Who here has shot an S&W 340PD? (Airweight .357)

[Joe Link]

I'm considering getting a small, light revolver and I've been looking at the S&W Airweight 340PD which is chambered in .357 mag. I've never shot one but I'm curious to know what it's like. Are they pretty uncontrolable?

I've thought about the .38 but I'm not sure if I trust a bullet that small. What's the stopping power like of a +P .38 round?

 

[GEM]

They are controllable with standard 38 SPL quality defense rounds. Never shot a 357 though. The advantage is the weight IMHO and not the 357 option.

 

[miko]

340 is not a weighty Airweight - it's a light AirLite.

I own one and shot a few rounds with Hogue Bantam (open steel backstrap grip). Among other stuff, I actually shot 2 rounds of 357 from it - it was quite excruciating.

I am going to install a closed-backstrap grip on it and have ordered Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 357 to test in it.

I plan to chronograph 38 +P+ and 357 SB ammo in it.

miko

 

[RNB65]

My advice: You absolutely, positively do NOT want this gun.

A buddy of mine has one of these 12oz scandium snubbies. Not sure if it's the 340 model, but it's close enough. Shooting it with standard .38Special loads HURTS. 5 shots and your hand is numb. I've never shot it with .357mag loads because I want to still have a working hand when I leave the range. My buddy still has it, but even he admits it was the biggest waste of money he's ever spent on a gun.

He also has a S&W .460 Magnum. With full power loads it's a walk in the park compared to that little scandium snubby.

I strongly suggest you try before you buy because I suspect you're not going to want to buy once you've shot a cylinder of full power .357mag loads.

 

[Socrates]

Hi
Depends on where you are, and what you need for carry. I have the exposed hammer version, 360 PD. I live in P.R. of Kali. CCW in my city hasn't happened in 30 years. I need the lightest, most concealable gun I can find, Keltecs aren't legal here, and, any smaller leaves only the Beretta 22lr Bobcat.

38 Plus P I can shoot. 357 full house corbon, I took one shot, and, unloaded the gun, with a cut finger. I also have much larger grips on the gun now, but, they seem to work. Likewise need to try it now with 357 ammo.

These are Hogues they don't advertize much, but, they are hard plastic, don't catch on your clothes, and give large hands a place to be.


Grips were about 30 bucks, shipped.

Grips on heavy recoiling handguns make all the difference in the world.

The 475 used to have a scope on it and Micarta's from FA. I couldn't shoot it. With custom grips, it makes the 400 grain, 1350 fps a second loads a pleasure.

S

 

[joe4702]

I started wearing a padded mountain biking glove to shoot mine.
Carry alot, shoot little.

 

[Myself]

I have fired mine several times with full power 357 rounds. I have not found a round that will not start unseating the bullets from the case due to the power of the recoil in such a light gun. This effectively means that I have not identified a 357 round that I could count on in a crisis.

On the plus side the recoil is so severe doing this that if you want to fire a 44 mag or a similar gun then fire a cylinder or two from the 340 first. A 44 really feels like a pussy cat afterwords.

 

[lesjones]

Heh.

Haven't shot that one, but I have shot an AirLite in .38. I thought it was pretty stout the first time, but the second time it didn't seem so bad. So much of recoil is psychological.

If I had one I do think I'd load it with +P and be happy with it. The FBI load is nothing to sneeze at.

 

[Mooseman]

If you know someone with a Ruger sp101 ask if you can try it. It's obviously a lot heavier than an air--- but it's a pleasure to shoot .357 out of. Mine is my daily carry and it's easy to conceil, not noticibly heavy to carry and fun to shoot. Not great for pocket carry though.

 

[langenc]

Shoot it BEFORE you buy it even if you have to rent one. Actualy that advice should apply to any handgun purchase but the snubby 357 and Scandium without question.

 

[omcf]

When I was researching a CCW gun, I too heard all the horror stories about the gawdawful recoil from the dreaded 340. I could just imagine all the old-timers smirking as I meekly returned to the gunstore the next day after having shot exactly three rounds. But, I figured at worst it would be a 642 that was @ 3oz. lighter.

The fact is, shooting 357 in this gun is rough, no doubt about it. Felt recoil being subjective or not, this gun hurts when shooting full-powered 357. I personally find regular 38, and 90% of 38+P, and even some 38+P+ (Winchester Q4296's) to be mild. I have found a few 357 loads to be something I don't mind shooting enough to practice with: ProLoad's Tactical Lite, to a lesser extent Federal's Low Recoil, and the new 135 gr Gold Dot SB 357.

Good grips do help; I found the pachmayr Gripper Decelerators to be the best, though quite a bit larger. With a little familiarization the stock hogue bantam grips are acceptable with nearly any 38+P, especially considering their low profile for concealment.

I would recomend a lot of practice with lead round nose standard 38's, then move up to 38+Ps (I think the Gold Dot SB's are a great self-defense load).

By-the-by, I did get a chance to shoot a 642 with the laser-site grips side by side with my 340pd, believe it or not, for a given 38+p load the recoil in the 642 was actually WORSE! For me at least.

If expense is not a big consideration, I think that the 20% unloaded weight reduction is worth it for a gun that you can slip in a pocket or ankle holster, even if you decide not to shoot 357's through it everyday.

 

[BigG]

I have the hammer model MODEL 360 which is identical except for the exposed hammer with the standard Uncle Mike's boot grips. It is shootable with 158 grain 357 Magnum ammunition. It is probably not as fun as a small caliber but I can go through a box of fifty factory loads without tearing up.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

"I've thought about the .38 but I'm not sure if I trust a bullet that small. What's the stopping power like of a +P .38 round?"

Stopping power is first and foremost dependent on shot placement. Don't let velocity, caliber, mass or all the crap you read in gun mags (who can't even get the technical things right), sway you. If you can hit with it under stress, that is absolutely the most important factor.

 

[coach22]

I carry Corbon 357 DPX in my 340 PD. I loaded 5 cylinders with this sequence:
(1)Corbon DPX 110 38 +P, (2)Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 38+P, (3)Corbon DPX 125 357, (4)Speer Gold Dot Short Barrel 135 357 and (5)Federal Low Recoil 130 357. Five times with the 5 different bullets in the cylinder. For me, the lowest recoil was the 38 DPX, followed by the 357 DPX. The Federal is NOT low recoil, not in a 340 or in any gun. It feels the same as a 125 357 full power load. Compared to the Speer in both calibers, I found the DPX to have less recoil. They are lighter than the Speers, but are faster and are supposed to penetrate better. You might have to order them directly from Corbon as they are not available everywhere. Hope this helps.
coach22

 

[stiletto raggio]

It feels like an aluminum baseball bat hitting your hand--HARD--each time you fire. I sold mine in favor of a Kahr P9 Covert. It weighs a little more, but it is thinner, holds two or three more rounds, has good sights, and most importantly, is comfortable to shoot.

I will never get a .357 that is lighter than my Tracker. For my snubby needs, I'll get a .38.

 

[SAWBONES]

I own two 340PDs and have put hundreds of rounds of all the available factory premium .357 Magnum 125gr+P JHP rounds through them, from Federal, Gold Dot, Winchester, Remington and others.
It's not fun. It is doable, but it was definitely a chore.

Since the gun is ostensibly chambered for and meant for use with .357 Magnum, and since the 125gr+P JHP versions have a good street reputation, I had hoped to find a "pet" load in this caliber and bullet weight, but after prolonged and repeated testing, I eventually found that no single .357 round had anywhere near as good accuracy and precision as a particular .38 Special+P JHP in this gun, specifically the Gold Dot "short barrel" 135gr+P JHP.

I'm not "recoil-sensitive", and I had no trouble with flinching or trigger-jerking when trying the .357 Magnum loads, but I could never get the one hole groups that I could get with the Gold Dot "short barrel" 135gr+P JHP.
Your experience may not mirror mine, and your gun may be different from the two I have, but those are my results, and are hopefully of more value than opinions from those who post things like "I've never shot a 340PD, but...".

(No, I haven't shot the Gold Dot .357 Magnum "short barrel" 135gr JHP in these guns. It wasn't out yet when I was doing the testing, and though I've now shot it in other guns, I probably won't shoot it in the 340PDs since I'm satisfied with the results using the .38 Special "short barrel" Gold Dot. Likewise, I haven't shot the heavier bullet (158gr, 170gr, 180gr) .357 loads in the 340PDs; while I'm not particularly sensitive to recoil, I'm also not a glutton for punishment!)

 

[scandiumcannon]

Try It - Then Buy It!

I've put several hundred 125 .357's through my 340 & believe it or not I've lived to tell the tale. It has gotten to the point though, that I try to avoid telling folks at gun shops etc. what I carry and wat I carry in it. I constantly hear things like:
1)"You don't think you can handle that gun. Do you?"
2)"You might as well fill it up with .38 +P because you're not getting anything more than .38+p from a .357 magnum out of a snubby."
3)"I know a guy at my gun club that - broke, cut, dislocated etc."
4)"357's will jump crimp & you'll be SOL."
I just got tired of justifying my choice to a bunch of people that don't / haven't shot this gun with full loads. My answers, although I've gotten tired of engaging in such discussion are"
1)It's not an easy gun to fire, sure. However once you get yourself pumped up a but it is really excillerating to dump 5 rounds in rapid succession center mass. I work out daily & believe that a certain amount of strength is needed to control this gun.
2).357 beats .38 +++++++p every time - with every berrel length.
3)That guy that you know - do you actually know him, or is he a friend of a friend of a friend?
4)"I've never had Speer 125 jhp's or Remmington jsp's budge. Ive marked them with a permanent marker and checked.

I don't mean to sound snotty to anyone that has ACTUALLY shot this gun/round & had such problems. I'm sure such problems exist and I'm not trying to dispute the integrity of members on this site. I find your information and experiences informative and enjoyable to read. Different people have different problems with different guns. Otherwise there would be damn few models from which to choose. I just get sick of hearing how awful the gun is from people that haven't fired it.

Best of luck with your purchase, whatever it is!

 

[vito]

You might want to consider the S&W 640. It is heavier than the 340, about 23 oz. unloaded, but it gives a real solid feel and handles 38 spl with ease, and 357 mag tolerably. Firing 357 mags was much louder than I had anticipated. Even with good hearing protection the sound was overwhelming. I'm now thinking about adding a Crimson Trace laser grip for this ideal pocket gun.

 

[HighVelocity]

I LOVE MY 340PD! Yes, shooting it is like having a tiger by the tail and some people do experience discomfort or even pain when shooting it.
As mentioned in a previous post, rubber grips that cover the backstrap are a HUGE improvement.
I carry mine with 125gr 357 Mag Golden Sabers. It's better than 38spl +P but not going to bring tears to your eyes like the 165gr Golden Sabers or Federal 158's.
But, I agree with the majority here, having no experience with lightweight magnum handguns, the 340PD is probably not where you want to start.
Get yourself a 642 or 442, a few boxes of wwb 130gr fmj to practice with and some Speer 135gr Gold Dot for short barrels and you'll be good to go.
Besides, for what a 340 costs, you could buy TWO 642's, then you won't need a speed loader.

 

[Shrike360]

I've fired one, and it completly numbed my hand by the time I finished off the cylinder. And this was a .38 Special. Of course, I'm not used to shooting revolvers, I mainly shoot autoloaders.

 

[DougB]

I own one of the S&W Scandium .357's. I don't recall the model, but it is a J frame .357 with about a 3 1/8" barrel and adjustable sights. I think it weighs about 12 or 13 oz (it feels almost like a plastic toy in the hand). I bought it to carry backpacking, stream fishing, etc. I find it comfortable and fun to shoot with .38s, but uncomfortable with .357s. I typically shoot mostly .38s at the range, with a couple of cylinders of .357s at the end of a session. While the .357s aren't enjoyable for me to shoot, a couple of cylinders of them is tolerable. My hands don't bleed. The gun doesn't jump from my grasp (though I think that could happen with this gun to an unprepared/inexperineced shooter). All-in-all, I don't think its a bad choice. It is certainly light to carry. However, I think if I had it to do again, I'd buy the slightly larger-framed 7-shot version (same basic design, but a few ounces heavier).

Doug

 

[aaronrkelly]

I have fired this gun and wont be doing it again.

I liken it to a small sledge hammer hitting your hand open face, painful.

Could I shoot it in a self-defense situation, yep....no worries there. Would I want to practice with it enough to be proficient, no.....just to painful. I suspect most shoot alot of .38s then load it back up with .357mag when they are done for carry use.

It is a good way to make a few bucks. A buddy of mine often takes $20 bucks of un-suspecting shooters......bet you $20 you cant shoot two (sometimes three) cylinders full out of this revolver.

I think he has lost only once.

 

[BigG]

I just got tired of justifying my choice to a bunch of people that don't / haven't shot this gun with full loads.

Ain't that the truth!

I have the hammer model Scandium 357 and fire it DAO, the way I have found works best with a skinny handled snubby. I don't think shooting any j-frame is what I would classify as fun; I look at it as a great tool for what it is. I got a great deal on the 360 Sc. I had already bought the 342 (IIRC) (38 Special Scandium hammerless). It cost more than $200 more than I paid for the like new Model 360. This was before they started chambering the Sc in .357 Magnum. .357 is the way to go though, imho.

You can buy a steel Centennial if you want to burn ammo at the range on a high volume basis to keep your practice up.

 

[erh]

"Ouch..!"

They are genuinely "Unpleasant" to shoot..."
Even an Air-weight w/ +P's is enough to make most of us
"Flinch" at the most "Inopportune of moment's..."

E!

 

[Magnum Wheel Man]

I don't think shooting any j-frame is what I would classify as fun;

Several weeks ago I bought my 1st... a 431 PD in 32 H&R Magnum... I'm really impressed with this little air weight... I can easily ( & all day if I wanted to ), shoot 6" groups at 20 yards with this little gun... the gun is actually pleasurable to shoot, highly accurate, not "imeadiately" deafing to shoot with out hearing protection ( not that I recommend shooting without hearing protection, but do occasionally shoot one cylinder full without, as part of my training )... the Federal Personal Defense ammo aproches the energy of the 38 Special, & it is still a magnum caliber... BTW... the gun holds 6 rounds instead of 5... I'm loving this new J Frame...