Good Day All!

I just acquired a 3914DAO in what I would call 95%+ condition.
Original box, manual, and warranty card.
A few questions for the rki out there:
Were these all made for NYPD?
(There are no dept markings on mine)
Do these have any serious collector value?

Thanks in advance.

Doc

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Sorry.
Missed the pics.

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Congrats on your 3914DAO!!

Yes, originally made for the NYPD. It was a popular off duty, plainclothes and back up gun. It was available for sale in many New York gunshops as well. The overruns from the periodically made batches also appeared every so often on the big auction board.

I recall trying to locate one for purchase a few years back. The best deal I could find was $750 + shipping. I went with a regular 3914 instead. Unlike the other DAO Models the 3914DAO has second strike too. IE, everytime you pull the trigger the hammer falls.

As to collectable value, dunno. I am not a collector. Where the 3914s value shines is as a concealed carry piece. It is quite possibly the finest single stack 9mm carry gun made. By anyone. And superior to anything made by the current company calling itself s&w.

Enjoy yours! Hope this helps. Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Great find....... not a DAO fan..... but would make an exception for a NYPD 3914 w/ double strike.......

Just retired my 3914 winter carry for my stainless 3913NL summer carry...... been carry the 3913/14s since the early 90s

Check out Hogue wood grips...... also hearing good things about the wood KSD wood grips for the 3913/14s

Congrats on a nice find. Never tried one out myself but being a sister to my 3913LS I think you'll find the size a very nice one to pack.

I wonder, if you could find a new 3914DAO, if you would get the "lifetime" S&W warranty? That might make the relatively high price ($750?) a little more palatable. Because buying 3rd Gen pistols (I have three!) involves some risk, as they generally have been out of production for quite a while, and parts availability seems to be dwindling. At least we can still get new springs and mags! But S&W might stand behind a newly manufactured one, as they presumably do with LE sales (a few departments reportedly still special order 3rd Gen pistols).

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S&W Rover

Nice find!!! I picked up one recently as well!!

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Congratulations on a great find. Been looking for one myself seems like forever. I would say its fairly rare and very desirable.

Here's a question for you rkis:
What is the big deal about "double strike" capability?
Doesn't any DA have this ability?

As a side note, this will be available for sale soon.
Single stack is just too thin for me.

Doc

Man, I just scored on a 3914dao from gunsamerica for $295!!
Was looking daily for another 3913 to use as a carry, I have a 3913tsw pre rail but want to leave that gem in the safe.. so I find this one, didn't know about the nypd or double strike features for this, I was so surprised to see a 3914dao for $295 I jumped on it just because !! I am thinking I got way lucky!! So do all 3914DAO's fall into this nypd double strike thing or was that just a special run of 3914's? Either way I am stoked on this find!

That is a great score!

The 3914DAO was made as an authorized off duty gun for NYPD. The only mention of it in the 3rd edition of the SCSW is actually a "rumor" of a special version of the 3913 in DAO.

The production gun turned out to be the 3914DAO. As far as anyone can tell, there was no civilian version of this gun. About three years ago, some were offered by NYC area dealers as they were not longer authorized for purchase by NYPD officers. Those were going for close to $700.00 NIB, so you really did well.

The standard 3rd Gen DAO guns do not have second strike capability. Their design required the slide to be cycled in the event of a misfire. Which NYPD didn't want, so S&W engineered a DAO version of the 3914 for them.

The NYPD guns would seem to be of much newer production than the original 3914s.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

Looking at the OPs box label the date code (2285) is Oct 11, 2012 (10/11/12, kinda cool date).

Surprised they still made them that late.

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Waiting for the break of day

IIRC the 3914DAO was made thru 2014. Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

While there is a discussion about NYPD and DAO pistols, Does anyone know if the 5946's that the NYPD issued had 'second strike' capability?

I suspect they do not and have not read anything stating such.

Why did the NYPD request a model with 'second strike' capability for off duty and not require it for their duty weapon? Seems more likely that members would get involved in a shooting situation while on duty than off duty.

Not trying to get off topic.....just wondering.


NDFRC: nice pick up & great deal.

I want to get new recoil springs for my 3913/14 but the Wolf site only lists springs for the 3913, sorry for the newbie question but specifically... would a 3913tsw, pre-rail and 3914dao use the same springs? Or in other words, do all 3913/3914 models use the same spring?

Yes, they all do. S&W PN#100950000.

You can use Wolff's springs if you like too. I do.

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Waiting for the break of day

Thanks,
I assumed they would, but you know what happens when you assume...
Thanks again!

Based on what's in the SCSW, I would say that the NYPD 5946s were no different than any other 5946. Why they specified second strike for the 3914DAO, but not for the regular duty weapon, I can't say.

Maybe the SCSW 4th Edition will have some insights on that.

Either way, I'd love to have a 3914DAO. Someday... maybe.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

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Well I guess we can push that date out a little bit farther.

I just bought a NIB 3914DAO - NYPD model that was made in Jun-2015.

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3914DAO

(-01a)

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3914DAO - box label

(-01a)

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Waiting for the break of day

That's a beauty. I would speculate that it was either sitting in the S&W vault as a spare or maybe assembled from parts after NYPD stopped authorizing it for off duty carry.

Either way, it's a great looking firearm.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

My dealer found me one.

We can push the date out to at least the end of October, 2015.

Sounds like it's time for you to jump on one! On-line prices are not cheap, however. I wonder if a local (MA) FFL would be willing & able to order one in?

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Thanks!

The clerk who helped me didn't know anything about it (he seemed to think it was a "normal stock" item & it was tagged as new). The owner wasn't available to talk with but I plan on stopping back this week to see if he knows anything juicy about it's whereabouts for the last couple years & where he got it from.

It doesn't look like it's had more than two rounds down the barrel, by the copper on the lands.

My son wanted to know if I was going to shoot it. He should know better.

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3914DAO - disassembled

(-06a)

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Waiting for the break of day

Stopped by the LGS & spoke to the owner on the 3914DAO. He said he got a call from his distributor asking if he was interested in some guns he bought from S&W as a lot. I believe he said the distributor originally had (20)? The LGS was only able to purchase (1) though.

No details on where it sat for over two years but since S&W distributed it as new it seems it sat there.

Was the serial number on the right side of the frame done just for the NYPD or was this done on all later models?

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3914DAO

(-03b)

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3914DAO

(-09a)

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Waiting for the break of day

Two months ago, my dealer got a call from his distributor saying some NIB gen 3's and others had been sitting in their warehouse.

The dealer bought two of the 3's, a 45 for himself and the 3914 for me. Actually, he bought it before contacting me, saying I could have it if I wanted. Otherwise, he'd keep it.

About that time, I saw some pop up on GB so I wonder whether they all came from the same distributor or whether it was actually Smith that discovered and started shipping them.

Regarding the serial number, my NYPD version has it on the right side but right on the frame, not in a depressed field as seen on your example. My "normal" example doesn't have the number on the right.

Interesting. If anyone knows which distributor was handling these 3rd Gen pistols, my dealer and I would love to know which one it is. PM me if you don't think it's appropriate to post. Thanks!

Lipsey's had them in November 2017 .... not many and they moved fast.

January 2014 manufacture: Frames marked Houlton, ME. S/N Prefix UCU. Serial number either stamped or deeply engraved (like the UCW s/n prefix in photo above).

November 2015 manufacture: Frames marked Springfield, MA. S/N Prefix UCZ. Serial number laser etched. I think the finish is better on the Springfield guns than the Houlton guns.

Both the 2014 and 2015 examples have the same SLIDE markings as BlueDot37's photo above. (nice photo!).

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John

Precisely what I was trying to describe about the difference between the photo and mine. Mine was dated late October and test fired a bit earlier.

That's interesting info.

It's surprising how little difference there is, externally, between my (1989) M3914 & this (2015) M3914DAO. The only hint of a change is seen in the later's revised barrel (**) with it's wider hood & differently machined lower lugs.

Odd that it did not even get the loaded chamber indicator? Also that it retained the magazine disconnect feature.

Was the 3914DAO's re-strike capability obtained by just removing the SA notch from the TDA's action?

It seems to have the same trigger stroke as the double action pull of a TDA, lacking the shorter & more rearward starting trigger position of traditional pre-cocked DAO triggers.

Maybe that's why it has a unique model number verses getting the model number of it's apparent 1991-1992 namesake, the 3954?

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(**)= the barrel found in 3913TSW & later R3 3913/6904's

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3914DAO - on S&W poster with 3914

(-010b)

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Waiting for the break of day

Bluedot, a perusal of the parts list indicates the only difference between the 3914 and 3914DAO fire control parts is the hammer. (As opposed to the trigger, hammer, and firing pin retainer spacer substituted on the 3954.)
Extrapolating from that clue, I ground what was left of a damaged SA notch from an old, spare hammer I had and installed it in my 3914 and, presto-chango, it became DAO.

So yes, I believe you are correct.
The only difference is a hammer lacking a SA notch.

John

Picked up this ANIB 3914DAO (NYPD approved) pistol yesterday.... another great find while visiting a LGS. Came home with box, papers, three magazines and lock! Magazines show slight signs of being loaded and fired... a great addition to my 3953TSW.
Being a double action revolver and GLOCK sort of a shooter, I have to say the 3914 trigger action is very nice. Feels like a long smooth Smith, a bit heavy, but with great reset. Unlike the TSW, Which can possibly be short stroked, due to its almost “double” reset.

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Stay Safe...
jd SWCA #3276

Nice score Jim!

Got one myself. Shown with it’s 3913TSW cousin.

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What is the Trigger pull weight of the 3914DAO?

Can you describe the trigger in more detail?

I replaced the factory 20# mainspring with a Wolff 17# mainspring (& when up on the recoil spring from the factory 15# to a Wolff 18# to offset the lost resistance against the slide).

This will lighten up the trigger a tad & a 17# has performed reliably in all the 3rd Gens I've used it in. It's still the same long double action pull all the TDAs have though.

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Waiting for the break of day