Smith Wesson Model 940-3 9mm Carry – Superb Stainless Revolver

Description

The Smith Wesson Model 940-3 9mm Carry is the carry-focused version of Smith and Wesson 9mm J-frame, built with no internal lock, a Hogue OverMolded Bantam grip and a dovetailed rear sight to go with the XS tritium front.

Smith Wesson Model 940-3 9mm Carry What the 940-3 Changes

The 940-3 Carry takes the stainless 9mm J-frame and reworks the details that matter to someone who carries daily. There is no internal lock in the sideplate, which removes a part that some carriers would rather not have on a defensive gun at all.

The rear sight is dovetailed rather than milled into the frame, which means it can be drifted for windage. Combined with the XS tritium front night sight, this is a small revolver you can actually zero rather than one you simply accept.

Grips are Hogue OverMolded Bantam rubber. They are shorter than a full grip for concealment and softer than hard synthetic, which takes the edge off 9mm recoil in a gun this size.

Moon Clips and the 9mm Advantage

9mm is a rimless cartridge, so a revolver chambered for it needs full moon clips to give the extractor something to grip. The revolver ships with three of them. The upside is fast reloads, because five rounds go in and come out as a single unit rather than one at a time.

Treat moon clips as consumable parts. A bent clip can bind the cylinder, and straightening one rarely works properly. Keep spares, store loaded clips flat, and replace any that get dropped hard.

In exchange you get a cartridge that is cheaper and easier to find than 38 Special, that runs at higher pressure so it performs better out of a 2.17 inch barrel, and that you probably already stock for a semi-automatic.

Carrying a Small Revolver Well

A J-frame rewards a good holster more than almost any other handgun. The cylinder is the widest part of the gun, so a holster that collapses around the barrel and lets the cylinder ride away from the body will print more than a larger pistol would. A pocket holster that breaks up the outline is the usual answer for front pocket carry.

Practice reloading before you need to. Five rounds go quickly, and a moon clip reload is fast only if your hands know the motion. Dumping the empty clip requires a firm push on the ejector rod, and seating a fresh one takes a deliberate press rather than a drop.

Finally, shoot the load you carry. Defensive 9mm is loaded across a wide range of pressures and bullet weights, and a short-barrel revolver will show more difference between loads than a service pistol will, both in point of impact and in felt recoil.

Specifications

• Manufacturer part number: 14295
• Caliber: 9mm Luger
• Capacity: 5 rounds, full moon clips required
• Barrel: 2.17 in. stainless steel
• Cylinder: stainless steel, fluted, cut for full moon clips
• Frame: stainless steel, no internal lock
• Action: double action only, concealed hammer
• Sights: XS Sights tritium front night sight, dovetailed u-notch rear
• Grips: Hogue OverMolded rubber Bantam
• Height: 4.38 in.
• Width: 1.31 in.
• Weight: 23 oz
• Included: three full moon clips
• Warranty: Smith and Wesson Limited Lifetime Service Policy
• UPC: 022188901337

Why Buyers Choose the Smith Wesson Model 940-3 9mm Carry

A dovetailed rear sight on a snub revolver is unusual and genuinely useful. Most small revolvers are zeroed at the factory and cannot be adjusted, which leaves you compensating for a gun that shoots left or right.

No internal lock is a real selling point for a portion of the carry market, and Smith and Wesson only offers it on selected models.

The all-stainless build handles sweat, humidity and daily contact with the body better than blued steel or an alloy frame with a painted finish.

Sharing 9mm with your pistol means one cartridge, one price, and one set of ballistics to learn instead of two.

Who Should Buy It

The Smith Wesson Model 940-3 9mm Carry suits daily concealed carriers who want revolver simplicity with 9mm economy, shooters who specifically want a no-lock Smith and Wesson, and anyone who has struggled to zero a fixed-sight snub. At 23 ounces it is heavier than an airweight, which is a fair trade for far more comfortable shooting.

Learn more from Smith and Wesson, or browse the rest of our firearms selection.

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