Estimated studying time: 11 minutes
Smith & Wesson introduced the 940 again and gave it actual sights and actual grips. We shot it throughout hundreds and distances to see if this 9mm snub can outpace your pocket semi.
🛒 Test Present Worth for S&W 940 on GunsAmerica
Meet the New S&W 940 9mm: Snubbie Reborn
The Smith & Wesson 940 is one revolver that has come full circle. Initially launched in 1991, when the revolver market lagged as regulation enforcement towards semi-automatic pistols in 9mm. Historically, the Mannequin 40 was in .38 Particular, however the 940 was a modest facelift, because it chambered the 9mm pistol cartridge and used moon clips for fast, handy reloading. However as dated because the .38 was getting, it held market sway, and the 9mm Luger cartridge fell behind the .40 S&W in regulation enforcement work. In 1998, the 940 was discontinued. Now in 2025, the 9mm Luger has returned to change into commonplace, and revolvers are experiencing a rebound. Fittingly, Smith & Wesson, with enter from Davidson’s, has re-released an upgraded model of the S&W 940. Right here is the thin:
Smith & Wesson has been rereleasing previous designs over the previous few years. The 940, at its coronary heart, continues to be a stainless-steel five-shot 9mm Centennial mannequin. However the grips and sights, these nice criticisms inherent to snubbie revolvers, have been addressed for a extra shootable bundle.
The unique 940 was constructed on the old-style J-frame and featured fastened gutter sights and {a partially} shrouded ejector rod. Consider it as a hammerless all-steel .38 however in 9mm. By way of footprint, the 940 now obtainable is identical as a brand new 640 chambered in .357 Magnum. It’s constructed on the Magnum J body, which has an extended cylinder and cylinder window.
The grips are likewise improved with a pair of VZ Black Cherry Diamond shares. The panels depart the spherical butt uncovered however take up the space between the rear of the set off guard and the entrance of the grip body, the place the fingers would usually sit, ill-supported.
Like its predecessor, the brand new 940 is a double-action-only revolver that does away with an uncovered hammer spur. Like all Smith & Wesson handguns, there are not any handbook safeties, and it may be carried absolutely loaded because of an inside hammer block security that forestalls unintentional discharge when dropped. In any occasion, the lengthy double-action set off pull makes that occasion much more inconceivable.
The 940 ships in a Smith & Wesson onerous case and three TK Customized five-round full moon clips.
Vary Check: S&W 940 9mm Snub Nostril
In relation to revolvers, I’m a fan of Smith & Wesson .38 Particular fashions, however I’ve gone down the rabbit gap of 9mm revolvers as of late. I used to be significantly eager on their viability as backup weapons for LEOs that are actually again to carrying 9mm responsibility pistols. I used to be a bit shocked that the J-frame lineup from Smith didn’t have a 9mm and settled on a Ruger LCR in that caliber. Lo and behold, a month later, the 940 is again, and I needed to have one. Whereas my run with the 940 was not a clear sweep, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
Moon Clips Make This 9mm Fly
The Smith & Wesson 940 is a moon-clip-fed revolver that makes use of brief, stout, and really obtainable 9mm Luger ammunition. For the reason that 9mm spherical has no uncovered rim, it depends on the moon clip for the ejector of the revolver to knock the clip and the empty circumstances out of the cylinder.
Loading up the 940 begins with the complete moon clips. These TK Customized are straightforward to load with the edges of the cartridges pushed into the recesses of the clip till you get 5 rounds on it. With the clips loaded, you’re prepared for the vary.
Accuracy: Paper Plate Sincere at Ten Yards
I began my testing of the S&W 940 by getting on prime of the sights with some mundane off-hand accuracy testing. The ammunition used included:
Igman 124 grain FMJ Winchester 115-grain JHP Winchester 147 grain JHP subsonic Federal Punch 124 grain HP Hornady Essential Responsibility 135 grain FTX +P
Small revolvers just like the 940 could be peculiar within the accuracy division in as far as completely different grain weights can visibly change the purpose of affect even at nearer distances. To my shock, accuracy and level of affect have been related, whether or not I shot the revolver utilizing standard-pressure 115-grain rounds or 147-grain subsonics.
I shot a collection of five-shot teams utilizing the obtainable ammunition on paper at ten yards. As soon as loaded, the 940 can solely be fired in double-action mode. The set off is totally common for a J-frame. Out of the field, it was easy however heavy at 8 lbs. 12 oz. on my Lyman set off scale. The XS sights are straightforward to choose up, however that entrance tritium sight is a bit too large for exact goal work. However that isn’t the forte of a snubbie just like the 940. Even so, it turned out to be an excellent effort.
The Winchester 147-grain jacketed hole level load, whose velocity out of this revolver clocked in at 947 toes per second, was extra sedate within the recoil division and produced the most effective accuracy. At ten yards, I may reliably place 5 rounds inside a three-inch circle. The Igman 124-grain goal load did no higher. The worst performer was the Hornady Essential Responsibility spherical. Regardless of the +P designation, it was no hotter than the opposite commonplace stress rounds. However there was extra vertical stringing, and my teams averaged 4 inches. The 940 is just not solely a minute of man, however a minute of paper plate with a constant set off press.
Snubbies just like the 940 are of their ingredient ten yards and in, however it was nonetheless potential to get hits additional out. Out of the 300 rounds I fired by means of the revolver, I spent a good bit of that allotment taking pictures from fifteen out to fifty yards.
The sights on the revolver are vastly improved for fast snap taking pictures at shut vary, however the massive XS tritium entrance sight covers up extra of the obtainable goal because the distances get better. In case you are going for teams on a bullseye, you may be discouraged. However by choosing out an aiming level, it’s not onerous to get concrete hits. I switched from bullseye targets to extra practical FBI Q Targets and aimed heart of mass. Out to 25 yards, I may get 5 for 5 in the popular space. Out to fifty yards, the sights are too large on what is offered, and the most effective I can handle is 2 out of 5.
Ergonomics: Sights, Weight, VZ Grips
The Smith & Wesson 940 will get good marks within the ergonomic division, a minimum of, for a snub-nosed revolver. It comes right down to sights, weight, and grips.
The revolver itself is dense, but compact within the hand, and properly balanced, which enhances a pure pointing alignment of the sights. Totally loaded, the 940 weighs 25.6 ounces. That places this 9mm revolver in the identical camp as all-steel compact .357 Magnums however heavier than the standard .32 or .38 caliber Airweight fashions. The all-steel building does properly to deal with the pressures of 9mm Luger and take in a few of its recoil tangibly. In my expertise utilizing Smith & Wesson and Ruger .357 snubbies, recoil continues to be prohibitive with a steel-framed gun. However the 940 recoils and shoots nearer to a .38 Particular, however with the extra highly effective 9mm spherical in tow. Recoil is mild sufficient to not break the grip after every shot, even with +P hundreds.
A part of that recoil mitigation and shootability is using VZ’s black cherry grips. The grips depart the backstrap uncovered, which leaves a tough ledge in your hand that will be a deal breaker with a .357. However with the 9mm, the backstrap doesn’t wallop your hand, and the shortage of any grip materials right here helps to hide the handgun underneath garments.
The place the fabric really issues is on the sides and entrance. The left facet of the grip is properly relieved to permit for the prepared loading and ejection of moon clips with out hanging up. The entrance strap has a pair of well-placed finger grooves that place the hand for greatest leverage on the revolver to run the set off. The one concern I discovered is that the highest of the primary finger groove was a bit sharp on informal inspection. It proved to be a non-factor on the firing line.
Reliability: With Clips It Simply Runs
Reliability is generally a robust swimsuit of a correctly set-up revolver. However chambering that revolver in 9mm Luger and equipping it with moon clips creates a brand new wrinkle. Like conventional revolver rounds, the 9mm headspaces off the case mouth, however there isn’t a rim to catch the extractor. The moon clips enable for simple and clear ejection. In idea, 9mm could be loaded within the revolver with out the clips and nonetheless be held within the cylinder on the correct peak to fireplace. They only gained’t eject.
When utilizing the three TK Customs moon clips, I had no issues in any respect. No misfires, no dragging elements. Merely nothing in any respect. Issues acquired extra fascinating once I loaded free ammunition with out the moon clip. The rounds don’t sit as proudly within the cylinder, and on the firing line, I may solely fireplace maybe 2-3 cartridges out of a full cylinder. The rounds would fireplace when struck once more, however it was clear that reliability is greatest when utilizing the clips.
Verdict: Is the S&W 940 Value It in 2025?
The brand new 940 from Smith & Wesson is just not a revolver made for everybody. From a hid carry or backup gun perspective, it’s on the heavy facet for a five-shooter and is at its greatest on the belt quite than in a pocket or on the ankle. From a capability perspective, a single-stack 9mm pistol is best. That’s, if you may get these rounds off.
Getting rounds off rapidly is a particular robust swimsuit of the Smith & Wesson 940. Over different 9mm revolver alternate options just like the Ruger LCR, SP101, and Taurus 905, the smaller measurement of the 940 makes it extra handy to hold, whereas the metal body makes it straightforward to shoot. It’s a mixture that isn’t straightforward to tug off, however Smith & Wesson did it as soon as once more with the 940. In case you are on the lookout for a shootable snubbie in a standard caliber, the 940 could also be the most effective of the bunch.
S&W 940 9mm Specs
Professionals & Cons: The Actual Carry Math
Professionals: Actual sights for a snub, controllable recoil for 9mm, quick moon clip reloads, compact J body footprint, good-looking and grippy VZ shares Cons: Heavier than alloy snubs, DAO set off is stout, sight image grows chunky previous 25 yards, greatest reliability requires moon clips.
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Jim Maybrick has been a constant voice within the firearms world for over a decade, writing lots of of articles and producing dozens of movies that span almost each nook of the taking pictures sports activities. With a background in navy and financial historical past, Jim has a expertise for weaving compelling tales round historic firearms designs and the rise and fall of legacy producers.However Jim’s pursuits go far past the previous—he’s simply as comfy diving into muzzleloading traditions as he’s testing the newest rimfire hundreds or mastering cutting-edge fashionable techniques. His considerate, data-driven method brings readability and depth to each evaluation.When he’s not on the vary or deep in a spreadsheet, you’ll discover him having fun with time with household, chasing sport, or refining the misplaced artwork of beginning an ideal campfire.Expertise:– Veteran Author & Content material Creator – Over twelve years of expertise in firearms journalism with lots of of printed items.– Navy & Financial Historian – Tutorial background that fuels in-depth evaluation of historic firearms and trade developments.– Versatile Shooter – Covers a variety of matters from muzzleloaders and rimfire ballistics to in the present day’s most superior platforms.– Storyteller at Coronary heart – Recognized for insightful writing that blends technical element with partaking historic context.– Outdoorsman & Household Man – Reconnects with nature by means of looking, fishing, and old-school firecraft.– Analytical Mindset – Brings precision, construction, and storytelling to each article—whether or not it’s a gear evaluation or a deep historic dive.
