Some practice and reloading information for 340 shooters--
(Note that this post is an edit of comments I just posted on the 640 thread.) I have an M&P 340 as my carry gun, a 640 as an alternate carry gun and for for reload development, and a Model 65 / 3" barrel for other carry and load development.
I want to add comments on a couple of issues us j-frame carry devotees can think about.
It makes sense to choose a given factory PD load and then do a training program to get good with that round. After extensive reading on the internet about 2"-barrel revolvers / j-frames / alloy frames, I decided the max load I would carry was the Speer 38+P 135-gr Short Barrel load, and that I would start with the FC 110-gr 38 Spl load. The FC 110-gr. standard-pressure load was a good choice--I could fire that round reasonably effectively from the get-go even though the 340 experience was a real eye-opener. (My other revolver at the time was an N-frame .357)
Practice ammo cost: The cost of factory ammo is $1.00 per round. I turned to my reloading interests. Speer had previously published data about duplicating that 38+P / 135-gr PD round with reloads.
Using the Speer 135-gr SBJHP bullet, you can build 'replica rounds' with the Speer data for about 25 cents each--or nominally 1/4 the cost of the factory ammo. I further explored the recipes, and I developed a variant using a 140-gr. LTC bullet. That round can be loaded for about 12 cents a round, if you buy your lead bullets from the right place.
Over the last two months, I've shot about 3,000 rounds through the three guns; about 80% of them have come out of the 640. I have recipes for two calibers (38 and 357), three bullets (Speer 135gr-JHP, 140LTC, and a 140LRNFP) and four powders. All these recipes provide a cartridge that feels nominally identical to the Speer factory round.
If you're interested in pursuing practice ammo that will replicate the shooting experience of this Speer PD round, see this link:
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=304225
In the course of doing this load-development project, several things happened:
1. I simply became adept at using the DAO trigger. My gunsmith had done a smoothing job, but I had to learn the trigger--and a lot of 'thoughful' shooting enable me to do that.
2. My dominant shooting hand became stronger and appropriately calloused. I now can run 125-150 rounds through a test session, with no real soreness.
3. By doing the load development routine, I ended up shooting less-powerful rounds that allowed me to acclimate to the recoil in all the guns. Now I can shoot five of the replica loads, reload, and shoot five again in the 340 without undue discomfort.
4. I am feeling totally familiar with the j-frames, and I have gained personal confidence in their use.
Jim H.