[HJHMD]

Mr. Ayoob,
I own a S&W M&P 340CT. It is my EDC. I truly enjoy how easy it is to carry this
gun, but I absolutely HATE shooting it. I have significant arthritis in the base of my thumb and this gun really hurts to shoot even with .38 spl rounds. I wouldn't even think of shooting magnum loads. I believe it is important to train with the gun that you carry so I will shoot it at the range at SD distances. I wear a well padded weight lifting glove and still find it very painful, which of course limits the amount of rounds that I can practice with. I also own a S&W
36 which I have added Pachmyr grips to and find this snubbie quite manageable to shoot. The problem is the 36 has awful sights which can't be upgraded. The
S&W 340 has XS tritium sights which are very nice. So, after all that background, here is my question : S&W has a model called the 640 Pro which is stainless and has tritium sights front and rear. I looked it over at the gun shop and it was impressive to me ( a novice ) . Would it be reasonable to use the 640 Pro as a training tool to develop snubbie proficiency and expect that those skills would transfer over to the 340 if I ever had to use it in a defensive situation ? Oops, one other question, any IWB holsters for the Glock 26 stand out ?
Thank you so much for your advice.
Jim

 

[Mas Ayoob]

If the CT in your 340 CT stands for Crimson Trace, the same LaserGrips will fit any other J-frame round butt you buy, and will serve you well as an auxiliary sighting device and, in many circumstances, a primary one. Front and back night sights on the 640 Pro will certainly be easy to see, but your abilities to aim with it won't translate well to ordinary, much smaller iron sights.

A gun you can't comfortably train with is a gun with which you won't develop the maximum possible confidence, and confidence is a significant part of competence, particularly under stress.

A middle ground would be the J-frame I personally use more than any other of its kind, the 340 M&P. Almost half again heavier than your super-light 340, it's about the same heft as an aluminum frame Airweight (14-15 ounce range unloaded), and still very comfortable to carry, but DISTINCTLY more comfortable to shoot. I load it with +P 135 grain .38 Gold Dots instead of .357Mag, and have it fitted with LG-405 LaserGrips. This provide soft cushioning to the web of the hand but don't extend below the bottom of the grip-frame, giving the best of the two worlds of concealment and recoil control. The result is a gun I'm OK to shoot a 50-round qualification with, instead of hurting from it. The M&P also has a great sighting system: XS big dot tritium up front, PLUS a big, square rear sight that allows a post in notch sight picture. In close, you have the speed of the Big Dot; at 25 yards, you have accuracy enough for head shots if you do your part.

For your other question: there are lots of good IWB holsters for the baby Glock. I'm partial to the ARG I designed for Mitch Rosen, and the LFI Concealment Rig I designed for Ted Blocker, both still available. Of course, I designed them for ME, so naturally I'm happy with them; YMMV.

Wishing you the best of luck,
Mas

 

[HJHMD]

Mr. Ayoob,
I don't think I explained my situation well.
I think we have the same gun, the S&W 340 M&P. Mine has the crimson trace laser grips from the factory, hence the CT in its name. This is the gun :

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...57783_757781_757781_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

Unfortunately, I am not able to shot this gun for more than a few rounds because of the pain in the base of my thumb despite the fact that it has the CT grips on it. The base joint of my right thumb is subluxed ( partial dislocation ) from arthritis. I am able to shoot the old 36 with the new pachmyr grips without this pain, but as you know the sights are terrible and crimson trace does not make a laser grip for this gun ( its the square vs. round butt problem ) and the sights can not be changed. My 340 M&P has great sights, XS big dot front and u notch in back. I was hoping that practice with the S&W 640 Pro might be useful because it has somewhat similar sights as the 340 M&P. This is a link to the 640 Pro :http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...57895_757775_757751_ProductDisplayErrorView_Y

The 640 Pro has a single tritium sight in the front and two tritium sights in the rear which I was hoping was similar enough to the 340 M&P sights that training with the 640 Pro would help with the 340M&P. And also, the fact that it was a heavier j frame like my 36, I was hoping that it would be easier to shoot without pain. Sorry for the long winded question. I have been on the search for the "ideal carry gun " for almost a year. Wow, what a process, everything is a compromise ! BTW, I am a HUGE fan of yours and have devoured several of your books. Thank you so much for your help.

Jim

 

[Mas Ayoob]

Jim, thanks for the clarification. When you said "340" I assumed the original model, which was down around 11 ounces and is something close to a torture device for recoil. The 640, an all-steel 23 ounces unloaded, is more than twice its weight. It will certainly be more pleasant to shoot, but less comfortable to carry.

You certainly nailed the "it's a compromise" part! :supergrin: You didn't mention where you carry it. If you carry in pocket or ankle holster you'll definitely notice the extra weight of the 640. But if you carry on the belt or inside the waistband, the weight difference will be noticeably less.

Given your arthritis, you obviously want a gun you're comfortable shooting; with belt carry or even shoulder carry, the 640 should be fine. Let me know where you're carrying it, and if I can be of any further assistance.

best wishes,
Mas

 

[HJHMD]

Mr. Ayoob,
Thank you so very much for your time and advice. I pocket carry. Living in Florida, as you do, it is just a comfortable way to carry in hot, muggy weather.
What I would like to do is practice with the 640 and pocket carry the 340. Is that a reasonable compromise ?

Jim

 

[Mas Ayoob]

Jim, as you know, the only significant difference will be the recoil. If you practice enough with the lighter gun to be CERTAIN that it won't twist in your grasp in recoil and you can hit with it at speed, it sounds as if you've found an acceptable compromise.

best,
Mas

 

[HJHMD]

Mr. Ayoob,
I will do just as you advise !
Thank you, thank you, thank you !

Jim