What's special about the S&W 340PD?

[bikemutt]

While waiting for the BG check to clear at a LGS today, I noticed a fellow agree to trade his brand new, unfired Sig 220 SAS for a beat-all-to-heck Smith 340PD, a 5-shot Scandium J-frame, with a lock!

The price tag on the 340 was $850! The revolver looked as if it fell from a car doing 60+ over fresh chip-seal and gravel.

In any event, I made one more LGS stop on the way home and saw a new 340PD for $875. So now I'm thinking I must be missing something. What is so special about the 340PD that would convince someone to pay that class of money for one? I mean, an ultra light 357 can be had in the form of a Ruger LCR for less than half the price

 

[PBR Streetgang]

I bought mine used but unfired. Didn't pay near that amount and mine came with two barrels. The original 1 7/8" and a 3" now( factory installed) ,both with a big dot front sight.They are extremely light weight but kick like a mule with full loads.

For some unknown reason I've gotten strange for 3" revolvers in the last few years and couldn't pass on this with a factory installed 3" barrel.

After carrying a S&W 442 for numerous years as a LE backup gun, I just couldn't let this gun go by without making it mine.........

 

[tightgroup tiger]

I noticed a fellow agree to trade his brand new, unfired Sig 220 SAS for a beat-all-to-heck Smith 340PD, a 5-shot Scandium J-frame, with a lock!

Personally I think the guy was crazy. I'd like to see his face when he shoots it.
To each their own I guess.

 

[fastbolt]

Well, dunno what that particular buyer was thinking about paying retail for used revolver, but ...

The Ruger LCR .357 weighs either 16.6 oz or 17.1 oz, while the 340PD weighs 11.4 oz. That makes for quite a bit of difference in your pocket.

The LCR .38's weigh less than the .357's, @ 13 oz -13.5 oz, which is still more than the PD.

I have some Airweights that weigh 15 oz, and I can tell a difference in my pocket between them and my pair of M&P 340's. The M&P 340 has a black/PVD stainless steel cylinder, which weighs it in at 13.3 oz, and it's chambered in .357 Magnum.

Now, the reason I don't own a PD is because I personally prefer a stainless or carbon steel cylinder instead of a titanium cylinder.

The little PD's are really light in the pocket, though.

Bottom line? Maybe the other customer decided that he'd rather have the diminutive 5-shot PD instead of the larger 220, which he might have ended up leaving at home in the safe more often than not. Maybe he's also an experienced revolver shooter. (If he's not, and he's never fired Magnum loads through a Sc/Ti/PD 5-shot snub ... he's probably going to be surprised. )

I often tend to carry one of my assorted J's instead of my numerous 9's, .40's, or .45's, but then I'm also a long time revolver shooter.

FWIW, while I can use Magnum loads in the little M&P 340's, I usually prefer to load them with one or another of the +P loads I have available.

 

[19-3Ben]

Not my thing. I didn't even like the recoil in my 642. Which is both heavier, and .38spl only. I can only imagine what a lighter version in .357mag would feel like.

 

[orionengnr]

I owned two of the 340s, and a 360.
Bought each, lightly used, for about $400-450 each.
That was 6-7 years ago, and my wrist still hurts from shooting the damned things.

All are long gone. There are times when I think I'd like to own another, but I lie down until the feeling goes away.

 

[HankB]

My "always" gun is an S&W 340Sc (a minor variation from the 340PD) which tucks neatly into my pants pocket in a pocket holster. Very lightweight, good power when loaded with .357 Silvertips.

It kicks pretty hard, but after fitting Crimson Trace lasergrips that cover the backstrap with a little cushioning rubber, it's merely unpleasant rather than actually painful to shoot . . . at least for the first five shots.

The attraction is extremely light weight and (presumably) greater strength than .38 Special J-frames . . . being designed for .357, it should last a long, LONG time shooting .38 Specials, even +P loads, which is what I mostly practice with, shooting .357s only enough to know what they're like and confirm zero.

I bought mine new for hundreds less than the $850 used & abused price mentioned in the OP.

 

[ugaarguy]

The guy trading a 220 SAS in the condition described for a 340PD priced as described and in the condition described isn't thinking.

Now as to what's so special about the 340PD? It's essentially a Scandium frame 642 that weighs 1/3 lb less than the 642, and can also fire .357 Mag should one desire. So, the answer to what's so special about the 340PD, is to understand what's so special about the 642. The short answer is that it's a near perfect blend of size, caliber, and reliability in a deep carry gun. If you have a few days off the long answer can be found below:

The 642 Club - 2.5 years, 201 pages, 5023 posts.

The 642 Club Part Deux - Three Years, 160 pages, 4000 posts.

The 642 Club Part Three - Three Years, 57 pages, 1409 posts, at present.

 

[WRGADog]

I once owned a 340PD - recoil was absolutely awful

I put less than 25 rounds through the 340PD before trading for a S&W E Series 1911. The idea of owning a lightweight 357 mag Scandium revolver that is easy to conceal is much better than the reality you face in shooting the beast. Only gun I have owned that I had no second thoughts about trading.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

The M340PD has a list price of $1019 but no one pays list. I see them for right at $900 + -$10. Since it was so beaten up I have no idea why anyone would pay $850 for that one unless it might have been equipped with a set of Crimson Trace Lasergrips which usually cost ~$300.

 

[SFCRandall]

They are so light you don't know you're carrying one, especially when worn on the hip. Five rounds of 158 gr. magnums weigh more than the revolver. All my snubs are light weight, alloy framed, but the 340PD is the one I use for EDC. Those few ounces make a big difference. Practice with light .38 loads and save the full power stuff for carry.

 

[5-SHOTS]

What's special about the S&W 340PD?

The recoil...

 

[kvtcomdo]

Have one which was lightly used and equipped with a CT laser grip.

I shoot 38+P Critical Defense.

357 Ammo in this gun is brutal.

It is so light you will carry it and therefore have it when needed.

Carried alot and shot little; but it will be there when needed due to its extremely light weight.

 

[skoro]

The extreme light weight, making it very carry-friendly. I don't own one, but would like to at the right price. That said, I doubt I'd ever shoot 357s from it. Stout 38+P out of my current 642 is more than enough recoil/muzzle flip/stinging for my taste.

 

[HexHead]

Just because it can shoot .357s doesn't mean you have to. It's ultra light weight alone makes a case for it. Remember, first rule of a gunfight, have a gun.

As to the economics of the trade, maybe he'd been looking for one for a while? Maybe after trying to carry the 220, he'd realized he made a big mistake and just wanted to get rid of it for something he'd rather have? I've got shocking news for some of you, it's not always about the money.

For all we know he may have won that 220 at a Friends of the NRA dinner for a $20 raffle ticket.

 

[glocking26]

Love mine. Carry it 24/7 with full power 357 magnum rounds. Yea it's a bear to shoot with 357's but sometimes ya just have to man up

 

[bikemutt]

OK, I understand fully a lightweight 357 mag carry piece, my question originally though concerns price for such a gun. I'm wondering what makes a Smith 340PD worth about twice the price of a Ruger LCR when for all intents they appear to have more in common than in difference?

If anyone can be justifiably called a S&W fan-boy its me, I'm just struggling a bit with the 340PD's value proposition.

 

[fastbolt]

... I'm wondering what makes a Smith 340PD worth about twice the price of a Ruger LCR ...

The short answer is that the Scandium used to alloy and enhance the aluminum frame is really expensive.

The titanium cylinders used in the PD/Ti guns aren't exactly inexpensive, either.

I don't know what the going retail is for any of the PD/Sc/Ti guns at any given moment, but my M&P 340's cost in the ballpark of less than $550 each (not counting paperwork when they arrived at the dealer). Granted, that's with armorer discounts, but I've seen advertised pricing from an occasional major wholesale gun dealer that meets or beats many of the armorer program prices I've seen over the years. Buying power can be a good thing when you're a huge vendor.

If I'd had to pay close to a thousand bucks for a Scandium snub, I'd have continued to carry my other Airweight & steel J's. Maybe if it were the only 5-shot snub I planned to own.

 

[Winchester 59]

My wife is a realtor & has her CCW. She carries my 340 sc most of the time as her pick of many possibles. It is light enough that it doesn't cause the waistband of her skirt/slacks to ride down. She loads it with .38 +P hollowpoints. Her mountain, open/concealedcarry gun is a S&W 360 3" which she also loads with the same +P's. In her case it (340) is the perfect carry gun due to it's weight. A 342 would accomplish the same thing, but we already had the 340. She is used to the revolver, shoot's it well (usually wadcutters for practice) and can't rack the slide on the several SA's she could use. Perfect carry gun for her and if I had to replace it, I would (teeth gritted!) pay the price for a replacement 340.

 

[ugaarguy]

I'm wondering what makes a Smith 340PD worth about twice the price of a Ruger LCR when for all intents they appear to have more in common than in difference?

The two revolvers in question are very different.

The LCR 357 has a steel cylinder, half the frame is steel, and the other half of the frame (Ruger calls this part the "Fire Control Housing") is plastic.

The 340 Sc has an all Sc/Al alloy frame, and a Ti alloy cylinder. Further, Ti alloys are highly abrasion resistant, and wear out tools faster than do most Al alloys or steels. Adding Sc to an Al alloy makes it more abrasion resistant than even Ti alloys (lacking Sc) and it practically eats machine tools. So, you have more expensive raw materials on the S&W, and those materials are much costlier to finish.

 

[bikemutt]

I guess what it comes down to is, like most things in life, the last few ounces of shaved weight are the most costly.

The 340PD at 11.4 ounces is about 33% lighter than the LCR at 17.1 ounces.

I had a Smith 351C for a while, I think it weighs about 11 ounces as well, and yes, it was barely noticeable in even a sweat pant pocket.

So OK, I get it

Thanks for the education THR.