I gotta say I'm rather amused at all the "can't, won't, not profitable" remarks. S&W knows there's a market for the older pistols, they sell them to various LE agencies on a special order basis, and I would hope they notice the credit card order I placed for 4 3913 mags a few months ago, or possibly to inquires of others for mags for the various 3rd Gen pistols still out there.
As somebody who's viewing this from the other side of the fence, I do realize that polymer is the future or present material of choice. Lightweight, hi-firepower, usually a fancy finish that shrugs off sweat and blood, multiple grips that make an erector set look cool, light rails, little or no safety, and a DAO trigger in the 5-7 pound range, simple to maintain and simple to use.
Yet I also notice the recent flap Glock had or is having with its "Gen 4" pistols, the accuracy issues with the M&P9 full size, the self dropping mags of the Shield .40, the return of a shipment of HK 45C/T by NSW to H&K, the early frame problems with the Glock 22, the "KaBoom" of same model, and so on. To quote Ellen Ripley,"Did I.Qs. Suddenly drop while I was away?!"
The 3rd Gen had its share of problems no doubt, as do 1911s, BHPs, SIGs, and Berettas.
"The older designs have too many parts!" Uh huh, so? Run ANY machine long enough and something will break! Glocks you can fix with a butter knife and a 10 penny nail, 3rd Gens, you need an armorer or gun smith. So what, most do take there vehicle to a certified mechanic and pay for repairs.
"Alloy frames are weak." Really?! ISP shot the heck out of 39s, 39-2s, and 5904s with +P+! And they survived! Plastic can warp and crack, so can alloy, both can be fixed. Steel, well if you warp or break a steel frame, I don't want any of your ammo!!
"Machining costs money!" Sure does, but with modern CNC machines its not near as expensive as you may think.
And finally "There too heavy!" Oh please! 2.5-3lbs of pistol, couple of mags, get off the couch already!
And just a personal note, while I love my Glock 19 for all its attributes, I have a 3913 that hides so much better, has a passive and active safety, and SHOOTS RINGS AROUND SAID Glock! And a 5946 that will keep up with it all day long! Sure it's heavy, but it makes a decent club when the bullets run out. Somethin the Glock ain't so good at.
And when was the last time you could render a Glock "dead" with the push of the magazine release durin a gun grab? Dale