhancements.
13.3 ounces by using a more robust stainless steel versus Ti cylinder, which of course could and has been retrofitted to PDs, so not to worry.

Finish, including the superior wearability, stealth and durability of the "DLC".

The big deal is the XS standard Tritium Night Site, and ramp combo providing a quick point and shoot experience superior to the blade or light pipe providing the all the advantages and NS capable. Of course part of this shortcoming can be overcome with CT Grips.

I can't speak to the price but the features/benefits from steel, to alloys of the X42 to the PD and back to to a more conservative approach and additions of some strong features were a step in the right direction in the evolution of the genre to the M&P 340. A Snub yet to be excelled.

 

[MachIVshooter]

That's a fair price, and it's a great carry gun. That said, heed the warning above:

if you shoot .357 you will pay the price in felt recoil and possible cylinder issues including crimp jump

They do recoil fiercly, and crimp jump is a very real problem in heavy recoiling revolvers. I've had it happen in my Super Redhawk .454 with 300 grain handloads. It can lock that gun up tight, and usually there's nothing you can do to fix it without tools. I'd suggest Remington Golden Sabres for carry, as the "driving band" design lends itself to more positive bullet retention in the case than a typical cannelure. But whatever ammo you choose, TEST IT.

 

[Peakbagger46]

You will like the 135g speer gold dot short barrel loads.

 

[thomis]

you did better than I did...

this is a recnt post on the other thread...

I too have the 340 PD. I got it in late October. It was on order for nearly 6 months at the gun shop near me. I kept calling and they'd say "still waiting on S&W to ship them to us". I got tired of waiting and found it at another but ended up paying top dollar for it $950. Ouch. I love the gun. Its my first cc piece and I'm a big Ruger single action fan from birth.
I was at the gun shop to pick it up that day and the owner said "you know the saying on the stree with these guns is right... you run into a mob in the back alley and instead of shooting him, you threaten to make him fire it".. ha ha, I thought. Went right home and loaded it up with some fat and happy .357 reloads to get the full experience from the first cylinder full. It was fine. It was no where near the punishment I was expecting. I loaded a few more cylinders and let them rip. Then put in some .38s and proceeded to shoot some decent groups. I wasn't happy with the trigger so for the next few weeks after that, I'd sit in front of the tv and just keep dryfiring it. Over the coarse of a couple weeks I probably dry fired it 2 or 3000 times. The trigger is much better now. No one told me though, how to pull it back almost all the way, just before it breaks, and then aim. I had to figure that one out myself. I'm very happy with it and it goes wherever I go, complete with brand new cc permit. Its my first S&W and I am very pleased.

I'd like to get a belt clip holster for it in leather. Any suggestions?

 

[OpelBlitz]

Nice looking gun you got there thomis.

No one told me though, how to pull it back almost all the way, just before it breaks, and then aim. I had to figure that one out myself. I'm very happy with it and it goes wherever I go, complete with brand new cc permit. Its my first S&W and I am very pleased.

Careful with that, you could be breaking a cardinal rule of gun safety by pulling partially on the trigger before aiming. In fact, it actually mentions that in the S&W manuals.

 

[thomis]

I am of course, aiming at the target, pulling it back until it breaks, taking in or letting out my breath, and touching it off.
I'm not just aiming at the sky, pulling the trigger back and then aiming at the target! C'mon man!

 

[OpelBlitz]

Sorry man, just showing my concern.

 

[Shadan7]

Sorry man, just showing my concern.

Certainly not a sin.

Jim D.