So I just picked up this 3913 today. I'm looking in the scsw and there are many variations. Can someone help me out to which version I have.it came with the black grip panel which I'm not sure was the original panel? Also came with 3 mags and a good iwb holster. Paid 400 bucks so I hope I did good on it. Kind of took a chance.seems to be in amazing shape.20200405_114830.jpg

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That's a very nice 3913NL and a good deal. I put black grips on my NL and LS - I just prefer that look.

That is a nice find. It's a 3913NL. No one is quite sure what the "NL" stands for, but it's a 3913 Lady Smith, but without the Lady Smith logo.

The SCSW says it was made from 1991-94. The SCSW also says that the VJA prefix was used in 1997.

The main differences between the 3913LS/NL and the regular 3913 are the angled dust cover, gray grips, and left side only safety/decocker lever.

Hold on to that holster. Holsters that fit the angled dust cover are pretty hard to find these day.

Also, take it apart, clean and lube it. Put some extra lube on the frame rails and get a new recoil spring. You want to protect the frame and rails from damage because S&W doesn't make them any more and doesn't have replacement frames.

If you want to find out when it was made, call the factory and give them the serial number. They'll at least give you the month and year, and maybe the exact date it was built.

Really nice guns. $400.00 is a very good price for that.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

I dont understand, if they were built from 91-94 how could my 1997 vja prefix fit that scenario?

Because the dates in the SCSW are really just educated guesses. Mostly based on input from owners who know the manufacture date.

Someone might have got a one off gun that was built from existing parts after the official end of production.

There are all sorts of oddities when it comes to serial number dates. If you don't have the box, the only way to be sure of the production date is to call the factory.

I'll certainly be interested to see when that was made, as will the authors to the SCSW. If you're so inclined, you can add it to this page. Serial number help needed on recent guns! Triple alpha prefixes:

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Can open, worms everywhere.

Ok . I wasn't aware they were sloppy with keeping records on them

Not sloppy .... S&W never throws anything away. For example S&W had about 500 steel frames made for the original 9mm (later the model 39) in 1954...... but never built guns on those steel frames until the mid-60s

Also for example while the 4566 was discontinued in about 2000 S&W was still building them for Police Depts up until a few years ago.

Also built special DOA 3914s for off duty NYPD for years after the 3914 was dropped from the catalog.


By the way nice gun..... been carrying one as my EDC since about 1992. Hogue still makes nice rubber and wood grips for the 39xx series.

At $400, I’d have been all over that. You done good!!!!

My sense is that your example (3913NL) currently brings the highest price of the three standard variants (3913, 3913LS and 3913NL).

I was told in a jesting way by a S&W Customer Service person that the 'NL' stood for, "Not a Lady Smith". I think there is more truth to that than S&W wanted to let out.

The explanation I always heard offered from different factory folks was:

LS=Lady Smith
NL=No Logo (meaning no LS logo, but the same angled slide & dustcover features)

Guess they decided they had to offer a model variation based on the LS that didn't threaten the masculinity of some potential owners ...

Congrats, BTW.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

CONGRATS!
That's a great price with 3 mags, holster, and extra black grip.
As others have mentioned, the 3913NL is the most desirable of the 3913/3914 compacts. One of the very best metal DA/SA hammer-fired single stacks for carry ever.
As Gary S mentioned greasing the full contact area between the stainless slide and alloy frame is critical to prevent galling. Recoil springs are readily available from Midway or Wolff.
I upgraded the front sight on mine to a fiber-optic from Novak; and Squidsix on this Forum posted an easy way to convert to 9+1 using a S&W 3906 magazine and Pachmayr Kahr mag sleeve. Here's my 3913NL with the black grips and extended mag:

That was an amazing deal for that pistol and the extras. I paid that several years ago for a Police trade-in 3914 with lots of external wear, and with only 1 mag, so you came out looking like a genius! Congrats

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Southern Comfort
Retired USAF

P.S. The image that shows the magazines...the mag on the right does not appear to have a red follower?? Unless it's a different style/brand mag or metal follower?
I've heard some talk about various methods of squeezing in an extra round to stock mags.
Personally, I stick with S&W mags and never have an issue.

Look more closely at the top of the magazine.

(Hint: Also look at the witness holes in the mag body. )

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

OK, I admit my 'ol eyes aren't that good. Had to get out my magnifying glass.
Sheesh, those are the fuzziest looking bullets I've ever seen. HaHa.