Model 909 Collectibility

WCCPHD

WCCPHD

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I found a Model 909 at a LGS. Its the first one I've seen. From what I have been able to find out it is part of S&W's value line, but was only made for a short time.

I was curious as to its value, both monetarily and among third generation collectors. The asking price is $399 for the gun with one mag. No box and the gun is in good condition with some holster wear.

Thanks in advance.

Bill
 
I paid 345 shipped and transfer fee back in late Nov early Dec. Came with one mag and firearm was about 80%. In an email from a S&W CS rep on Nov 1 last year they said 8023 were made.
 
Bill,
That is probably on the high end of pricing for that model in today's market

50 or 100 years down the road, it will be positively be collectible, today? Not so much.

Just like the Ford Edsels that did not sell when they were new, now bring good money (60 years later) at some of the auctions
 
WCCPHD said:
I found a Model 909 at a LGS. Its the first one I've seen. From what I have been able to find out it is part of S&W's value line, but was only made for a short time.

I was curious as to its value, both monetarily and among third generation collectors. The asking price is $399 for the gun with one mag. No box and the gun is in good condition with some holster wear. Thanks in advance.
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I'm a fan of the Model 909... the last-made successor to the legendary Models 39 & 39-2. :) I found an "as-new" one (but no box) at a MA show back in Dec 2015 for $425+Tx w/2 mags. Stupid old fool me, I haggled for a lower price and ended up blowing it. :mad: But late last year, I lucked out. I found one on the Forum and was able to import it. My total cost: Under $375. I considered myself very fortunate. :)

I'd go for an "ANIB" one for $400+Tx in a heartbeat. :) Maybe even a little more. :D But no box, just one mag and some holster wear? :confused: That's tougher to value without seeing it. :o
 
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I don't think of Value Line guns in terms of collectables, but others do. I'd say that $350.00 is about right for a good condition gun with one magazine. Midway has the magazines from time to time, as they fit the 39-2, 3904/06, and the 909. Early magazines were eight rounds, but the later guns shipped with 9 round magazines. Overall length of the magazines is the same.

I had a 3904 for a while. Beautiful, single stack firearm, and it shot well. What killed the 3904/06 was that it was a full size single stack in an era where police wanted full sized double stacked guns. Anyone who wanted a single stack was more likely to buy a 39xx compact.

I sold mine after a few years because it was a safe queen. I had better guns for the range (5906), and carry (39xx).
 
BlackTalonJHP said:
Do you know if the mags are interchangeable with the 952?
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They should be, yes.

oldman10mm is certainly the undisputed Guru of 3rd Gen magazines, but I think he is talking about finding them at shows. They are still available on-line from multiple sources, even if not the cheapest mags around. :)
 
Magazines ate absolutely interchangeable with the 952 and in fact, S&W recently did a production run of them within the last 3 years and the package is marked "3906/909/952."

I know that oldman10mm is a fantastic resource for findings and availability at gun shows -- he hits more shows than maybe anyone who regularly posts. Even still, I have to disagree, these 9-rd single stack mags are NOT difficult to find, in my experience.

Gunbroker always has many and I see them at my "every other month" gun show.

As to the 909 and the Value Line guns made after the 915/411, I don't care for them. Cheaper internal bits can (and should be) upgraded but the ugly cut of the slide makes them look blocky and they all appear to my eyes like a Chinese knock-off of a 3rd Gen. As if it seems like a 3rd Gen from a distance but a cheap copy up close.

Price isn't awful and the 909 is perhaps the most desirable of them simply because it copies the 3904, which isn't a particularly easy 3rd Gen to find. Whereas the 910 copies the 5903/915, I see no good reason to ever settle for a 910 when a 5903/915 is available.

These are merely my opinions, we won't all agree.
 
GaryS said:
I don't think of Value Line guns in terms of collectables, but others do.
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Ahh, that would be yours truly folks! ;) Fully 1/3 of my 3rd Gen collection pistols are Value Line or pre-Value Line pistols. :D That does not count the CS-series guns either. :)

GaryS said:
I'd say that $350.00 is about right for a good condition gun with one magazine.
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This is where you get into the minimum price floor thang for practically any 9mm 3rd Gen (about $299) vs. the relative scarcity of the Model 909 for folks who still want, for whatever reason, to own & shoot a full-size single stack that's not a worn relic or prized collector gun. :confused: Bottom line: I think you're not too far off. :)
 
This thread is definitely a learning experience for me. I have one 9rd 9mm mag in my 'master' collection. Always thought is was for the 909 only. Since I don't follow the 'performance center' pistols,I know nothing of the 952. The 3904/3906 shows as 8rd mags in the 3rd gen listing. The 1st gen 39s' I don't follow.
Love the info !
 
If you look at a 3904/3906 original magazine from the early 1990's, you can barely see a difference between it (8rds) and the current 9-round magazine. There may be one less witness hole and the follower is often orange rather than the more familiar bright red.

The 8 and 9 round mags with the plastic base are totally interchangeable, only difference is capacity. These mags also fit and function 100% in 39, 39-2, 439, 539 and 639, but they look odd with the more modern fat plastic floor plate.

I would agree that an original 3904/3906 magazine -- plastic floor plate and 8-round capacity is somewhat scarce (I wouldn't use the term "rare") but in looks and almost in function, they are basically no different at all than the 9-round magazine.

It is worth noting that the original 39-2 mags will not lock in to place with the longer grip frame of the 3904/3906/952. Not owning a 909, I can't confirm but assume it's the same for the 909.
 
Within my humble experience, my 909/952 magazines were a bit longer than my blue and stainless 39/539/639 magazines. The 39/639 type magazines were not quite long enough to lock into my 952 and 952-1 pistols. Conversely, the 909/952 magazines stuck out, leaving a little gap between base plate and frame when inserted in the 39/639 guns.

FWIW, at a large gun show I once saw the later 909/952 type magazines in factory S&W packaging with a floor plate that closed the gap when using the longer magazines in the older 39/639 type pistols. There was mention of this on the packaging. Sure wish I'd bought a couple as I never saw this particular variation anywhere afterward......
 
Rock185 said:
I once saw the later 909/952 type magazines in factory S&W packaging with a floor plate that closed the gap when using the longer magazines in the older 39/639 type pistols. There was mention of this on the packaging. Sure wish I'd bought a couple as I never saw this particular variation anywhere afterward......
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Unfortunately, S&W no longer makes that floorplate.
 

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What was once the S&W "value line" are now "they do not make them like that anymore" and every bit "collectable" and "shootable". They were designed for export contracts to Middle Eastern allied police and military after Gulf War One. That is a decent price. They are nice guns.
 

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In the 9mm Value Line, it simply isn't fair or accurate to drop the Model 915 in with the 908, 908 and 910. The 915 had a few "spartan" features compared to the regular production 3rd Gens but the 908, 909 and 910 had the less sturdy barrel lock-up, the squared and blocky slide that cost less to machine and the plastic bits that some believe are truly suspect including the magazine catch and guide rod.

The 915 (and 411) are simply BETTER, higher quality pistols than the 908, 909 and 910.
 
Sevens said:
In the 9mm Value Line, it simply isn't fair or accurate to drop the Model 915 in with the 908, 908 and 910. The 915 had a few "spartan" features compared to the regular production 3rd Gens but the 908, 909 and 910 had the less sturdy barrel lock-up, the squared and blocky slide that cost less to machine and the plastic bits that some believe are truly suspect including the magazine catch and guide rod.

The 915 (and 411) are simply BETTER, higher quality pistols than the 908, 909 and 910.
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Thank you, I had not heard these distinctions with the Model 915 before and in my reading these firearms have been portrayed pretty much the same. I modified my prior post.
 
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The way I have tried to summarize it is that S&W had all intentions of making a "Value Line" with the 915/411 but they failed... they made the pistols too good and they didn't save enough money. While they made -TONS- of the 915, they did so for only two years.

Then they actually went ahead and cheapened the guns down. The 910 was the direct result, the 908 and 909 also came. No offense intended to those who own and love the 908, 909, 910, 410 and 457... but these pistols are genuinely inferior to 3rd Gen four-digit model number guns and inferior to the 915/411.
 
Sevens said:
The way I have tried to summarize it is that S&W had all intentions of making a "Value Line" with the 915/411 but they failed... they made the pistols too good and they didn't save enough money. While they made -TONS- of the 915, they did so for only two years.

Then they actually went ahead and cheapened the guns down. The 910 was the direct result, the 908 and 909 also came. No offense intended to those who own and love the 908, 909, 910, 410 and 457... but these pistols are genuinely inferior to 3rd Gen four-digit model number guns and inferior to the 915/411.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't disagree with any of that. But when you look at quality of materials and quality of manufacture, is a 908/909/910 or the like any worse than what most manufactures are peddling today?
 
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