Ive wondered about a phenomenon Ive witnessed with 3rd Generation S&W's.

Here in South Dakota I never find any for sale in local stores. Going to the local range to shoot the range master commented that he hadn't seen a 5900 series Smith since the late 90s. All the ones ive owned save 1 had to be ordered online.

I travel to Illinois to see family and at two different gun shops I find several on sale.

In your general neck of the woods, are 3rd Gen Smith's a dime a dozen, or have they not been seen since the Pre-Columbian days?

I see them a lot here in NE Ohio. Not in bunches but 1 here, 1 there kind of available. I have (4) 3rd gen's I bought in the last 2 months. 2 locally... 1 at a pawn shop.. a 3913 for $350 and 1 at a gun show..a 4506-1 for $550.
I bought 2 online. A 3913NL LNIB for $600 and a 5906 from a forum member for $425.
There is a currently a 4013TSW at a local pawn shop I saw last Saturday. So they are around but they don't abound.

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John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

Here in TX they are around but not too plentiful. I monitor a couple of local websites that list guns in the state for sale among private people. I have seen a few 1st, 2nd or 3rd gens on there. Some are reasonable and others not so much. I recently picked up a very clean 4046 from a guy for $450. They're out there you just have to find them or wait for them to pop up.

Around here, there is one place that is usually overpriced and the service sucks, that has some 4006's and 4586's. Other than that Gander has 5906's that look like they were dragged behind a truck, Cabelas has some 5906's and 4566's that are a little better.

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M&P .40, M&P 9c & Shield 45

I constantly see them in most gun shops around here. Not in any quantity but everyone has one or two.

Most of my LGS has 1 or 2 of the common ones (5906, 6906, 4506, 3913).

The TSW series are rare around my parts (Tampa, FL).

I bought my 3913TSW (prerail, 7rd) in 2010. Haven't seen one on the shelves since then. Haven't seen any TSW for that matter on the shelves since then. I bought my 4513TSW (prerail, 6rd) from a fellow member from Orlando.

Apparently S&W still makes them for Law Enforcement, but they are not listed on their website.

Hardly ever see them at any of my local shops. Most sellers won't ship to Kalifornistan so even rostered models (if there even are any) are gonna be hard to get.

I noticed something off about your state's Roster that perhaps you can shed some light on.

Ive noticed that the regular 3rd Gen pistols are not on the roster, but the TSW models are. The 5903TSW is on the roster, but the 5903 'standard' model is not. An odd thing considering both guns work the same way.

Don't see a lot around here, maybe two or three over the last year in various shops.

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US Army 1966-69, VFW Member

Watching gun show tables in OKC I usually see 2 or 3... not a lot. I always look for the 4006s... cause a 4006 was my first 3rd gen so l'm kinda partial to them. Generally speaking, though, l haven't seen that many.

Hog

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Isaiah 55:8-9
Phil. 4:13

I recently picked up a 4506-1 south of Chicago (Rhambo-land) recently, but have not seen other 3rd gens recently. Does anyone have an idea if the 4536 is hard to come by? I might look for one if/when Illinois joins the other 49 states in CCW.

Yes there are 2-3 on the okc gun show tables.Picked up 4044 about 2 months ago for 320.00..

They're scarce as hen's teeth here in E. TN. I see one or two now and then at the gun show but no gun shop ever has one come in. Most of what I have was bought originally back in the 90's or off the Internet in the past several years.

Thank you for the info. Sounds like you found a honey of a deal.

Thank you Col. I've never been to a gun show, I'll have to check one out one day.

Each model must have two samples submitted for testing and the extortion... er... "testing fee" paid.

The difference can be as subtle as finish. A SS model might be on roster & the blackened SS not.

My guess would be that the TSW model was submitted later than the standard. The standard has dropped off the list but S&W has paid to keep the TSW rostered.

Public safety & common sense have nothing to do with the roster. It's all about $$$ and the anti gun agenda.

saw this and thought id post if for you:
heres a third gen s&w:

used Smith & Wesson 908S 9mm $449.00 SHIPS FREE

Seems like 1 at a time here in Maine, unfortunately for anyone else in my neck of the woods, I always buy them

here in ca they are not seen to often in gun stores, in fact rarely. most get them on the auction sites such as gunbroker or auction arms. I have cs9, cs40, cs45, bought the first 2 on auction, cs45 purchased from dealer awhile back. also bought 3913 on auction, my 1911 from store new at good price, aslo 4006tsw. I have many other s&w guns inc revolvers, love them all.
regards,
Eli

I hadnt seen any for weeks, then today I see 6 5906, a 645(!) and a couple 4506's. I think I am gonna go buy the 645 tomorrow.

They're pretty rare in Western WA, but they do always seem to pop up when I don't have the cash to buy one. As far as I know only one local agency, Bellevue, issued them into the 90s so there has never been a big surplus supply in the market here. I had to order both my 5906s, but I did find my 6906 locally a couple of years ago.

Plenty of them in central Alabama. Most in gun shops and pawn shops are a bit overpriced, but I haven't tried to haggle with them. CDNN still seems to have the 5906's for $300 or less.

I got a 5943 w/ six 15rd mags for sale on a somewhat local forum and I have gotten no bites? It surprises me because the state it's in is quite restrictive on guns and has a 10 rd mag limit if not presently registered in the state.

Siversmok3 said it right! Here in I'll. You do see a lot more 3rd Gens floating around. Some or former police guns, and some are like new.
I think it has a lot to do with the fact that at one time S&W pretty much owned the LEO market here, beside the ISP I know that both St. Clair and Madison county sheriff deputies carried Smiths as did E.St.Louis PD. For whatever reason the Midwest was at one time S&W country. Dale

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"Long live the S&W 3rd. Gen.!"

When I was looking for them a few months ago, all I found was 2 overpriced 4003s in one of the larger gun shops. This shop specializes in collector's guns, but that really just means used. I asked one of the 10 or so salesman about some other 3rd gens and he looked confused for a few seconds.

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Hold on. SWAT's at my door.

Around here, it's feast or famine. There may be 4 or 5 available, then they just disappear and remain unseen for months until the next batch comes out of hiding.

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SFC, US Army, Retired

That's the worst, especially if the "salesman" is someone under 30, you ask them if they have any "3rd gen S&W Autos" or even specific model numbers, "645", 4506, 5906, etc. and all you get is a deer and headlights look. And then, if you are lucky thats it, sometimes they try to talk like they know what they are talking about and say, "yea, we have some Smith 1911's over here" or they turn it around on you saying I must be wrong. Depending on how incompetent they are, I sometimes ask them to get a manager, and ask the same question to them, in front of the young salesman, then you will usually get a valid response and hopefully a lesson for the kid.

Just when I thought this thread was dead..
.I stopped into Gander M to take a peek at there used selection. They often have one or 2 interesting S&W's that I will look at, fondle and then leave in the store because their prices are so high..
Well today they had zero (0) wheel guns but they did have a pair of 5906s! $499 + tax. Like I said.. too high. But to my earlier post I do see them.. 1 or 2 here and there
Mike

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John 1:17
NRA Life Benefactor

Last gun show here, there were 2 3913s, 1 1006, 1 CS9, 1 4013tsw...and the 539 I bought. I need to hit the pawn shops more often, I'm sure many of them don't know what they have.

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645, 457s

Here in Texas I monitor the used firearms stock of a few shops. I've managed to find a 3906 and a 5906, both in pristine condition (~ $325 each). I also found a 3914 in good condition (~ $300), and a 908S in pristine condition (~$315)

I recently found a LNIB 3913NL that appeared to be unfired ($560). This was from another local shop, but I found the item on Gunbroker.

These were found over a period of about 1 year, so it's not like they're jumping out in front of traffic - you have to be patient and monitor local shop inventories.

Good luck!

Beuford

i have really been quiet blessed with my 3rd gen finds over the years. i don't really seek them much but when they appear,i do not hesitate. first acquisition, a duty gun with box,5906,($229.00).next a nib,5906, with NS($259.00), 6906,in box,($279.00), a 3906,great shape ,in box,($350.00),a cs45,had a couple of issues that i worked out,(375.00) and a 4513TSW, with NS ($319.00) .These were found over several years,but a good thought is to make communicative inroads into a shop that does business with police departments and takes trade in's.you might find a world of possibilities there,good luck...............

Just of the top of my head what i remember seing at my LGS yesterday.

4013 $275
6906 $350 +/-
59
519
669

Most were within the $350 price range +/-. None were NIB but were in good condition