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Old 03-14-2020, 02:23 PM
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Default Another rare find

I stumbled into a 3914DAO. 11/2012 production according to the fired case. Gun, three mags, box, cable lock, paperwork.

Needs to be cleaned up before pictures can be posted.
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Old 03-14-2020, 03:49 PM
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The three mags may be the rarest part. I think S&W made more 3913's than 3913 mags.
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Old 03-14-2020, 04:01 PM
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I checked with the seller and he told me that it came NIB with three magazines. My guess is that NYPD specified that as opposed to the two that S&W supplied with commercial versions.

I don't know if he was a NYPD officer or not, but he got one of the guns.

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The three mags may be the rarest part. I think S&W made more 3913's than 3913 mags.
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Old 03-14-2020, 04:30 PM
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Congratulations on 3913 , ok to post before and after pictures to showoff your TLC
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Old 03-14-2020, 04:59 PM
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Didn't you build a 3914 "DAO", Gary?

John?
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Old 03-14-2020, 05:22 PM
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Where you hidin' that golden horseshoe of yours, Gary?

Never mind! But wherever it is, is workin' for ya!
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Old 03-14-2020, 06:11 PM
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That was a 457 that I converted with your guidance. It worked well, but the lonnnng DAO pull in that gun made it tiring to shoot. I converted it back and sold it to buy a newer 457.

I have the parts, including a firing pin retainer for a 9mm conversion, but never found an inexpensive 3913 or even 908S to use for that.

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Didn't you build a 3914 "DAO", Gary?

John?
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Old 03-14-2020, 06:12 PM
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I don't know. Sometimes I just sort of stumble into these things, like my pre rail 3913TSW and pre rail 3953TSW.

It's like I wish for them to become available and the fairy Godmother department makes one for me.

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Old 03-14-2020, 07:28 PM
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Not a lot of cleaning needed, as the gun was well cared for. I ran a Bore Snake through the barrel, wiped some oil off of it, replaced the recoil spring, and did the normal 3rd Gen lubrication routine.

It came with one flat and two curved magazine base plates, but I swapped the two curved ones for flat. I didn't change the magazine springs because they were in good shape.


Obligatory pictures.

The original spring is on the bottom. Probably just normal compression, but no reason not to put a new one in.



Left and right views. Per the NYPD specification, the serial number is on the right side of the frame. Other than and the lack of a safety/decocker lever this looks like a 3914.



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Old 03-14-2020, 09:40 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HOUSTON RICK View Post
The three mags may be the rarest part. I think S&W made more 3913's than 3913 mags.

FWIW, a year or so ago Midway had factory 3913 mags for sale....
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Old 03-14-2020, 09:43 PM
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"Out of Stock, no back order." They do have Pro Mags, but you definitely don't want those.



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FWIW, a year or so ago Midway had factory 3913 mags for sale....
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Old 03-15-2020, 12:59 AM
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Congrats on your find!

Apparently that's how many mags (3) this model came with. Probably part of the original sales agreement.

Mine was brand new. The LGS had just gotten it from his distributor.

.



.
.
.



.
.
.
There's a definite resemblance to his older brother.
.



.
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Old 03-15-2020, 03:02 AM
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One thing we rarely see is a Houlton, Maine marked 3rd Gen. Congrats!
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Old 03-15-2020, 09:46 AM
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Hard to beat a 3913 or 14 in any configuration. Three nice examples, guys
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Old 03-15-2020, 11:54 AM
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Thanks. Looking at BLUEDOT37's pictures, I don't see any real different between the Houlton and Springfield made guns.

Same SKU, which is no surprise. My end label doesn't have "M3914 *NYPD*" and has the old date format, but is otherwise the same.

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One thing we rarely see is a Houlton, Maine marked 3rd Gen. Congrats!
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Old 03-15-2020, 12:07 PM
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Quote:
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"Out of Stock, no back order." They do have Pro Mags, but you definitely don't want those.
well then, I would select the "notify me when available" option....
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Old 03-27-2020, 07:43 PM
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Default To The Range

The weather finally got good enough for me to get to the range with the 3914DAO.

I fired three different bullet weights to see if the firearm preferred one of the other. The results were interesting, if not completely clear cut.

First up, put 17 rounds of Blazer Brass 115gr FMJ through into a B-29 target at 21 feet. As you can see, the rounds weren't tightly grouped, but weren't low as they are through my pre rail 3913TSW. That firearm has Meprolight night sights and those are supposed to be shorter than the factory sights. That's a different story.

I would consider this acceptable personal defense accuracy.




Next up, 124gr Blazer Brass FMJ. Tight groups, but consistently high. I held the front sight right on the X, but the rounds insisted on going a bit high. Fairly tight grouping though, and again would be acceptable for personal defense uses.

I'll have to try another box to see if this was a matter of getting used to the DA trigger pull or just user error.



Last test. American Eagle 147gr FMJ. I was able to put most of the rounds into the X ring, as you can see. At this point, my hand and forearm were getting a bit fatigued from the long DA trigger pull. When I slowed down my rate of fire and concentrated on the basics of site alignment, breath control, and trigger pull, I was able to put the rounds where I wanted them.

I just had to remember to do that or the two misses near the head were the results along with the spray of rounds above where I was aiming.



My observations.

The DA trigger pull is very smooth shot after shot. It's a lot like a revolver in that regard, which is probably what NYPD wanted as even their revolvers were DAO before they switched over.

Putting a lot (117) rounds through the firearm at one time adds to the fatigue. Not unbearable, but not concentrating on the basics opens up grouping.

My impression is that 147gr is the best round for personal defense with this gun. I'm going to put some 124gr and 147gr thorugh it next time out. Maybe some 135gr Federal JHP as well.

I wonder what round the NYPD specified for this firearm.

I used the grips that came with the firearm, without a grip sleeve. I might add one before my next range trip. That might help with the "grippiness" problem and improve the accuracy.

I used range magazines, not the ones that came with the gun. Two of those are stainless, one is carbon steel. The carbon steel magazine locked into the firearm more easily and I don't know why. I'm going take the two others apart and make sure I have the springs in correctly. I didn't have any extraction, feeding, or other failures during firing. Which I'd expect with a 3ed Gen gun.

I'm very pleased with this acquisition.
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Old 03-27-2020, 11:47 PM
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Late in 2017, my dealer had a chance to buy one 3914DAO when a batch of them were discovered in somebody’s warehouse (wasn’t clear whether that was a distributor’s or S&W’s). I’ve kept it unfired in the safe since then. A few months ago, I had the opportunity to pick up a shooter in very good condition so I finally got the chance to shoot a 3914DAO.

I’ve found that each time I rummage around for some guns to take to the range, the DAO makes the trip. I’m thoroughly enjoying that gun.
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Old 03-28-2020, 12:25 AM
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I know that any LE gun from Smith and Wesson, that was sold to a LE distributors I dealt with always came with 3 mags. Same with LE Berettas and Glocks.

Last edited by CALREB; 03-28-2020 at 01:27 PM.
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Old 03-28-2020, 11:16 PM
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Thanks, you prompted a memory. One of my first 3rd Gens, back 10-11 years ago, was a 6906. It had been owned by a Captain on a state college PD. It came complete with box, paper work, and three magazines. Where he got it from, I don't know, but now that you mention it, if he bought it via the state contract as a LE gun, it probably came with three magazines from the factory.


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I know that any LE gun from Smith and Wesson, that was sold to a LE distributors I dealt with always came with 3 mags. Same with LE Berettas and Glocks.
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Old 03-29-2020, 12:04 AM
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Congrats GaryS! Nice shooting too!

The NYPD load is the Speer 124 grain Gold Dot. Regards 18DAI
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Old 03-29-2020, 04:30 PM
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Thank you. Of course I don't have any of that among my 124gr JHP. I'm going to continue trying different types of 124 and 147 gr ammunition to see what works best.

When the current ammo panic subsides, I'll search for 124gr Gold Dot.

Of course, I'll keep shooting what I have in the interim.

I think my shooting is "okay," but I'm always looking to improve. Practice is important, but good practice is more important.

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Congrats GaryS! Nice shooting too!

The NYPD load is the Speer 124 grain Gold Dot. Regards 18DAI
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