Just wondering if anyone here CCW a S&W 340PD or other small revolver. I have one NIB I got a number of years ago but never carried it nor even fired it. I have been looking to upgrade from my P3AT to something more powerful and something I can carry IWB to free up front pocket space. Thought for sure it would be a compact auto like a CZ P01 or similar but since I already have the revolver I just figured I would ask. Is 5 shots enough realistically. I know there are some here who carry 3x17 rnd mags and a back up gun (2 is 1, 1 is none) but aside from that. Having to carry a 5 shot speed loader in my pocket is only marginally better then having the pocket pistol in it. 

Will it be enough yeah probably for most.  May you find yourself in a situation where it is not enough the likelihood is very low but yeah it could happen.  I could also get struck my lighting today and it is supposed to be sunny all week.  Something is always better than nothing.  The wheel gun could be just another option in your carry setup.  I would still have a higher capacity carry but I would feel better with something instead of nothing.

While I carry a G19 daily I sometimes switch over to my G43 which is low on rounds but a spare mag or two can compensate.  In my 15 years of carrying I have never had to shoot someone, only had to draw on someone once but was presented with an out, and if their is one thing you should never leave your house without I am going to say it is not a gun but has a sharp edge.  I can go without a sidearm but I cannot fathom going anywhere without a knife.

Go shoot that with some good hot self defense 357 Magnum and the think about your plan again.  It might not change.  But a 340PD with full power 357 Magnum is probably the nastiest recoiling handgun I have ever shot.  After borrowing a buddies 340PD I decided I didn't need to spend that much money on a revolver that I was only going to carry 38 Special +P in it.  I saved a lot of money by buying a a 442 Moonclip and that is my pocket carry gun.

You got that right even in my 686 SSR the 357 is considerably more recoil.  I was teaching new shooters one day and a lady probably in her 50s showed up.  Her husband bought her a smaller revolver in 357 magnum and sent her out with full power loads to shoot.  Keep in mind she had only shot once before with a Walther P38 and was moved into this because her husband said it is what she needed.  She got 2 shots deep into the cylinder and wanted to give up.  Me being me I sat down and talked to her and offered to let he shoot my G17.2 or CZ 75.  After a few minutes she agreed and wanted to try both.  She liked the recoil impulse on the 75 but liked the overall weight of the G17 and she now owns a M&P 9c after learning their is are better options than what her husband chooses.  She showed up to another class and was shooting her M&P like it was nothing.

No kidding about the recoil.

It is like being slapped in the hand by an iron pipe.

I get that it has nasty recoil with full house .357 loads but it can be practiced with .38 and .38 +P loads. No one even says you have to carry magnum loads. I would bet a legitimate .38 +P load has more ass than a 9mm load and millions of folks carry 9mm defensively. Im just trying to look at this from all angles. I dont want to shoot it if its not going to be a good carry gun. I would rather sell it NIB then fired and carried a little. It is super light and would carry and conceal very well in light summer clothing that is for sure!

The moment you took it home from the gun store it is consider shot no longer NIB.  It would be find for concealed carry if it meets your expectations then I see no problem with you carrying it.

So even with 38 Specials +P in it its going to have stout recoil.  The 340PD only weights 11.8oz the 642/442 weighs 15oz (both unloaded).  That does not sound like much but that is roughly 20% less free recoil energy experience by the shooter due to that extra 3.2oz. ie the felt recoil of the 340PD is going to be worst than the 642/442 with exactly the same ammo.  IMHO I would sell the 340PD and buy a 642/442 and use the balance to buy a subcompact Glock/XD/M&P to go with it, or a heap of practice and defense ammo.

But if weight is critical to you then you will be hard pressed to find a lighter pocket revolver than a 340PD.  A 342PD, a 38 Special +P version of the 340PD and shaves that weight down to 10.8oz, but those are as hard as hens teeth to find.

I decided to see for myself if full house 357 in a light snubnose was all that bad. I picked up a Taurus 605 (24 oz empty) cheap, both price and gun.
Answer: NO! NO WAY!
I get sick of hearing about shot placement because that is obvious. But bottom line you gotta hit them, and you may have to hit'em twice, that may be doubtful with that setup.
I carry a G30 and S&W 38 spcl J-frame backup. When I get to thinking that 38 ain't enough, I go to my range and fire a few rounds. Good reality check.

OP, I own and carry both the S&W M&P 340 and the 342Ti. Both are very light weight and very easy to carry. However I rarely only carry either of them. Typically they are back ups to something bigger and more practical. Both of mine are set up the same way with a tritium front sight, CT laser grips and a trigger job done with the Apex duty kit. It took me a long time to get decent with either one. Recoil is sharp but manageable. Their small size and light weight just makes them hard to shoot. The upside is they weigh almost nothing and are so easy to carry you won't notice you have it even on the hottest of days.

I see no reason to carry a 5 shot revolver, or any revolver for that matter.

I carried a 442-2 for a long time.  

It's light, I always shot it naturally well, they're cool.  

The recoil, with 38+p is stout.

Ballistics?  The 38+p from a 1 7/8" barrel is weaker than a 9mm from a 3.42" Glock 26, or a 3.39" Glock 43 and it's 5 shots vs 11 or 7.  A speed loader is big and hard to carry, a speed strip is, well...  It should just be called a strip, cuz there ain't nuthin' speedy about 'em.  A spare magazine, carried on the weak side, bullets forward, better in every way.  

Ease of carry?  I LOATHE shit in my pockets so I carry on on the belt or in the boot.  A J-frame IWB is a BITCH.  The cylinder is big, the barrel is short, it's like trying to carry a gold ball with a point on it.  That's with a good belt and holster.  Flat guns print less, carry easier.  

Durability/reliability?  I've had bullet inertia pull with the little J-frame, but never with defensive loads.  If it happens, it's a show stopper.  Never had a stoppage with a G26 or a 43 that couldn't be fixed with remedial action.  

The nail in the coffin for my J-Frame was the day I picked up a tool box while I was carrying AIWB.  I didn't know it at the time, but I pressed myself against the tool box when I lifted it onto the back of my truck.  It bent the axle that the cylinder rides on and the gun was locked up tight.  I carried it like that for about a week until I went to the range and decided to shoot it.  

In conclusion, I decided that concealable revolvers are underpowered, fragile, and not as good as a flat gun for a carry piece.  40 years ago, I bet they were great, in 2017?  Obsolete.

Funny, been carrying a 640 the last 8 years, a 64 two inch the previous 13 and had no issues.

S+W 4 digit 9mm for a service gun. People should get out of the idea of magic bullets and worry more about hitting with what they have ammo wise.

Gold Dot 135gr +P .38 for snub barrels. Gold Dot 124gr +P 9MM service round.
Is there better? Maybe, but my existing stocks are already paid for, and my department has decades of shooting documentation which any new round won't have.

My primary carry piece is a G26 IWB. Sometimes I scale up to a G23 or 1911; sometimes I scale down to a Shield or SW642. Depends on what I'm wearing and what I'm doing. I think there's always a place in the carry line-up for a good small revolver. Carrying one in a decent pocket holster is sometimes the best option even if your normal rig is a giant armor piercing incendiary laser guided death machine. As far as discomfort with shooting, I don't understand the obsession with .357 +P+Z06OMFGBBQ rounds in small revolvers.  Put some .38 spc Speer Gold Dots in there, practice enough to be proficient, and roll.

A 340PD with good quality ammunition will serve you well for concealed carry.

I have a Ruger LCR in my carry line up. I find it light and quite easy to carry in a jacket pocket or OWB under a loose polo shirt.

As far as the negatives I usually see posted, I don't really see the practicality of the arguments. Take for instance firepower. Are you going to realistically get into a gun battle requiring 17 rounds in the mag, one in the pipe and 2 reloads? No practically speaking, its not going to happen. If you're in a situation requiring more than 5 rounds you have really screwed the pooch in your situational awareness.

If an armed citizen needs his weapon, it's to defend from a close range assault at bad breath range or the like. That's where the small revolver really shines. It's easy to carry, so you will more likely have it on you. It can be fired reliably at contact distance and from a pocket. The reciprocating slide of a semi auto makes this option less than reliable.

The idea that a small wheel gun is less concealable is just a personal opinion. I haven't had any issues concealing my LCR. None. This falls under the select the proper holster category. I have also an SP 101. Heavy for it's size but a good belt and holster makes it carry well.

Ammunition choices are more limited than the semi auto calibers...but there are still good choices out there. Just like there are 9mm and .40 caliber wheel guns. Do some research and go shopping you will be fine in the ammunition dept. Shot placement and practice trumps feet per second, penetration and expansion arguments on the net.

As for recoil, holy shit guys. Are you really shooting magnum rounds through a small ass gun then being surprised it hurts? When it comes to 38+p loads, I must be missing something. The recoil is hardly stout, or a handful or whatever. Maybe some of you need to shoot more or do some lifting.

I'm done now. O.P., if you like a 340PD for carry, rock on. Shoot it and practice reloading it, in the dark and with wet hands etc...It's a good choice, nice and light. 5 rounds in a gun you have on you beats the shit out of 17 rounds in a gun that you only post about on the internet.

The 5 vs 17 argument is invalid.

There are plenty of small, light, reliable pistols, about the same size as a J-frame, in 9mm that hold more rounds of more powerful ammo, are more durable, are easier to maintain, cheaper to purchase, easier to shoot, easier to reload, cheaper ammo, and easier to carry.  The cylinder on a wheelie, with the short, thin barrel makes carry more challenging than an auto.  

A Glock 26 will carry everywhere a J-frame will carry and be easier, outside of jacket pocket with no holster.  

You don't know if 5 rounds is enough.  What if you needed 7 or 10?

I used to have a .38 S&W airweight.  It was the pistol I carried when I couldn't carry a pistol.

Yeah, me too.

The Glock 43 does everything the 442 did but better.  It conceals better.  It holds more ammo, it's easier to shoot, it's more durable, it's easier to reload, it's easier to strip and clean.

But go ahead, carry an outdated 5 shot gun.

Makes no difference to me.

I was carrying a snubnose mdl19 s&w when
The convenient store i worked at while going to college was robbed.

7 misunderstood youths got out of one car came in and anounced they
Were taking beer.

I slid my hand under my shirt onto my 19's grip
I kept thinking the whole time i hope all these f&;$ dont have guns.
Nobody tried to come around the counter so nothing happend.

Revolvers have pretty much been backup / hiden guns since then.
It's faster for me to reload an auto

I have a 360 PD.
No, I don't carry full load .357's in it.
I have shot it and while I can, it's not ideal.

But I do like having the option and I know without a doubt, it will hold up fine to .38 +P.

I carry the short barrel rounds in mine.
Less recoil, less flash.

Dave N

Geeze do you get in many shoot outs?  I would be ok carrying a 5 shot revolver they can still poke holes in targets just like a G43.  Yes the Glock has more capacity and blah blah blah blah but why do you have to be a hater.  I know tons of people who carry nothing at all and make it through the day just fine.  Would I want to carry a 5 shot revolver no would it be a primary choice or probably not but would it be an alternate choice or backup yeah that could work.  

It seems like it makes a difference to you.  You have all but drawn a line in the sand about OP asking for advice.  I could give you reasons why an auto is better and why a wheel gun is better.  A auto gun cannot be forced out of battery, if it is hung up under a shirt and fired since it has no slide to be obstructed it can keep going(G43 or any auto at that point would be a single shot to the wheel guns 5) and list goes on pros and cons.

I had the 360PD......I now carry the 340PD and have made some upgrades on it.........carry it all day every day don't feel under gunned or that I don't have enough ammo at all.......I carry an extra speed strip with five rounds in my pocket, lays flat you won't even know they are there.

One of the lightest revolvers out there and you have the option to shoot 357........I like having that option, have put many 357 rounds it's doable but after about 10 rounds you will have met your quota for the year lol. In a life or death situation you will not notice the recoil.  I carry 38+p rounds and practice often a little snappy but I can go through a couple boxes of ammo easily.

Bottom line you have a great CCW

I use a 642 as my quick grab n go CCW.  I also use a grip clip, so it's on me in an instant without needing a holster for short runs to the store or in the yard.  
For all day carry, I run a G19 in an IWB though.  Nobody says you can only use 1 gun for CCW, and as mentioned earlier, there are other guns I use for when I can't have a gun.

I prefer slimmer and guns with more capacity. I sold my 642

I'm not arguing capacity as sthe sole reason. The revolver just doesn't have any real advantage but it had plenty of real disadvantages. I carried one for years.  The world has moved on from them for a reason.  

Sorry I don't have the answer you wanted to hear.

I am not a wheel gun guy at all I own 1 revolver a 686 SSR.  The revolver does have advantages over an auto and a good friend of mine who is LEO and works undercover his BUG is a small S&W revolver for a reason.  The auto can be forced out of battery in a contact fight, if the slide is obstructed on an auto (by a t-shirt, hand, etc) it is a single shot, revolvers make great BUGs especially if you ever anticipate being in a contact fight where you may have to pull the trigger with the firearm butted against someones body, etc etc.  I know revolvers have lots of disadvantages compared to autos exposed hammers can be obstructed, the cylinder can be stopped from rotating while trying to fire, low capacity, slow to reload unless you are Jerry M, heavy DA triggers etc.  But to discount them completely is kind of dumb.

A J frame S&W doesn't replace a compact semi.  There are things the compact can't do like fit in a front jeans pocket.  

They do require practice.  Surprisingly accurate and much easier to shoot with a laser.  Don't know why someone would carry 357 loads in one.  .38 special in a good design is fine for self defense.  I can imagine scenarios where I might want more than 5 rounds but a j frame is a compromise.  Good on cost, size, reliability and mine gets carried often.  However they require a little skill, are not fun to practice with, and a compact semi is a better weapon.

I tried the j frame for pocket carry. Nope, way to bulky. Even in scrubs.

I agree i did it for a long time when it didn't matter if it printed.  

Appendix carry is the only way i could keep it truly concealed.

My lc9s  is much better in my pocket compared to a j frame.

I have an M&P 340.  Very neat little gun.  Recoil feels like lighting a firecracker in your hand.  

Part of me wants to sell it to fund other things but never can get myself to do it. I loaned it to my dad for a time and missed it when it was gone.  

Someday I may use it to fund something else that time is just not now.  

Those stating a 43 will do it all and better are pretty much right.  

Love mine with the TLR-6

I've had a couple of J's over the years but I just shoot a snub K so much better that I don't own any at the moment. Will it be enough, probably; I'm carrying a 6 shooter so you know where I stand. Could you end up needing more; not impossible but that concern is not high enough up on the list to make me want to change. If that ever changes I see no reason at stopping at something like a Shield; I'd keep going to a medium size double stack 9mm.

A J frame in the appropriate holster looks like you're carrying a wallet in your front pocket.  Nobody is going to note it as a firearm except maybe law enforcement looking for it.  

As for alternatives, I would not feel safe carrying any striker fire pistol in a front pocket regardless of holster.  I prefer a long double action trigger for this application.  Maybe a SA w/safety like a Sig 938 of I got really comfortable that the safety could not accidentally flip off.  Would take a lot of convincing.  

And of course, if you're not going to pocket carry, then a compact semi is the answer.

A holstered jframe is 3 times thicker than my wallet.

Are you George Costanza?

Whatever chief.  A lot of us have been carrying j frames in a front pocket for years.  Works for the vast majority without issue.

I bought one to try several months ago to try.

You statement "A J frame in the appropriate holster looks like you're carrying a wallet in your front pocket. " Is patently false in my case.

I'm trying to save some people some money by letting them know if they can't comfortably fit 3 wallets in their front pocket than a j frame is going to be to big.

If it was just big and bulky that would be one thing but it was impossible to get a decent grip quickly with it while it was in any pocket except scrubs.

I carry a 442 in DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster every day and love it.  I do live in cargo shorts though when not at work.

Years ago I had the great idea to "upgrade" to a 340PD and borrowed one first.  Glad I did, because I would never carry it with .357 loads for defensive purposes, and I'm not the least bit recoil sensitive.  The recovery time and follow-up shots are painfully slow with a .357 loading in that light of a handgun, and it produces a nasty flash at night.

So, my preference is the 442/642

for what it's worth, Wiley Clapp decided it was the best CCW.  He wrote an entire book on choosing the best CCW.

I personally carry either the 442 or a G43 most of the time.  Because Merica.

In for the haters.

Attached File

I have a 642 and 442 used for pocket and/or ankle as backup pieces.

If you can work a double action trigger they're incredibly capable.
20160428_135104_Richtone(HDR) by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

The Airweights are an incredible value. The utility of an 11oz Magnum is questionable. A 38 +P is plenty enough for me.
20160407_115830 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

For a waistband carry in 357 I'd rather have some more substantial and more shootable. There's a 649 for that.
20150312_104857 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

20160127_092659(0) by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

After carrying them around for years the frames of the Airweights have suffered a good deal of finish wear. The 649 still looks as new.

Regardless, they're incredibly capable guns requiring someone proficient in double action shooting. You've gotta have some tough hands and wrists to shoot the Airlites with magnums.

It would be nice to have something smaller for occasional pocket carry use, but I haven't found anything suitable yet.

If you can work a Glock trigger, a 43, S&W Shield, PPS, LC9,  is even more capable.  Nice revolvers BTW, I like 'em and enjoyed my 442s when I had 'em.  

I don't understand what people think an anemic 5 shot revolver is so capable of.  I've seen 38+p 158gr LSWCHP literally bounce off windows where 180gr 40 and 147gr 9mm would pass through.

I've carried my 340PD for 10 years now. I carry .38+p. I have shot .357 through it. I appreciate that I CAN if necessary. I pocket carry mine. I stopped worrying about printing once I realized no one cared. Not that it prints much in cargo shorts. It feels more like a real firearm than my CW380.  My 340PD has the CT lasergrip, XS Big Dot and the Apex trigger springs.

I've carried one, but I wouldn't recommend it.

First, the recoil with full house .357 125 JHP loads is painful. My friend shot it (a USPSA Master class shooter) and it made him bleed. The trigger guard somehow cut his finger during recoil. Even with a gorilla grip, it is unpleasant.

If you load with .38s, might as well have a 9mm with increased capacity, easier reload, etc.

The only nice things it has going for it is that is lightweight (12 oz) and plenty powerful.

In the winter it is my coat pocket gun.

Well, of course they would be.

Only the pocket 380's carry better than the five shot revolver.

I use them because I can shoot them well.

Ain't no magic bullet been made yet.

They were always easy for me to shoot too.  I shot John Farnham's Airweight with 357.  I think I got three rounds off, I may have pussed out on #2.   Too stout!

Thanks for the feedback guys. I have opted for either a CZ P01 or PCR. 

Had a 340PD, sold it and got this: 



Factory no-lock
Factory tritium front sight
Factory CT grips
Better trigger then the PD
Better weight than the PD

Its what the PD should have been.

The no lock version of the CT is no longer produced, PD is still available in no-lock version.

The tigers are exactly the same in the PD and CT variants of the 340

The CT weighs 13.5oz (Stainless Cylinder), and the PD weighs 11.8oz (Titanium Cylinder).  Making the CT variant 1.7oz heavier that the PD

Links
340 CT
340 PD - NO LOCK
340 CT - NO LOCK (ARCHIVE)

The 340 CT can be found without a lock. I own one....and they can still be found NIB.

The few extra ounces on the CT is a plus, not a minus in this gun IMO. Still super light weight but feels a bit more solid in the hand due to the slight weight difference.

The trigger on my 340 CT is noticeably better than the trigger on my 340 PD. Please cite where both triggers are identical.

Like I said earlier, it's what the PD should have been. 

I never said the CT model could not be found, I said they are no longer being produced.

For the weight I agree completely.

As for the trigger, can you cite where the CT is any different than a PD?  A 340 is a 340, its not a performance center model so the trigger components are no different.  I have owned many J-frames over the years and my current 442 (no-lock) has a much better trigger than my older model with a lock.  Just like any other gun, some parts just marry better from the factory than others.

You mentioned the no lock CT's weren't made anymore. I simply stated they can be found, which frankly is all that matters if one is interested in owning one. I didn't comment one way or another beyond that. They're available. 

As as for the trigger being noticeably better on my CT then my PD, I'm citing personal experience in owning both guns. The CT is noticeably smoother, slightly less heavy and has a noticeably better break then my PD. No question about it. Sample size: 1 each. Guess I was either lucky with the CT or unlucky with the PD. Or, maybe S&W doesn't make them exactly the same. That remains to be seen.

The CT is without question the better of the two guns. That's for sure.

My 442 trigger is great for a factory trigger.  I mess with triggers in the LGS and this one was so good, I bought this gun.

I'm a big fan of older j frames and have a little collection going. I've been shooting them since I was a kid because dad was a big fan as well.

At home I always have a j frame on me, usually my model 60-3 in an appendix holster. It's a bit heavier because of its stainless steel construction and handles a little better than the lighter models. It's comfortable and I can wear it without wanting to take it off.

Outside of the house, a little revolver carries easy, but I've come to accept it's limitations. The j frame is a 5 shots and run gun, which doesn't disqualify it from a carry gun but certainly loses to modern compact semi auto pistols. As for a bedside gun, the j frame just doesn't cut the bill at all.

J frames are my favorite series of handguns, but I often reach for something more practical.