S&W 940 prices

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wildboarZ

New member
I'm hardly finding any 9mm revolvers on the auctions and can't find the S&W 940 listed at all.

I found one at a dealer - unfired without box or manual and they are asking $395. Given the current market and unavailability, is that a fair price? I also saw someone in another post say something about bare guns without cases or manuals being police returns... what exactly is that?
 
Uh, you are aware that Smith and Wesson entered into TWO agreements with the Soviet crowd and cares nothing about the Second Amendment.

I've been tempted to break the boycott a few times, most recently by the new re-issue of the '17, but haven't "jumped" yet. That said, I'd still take a used (pre-agreement) Smith any day of the week. Police trade-ins are a great deal.

Callahan
 
Uh, you are aware that Smith and Wesson entered into TWO agreements with the Soviet crowd and cares nothing about the Second Amendment.
Click to expand...

What does this have to do with the price of a S&W made ~4 years ago?
 
Right you are wildboar, S&W got their money on those guns years ago. Now for the price. IMHO and NIB J-Frame is not worth $395, at least in my area. Bachman in Dallas has them for under $350, BUT you won't find a 940. I have a police turn-in 940, 5 of us bought them from K-Y Imports for about $250 each. A used J-frame is not worth more than $300, less if blue, worn, or no box. I would keep my eyes open at gun shows for used ones. I do see them at gun shows for around $275, they are not very popular. If they were S&W would still be making them.
 
You're right, Jeff, they sure didn't sell well when they were available. OTOH, there sure seems to be a lot of interest in these boards in 9x19 revos lately. And folks seem to jump on the ones that turn up pretty fast. I suspect that if S&W were to bring it back, there'd be a pretty decent market for the 940. While it's on the heavy side and holds regrettably few rounds, I think it offers the best combination of size, reliability and cartridge of any pocket pistol.

In fact, the 940 is the first gun that I've liked enough that I would buy a second one on sight, just to have it. wildboarZ, I bet you could do a search in this forum and find out what I paid for mine about 6 months ago - I think it was in the $250-260 range. It had been used, and it had had some work done on the internals (it had been the utility gun of a gun store owner - it has a smooth trigger pull, not especially light). I've de-edged and polished up the trigger face, and now it doesn't put a blister on my trigger finger after 100 rounds.

wildboarZ, I think I'd pass on the $395 price. I agree with Jeff's general assessment that a used j-frame is not worth >$300 (although sometimes it's worth paying a little more for an uncommon model that you've been looking for), but when I run across another one in that ballpark, it's coming home with me. Good luck, and let us know if you find one!
 
Hmmmm, used J-frames here are higher

priced than what Jeff has seen. Stainless .38s are from low-mid $300s, and .357s from mid-high $300s. The way he describes the gun, it appears to be little-used, if at all. The gun has developed a bit of a cult interest the last couple of years, and perhaps that dealer is aware of it. Go in with the green and ask him what his best price is for you to take it home "today".:D
 
I've seen supposedly new 940s offered for around $400 (with box/papers), but they don't seem to sell here (New England), and as someone pointed out that revolver was sold to the dealer quite a few years ago! They are scarce here used, but last I saw one (probably almost a year now!) a like-new one was around $225. I also think the "cult" comments are probably on target, but the seller in question is overestimating its value IMO.
 
There is a big advantage to the 9mm over the .38. In fact the 9mm beats almost every .357mag version of the J-frame from the 2" barrel. The .38 and .357 need long barrels to burn all the powder that the cases hold to achieve their full potential, as a result they need long barrels to be as effective as the 9mm in short barrels.
 
NIB 940

Last week I almost picked up a NIB 940 2" from CA, but a 5 screw K32 caught my paycheck before I could buy it. If anyone is interested in picking one up I can forward you the individual's name and info. He was asking $335 shipped.

Also, I know where a PC 940 revolver in .356 TSW is for sale for $475.

Larkworthy
 
Jeff,
Do you have chrono data on the 940? The 125 Speer GD factory .357 ammo chronographs at 1185 fps from my 640 and 1253 fps from my M 60 3inch.
I suspect that the 9 MM out of the 940 would show similar velocities with similar weight bullets, but I haven't seen any data.
Jerry
 
Jerry, we ran the chrono tests around 1996. For a short .357 we used a 3" mod 65. I don't know where the data sheets are since once I saw the results I was sold on the 9mm, especially considering what it would be like to shoot a 125gr Federal from a 2" 640. The fast 9mm was the 115gr Corbon right at 1200 fps. The only .357's to beat it were the 110gr and 125gr loads, they didn't win by much (50-100fps) and they were shot from a 3" gun.
 
Jeff,
Thanks, I suspected as much. I know in my G 26 the 115 gr Cor Bon goes 1277 fps and the Rem 115 gr +P 1211 fps. I haven't chronographed any 124 gr ammunition.
The 9x19 is an excellent cartridge considering its size. Obviously it operates at a relatively high pressure, but it still does a lot in such a small case.
The .357 needs longer barrels to reach its potential.
Jerry
 
The issue with the 940s is their reputation of being finicky on the ammo, numerous ejection problems, and heavy recoil. Too bad because their performance in ballistics is great.


But I've talked to several former 940 owners who tended to swap them away because of the recoil for +P 9mm rounds and the difficult ejection issue.

I nice gun for Smith collectors who reload BUT it is a snub nose so accuracy past 15 yards will be tough. But the gun was designed for close in shooting.

In 9mm, you'd be better off buying a Ruger SP101 in 9mm which is still made every two years or so. I called and Ruger directly stated they still run production batches for the 9mm revolvers.
 
I have thought that if I had one I wouldn't use a 940 much because of the clips required. It would seem a real pain to go to the range and fire 200 rounds and have to reload the clips. I haven't used clips, but I have the impression that they are difficult to remove the fired cases from.

As for recoil, it is the law of physics that an equal velocity with an equal weight of bullet will give the same approximate recoil. I say approximate because the .357 heavy loads use more powder and that extra powder weight results in some additional recoil.

I suppose that such are the reasons that the 940 never was very popular. However, when something is hard to get it makes you want one.

I didn't know that Ruger made a 9 MM in the SP 101.

Jerry
 
JTDuncan -- as a personal matter, I don't think the recoil is that stiff (although lots of people seem to disagree). I don't think it's worse than +P in an Airweight, for example. And, I have not found 940s to be picky at all about what it digests.

However, I do think the clips are a bit of a pain, especially for non-uniform carry or any situation where you may need to reload the clips themselves as opposed to just grabbing another already-loaded clip.

Does the Ruger have a better ejection system? I've never owned a 547 (is that the right # for the other S&W 9x19 revolver?), but comments from users seem to indicate that it isn't perfect, either. (?)

I think the comment about people wanting what they can't get is right on target!
 
940/sp101

the ruger and the smith 940 take the same clips...........i shoot one and find the recoil similar to 38+p
 
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