Hit a couple shops this weekend just browsing in general.

One shop in particular had a couple 2nd/3rd gen Smiths. One in particular was a 3906.

One magazine, pretty decent shape. No box or paperwork.

Out the door price is 475.

Talking with a friend of mine that does a lot of business with them, I might be able to get 25 off.

Just not in need of one, so it'd be more of a safe queen for investment as I prefer to conceal my 5906 with the 17 round mag +1. (I have no issues carrying it.)

Thanks for any input.

I snagged one off Gunbroker this weekend that will end up costing $515 after all the fees. It came with three OEM 8-round mags and the adjustable sights I wanted but no box. Its condition isn't perfect. I know that's probably about the top end of what it's worth but I've been looking for one sporadically for a while now. They just don't seem to come up for sale often so I jumped on it. I won't have it for a few days so I hope I'm not in for a disappointment.

I really like single stack 9mm pistols and want more in all stainless steel. I've got a Kahr K9 & T9 currently but there aren't a lot of options in this category other than some 1911s. The Kahr T9 is a superb pistol though, one of my favorites.

These are some photos from the auction:

I, for one, would love to have a 3906.

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What would Jim Cirillo do?

$475 OTD or less is a fine buy price -IF- it is a pistol you like & want. I will say a word about "perspective", however, as these pistols simply have MORE value to those of us in this audience then they do out there in the daily market.

We see a 3906 as a terrific single stack tank of a handgun, from a series of handguns the we hold near & dear. We also know that a 3906 was made in less volume than most of the other popular 3rd Gens.

Out in the used gun market of 2015?
Way too old tech, not "cool" to most folks under 30yrs old, with an oddball DA/SA trigger system & very average single action trigger break. Outrageously large & heavy for a pistol that only holds 9+1 rounds of 9mm, is way out of production. It's too old even to be yesterday's news!

To me, as an enthusiast who's early days of guns & shooting were moulded in the era when these were made -- well, I'd be very happy to be out the door at $450-$475, but if I owned one and I were forced to sell it... I'm not entirely confident that I could sell it quickly at $475.

Me? I want one, I do not yet have one and I would probably trade my 2nd Gen 639 to get one!

Found a 3906 earlier this year for $425 with 3 factory mags. At the time I did not know about their short production run with estimated 2600 made. If you like it, buy it. You can always sell it if you later find one in better condition.

I liked the 3906 even before I knew it was scarce.
When they were made, I thought they were the best looking autopistol on the market.

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What would Jim Cirillo do?

Just got off the phone with the shop and came to an OTD price of 421.59

Won't be able to pick it up today as it's too late and the shop is about 30 miles away.

Will mull it over tonight. Sadly though, it just doesn't seem to be speaking to me.

And it's the same as Fotoman's pistol.

What state do you live in.
I'd be all over one for that price.
Motorcycle go-fast goodies can wait.

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What would Jim Cirillo do?

My advice is to buy it. I owned one a few years back and sold it, and had regretted it ever since. I was fortunate to acquire this replacement from a very generous forum member a few months ago.

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$421 is a deal. Buy it

I'll think it over.

Wouldn't be such a hard decision if I had not bought the Baby Desert Eagle a month ago. I had been looking for one of those in the all steel frame for a while and finally found one in mint shape with two mags for just a little more than the 3906.

There was a mention in a thread about 3906's being used in an Austrian Customs contract. Particularly the mention of proof marks on the barrel is what caught my eye.

link here: Model 3906. Good things are produced in small numbers.

If I recall correctly, this pistol had proof marks on the barrel, but that is all I recall.......if that is even correct.

Will that have any affect on value?

I might just go back, take a look at it again and simply plop 4 one hundred dollar bills on the counter and say "take it or leave it".

I've never even seen one. However, if I do come across one in a LGS or pawn shop I'm going to do some serious consideration. Especially if it has fixed sights. I have a 5906 that I like but I don't love it! It has the adjustable sights that I don't like and the double stack just doesn't have the "feel" I prefer. Therefore a 3906 with fixed sights would be perfect. I suspect it feels very similar to my 39-2. $400-$500? Yep, I'd pay that.

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I'm gonna grow fins.

I wouldn't necessarily agree that it will feel like your 39-2. The 3rd Gen pistols were all quite ergonomically different (and evolved!) from the original designs. The 39/639 feel quite similar and the 59/659 feel very similar, but the 3rd Gens are just a slightly different "shape" in many areas where it matters.

Do NOT take this as any suggestion that you shouldn't snag a 3906 or that you wouldn't like a 3906 -- not at all! I just don't think it really sits in the hand all too much like the 39-2 does. It may have a similar weight and recoil pulse, but every time I put a 3rd Gen in my hand immediately after handling a 2nd Gen, it occurs to me that they really did some fine homework as the pistols evolved.

I do wish the 3rd Gen delrin grip were more rubbery and tactile rather than slippery hard plastic, but the overall "feel" of a 3rd Gen is fantastic.

Just a quick update, I still have not decided on that 3906.

I did speak with the shop yesterday and they still have it. The fella told me that they did not mind holding it because they haven't had many people interested in it, which may give me a little more wiggle room on a flat cash offer. I am not holding my breath on that, and it certainly isn't what is stopping me.

In any case, if I decide to go get it, I'll post pics.

Oh, on the question of the Austrian customs contract 3906's, if this one is one of those, will that affect value?

If it does indeed have a re-import stamp, it'll be hard evidence that it left the country, was issued for service, re-entered the country and was re-sold. In any normal world, it would simply have to affect the "value" and yeah, if you think you want to use that argument in your negotiations... I suppose.

But it seems a somewhat moot point to me because it's status as a re-import probably affects the "value" less than the range of "value" from low to high, depending on the audience.

Considering the price you're talking about, it seems to me that you are already ahead of the game.

I use the term "value" in quotes... pretty much always. It's my way of pointing out how EXTREMELY unspecific the actual dollar VALUE simply is. So, so, SO MANY factors go in to the "value" and to get even a small handful of people to agree on that number is a longshot.

Hit the local gun show today. Spotted a 1006 with two mags, in decent shape for $800.

Watched a dealer make a deal with an old fellow. Old fellow handed over a nice used 645 with two loaded magazines with 200 cash for a Beretta Stampede in 45 long colt. After they were done with the deal, I offered the dealer 350 cash for the 645. He declined my offer stating that the revolver he just traded was a 900 dollar setup...... :/

Left the gun show with nothing and hit the shop that had the 3906. Was still there. Told the man $400 out the door.

He accepted.

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Congrats! Great deal. Enjoy!!

congrats and very good deal

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thats wicked pissah

Very nice 3906! A pistol of that age may fall under the early 3rd gen grip recall - if there is no dimple on the bottom of the grip, call S&W for a replacement.

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$350 for a 645?
Not at all surprised he had no interest in selling.

Good price for the 3906, I think you'll be happy with it.

I know that, but he kept pushing me for my offer, so I started with a ridiculous offer.

Congrats on your newest!

Should make for a great range or fun gun.

I shoot mine better than the 5906 I had.
I think I'll be hanging onto this one.

I paid a little more than 550 for mine late last year. I know pretty high but life is short and I wanted it, but she has become a range toy and nothing else. Can't afford to have anything happen to my investment if i should carry her.