(Maryville, TN). Hot on the heels of the release of their exciting Titanium cylinder Model 432 UC Ti and Model 632 UC Ti revolvers at the 2025 SHOT Show, Smith & Wesson is introducing yet another feature-packed J-Frame for the Second Quarter of 2025!
The Model 340PD-BS (“Big Sight”) is a small frame, .357 Magnum revolver with a Titanium alloy cylinder, stainless steel barrel, and Scandium alloy frame that follows the familiar 340PD pattern, but adds an optics mount on the frame’s top strap, which will accommodate a wide variety of red dot sights.
“We thought it was time to bring the J-Frame into the 21st Century,” explains Andrew Sipowicz, Smith & Wesson’s J-Frame Product Manager. “The J-Frames have always had a high level of mechanical accuracy, but extracting that potential in terms of practical accuracy has always been difficult with the crummy, traditional sights we provided on the guns for over half a century.”
Frustrated customers have been demanding high-visibility fixed sights on J-Frames for many decades, but Smith & Wesson didn’t fully embrace them until major distributor Lipsey’s opened their checkbook for a series of Lipsey’s Special Edition “Ultimate Carry” revolvers in 2023, and proved it wasn’t just the same handful of guys writing all those letters, and making all those phone calls. “The guys in Customer Service were fielding hundreds of calls a week from old codgers** who said they couldn’t see the miniature sights on our guns,” explains Sipowicz, “and our guys were getting tired of telling them to eat more carrots, so we finally said, ‘what the Hell, let’s just put a TV screen on there.’ ”
Adding optics capability to the small J-Frame will certainly please some RevolverGuys, but others will be concerned about the increase in size and weight, which will erase the benefits of a small and lightweight revolver that conceals well in pockets and other tight spaces. Sipowicz and his team are unfazed by these concerns, however, and advise that customers just need to get pants with bigger pockets. “I hear bib overalls are making a comeback,” he said, “and so are those men’s purses. The guns will fit in those.”
The optics plate on the 340PD-BS is compatible with the popular Holosun K footprint, because patriotic Americans are apparently fine with laundering their money through Holosun, to fund and equip the People’s Liberation Army.
While the major focus on the -BS concerns the sighting system, the new gun also features an equipment rail for white lights, lasers, IR illuminators, bayonets, and other tactical necessities. “The social media influencers who work closely with our Marketing Department tell us that you’ll ‘die in the streets’ without a light attached to your defensive gun,” says Sipowicz, “and we figure they can’t be wrong, because they get lots of likes.”
“The old farts over at the RevolverGuy blog told us it was a stupid idea, but they don’t even have a social media account, so like . . . whatever, Boomers!”
Smith & Wesson’s Tik Tok advisory panel initially suggested adding a sidesaddle to the little blaster, to ensure a reload is always handy, but the Engineering team nixed the idea as impractical on the J-Frame. “Not enough room for that -BS feature,” said Lead Engineer Rube Goldberg. Work continues, to see if it would work on the larger X-Frame revolvers, but industry insiders hint that early testing has been unsuccessful. Apparently, the modified X-Frames list to Port too much, with the added weight of the extra .500 S&W ammunition in the sidesaddle. “All the test shooters wound up shooting ‘gangsta style,’ because they couldn’t hold the gun upright,” said an anonymous insider.
Smith & Wesson advises they’ve already shipped some internal lock-equipped -BS, so be sure to look for it at your stocking Smith & Wesson dealer.
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(**) ”Truth be told, there were a bunch of younger shooters complaining about them too,” said Sipowicz, “but we didn’t realize it. They kept telling us our sights were ‘cooked,’ and we mistakenly thought they were complimenting us.”
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BREAKING UPDATE: Shortly after publishing, RevolverGuy learned that officials at Taurus were considering legal action against Smith & Wesson, claiming an infringement on their optics-ready, T.O.R.O.-series design. A visibly irritated Taurus spokesman, Caleb Giddings, was reportedly overheard exclaiming, “You mess with the bull, you get the horns, jackwagons!” We’ll keep you posted on further -BS developments, here at RevolverGuy.
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NOT SO BREAKING UPDATE: Industry giant Sig Sauer would like to remind you that, “it ends.” Or actually, it was supposed to end, but we’re still busy ending it. No, no, it’s definitely ended. Yes, ended. It’s done. We’re done. Go back to your revolvers, there’s nothing to see here.
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Lead Image from some creative guy out there on Al Gore’s Internet
Bahaha…..finally, my “dream” J-Frame!!!
Dream, or nightmare? 😁
Yeah, more like the latter. LOL…
Well it’s about time. I was always challenged engaging 200+ yard targets, well no more. And that accessory rail, perfect for attaching a M79 thumper.
Bloop!
Tested and approved by NYPD. Tony will take two.
Tony must have big pockets, because I know he wouldn’t wear a man purse.
For a moment I thought this was an April Fools joke, the light is bigger than the grip and barrel. Now this will for sure be an ankle carry option right?
Yes. You’ve got bell bottoms, right?
What, no bayonet?
There’s a lug for it. The spirit of attack is an extra charge.
No, but there is a small flash-bang hidden inside the grip.
It’s about time S&W got with the program . . . light and optic snub gun. Perfect replacement for a really concealable 442 or 642.
Best of all, I can remove the light and stick a bayonet on it. I trust it will take an old M6 or M7 ?? Maybe my M9, or OKC3S ??
Bayonet Snub Gun . . . I can just stick that appendix carry in my pants . . . OOOPS . . . maybe not !!
(lmao)
Bandaids included.
NO, we will not, don’t even think about asking. Mike Barranti, on the other hand will relish the challenge! Andy Sipowicz 😉
🤣
That’s funnier than the article!
Bwahahah
Why didn’t they chamber it in 327 Federal???🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣
These comments are better than the article!
Andy Sipowicz is a very fitting character for this article, since he favored the M36 J frame!
Sipowicz knew the sights sucked!
It took Andy Sipowicz to FINALLY get that bayonet lug on there! Combined with the genius of Mr Goldberg…I’m excited to find one of these pieces in my LGS. 😜
Might be fun to ask if they can place an order for you.
I’m glad Andy Sipowicz found a landing spot. I patterned a good portion of my law enforcement career on him.
What Would Sipowicz Do? WWSD? 😁
Mike, thank you and all the revolver faithful for the laughs! I enjoyed this one a lot. Now I have to go figure out how to bend kydex, I need to start cranking out AIWB rigs for the 340PD-BS with triple sidecars for jetloaders. Mr. Barranti can take care of the traditionalists; I’ll cater to the enlightened youngsters who are savvy enough to appreciate this monumental development!
Hah! A triple decker sidecar! Might wrap halfway around to the other hip!
I’m thinking they should go one step further and add a lanyard ring to the bottom of the grip so we could hang a Leatherman multitool or Swiss Army knife to this exceptionally engineered masterpiece of a snubby! Then this new S&W offering would truly be the final chapter in the evolution of the do it all wonder gun j-frame we have all been dreaming of.
But wouldn’t that make it hard to fit in a pocket? 😉
Solution, hang the multi tool or army knife outside the pant pocket and let it dangle for a yank and grab type of fast draw that possibly could be faster than Jerry Miculec ever dreamed!
Gonna need a .460 S&W on a Sc K-Frame with a Ti cylinder and TRR8 pic rail treatment. Then I’ll cry uncle!
Good work, this is hilarious. Also, I want one in .327 Fed Mag.
Hahaha! We’ll get Jason to work on one for you, right away!
“The social media influencers who work closely with our Marketing Department tell us that you’ll ‘die in the streets’ without a light attached to your defensive gun,” says Sipowicz, “and we figure they can’t be wrong, because they get lots of likes.”
PRICELESS!
Not exactly fiction, either!
Yeah, I imagine the kids at the ad agencies shoot too little and value follows on the socials too much.