Pros/Cons S&W 3953?

I see a these for sale occasionally and am thinking about getting one. Please chime in with opinions about this model.

Picked one up awhile ago. Have some trouble with the 11 lb, 7 oz trigger on a compact with my big hands.

The biggest issue that will effect everybody is the wear of the aluminum frame rails. Almost no online sellers post photos of that. It's a heck of a gamble to buy them off the internet. Some sellers will let you do an inspection, but if you decide it's not acceptable condition, you're out shipping both ways and possibly a restocking fee. Hard to find in most locales.

policerevolvercollector said:

I see a these for sale occasionally and am thinking about getting one. Please chime in with opinions about this model.

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A whole lot of the members of Team 3rd Gen like them (including yours truly) although it is not unanimous. Some folks just can't get into a DAO pistol. I found one once that was so damn smooth & silky that I had to have one. That gun was a little damaged and I am anal-retentive... so I waited until I found a nicer one. Action is pretty good on mine but still not as nice as on that nasty one I had found. Go figure.

You'll also read how some folks say they aren't worth as much (financially) as the Model 3913 because DA/SA trumps DAO... but I don't find that to be true where I live. Fact is that the Model 3953 pistols are much harder to find and, therefore, sell for equal or more money in the same condition.

There are a lot of cop trade-ins right now on that large firearms auction site that we can't mention. Some look okay as long as you don't mind the agency markings... and some are a bit on the nasty/risky side. I'm hoping for another very clean one to come along again someday at a semi-reasonable price, although GaryS gets first crack at it if he still wants one. That's a story for some other time.

In short, I'd recommend going after one if you are a DAO kind of guy... but be careful with those cop trade-ins on the auction site. I've been zinged and I'm sure I'm not the only one.

The S&W DAO guns are not so popular here in metro Atlanta. It took me a long time to sell my 5946. I own and cherish a 3953; would love to have another one at the right price. To me, the 3953 is a $300.00 pistol. There have been some on the ODT forum with lofty prices lately that have not sold.


You are welcome to shoot mine. If you wait until the middle of next week you can shoot my S&W 53 .22 Remington Jet too.

I HAVE NOTHING NEGATIVE TO SAY ABOUT THEM. THEY ARE PERFECT FOR THEIR DESIGN. A SMALLER 9MM, LIGHT WEIGHT, EASY TO CARRY AND CONCEAL. BUT NOT TOO SMALL TO BE EASY TO SHOOT.AS FOR THEIR DURABILITY. AS ANY PERSON WHO SHOOTS A LOT SHOULD KNOW. REGULAR CHANGES OF THE RECOIL SPRING WILL LET THE GUN WORK AS DESIGNED. MY FRIEND HAS AT LEAST 20K ROUNDS THRU HIS. THEY SHOOT WELL. NOW IF YOU CAN FIND ONE. THE PERFORMANCE CENTER MADE A RUN OF 4 INCH VERSIONS WHICH ARE ENGRAVED "CLASSIC SERIES". NO SPECIAL BUSHINGS , BUT JUST A TIGHT GREAT SHOOTING LITTLE GUN. JP

A Wolf spring kit can help with the pull weight. Back in the 1990s 3953s got a lot of favorable press. They are a exception to the rule that DAO 3rd gens sell for less than TDA. Police surplus sales of DAOs have affected the service pistol size 3rd generations more than the concealment size. 3rd gens.

Your back ground with revolvers will help a lot managing the trigger.

I'm going to say I don't find a down side to the 3953. I love the DAO trigger and the lack of safety/decockers. Mine breaks at 9lbs or a bit less and is very smooth. That is a lot less than the DA on ANY of my TDA 3rd gens by quite a bit with my Shorty 9 coming close at 9.5 lbs DA...others go past 12 lbs. It takes a Performance Center TDA to come close to the 3rd gen DAO's

A person has to remember that the DA pull on a DAO is much shorter than that of a TDA due to the half cock position they fire from. I recommend trying to find one with MIM parts (black trigger and hammer) as I think they have smoother triggers. A 9 lb trigger that is smooth and fairly short is very nice in a carry gun. I can shoot my 6946 just as well and just as fast as my 6904. Yes, I know that I can probably empty the mag in SA physically faster but if you're talking about actually hitting something then SA from a TDA is not faster at least in my hands. As for condition or wear I can't see the 3953 being any different from other 3rd gen. If it has had reasonable care it should be fine.

I, too, was skeptical of DAO's after owning only TDA's for so long but now I actually prefer them. My go to carry gun was my 6904 for years until I got my 6946. I love all my 3rd gens and am comfortable with any of them but don't be talked out of a DAO until you've tried one.

edit: the 9lb pull is on my 6946 but my son-in-laws 3953 is very similar.

I too am one that prefers a DAO automatic. Certainly the most forgiving of the autos in a moment of inattention in a high stress situation.

I got one for my wife. She's a shooter but not what I'd call a real gun person. I think it's ideal for a novice shooter.

Too DAO or not to DAO that is the Question!!!

I shot DAO revolvers for years...using a 3" 65 for qualifications.........shooting at 95% or better..... was a great set up that worked for me!

For "safety/decision making" reasons I like the DA first round on a DA/SA auto.........

I like that after the first shot.... and having committed to engagement........ I'm looking at a shorter lighter single action 2nd,3rd or even 4th shot....until the threat that threatens death or serious bodily injury to me or my family is stopped/neutralized.

Hopefully not having to go to my "long blade"/Gladius or the more practical Machete; in a hand to hand, fight to the death encounter..........but that's another thread............

My first 3913 had the action polished and a 5906 hammer installed....rarely carried it's great for practicing single action shooting......

I've had/have 2 DOA Beretta's a Centurion and a single stack Type-M... the Centurion is long gone cus a 16 round DOA doesn't make sense to me as a civilian in the Burbs of the Burgh........ but the Compact M at 8+1 .......well I kind of like the idea of a "9 shot revolver, in 9mm"

.

The OP might also consider a Sig P239, which can be had in DAO. Very similar in size and weight to a S&W 3953, yet still in production. I gave $350.00 and $375.00 for my two P239 .40 S&W pistols.

My summer hiking pistol.

This one became a .357 Sig.

3953-definite thumbs up!

I've owned several 3913's and CS9's. They're great little pistols.
I've had only one 3953, and if the opportunity came along to buy another nice 3953 or 3954, I'd snag it for sure. I never fully got used to the trigger, but know that could be addressed. I usually prefer a single sided decocker as opposed to the Ambi's on 3913's - I'm right handed and am looking for a little less bulk across the slide, obviously not an issue on the 3953. I have a SIG 239, as well. It's a fine pistol for sure, with better ergonomics WRT the controls. BUT for concealed carry and reliability, the 3953 is hard to beat in the single stack, all metal 9mm ranks.
Sportsmans Outdoor Super Sto just listed some police trades a week or so ago. Pretty tempting, indeed!

Likes are that its a smallish concealable 8 + 1 S&W with a SS slide, aluminum frame (not plastic) and thinner profile due to the removal of the safety decock lever .

Dislikes are the heavy DAO trigger pull that is only capable of a single strike (WHY?) as this translates to no 2nd snap in case of a light primer strike even though the action is certainly capable of it (main reason I sold my Ruger LCP).

Have three cosmetic gripes , First is the way the square cut frame overhangs the slide under the muzzle and just doesnt look right to my eye compared to the 3913LS and PC9 taper cut frames pictured below it.

Second is how they made the slide about 1/4" longer at its rear but didnt move the rear site back to fill that space, to be honest I never noticed it until I bought one, Got it home and kept thinking "Why does this thing feel so long and goofy at the back" ?

Third is even though there is no safety lever S&W cheaped out and just used as set of black delrin 3913 grips making a useless gap where the safety lever would pivot.


In contrast the 3913 LS and NL have the best lines of the compact S&W 3rd gen 9mms,
(compare the slide length behind the safety lever you will notice its shorter)


My current favorite S&W 9mm 3rd gen is the PC9 pictured below for comparison

Engine49guy said:

Likes are that its a smallish concealable 8 + 1 S&W with a SS slide, aluminum frame (not plastic) and thinner profile due to the removal of the safety decock lever.

Dislikes are the heavy DAO trigger pull that is only capable of a single strike (WHY?) as this translates to no 2nd snap in case of a light primer strike even though the action is certainly capable of it (main reason I sold my Ruger LCP).

Have three cosmetic gripes , First is the way the square cut frame overhangs the slide under the muzzle and just doesn't look right to my eye compared to the 3913LS and PC9 taper cut frames pictured below it.

Second is how they made the slide about 1/4" longer at its rear but didn't move the rear site back to fill that space, to be honest I never noticed it until I bought one, Got it home and kept thinking "Why does this thing feel so long and goofy at the back" ?

Third is even though there is no safety lever S&W cheaped out and just used as set of black delrin 3913 grips making a useless gap where the safety lever would pivot.

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Good points... but especially the lack of a fast second strike capability. That's a biggy.

The cosmetic design points mentioned don't bother me so much. In the big scheme of things, I don't need absolute perfection in cosmetic design. I'm willing to accept that offering so many different models and configurations sometimes involves compromise for the sake of economy... except for the more costly PC guns, of course.

The 3953 is a great gun. The point OlongJohnson made about the frame rails is a good one though. Something to look at if possible before purchasing. The DAO pull can be mastered. Probably because I spent some years shooting DA revolvers it never seemed like a big deal to me.

The biggest problem though and the only one that would really gives me pause is the fact the guns are no longer produced or supported by Smith & Wesson. If the thing breaks it may be tough to get parts.

engine49guy,

The short stroke trigger is the trade for no 2nd strike. Missfires are very uncommon in guns that have not had the mainspring reduced by home gunsmithing. I guess considering the importance you put on a 2nd strike for a DAO you'd choose a Sig or Beretta.

Now your three 3953 cosmetic issues. The frame being too long in front I have to look for. That's a yawner. However, using 3913 grips on the 3953 jumps out and bites my sensibilities. The rear sight dovetail was not moved rearward on early 3rd generation DAOs because the sight retains the spring powered plungers. They should have made a longer Novak sight to move the blade back. We just have to hope that not making separate sights and grips helped S&W's stock price. Overall 3953s still look better than all the flat black striker fired plastic pistols.

k22fan said:

engine49guy,

The short stroke trigger is the trade for no 2nd strike. Missfires are very uncommon in guns that have not had the mainspring reduced by home gunsmithing. I guess considering the importance you put on a 2nd strike for a DAO you'd choose a Sig or Beretta.

Now your three 3953 cosmetic issues. The frame being too long in front I have to look for. That's a yawner. However, using 3913 grips on the 3953 jumps out and bites my sensibilities. The rear sight dovetail was not moved rearward on early 3rd generation DAOs because the sight retains the spring powered plungers. They should have made a longer Novak sight to move the blade back. We just have to hope that not making separate sights and grips helped S&W's stock price. Overall 3953s still look better than all the flat black striker fired plastic pistols.

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Some people put more or less emphasis on a guns looks,
Im not much of a Sig or Beretta fan but a 3913LS/NL is on my short list.
(probably explains why I also dont like the blockier 3913 version either).


Im guessing the longer slide was an attempt at shrouding the hammer and while the rear site and longer tang issue is mainly cosmetic the 3953 just doesnt look right to me ,
I admittedly have big mits and the 3953 also doesnt fit my hand as good as the PC9 or 39-2 (Model 59 not so great either).

Perhaps the grip issue nags at my craw as I prefer the look of the early short tang /short safety Pre 39's with non relieved L grip panel ,


Also while I simply stated that I didnt like the 3953's heavy trigger there is a bit more to it that I kinda glossed over,
While I no doubt need more practice what is probably holding me back is 30 years of shooting a Model 39-2 and Model 59 .
DAO just feels foreign to me which translates to poor results on target that in turn instills little confidence of accuracy beyond 20 feet ....right now.

Additionally while I know exactly where my Model 39-2 trigger will break there is a bit of guess work with the spongy DAO 3953 trigger .

Finally while the 3953 has a shorter DA "Stroke" its reset is MUCH MUCH (Do I need to say Much again?) longer requiring the trigger to be completely released between shots , There are two audible "Clicks" that kind of announce it has reset but since I am used to the 39-2 "single click" on reset there have been several instances where I have unconsciously advanced the trigger to the first click thinking it was reset , this unfortunately results in a "HUH??" moment .

Im not saying the 3953 is a bad gun jsut that I cant get used to its DAO trigger or ugly duckling looks and so will eventually shelve it for a 3913 but I am admittedly persnickety with my firearms.
In the mean time I have the PC9 which in contrast is outstanding in every way (except the ugly plastic grips) .

Engine49guy said:

Some people put more or less emphasis on a guns looks, I'm not much of a Sig or Beretta fan but a 3913LS/NL is on my short list. (probably explains why I also don't like the blockier 3913 version either).

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Oh man! You are a tough customer!

People have accused me of being way too focused on aesthetics and cosmetic issues... but you are setting a brand new standard here that leaves me in the dust! It's actually a little bit of a relief to me that someone out there is more critical than me in evaluating the beauty of the semi-auto guns we collect.

That said, we are on opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to the 3900-series. I find the plain Jane Model 3913 to be a very handsome looking gun. It must be my favorite because I own more of them than anything else.

I know it is 3rd Gen sacrilege to say it, but I'm just not into the Models 3913LS & NL. I might get drummed out of Team 3rd Gen for that statement but it's time that I finally come out of the closet. Sorry, but to me the LS &NL are still designed and intended by S&W to be lady's purse guns whereas the plain Jane 3913 is clearly a man's gun!

Would I still like a nice pristine "NL" in the collection someday? Of course I would. I'm not crazy after all.

But it won't be the end of the world if I go to my grave without ever having owned one. And that's a fact. Sorry guys!

Should I turn in my membership card now or later?

They say "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and perhaps one reason S&W made so many several different 3rd gen 9mm autos,

Not sure I would agree that the 3913 LS & NL were "designed and intended by S&W to be lady's purse guns " Probably more of marketing ploy directed at first time female gun buyers or husbands that wanted to get the wife unit a really cool BD present .

IMO those DAO trigger models were an attempt at reducing accidental discharges in the LEO arena until the advent of more modern striker fire trigger safety designs became the norm.

We had an AD incident back in 1989 that resulted in a suspect being fatally shot, the officer claimed that he slipped in a scuffle and squeezed the trigger of his cocked S&W Model 645 .

On a side note of safe design and pleasing aesthetics one of my all time favorite CCW pistols was the HK P7 series.
Problem is they are out of production and super expensive nowadays...well to be honest they were always pricey.
Perhaps its time HK came out with a modernized polymer version that is priced competatively....I would buy one !

"Additionally while I know exactly where my Model 39-2 trigger will break there is a bit of guess work with the spongy DAO 3953 trigger ."

I have only fired 2 and handled 3 DAO guns but have never found the trigger "spongy", perhaps we are thinking of different things. To me they pull very smooth and consistent which is key for a good trigger in my mind. Like others I come from a revolver background so it's familiar to me.

As for shooting I suggest pressing the trigger straight through without trying to stage it, not fast or hurried just finished without pausing...you may be surprised.

It has already been pointed out that the half cocked trigger for a shorter travel is the trade off for double strike capability but I don't mind that because I can count the number of rounds over the years that FTF after one strike without taking my shoes off.
But I have to pull the trigger every time so I'll take the shorter travel.

No single gun is for everyone and the DAO Smiths are no exception but they are very good at what they were designed to do and I like them.