M&P 342 .38

[TC215]

Saw this on Gunbroker and figured I’d share it here in case anyone was interested. It’s been quite a while since I’ve seen one for sale. S&W did a run of these years ago for LAPD since they don’t authorize the .357. If baby #2 wasn’t making her appearance in a few weeks, I’d buy it myself.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/850629172

[Det1397]

There's a similar offering on the S&W Forum, a 342PD no-lock which is as rare as they come... http://smith-wessonforum.com/guns-sale-trade/606148-wts-s-w-342pd-no-lock-s-w-360pd.html

[Pasanova]

Besides caliber, is there any major difference between the 340 and 342?

[OlongJohnson]

M&P 340 is available new without the lock.

The 342PD on the blue forum does not have the blast shield under the top strap.

[Mitch]

There's a similar offering on the S&W Forum, a 342PD no-lock which is as rare as they come... http://smith-wessonforum.com/guns-sale-trade/606148-wts-s-w-342pd-no-lock-s-w-360pd.html

Damn, I was about to get a 642, but I may buy that.


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[TC215]

Besides caliber, is there any major difference between the 340 and 342?

As far as I know, the caliber is the only difference.


M&P 340 is available new without the lock.

The 340PD on the blue forum does not have the blast shield under the top strap.

If the 342 was a no-lock gun, I don’t think I could hold back. I’m pretty sure these were made before the no-lock 340 was available (2008 or 2009, maybe?). I remember seeing them in a S&W LE catalog one year.

[Polecat]

Also, it is subtle but cool looking, the 342PD has larger scallops in the cylinder! The original 337 PD had them as well.

[Det1397]

My old 342Ti and a newer, old, 337PD. The 342Ti is an early production model with the titanium cylinder and standard flutes. The 337PD has the titanium cylinder but with deeper scallops to make the weight even less than the 342..

My 340PD has the magnum titanium cylinder, and IIRC, the 340M&P uses a blued steel cylinder.

[TheNewbie]

My old 342Ti and a newer, old, 337PD. The 342Ti is an early production model with the titanium cylinder and standard flutes. The 337PD has the titanium cylinder but with deeper scallops to make the weight even less than the 342..

My 340PD has the magnum titanium cylinder, and IIRC, the 340M&P uses a blued steel cylinder.


Is the top revolver lock free?

[Det1397]

Is the top revolver lock free?

Are you referring to the one in the first post? If so, that M&P has the Internal Lock...

[TheNewbie]

Are you referring to the one in the first post? If so, that M&P has the Internal Lock...


In your pic. With the hammer.

[Det1397]

In your pic. With the hammer.

337PD no-lock- as light as a S&W .38spl revolver gets...

[TheNewbie]

I wish they still made that as it is in your pic.

I would convert it to DAO and feed it wadcutters.

[KevH]

I had a no-lock 342PD that I just sold for $800 almost NIB.

I say almost NIB because it looks like the guy I bought it from put a cylinder through it. I put a cylinder of wadcutters through it and a cylinder of WWB 130gr.

I'm not a recoil sensitive guy, but that was enough to convince me the gun wasn't going to work out for me. When it comes to revolvers, there truly is such a thing as too light.

I'll stick to 442/642's as my lowest threshold in 38 Spcl.

[SeriousStudent]

I had a no-lock 342PD that I just sold for $800 almost NIB.

I say almost NIB because it looks like the guy I bought it from put a cylinder through it. I put a cylinder of wadcutters through it and a cylinder of WWB 130gr.

I'm not a recoil sensitive guy, but that was enough to convince me the gun wasn't going to work out for me. When it comes to revolvers, there truly is such a thing as too light.

I'll stick to 442/642's as my lowest threshold in 38 Spcl.

I have a pair of 342's. One has a lock, and one does not. The no-lock is riding in my left pocket right now. The one with the lock sits in the pistol safe as a spare.

It is indeed a "carry often, try and shoot never" pistol. I have put a whopping 15 rounds through it. Jackdog shot a cylinder through it, and pronounced the recoil as "stout".

I have never let another friend shoot one of mine, since I do not want them to develop a flinch.

[Mitch]

What’s the deal with the +P jacketed on the barrel? Is that a lead cleaning issue with the titanium cylinder?


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[Polecat]

I had a no-lock 342PD that I just sold for $800 almost NIB.

I say almost NIB because it looks like the guy I bought it from put a cylinder through it. I put a cylinder of wadcutters through it and a cylinder of WWB 130gr.

I'm not a recoil sensitive guy, but that was enough to convince me the gun wasn't going to work out for me. When it comes to revolvers, there truly is such a thing as too light.

I'll stick to 442/642's as my lowest threshold in 38 Spcl.

Yup, reason I got rid of mine. Great looking gun, great concept, wrong caliber. .32 H&R Mag is ideal. Back when I first bought it, I would shoot the old 3D 100gr wadcutters, that was a great pairing. Even wadcutters was not doable beyond about 4 or 5 cylinders full.

I have owned a plethora of the little Js over the years. Each 4 to 5 makes a difference. I think the sweet spot is in the 14-15oz guns. For the micro light .22, .22 WMR or .32 please thank you.

Really wish Smith would do some super light .32 Bodyguards with U notch rear and Pinned front sight, oh and no stupid lock!

[KevH]

Really wish Smith would do some super light .32 Bodyguards with U notch rear and Pinned front sight, oh and no stupid lock!

I would buy one the day it was released.

I basically want a steel cylinder 43C in 32 H&R around the $500 price point.

I'm not sure what the hell they're thinking NOT offering that configuration.

[TheNewbie]

I had a no-lock 342PD that I just sold for $800 almost NIB.

I say almost NIB because it looks like the guy I bought it from put a cylinder through it. I put a cylinder of wadcutters through it and a cylinder of WWB 130gr.

I'm not a recoil sensitive guy, but that was enough to convince me the gun wasn't going to work out for me. When it comes to revolvers, there truly is such a thing as too light.

I'll stick to 442/642's as my lowest threshold in 38 Spcl.


Even wadcutters were unpleasent?

I shot some WWB 130 gr through my 637 the other day. Not horrible but not fun.

[KevH]

Even wadcutters were unpleasent?

I shot some WWB 130 gr through my 637 the other day. Not horrible but not fun.

The 637 is an Airweight and has a steel cylinder like the 442/642. My standard carry load in those guns for years has been the Speeer Gold Dot 135gr +P. Not pleasant, but tolerable to shoot. Winchester wadcutters aren't bad at all in those guns.

The 342PD has a titanium cylinder and is about 4 oz lighter than the 442 making the whole gun weight less than 11 oz. It is feathery light. 4oz doesn't sound like a big deal, but the difference in recoil between the steel cylinder and titanium cylinder is substantial.

Honestly, as nice a gun as it is to carry, I found it so unpleasant I knew I would never shoot it and don't want to rely on something I don't practice with. I held onto it for awhile because of its novelty and the hope I might change my mind, but ultimately down the river it went.

[JodyH]

My 340PD weighs 12oz. empty (with VZ 320 grips).
I don't find it to recoil much at all with either Fiocchi or S&B 148 wadcutters, I can go through 100-150 in an hour or so. The only real limitation is my ammo budget.
In fact I find that the 340PD with wadcutters to be an easier range session than the equivalent number of 115gr. FMJ 9mm's out of a PM9 or Glock 43.
Step up to 130gr. +P HST's and the recoil is only slightly more than +P 124gr. out of a PM9.

I know recoil perception varies from person to person, but I've always thought that the Sc/Ti J's had an underserved reputation in .38 Special, especially target wadcutters or even 130 FMJ.
I agree that some heavy bullet +P's get brisk and in .357 they can get downright brutal, but in general they do just fine at the range with 148 wadcutters.