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Old 06-16-2018, 07:18 PM
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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Default Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?

I’ve had a great run of “right place at the right time” in the last couple of months. My luck has actually netted me 5 different 39 series guns at prices ranging from very reasonable to steal deal.
It’s hard to pass on one because until now, I hadn’t seen any pop up locally in the last few years that I have been looking.

Since I found the blubelly2 videos I’ve done the fluff and buff to my 2nd and 3rd gen. Smith auto trigger groups with varied results.
They have all been improved by the polishing but each one to different degrees.
No fire control springs were changed in these guns.
I’m focusing on four, 3rd gen. guns that are in the 39 compact family leaving out my recently acquired CS9 which is still in it’s factory state.

The 4 guns are:
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Old 06-16-2018, 07:19 PM
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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A 3914 that was very clean when I bought it. Obviously fired very little.
Forged hammer, trigger and sear, metal disconnector and mainspring cup.
It now wears XS standard dot sights.
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Old 06-16-2018, 07:20 PM
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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A 908 that was dirtier than any gun I’ve ever seen, absolutely bone dry and the plastic sights were worn to nubs!
OTD for under $200. Ooh yeah. Cleaned up good.
Now it wears Trijicons.
MIM trigger, hammer and sear with plastic disconnector and mainspring cup.
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Old 06-16-2018, 07:21 PM
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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A mildly used 3913 that was also very dirty but very well (overly) lubed.
I believe the trigger and hammer are flash chromed carbon steel and not stainless. (Please correct me if I’m wrong.) Forged sear, metal disconnector and mainspring cup. (Spoiler: Pic is from after I made a parts swap)
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Old 06-16-2018, 07:23 PM
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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And finally a LNIB 3913TSW that looks to have had one magazine fired through it and then put away. It was bone dry but very clean.
The LGS was taking it in on trade when I walked through the door and one of the young salesman who knows I have thing for these Smiths came up and said, “Hey man, do you have a 3913TSW?” I had to try hard not to act excited when he told me the price.
They pretty much just tacked on a standard transfer fee and tax....and I was just coming to use the range! ‘Twas my lucky day.
MIM trigger, sear and hammer. Plastic disconnector and mainspring cup.
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Old 06-16-2018, 07:24 PM
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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I won’t mention differences in single action between the triggers because honestly, I can’t tell much of a difference. I’m sure if I had a trigger scale there would be some variation in the SA weight but except for the distance at break, the feel is almost identical between them and my level of experience doesn’t give me enough finger sensitivity to really communicate what differences I can detect.
I also mention the sight pictures because they are somewhat relevant to my DA first shot performance.

Obviously none of this is scientific testing.
It’s just me drawing from a 4 o’clock IWB holster and shooting double taps and sometimes whole magazines over 2 range sessions.
I shot about 400 rounds total that was not spread evenly between the guns.
I used typical range ammo, WW box 115, Rem Bucket 115 and Aguila 124.

There were no malfunctions of any kind by any of these guns.
Any mention of accuracy is in reference to my shooting ability. I’m quite sure the guns are more accurate than me!

I cut my handgunning teeth on SA autos 25 years ago. Hi-Powers and 1911s.
Traditional Double Action didn’t get my attention until much later.
My gold standard for a TDA trigger has been my CZ 75 PCR that has been Cajunized.
The only words I can use to describe it is, like pulling air.
No perceivable stacking and smooth smooth smooth.
Did I say smooth?
It’s smooth.
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Old 06-16-2018, 07:25 PM
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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The 3914 trigger pull has a pebbled feel to it. Like tiny little rounded bumps although not gritty or crunchy. There are no discernible humps or clicks.
A slight rubbing sensation with some minor stacking at the end and a clean break that’s not too far back.
It shoots well and the XS sights are quick to get on target. Groups are not as tight as I would be with standard sights but the speed of sight picture is a good trade off in my opinion.
Overall I’m happy to call this a middle of the road shooter.
Good, not great but fast and accurate enough.
I’m sure I can improve quickly with some more time on this one.

The 908 has a very smooth pull that is a little lighter and has a little less stacking than the 3914. It’s a tad heavier than the CZ but gets close to its smoothness. The break is slightly sooner than the 3914.
Although the trigger feels great I can’t get up to speed with this gun for some reason. Groups are wide with occasional fliers unless I slow down and even then it’s just “acceptable”.
I think it’s a combination of this particular sight picture (Trijicon white circles) and this gun possibly having an ammo preference that I haven’t found yet (147gr?). I doubt the gun has any inherent accuracy issues but I plan to bench it with an assortment of ammo to confirm.
I’m not grooving with this one yet but I hope to improve.

The 3913 has the same pebbled/rubbing feel of the 3914 with no discernible grit or crunchiness but it really stacks and breaks way, waaay back.
It seriously threw me off the first rounds I shot.
I really had to slow down to get acceptable results.
That extra length and stack at the end ruins my first shot on target time.
The stock sights are good and easy to acquire. My accuracy issues stem directly from the trigger on this one.
3 magazines and I’d had enough. It didn’t come back on the 2nd range trip.
I don’t plan to shoot this one anymore until I replace the fire control group. Developing muscle memory on that long break would lead to way early shots on my others guns.
Not good.

The 3913TSW is completely smooth and air like almost all the way through the pull.
A barely perceptible amount of stacking right at the end and a very clean early break. The earliest break of them all in fact.
This is very similar to the CZ and I would say neither is actually better than the other, just different.
Stock sights are easy to get up to speed with.
There are a couple of guns I own that are like lasers in my hands.
They make me look like a much better shooter than I am.
My bone stock (no fluff and buff) early 39-2, the CZ75 PCR and now this 3913TSW.
It was easy to group 8 shots in ~4 inches at 10 yards from an IWB draw as fast as I could get a flash sight picture. No fliers or surprises.
The transition from double to single was intuitive and nearly seamless.
This little gun rocks.
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Old 06-16-2018, 07:27 PM
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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I think the majority of the pebble feel I’m getting on the guns with forged parts is from the sear dragging along the milling marks on the hammer above the single action notch and to a lesser degree, the metal mainspring cup.
I did some polishing in those areas but I didn’t get them as smooth as I could have.
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Old 06-16-2018, 07:28 PM
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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I have now experienced firsthand what many of you know already.
MIM and plastic fire control parts make for excellent out of the box triggers and after a simple fluff and buff they can be exceptional triggers.

I have purchased another MIM and plastic fire control group, advertised as coming out of a 908, that will be going in the 3913 to hopefuly fix the long break. I also plan to revisit the 3914’s spring cup and work on those milling marks on the hammer.

It’s been an educational experience shooting these 4 guns back to back.
I look forward to more range time with these great guns.

UPDATE:
Since I wrote this, I got the like new MIM trigger group in the mail, gave it the fluff and buff and installed into the long break 3913.
Wow. Like night and day.
It’s every bit as good as the 3913TSW trigger but breaks just a hair later, on par with the 908. Have not shot it yet. I’ll update with range report in the future.
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Old 06-16-2018, 07:35 PM
Maddog 521 Maddog 521 is offline
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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Nice report with a lot of good information.
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Old 06-16-2018, 07:55 PM
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MidWesternBoy View Post
......
My gold standard for a TDA trigger has been my CZ 75 PCR that has been Cajunized.
The only words I can use to describe it is, like pulling air.
No perceivable stacking and smooth smooth smooth.
Did I say smooth?
It’s smooth.
Please keep this quiet, at least until I get one of these awesome pistols.
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Old 06-16-2018, 08:01 PM
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MidWesternBoy MidWesternBoy is offline
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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Please keep this quiet, at least until I get one of these awesome pistols.
The word is getting out. It got to me!
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Old 06-16-2018, 08:56 PM
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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Quote:
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The word is getting out. It got to me!
Lack of stock from any distributor is glaring. I’m on the list at multiple gun shops with zero availability.
CGW has one “cajunized” but twice the price. I just need a stock one......or so I think.
I saw a bubba’d up one the other day but I passed on it. Saw a PO1? with rail, but all steel, I want the alloy frame PCR.

The grip on that gun is like no other, for me. And the reliability and accuracy is undeniable.
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Old 06-16-2018, 08:56 PM
Triggernosis Triggernosis is offline
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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My stock CZ PCR is also my most accurate shooting gun. I can only imagine how good it would shoot if I had it Cajunized.
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Old 06-16-2018, 09:00 PM
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Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers? Four different 3913s. Four different triggers?  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MidWesternBoy View Post
I have now experienced firsthand what many of you know already.
MIM and plastic fire control parts make for excellent out of the box triggers and after a simple fluff and buff they can be exceptional triggers.

I have purchased another MIM and plastic fire control group, advertised as coming out of a 908, that will be going in the 3913 to hopefuly fix the long break. I also plan to revisit the 3914’s spring cup and work on those milling marks on the hammer.

It’s been an educational experience shooting these 4 guns back to back.
I look forward to more range time with these great guns.

UPDATE:
Since I wrote this, I got the like new MIM trigger group in the mail, gave it the fluff and buff and installed into the long break 3913.
Wow. Like night and day.
It’s every bit as good as the 3913TSW trigger but breaks just a hair later, on par with the 908. Have not shot it yet. I’ll update with range report in the future.
Yes, we know
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