So after the 3913 vs Shield thread:

3913 vs Shield 9mm

I have started to work the 3913 into the carry rotation. Used to primary carry a 3" 65 but the 3913 is getting carried more and more.

Anyway, my main question is do most of you who carry a 3913/3953 load a round into the chamber and then drop the magazine and top off for 9 rounds or just load the magazine with 8 and chamber a round?

It seems hard to insert the completely loaded magazine into the gun with the slide closed.

yes...........but ......it might just be me....but I have almost always only loaded 1 round in the mag...chambered it then reloaded the mag to capacity of 7....since I have usually been using the steel base plate mag....you know so I can reduce the length a whopping 3/8" from the grip

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witty signature goes here

I load to full capacity in whatever I'm carrying, which includes the 3914, CS9, and others.

Our policy mandates loading to full capacity and I've never seen any malfunction that was rectified by installing a new magazine spring. I have magazines that have been loaded for well over a decade that work fine.

I load mine the the hilt and pack a few mag's when I carry mine. Kyle

Where are you getting a steel baseplate to fit a S&W 9mm mag?

I always carry with one in the chamber and a full mag.

I like them slap full of cartridges.

After twelve years of use and service, my early production 3913 STILL requires a firm slap to seat a mag. No worries as it has still NEVER malfunctioned. I recently retrieved my 3913 from retirement and pressed it into service again.

I suggest that you always load your 3913 to capacity. There is no good reason not to.

And while my 3913 is always loaded to capacity AND I avoid going (on my own time) to problematic places where miscreants gather, it is also a good idea to carry at least one spare mag too! Cause you never know.....

Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Chamber one and top off the mag....

I always have +1 in my carry pistols. I have two pistols that I carry regularly and they have 7 or 8 round magazines. That extra 1 could make a big difference. I sometimes carry an extra magazine too but not always. My 3913 is my favorite carry gun but darn, the LC9 is quite a bit smaller and lighter and it actually gets carried more often. One of those two get carried nearly every day.

18 DAI (And all others who posted!),

Thanks for the replies. It just seemed REALLLLY hard to insert the magazines in the 3913 on a closed slide. I have always topped off any carry pistol that I have ever used, and I carry at least one extra magazine. I have the 3913 on right now.

I currently have 3 magazines for the 3913. 1 flat base plate and two finger rest. All three were difficult to insert. So based on the replies, Ill just man up and jam it in there!

My 39 (no dash) has become one of my two favorite carry guns, and I do the above, always. And, as stated by 18DAI, there's no good reason not to!

Interesting! I can conceal the finger rests though so they don't bother me.

Off topic, but thanks again for the 457 magazine!

the finger rest doesn't bother me either......but that was the best reason I could come up with..................and.....your welcome

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witty signature goes here

can't remember.....I think it was a multi mag deal on this forums classified

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witty signature goes here

Hmmm...That looks like a model 39 mag base plate...MUST TRY!

Thanks for the pics......

Me too.......I've been using the 7 round steel base plate mags for years,+1; backed up with a 8 rounder.

LOL saving that 3/8s inch for better concealed carry....... is like the guys who complain that the ambi-safety make a gun to wide!!!!

IIRC these "short" mags were originally shipped with the early Lady Smith guns.......I never cared for the look of the finger rest mags.; to me they ruined the mini-39 look ...... so over the years I've managed to pick up 1or2 steel base plate mags. for each of my 3913/14s.

S&W use to have a small stock of them..... but I think they are all gone now......unless you had the part # most of the sales staff didn't know they existed or how to find them!!!!

18DIA as always some good thoughts......might I add; if I think I might end up in a "problematic place"........ I switch to a PC 6906 backed up with at least one 15 round 5906 mag with the +2 spacer!!!!!! LOL

One in chamber
Mag full of bonded 124gr JHP
Spare mag of same
Safety off

Ok I'm going to be the odd man out here. I load my magazine to capacity then chamber a round and go on about my business.

I carry two reloads and to me the hassle of dropping the magazine and topping it off out weighs any benefit that might be gained by one more round.

do what works for you

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Retired Career Security Guard

I load a full magazine, chamber a round, and move on. If I carry spare mags, I carry them with one less than capacity. A full mag makes a tactical reload more difficult, and I don't like more difficult.

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

When a lad and toting a .30 carbine that went three-rounds shy of a 15-round magazine to down an 8-point within feet of where he stood when impacted by the first round, I went to a sporterized .308 '98 Mauser, effectively leaving this shooter with one round to accomplish his mission. Thus thereafter spent was a lot of time on a firing range. Should an adversary ever see the business end of any of my weapons - including my 3913LS carry - it is his last. It is the way that it is.

I have an issue with my 3913. When I chamber a round and fill mag to capacity if I'm doing maintenance or going to the range when I take the mag out it strips the first round off the mag and on to the ground. What could be the cause of this? If its the ammo may just load mag and go with one less round round to carry.

Most of my autos will strip the top round if I pull the mag, unless I seated the mag on a chambered round and didn't fire or cycle the gun. Most of my 3rd gens, my 1911's, my PPK/S and others...pretty normal. The friction of feeding pushes the next round forward a bit. No worries.

In the old days, I always charged and then topped off the mag.

But THESE days, Andrew only allows 7 rounds anyway, so that's all I use.

This is similar to the somewhat flippant answer I give when people ask me if I'm planning to go somewhere "dangerous". I tell that if I know it's a dangerous area and don't go unless necessary. If it's necessary, I bring a gun and try to bring some friends with guns.

That's off duty. When I was working I went where they sent me on duty, but I wasn't stupid about it. Securing the scene is the business of the police, which is why I wanted them there first and didn't care if they didn't give the victims first aid.

Like you, I carry with a full magazine and one in the chamber. I have a spare magazine in my pocket (or somewhere). Based on statistics, I don't think I'll ever fire 17 rounds, but stuff happens and having a spare magazine is only prudent.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

This. And it always drives me nuts!

But never had a malf.

I'm in the "load one into a mag, chamber that, drop the empty mag, then smack in a full mag" group.

In instructor I once had taught us what he called an "Administrative Reload".

Place full magazine in firearm
Cycle slide.
Holster weapon.
Remove magazine and replace round.
Place magazine back into firearm.

I've used it for a lot of years, including with my 39xx guns and it hasn't failed me yet.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

You're ejecting and replacing a magazine in a holstered firearm?

That is correct.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

You're ejecting and replacing a magazine in a holstered firearm

What was the theory behind that, did he say? Less handling of the firearm?

Less movement of the gun, less liklihood of touching the trigger unintentionally, muzzle stays in a relatively safe direction.

Gun in the holster, press the mag release, remove the magazine.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

The 3913 was my second 3rd gen and I was kind of turned off at first by the difficulty of seating the mag, nothing like my buttery smooth 6904. Then I decided it wouldn't make a difference anyways, as the slide would most likely be locked back already if I was reloading.

Took me a little time to get used to it, and what I usually do now is firmly push the mag in rather than slapping it home. I'll often depress the mag release button when inserting a mag and then release it when it's fully seated, seems to go in a little easier and it's quiet as well.

I'm also in the habit of loading my gun from a mag with only one in it, then inserting a full mag underneath.

agree with majority - always carry one in the chamber and a FULL mag. 3914 and 908 are both TIGHT but 100% reliable

I always did that when I did my yearly requals (security in NC).


You can be 99.9999% perfect in weapon safety but there there is always a 0.0001% chance that you rack the slide before dumping the mag. I've never done it, but I realize that maybe I would.


By removing the magazine out of the holstered weapon, you now know that you have only one round in the weapon. Rack the slide, round comes out, the gun is now empty (after double checking the magazine well and the chamber & area.

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I miss my 4546 the most.

But of course I rack the slide before I drop the magazine. How else do I get the single round from that magazine into the chamber before inserting (with much grunting, adult language, and eyerolling) a fully loaded 39XX magazine for carry purposes.

..... It's done when unloading....

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I miss my 4546 the most.

You can be 99.9999% perfect in weapon safety but there there is always a 0.0001% chance that you rack the slide before dumping the mag. I've never done it, but I realize that maybe I would.
{Respectfully, I do not understand what you are saying?? Why would it matter if you had racked the slide, you still have a live chamber }
By removing the magazine out of the holstered weapon, you now know that you have only one round in the weapon. Rack the slide, round comes out, the gun is now empty (after double checking the magazine well and the chamber & area.[/QUOTE]
{ I unholster my weapon, drop the mag and I still know that I only have ONE round in it}
That said- I often insert mag, rack slide, holster, drop mag, load a full mag.

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I BACK OUR BLUE

Yes, like the member said, Administrative Reload.

Where have you been, it's back to 10.

I think they can have 10 round magazines, but thou shalt not load more than 7. The number of the loading shall be 7 and 7 shall be the number of the loading.

Thou shall not loadest 8, neither shall thou loadest 9. 10 is right out.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

I carry mine with 8+1 = 9 rounds.

Charge the gun with a single round in a spare magazine.
Drop the hammer using the decocker/safety.
Swap the empty mag with a full mag.
Return decocker/safety to "fire" postion.

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John

One more time, ITS TEN ROUNDS! TEN, same as 10.

I have a 'ton' of stock 8-rd mags for my 908, so having one loaded with only one or two rounds doesn't take away from having several fully loaded ones at all times.

For me it is: Unloaded gun, safety/decocker on 'safe'
Pull back slide and apply slide stop
Insert a partially loaded mag
Release slide, chambering a round and lowering the hammer
Remove the mag and replace with fully-loaded one
Either keep safety on 'safe' or push to 'off safe'
Holster or store loaded gun

I think the standard 3rd gen S&W pistol has the best safety 'system' of any semi-auto.

Always load to capacity and carry at least one reload!

Gotta admit ive been carrying a 457 and 3913nl without +1 and no spare mags. Having something is better than nothing but I do want to haul an extra mag in the future. Ive been thinkng about loading 1 round by hand and not using the mag to feed it. Also I have a 3913 mag shortage to the point I bought a 3914 becuase the mag was worth a good 40$. Anyone know if I can use an 8rd 908 magazine in a 3913?

The 908 mag should work fine in a 3913.

I'm sure you know not to load a round directly in to the chamber (without using a mag). Kind hard on the extractor when the slide goes back in to battery.

Thanks for the great advice Hill Country. I was not aware of stress on the extractor loading by hand. I broke my teeth on pistols in the army. Ive got good safety and maintenance training but we were rough on equipment.

I also carry with the +1 configuration.