A late Christmas present to me!

gunneyrabbit · Post by **gunneyrabbit** » January 3rd, 2008, 2:14 am

I just scored a Smith&Wesson 340PD Scandium revolver at the GunBroker auction site. I have been looking for one for Spring and possibly Summer carry. It looks a little beat up from being carried by the fellows wife in her purse but according to him it has been shot very little.
I'll post a picture as soon as it arrives and I get it cleaned up. Gunney Rabbit. ;D

Post by **papabear** » January 3rd, 2008, 10:48 am

gunney,

Isn't the Smith&Wesson 340PD Scandium a lightweight snubbie in .357? I don't know, but wouldn't that be a hard shooting handgun? I know my S&W model 13-3 with the 3" HD bbl is not to bad to shoot with .357 125gr hollow points I'm just guessing here, I guess with a lighter .357 or even a .38 it might not be to bad, let us know how it handles when you can.

papabear

himmel · Post by **himmel** » January 3rd, 2008, 2:22 pm

That's a question I always have about the lightweight alloys in big calibers --no more than I shoot, I expect I'm probably overly sensitive to recoil, but it seems that a lightweight .357 would pack quite a punch at both ends...

gunneyrabbit · Post by **gunneyrabbit** » January 3rd, 2008, 10:03 pm

Don't worry, I did my homework before I made the investment. A buddy of mine has one that I put through its paces one afternoon, it is very comfortable to shoot with Lawman range loads for practice and I put twenty rounds of MagSafe .357 through it without a hitch. Here is the part you've been waiting for, standard .357 loads just about twist your arm off, both wrist and elbow pained me for a week after eight rounds. Recoil was sharp and immediately evident but it was the twisting that I wasn't ready for. It took lots of Ibuprofen 800's and no shooting for two weeks to get rid of the pain and swelling. The upside is that the thing is so light you almost aren't aware you are carrying it and that is worth it's weight in gold to me. What I'm really hoping for is a waist band holster that will allow me to do a comfortable Summer carry so I don't have to depend on my Kel-Tel P32 for protection. I will more than likely load it with .38+P or MagSafe ammo for carry use.
Wish me luck,
G.R.

dolang1 · Post by **dolang1** » January 3rd, 2008, 10:15 pm

GR, I'm envious. You are going to love it. I don't have one but I carry an ultralite Taurus 38 in a hip grip. My theory is, you carry more than you shoot so be comfortable. You'll have plenty of knockdown power and you probably won't feel the kick if you actually have to use it. Later Don

barnett3006 · Post by **barnett3006** » January 4th, 2008, 1:22 am

Here is the part you've been waiting for, standard .357 loads just about twist your arm off, both wrist and elbow pained me for a week after eight rounds. Recoil was sharp and immediately evident but it was the twisting that I wasn't ready for.

So I guess these http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalo ... cts_id=152 and these http://www.buffalobore.com/ammunition/default.htm#357 are going to be out of the question then.

Seriously though, awesome buy Gunney. Post some pix when you get your new gun in.

gunneyrabbit · Post by **gunneyrabbit** » January 12th, 2008, 8:50 pm

OK, I picked it up this afternoon and it is exactly what the fellow advertised. No scoring or powder residue on the cylinder faces or at the forcing cone. Lots of purse stuff on the gun. Bubble or some sort of gum on the barrel, ink pen on the red sight insert. Lint and god only knows what ever else and there is a lot of ware on the sharp corners exposing the Scandium beneath. The titanium cylinder is slightly discolored from who knows what? It's going to get a good cleaning then a proper lube and be put into service to night. This thing is so light it feels and looks like a toy.
HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY! ;D
Gunney Rabbit

manicmechanic · Post by **manicmechanic** » January 12th, 2008, 9:28 pm

Nice palm pounder ya found there G R. I shot my buddies that has at least the stainless cylinder for a little bit of weight. I think his was 12 or 13 oz. Very accurate, but wow, never had a gun feel like someone was hitting me with a hammer.

Even when I shot his 500 magnum, 4 in. bbl. at least that was enjoyable. But I'm sure you know that it isn't a range gun, just for an occasional 15 or 20 shots, then back to carry mode.

gunneyrabbit · Post by **gunneyrabbit** » January 13th, 2008, 10:53 pm

barnett3006,
You can be sure that the pistol will never see anything like those heavy .357 loads with me behind the trigger, I leave the hot rod stuff to the younger and braver folks who seem to get a boost of ego and a shot of Adrenalin while they try to impress the fairer sex with their unbridled machismo.
I'm getting to old to try to prove myself invincible, I always take the road most traveled, no ruts, hills or valleys to deal with.
I did how ever pick up a twenty round a box of Speer 125gr. 38sp. +P jhp's for carry and a box of Winchester range ammo for shooting tomorrow afternoon. I'll leave a range report tomorrow afternoon.
G.R..

barnett3006 · Post by **barnett3006** » January 13th, 2008, 11:52 pm

Gunney,

That Speer 38sp+p is great stuff. Personally I like the old FBI 38sp loads, 158gr lead +p...gets the job done.

gunneyrabbit · Post by **gunneyrabbit** » January 14th, 2008, 10:03 pm

barnett3006,
Shot the pistol today with 130gr. Winchester .38sp FMJ and ten rounds of Speer 125gr. +P JHP's. I fired half of the ammunition with wood round grips installed and the other half with the original rubber grips installed and guess what, the wood grips were much more comfortable to shoot than the rubber. Once I saw what was happening it made complete sense. The rubber grips held the gun tightly enough in place that the your index finger acts like a fulcrum causing the grip to ride up and back with transfer of felt recoil to the web and thumb of the shooting hand.
The wood grips allowed the pistol rotate around the index finger with reduced felt recoil. I have read in the past that banana grips hugely reduce felt recoil and think I will invest in a set to see how they work. The pistol is accurate but the double action trigger, no hammer to cock, is stiff at this point and needs more range time or a trip to the my local smith for a trigger job. My groups were about eight inches at the full length of the range at fifty-five feet, about half that at twenty to twenty-five feet. The shots hit low and to the left of my point of aim. I also noticed that the groups were larger with the wood grips, I believe this to be simply a smaller slippery area to hold onto as opposed to the larger rubber grip. Knowing what I now know I think I will give a light .357 load a try to see how it goes.
I will leave more info next week. By the way you can carry this pistol all day long and not be bothered by the weight, the fellow who sold it to me said it weighs 10.8 oz's on his postal scale with wood grips and S&W advertises 120z. with the rubber grips..
G.R.

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