HELLO FRIENDS!! HERE IN GREECE, PAPERWORK AND LEGAL DIFFICULTIES MAKE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO SHIP A GUN THROUGH MAIL BACK AND FORTH TO ANY DESTINATION WITHIN, NEVERMIND ABROAD. SO, BUYING A PISTOL/REVOLVER, MEANS YOU ARE STUCK WITH IT AND AT BEST, WHAT THE LOCAL DEALER MAY PROVIDE. SO, WHETHER OR NOT SMITH&WESSON OR ANY OTHER COMPANY OFFERS AFTERSALES SERVICE, HERE IT IS PRETTY MUCH USELESS. WITH THIS IN MIND, WE ARE ON OWR OWN, WITH THE EXCEPTION THAT SOME COMPETENT GUNSMITHS WILL MOST PROBABLY DUPLICATE A SMALL PART IF IT BREAKS. MY MAJOR CONCERN ABOUT WEAR AND TEAR ON MOST GUNS I HAVE, WOULD BE THEIR SPRINGS. I HAVE FOUND HISTORICALLY THAT THEY ARE THE WEAKEST LINK IN PREETY MUCH ANY KIND OF GUN LONG TERM SPEAKING. FOR THIRD GEN, IT SEEMS THAT THE SPRINGS ARE STILL OUT THERE FOR SOMEONE TO BUY. A SPARE FIRING PIN, AND A SPARE EXTRACTOR WOULD BE THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR ME TO FIND. UNFORTUNATELLY, BARRELS OR FRAMES ARE WHAT THEY ARE, BUT THEN AGAIN, PERSONALLY, I CAN NOT AFFORD THE BULLETS TO WEAR OUT EITHER ONE IN THIS LIFETIME. MAGAZINES, SOME ARE EASY TO FIND, SOME ARE GETTING SCARCE INDEED. AS FOR THEIR PRICE, YES, THEY CLIMB INDEED, BUT HERE IN EUROPE THEY GO FOR 70$ FOR THE 59 SERIES STAINLESS, PLUS SHIPPING. STILL CHEAPER THAN WALTHER OR HK THOUGH. ACCESORIES ON THE OTHER HAND, ESPECIALLY FOR THE SQUARE TRIGUERGUARDS THAT I LIKE THE MOST, ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND! FINALLY, REGARDLESS OF AFTERSALES SERVICE, ACCESORIES OR PARTS AVAILABILITY. I WOULD STILL PICK A 3RD GEN OVER ANYTHING CURRENTLY PRODUCED, EVEN IF IT MEANT PAYING MORE FOR SAY A USED 5906 THAN A NEW BANG TUPPERWEAR, OR THE LEFT HANDED USER UN-FRIENDLY STAMPED STEEL SIG SAUERS. IN MY OPINION, IT IS A MUCH BETTER DESIGNED AND WAY OVERTHOUGHT AND OVERBUILT PRODUCT. AND YES, MOST OF MY SHOOTING HAS BEEN DONE WITH JUST ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE UNDER THE SUN. 3RD GENS AROUND HERE ARE VERY SCARCE. AND THOSE WHO HAVE THEM DO NOT GET RID OF THEM THAT EASY. THERE IS A GERMAN AUCTION SITE, WHERE 3RD GENS APPEAR VERY SELDOM, AND THEY GET HIGHER PRICES THAN EQUIVELANT SIG SAUERS AT TIMES!! PC GUNS GO FOR ABOUT 1100 TO 1300$!!! APPARENTLY THE GERMANS FOUND OUT ABOUT THESE GUNS' WORTHINESS. SO, ALL IN ALL, EVERY MACHINE MAY BRAKE. EVERY MACHINE MIGHT NEED PARTS HARD TO FIND. EVERY PISTOL MIGHT SUFFER A CATASTROFIC FAILURE. I WOULD RATHER TAKE MY CHANCES WITH A 3RD GEN OVER ANYTHING ELSE. JUST MY TWO CENTS FRIENDS.