Not really for EDC, for limited use carry at times I have a hard time carrying a gun, like exercise/running/etc.
J-Frame, .357 mag chambering, weighs 11.8 ounces. Would be exceptionally easy to carry, and reliable.
Recoil with .38spl +P shouldn’t be too bad (forget the mags)…lots of price paid for the ability to shoot .357 though seems wasteful to buy that and just have .38s?
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If it’s what you are looking for and you feeel comfortable which it and using it now could it be bad idea.
I used to own a 642. I do not currently.
Use case is light gun. Currently this role is filled by a S&W Shield Plus, but it’s aggravating me and I want to go lighter (while also changing the holster).
I figure if I’m going to put down the coin and go for something lighter, go for something that’s friggin LIGHT. And it would be just plain cool. Should be fine with 135gr +P Gold Dot .38spl and I could put the 5th round under the hammer as the barn burning 125gr .357 mag screamer
I pretty much wouldn’t load .357’s throughout for carry because of the possibility of needing accurate hits one handed
There is also the M&P 340, and I even prefer the sight it comes with, it’s not quite as light, but less expensive. Still a lot lighter than a Shield Plus. But it has a lock / Hillary hole
Are there MP 340’s with no lock? Not the 340PD, the MP340
Well that was easy, there are.
Also an option
https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/m-p-340-no-internal-lock
If I were to carry a small lightweight revolver it would be because my activity would suggest that a possible encounter would be closer and not where my aim would matter.
So, having it in case of what I would need it for? Sure, no buyer’s remorse
I think it’s a great idea! I always enjoy spending other folks money 
Seriously, go to S&W website and search for “no lock”. It will show you every revolver they currently offer with no lock. Or you could always pick what you really like and fill it with one of these:
Smith & Wesson Revolver Internal Lock Plug Replacement Kit – TK Custom Store
It is better than a sharp stick…
Something is better than nothing and it is your choice. I would recommend seeing if a range has one you could rent and shoot before buying to be sure.
Consider getting a longer grip so you can bring your pinky into play to improve grip and muzzle flip. Those J frames are a bit of a bear to handle
I have been wanting a snub nose revolver just because. But I think I would have a hard time justifying carrying it over my LCP Max which holds more than twice the ammo and with the right ammo it has penetration and expansion performance relatively similar to .38+p. It is also much easier to shoot at longer ranges, at least in my limited personal experience with short barreled revolvers.
The only real advantage I see with the revolver is the ability to shoot it repeatedly from inside a jacket pocket without the risk of jamming. So if I decided to carry that way regularly I would lean towards the revolver.
As stated before, better that showing up empty handed to a gun fight.
Super concealable and safe to keep in a pocket, purse, fanny pack, etc…
Also a great backup if your EDC jams.
If you have owned a 642 then you already know what to expect with one of these, and its utility for SD. A quick check of the specs shows the M&P 340 is 13.8 oz, while a 642 is 14.5. So, for about $300 difference you get a .7oz savings and the ability to shoot .357 if you want it.
For me, I daily carry a 642, loaded with pretty hot Underwood +P. I like it because it disappears in a DeSantis pocket holster in dress pants for work. I don’t mind recoil, and shoot mine a lot. In fact, I have two of them, and sometimes carry both if I want 10 rounds on board, plus reloads. The only ammo I ever didn’t like shooting was Underwood 158 grain +P hard cast. That stuff was so hard hitting that, with a gun with a wood grip, my hand hurt for about a day after. I expect .357 would feel similar. Underwood rates that ammo at close to magnum velocity, and I believe it.
I like little revolvers for discrete pocket carry, and, if I had the money floating around, I’d probably replace one of my 642’s with a 340, just for the ability to occasionally shoot full magnum.
I didn’t realize how light the LCP Max was, and the capacity. I’m, not a big ran of Ruger semi autos and what I’ve seen from them at the range and I’m also just not as sure on the ballistics of .380. Which ammo did you decide to go with and how has the function of your LCP Max been/round count/etc?
The other advantage to the Max is that it is thinner than the revolvers as well.
I use the newish Federal Hydra Shok Deep in .380. Designed to meet the FBI standards with and without a heavy cloth cover. Though I wouldn’t count on it to meet the FBI standards through hard barriers like auto glass.
I went through a few LCPs along with other brands trying to find the perfect pocket pistol. The 1 had a poor trigger and sights but always went bang. I won a 2 that had a much better trigger and slightly better sights. But it had some issues so I sent it back to Ruger and they replaced almost everything. Now it functions perfectly. The Max is a big step up from the 1 and 2 with a grip that fills the hand a little better and has truly usable sights. It has performed flawlessly as well.
Like any tiny pistol it is not super fun to shoot a lot. But is fine for the first 2 or 3 mags and I have shot 6 or more without inducing a flinch or having a sore hand the next day. Soccer ball size groups at 20 yards are doable with a little practice. 10+1 or 12+1 in a package that size is pretty amazing.
If you want light, you can’t go wrong with the Ruger LC9 Pro (in 9mm), in my opinion. Nice and thin, very easy to conceal and carry. Edit…should mention but probably known…unfortunately Ruger does not make it anymore.
Even though I don’t EDC it anymore, upgraded to a Shadow Systems MR920, I still love it and never had any issues with it.
This…honestly this is why I wasn’t really consider one and still am not.
It seems like a lot of people have one with problems.
Then there was the time we went to the range and my neighbor tooks his out of his pocket and it jammed after 2 rounds and he was like hmm must be dirty/lint/whatever excuse.
Pretty sure I’m picking one of the revolvers and going with ‘6 for sure’ in a .38spl +P and if I spend more on the mag version just for poops and grins the fifth round under the hammer can be a big boy
Nathan, this is my daily carry ammo in my 642’s.
With a 2" barrel he timed it at 1019 fps average, so it makes the little snub a real viable self defense tool, even when not using full magnum loads.
One more post about ammo. The Underwood tested in the link below is the +P I used that hurt my hand, it hit so hard. It’s no wonder. It’s loaded to near magnum pressure. I found this thread really interesting as I wandered down the rabbit hole of ammo.
Anyway, if you want to shoot much of this, I’d opt for a gun rated for .357.
Speaking of, on my old 642 I did shoot some Buffalo Bore 158gr LSWCHP +P and it was a handful for sure.
I have since developed a preference for Underwood for the niche hot ammo manufacturer. 
