Wheelgun Wednesday: The New Smith & Wesson Model 940-3 9mm Revolver

Last year, you might have noticed that Smith & Wesson brought back the Model 940 to be sold exclusively through the distributor Davidson’s. They’ve recently announced a slightly different version of this wheelgun, the Model 940-3, and it appears to be available through Smith & Wesson’s standard catalog instead of being sold as a distributor exclusive.

Self-defense revolvers @ TFB:

• Concealed Carry Corner: Benefits of a Snub Nose Revolver
• Fudd Friday: Does Fitz Equal Fudd?
• The Chiappa Rhino 30DS X in Stainless Steel .357 Magnum
• Wheelgun Wednesday: Smith & Wesson Model 640 Engraved Review

The basic details

If you remember our coverage of the Model 940’s reintroduction last summer, well, you’re getting more of the same here. It’s a J-frame platform (with no Hillary hole!) that uses moon clips to allow usage of 9x19mm ammunition—without the moon clips, rimless 9x19mm cartridges are more tricky to manage in a revolver, and since the moon clips also allow for a quicker reload, they aren’t generally considered an annoyance. Still, this is a very rare chambering in a revolver, for multiple reasons, but the ubiquity (and low cost) of 9x19mm makes it desirable to many shooters.

When we first told you about the Davidson’s version, here’s what Daniel said:

“The Model 940 was previously in the S&W revolver lineup, but it was discontinued some years ago. This new iteration has several upgrades over the original. VZ Grips come standard, as well as XS Sights with an improved picture and a tritium night sight in the front blade. The barrel also includes some lightening flutes. Thankfully, like other older Smith & Wesson revolvers, the new 940 does not have the dreaded internal lock mechanism.

“This is a fully stainless steel gun with a 2.17-inch barrel. It weighs in at 23.5 ounces. The hammer is fully internal, and this is a double-action-only revolver. Because the 9mm cartridge is rimless it requires the use of moon clips. Those clips retain the cartridges while they are inserted and ejected from the cylinder as a single unit. Three clips come with the gun.”

Smith & Wesson Model 940-3 history

The Model 940-3 might be new, but it has a long and respectable history. The original Model 940 was produced from 1991 through 1998, and was chambered in 9×19mm as well as 9×19mmR, aka 9mm Federal (originally developed for the Charter Arms Pit Bull). This cartridge was similar to the .45 Auto Rim load developed after World War I, in that it took a service pistol round and added a rim so that it would be easier to use it in a revolver. The nine-millimeter take on this idea was not as long-lasting as the original .45 Auto Rim.

But the Model 940-3 has a history that really goes back all the way to 1952, when Smith & Wesson introduced the Centennial Model 40 to celebrate 100 years in the gun-making business. The Centennial Model 40 was basically the same revolver as the Model 940, with a J-frame design that had a concealed hammer for double-action-only fire. The original Centennial Model 40 came chambered in a wide range of cartridges, including rimfire loads like .22LR and .22 Magnum, as well as self-defense specialties like .32 H&R Magnum, .38 Special +P, .357 Magnum and .356 TSW. The Centennial Model 40 was also the parent design of the Airweight Centennial (which became the Model 42), with an aluminum frame instead of steel. The Model 640, Model 442, Model 042, Model 340 and Model 342 were also all built on this same basic design, with some versions coming with specialized lightweight components to make them more carry-friendly.

Carrying capacity

Because the Model 940-3 is based on a long-produced Smith & Wesson design, and because this revolver has the same dimensions as the version made in the 1990s, holsters aren’t hard to find. Inside-the-waistband holsters, outside-the-waistband holsters, ankle holsters and more are all readily available.