Comments about S&W 342?

[Kestrel]

I found a used S&W 342 AirLite. (No key-lock) Are these any good? Are they durable? Do they hold up?

What's aluminum and what's titanium on them?

Are there any problems with them?

(It was $500, which I thought was pretty high. This same gunshop is trying to sell an unfired CAR-15 SP1, with NO MAGS, NO MANUAL, NO CLEANING KIT ... for $2100 !!!

They also had an original Series 70 Government Model, which the owner claimed was unfired (in the cardboard box) for $1000. It looked fired, the front sight was tilted forward and THE BARREL WAS THROATED and the mag would not pop out. I then later heard the owner talking to another employee there, that it had been fired some. Good grief.

Anyway, any info on the 342 would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve

 

[gggman]

It's a great pocket gun, or ankle holster gun. Very light weight. I have a 342PD, which is the same gun, only in black and it has rubber grips instead of wood. It conceals very easily, and it's so light you barely know it's there. Recoil with +P ammo is punishing. It's a good gun to, as they say, carry a lot and shoot little. $500 is a little steep for a used one. I'd offer $450. I paid $550 for my 342PD brand new when S&W first came out with that model in 2000.
The frame is aluminum, and the barrell is stainless steel inside an aluminum sleeve. The cylinder is titanium.

 

[DDGator]

Good gun. I like mine a lot. Paid about $425 slightly used. My primary carry gun -- usually in my front pocket.

The only drawback to this gun is that you are limited to jacketed ammo only -- so no LSWHP loads. I don't find +P recoil to be unmangeable at all.

I understand S&W has recently discontinued this model...


Duane
[email protected]
www.KDHolsters.com

 

[gggman]

You are limited to jacketed ammo in +P, but I shoot lead bullets of non +P variety in mine, and I have no problem. Apparently, a non jacketed bullet in +P doesn't have a tight enough crimp to hold the bullet in the shell casing under recoil, and the bullet can prevent the cylinder from turning. I have fired many LSWC bullets with reg. .38spl charges, and have never experienced a problem.
Shooting +P ammo, I find that after 10 or 15 rounds, the fleshy area between my thumb and index finger really hurts, and my index finger gets pounded by the trigger guard from the gun twisting in my hand. If you have strong hands, you may not agree about the punishing recoil.