Smith & Wesson Model 940

[bigjohnson]

The gunshop where I work part-time just took in an S&W 940 9mm J-frame revolver today. The gun is in excellent shape... I'd rate it at about 98%. I'm seriously thinking of buying it, altho I need another revolver like I need a hole in the head.
From what I can gather, you can shoot it without the "full moon" clips, but you'd need a dowel to push the fired cases out of the chambers. That doesn't bother me. If I can't do it with 5 rounds of 9mm Silvertips, I probably can't do it at all. The only real thing that might be a stumbling block is the weight. I'm carrying an S&W Model 637 now, and it only weighs 18 ounces fully loaded. With the all-steel Model 940, I guess it would probably weigh in at about 30 ounces loaded.
Anyone out there ever own or shoot one of these things?

 

[Brian Williams]

I had one and it was a great gun, I sold mine to fund the process of changing a 642 into a 942. While they are a great gun some of them have a problem with ejecting fired rounds due to some problem with the cylinders. I did not have any problem with my 940 or my cylinder that I had fitted to my 642.

 

[Moonclip]

I have one, no problems really. If the price is right, buy it.

 

[tackleberi]

Sold mine like a doofus; been looking for a replacement ever since.

I won't pay the premium that they're asking on the auction sites nowadays; my local shop has never asked more than $349 when they've had them in stock/used.

Last one I saw was over 18 mos. ago, however.

 

[cherryriver]

I traded into a 940 a few years ago mostly looking for the use of 9mm ammunition.
Then, when I got it I realized that it unloaded quickly and neatly, very handy for those who need to cross state lines with radically different carry laws.
But mine was afflicted with the difficult extraction curse and shooting it more than a few cylinderfuls was a nuisance.
I looked to sell it but knew that it also had a torque-ringed barrel, a flaw the seller hadn't mentioned. The barrel had been overtightened during installation and there was a detectable bright ring inside the bore right at the frame front.
It shot fine in terms of accuracy, so I just hung onto to it until I happened to call Smith & Wesson service one day. The rep just sent me a UPS shipping label and said to send it in.
Eleven days later and at no cost to me at all, the gun arrived at my front door, sporting a new cylinder, a new barrel, a nice, modest polish job, and I beleive an action tune as well. It certainly has the nicest J action I've owned, and that included an excellent old 640 that was worked on.
The gun now has no extraction issues at all; I routinely put a hundred through it every time it goes to the range.
It's quite accurate and I can even hit well with it, now. I'd like to have that Bowen hi-visibility sight system, and maybe someday I will.
It went from being one of the worst guns in my safe to an excellent piece indeed, and one I would never want to part with.
While the moonclips don't really add as much as one would hope for when using Gold Dots or other flat-nose bullets, as the rounds flop around a bit on the way in, the unloading thing is a big help.
If you splurge and get a good supply of clips, say, twenty, you can do full hundred-round session without demooning, so it's actually pretty sweet.
I'd grab the next one I saw, if I could, and if I had to send it in to get it right, so be it.
Bill

 

[Murdock]

Do it!

Picked up in a trade two years ago, my 940 has become my favorite J-frame of the three I own. The Model 60 is prettier, because of its stag grips, but the 940 is both quick and comfortable in the hand.

Owning three .45 ACP revolvers, I see the moon clips as much more convenient than either speedloaders or speed strips. You won't be sorry.

 

[smee781]

I love mine and it is my daily carry, would not think of getting rid of it!

 

[Mountie855]

940

Buy it if price is ok! Have 2- one bought as LE T&E sample when they first hit the market. Been looking ever since for another for my wife, and finally bought one off THR for $650! Yeah, I know...pricey...BUT in mint shape, and hard to find.

With lasergrips, off a rest, at 12 yds both will cut one ragged hole with several varieties of ammo when I can hold that well. Great thing about 9mm is you don't lose much velocity from 2" bbl. Almost as much punch as my
640's in 357 without the noise, flash or recoil.

One caveat- hot ammo can extrude primers into the firing pin hole and tie the cylinder up tight! I made the mistake of trying some Hirtenberger L7A1 smg stuff, and won't make that mistake again! Bought a case of the L7A1 by mistake- 1200 rds! Goin' on GB!!

 

[NG VI]

Is the Hirtenberger too hot for CZ?


I've been interested in these revolvers for a bit, just saw the $650 on Gunbroker and that seems a little higher than I am willing to pay, but I do have an opening in my little collection for a J frame, I think I will start putting 25-30 bucks away each check in case I stumble on one of these.

 

[Mountie855]

Hirtenberger

NG VI-


"Chrony reading out of he PC-9 was 1520, and out of the pistol 1340fps. That's hot for a 124gr"

Above was copied from a GB listing- I was checking to see what that stuff was selling for.

http://www.thehighroad.org/archive/index.php/t-90897.html has more comments...

A search on Google showed a number of links to discussions on this ammo, and pretty much it is agreed that it should be used in open-bolt subguns.

I can tell you it seemed HOT in my 940...for one round, until the primer locked the cylinder up!

 

[bigjohnson]

Mountie855.....

What do you want for the Hirtenberger ammo? I have a Smith & Wesson Model 76 that eats that stuff for breakfast.

 

[Mountie855]

Hirtenberger

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