3953 TSW Different Factory Grips Than Standard?

[kbm6893]

I have a 3953. Same grips as a 3913. But I just bought a 3953 TSW on gunbroker and the grip is different. There’s a cut on the bottom. I’m attaching a YouTube link that has the poster with a standard 3953, but the grips have the same cut as the TSW I just bought. Is the frame slightly smaller on the TSW guns? The gun is clearly shown in the still of the video below.

YouTube

[URIT]

The gun shown appears to be wearing 3953TSW grips so the 7 round magazine fits flush. The 3953, 8 round mag, doesn't have that accommodation and the grip is cut straight across and the mag base extends beyond the bottom of the grip.

[kbm6893]

Originally Posted by URIT

The gun shown appears to be wearing 3953TSW grips so the 7 round magazine fits flush. The 3953, 8 round mag, doesn't have that accommodation and the grip is cut straight across and the mag base extends beyond the bottom of the grip.

So the 3953 TSW has a 7 round mag? I don’t understand. The base plate of my 8 round mag goes right to the bottom of the mag well.

[18DAI]

The early 3953TSW pistols had a grip frame, cut out and took 7 round mags. The grips in the photo you provided above, are from an early production 3953TSW, but mounted on a later full grip frame 3953.

If your 3953TSW IS an early production version, with the cut out grip frame and 7 round mag, the slide will be laser etched "Tactical Smith &Wesson".

If your 3953TSW is a later production with full grip frame and 8 round mag, the slide will be laser etched "9 Tactical Smith & Wesson".

As seen above it is possible you have a later version that somebody put the wrong grips on. Regards 18DAI

[GaryS]

That's what it looks like.

Originally Posted by 18DAI

The early 3953TSW pistols had a grip frame, cut out and took 7 round mags. The grips in the photo you provided above, are from an early production 3953TSW, but mounted on a later full grip frame 3953.

If your 3953TSW IS an early production version, with the cut out grip frame and 7 round mag, the slide will be laser etched "Tactical Smith &Wesson".

If your 3953TSW is a later production with full grip frame and 8 round mag, the slide will be laser etched "9 Tactical Smith & Wesson".

As seen above it is possible you have a later version that somebody put the wrong grips on. Regards 18DAI

[demkofour]

If I’m not mistaken, pre-railed 3953TSW’s were seven shot guns and the later rail version was an eight shot gun. Meaning that the pre-railed guns had a shorter grip frame to accommodate the seven shot magazine. It appears the Lucky Gunner gun is an eight shot framed gun, wearing the pre-railed seven shot grips…

Gary and 18dai beat me to the punch!

[kbm6893]

So this one is a 7 shot gun. Would the springs for it require different springs?

I can post a link to the completed gunbroker auction if that’s allowed, but it must be a 7 shot gun. The magazine only shows 7 on the witness holes and there are both odd and even numbered holes so there’s none of the other side. No big deal. I’ve been on a PD collecting kick lately and grabbed it. It’s says Tactical Smirh & Wesson on the slide.

[GaryS]

I use the same magazine springs for my 8 round and 7 round magazines with no problem. My main EDC is a pre rail 3913TSW with the seven round magazine.

Originally Posted by kbm6893

So this one is a 7 shot gun. Would the springs for it require different springs?

Attention Required! | Cloudflare

[NCBeagle]

Here is an early 3953 with the short grip / flush magazine





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[18DAI]

Nice score! Congrats!

Those early TSW compacts with the cut grip frame were only made for a couple of years - 1997/1999? - and are very sought after. Great carry guns! Enjoy yours! Regards 18DAI

[kbm6893]

Originally Posted by 18DAI

Nice score! Congrats!

Those early TSW compacts with the cut grip frame were only made for a couple of years - 1997/1999? - and are very sought after. Great carry guns! Enjoy yours! Regards 18DAI

Other than the grips, are there any internal differences? Recoil, firing pin, and mag springs the same? First thing I do when I get a used gun is change the springs.

[GaryS]

I have both the 3913 and 3953 pre rail TSW guns. I carry the 3913, but the 3953 is ANIB and I just can't bring myself to put wear on it.

I should start carrying my 3914DAO, but the 3913TSW is so comfortable to carry that I just haven't got around to it yet.

First world problems!

Originally Posted by 18DAI

Nice score! Congrats!

Those early TSW compacts with the cut grip frame were only made for a couple of years - 1997/1999? - and are very sought after. Great carry guns! Enjoy yours! Regards 18DAI

[GaryS]

Springs are the same. The are a lot of differences. Slide is longer, hammer and trigger are different, but none of that effects the springs.

Originally Posted by kbm6893

Other than the grips, are there any internal differences? Recoil, firing pin, and mag springs the same? First thing I do when I get a used gun is change the springs.

[ACEd]

Originally Posted by kbm6893

I have a 3953. Same grips as a 3913. But I just bought a 3953 TSW on gunbroker and the grip is different. There’s a cut on the bottom. I’m attaching a YouTube link that has the poster with a standard 3953, but the grips have the same cut as the TSW I just bought. Is the frame slightly smaller on the TSW guns? The gun is clearly shown in the still of the video below.

My Carry Gun Is Outdated and Weird - YouTube

There were 2 variants of the 3913TSW and the 3953TSW frames.

The early version has a cutout in the frame which matches the grips you have (which are hard to find) and takes a 7 round magazine, making for a slightly more compact pistol.

The later version has the same frame grip length as the non-TSW versions and takes the 8 round magazines (same as regular non-TSW 3913, 3914, 3953, 3954)

It appears you have the early grips on a late frame. Easy to fix just order a set of regular 3913 grips.

[kbm6893]

Originally Posted by ACEd

There were 2 variants of the 3913TSW and the 3953TSW frames.

The early version has a cutout in the frame which matches the grips you have (which are hard to find) and takes a 7 round magazine, making for a slightly more compact pistol.

The later version has the same frame grip length as the non-TSW versions and takes the 8 round magazines (same as regular non-TSW 3913, 3914, 3953, 3954)

It appears you have the early grips on a late frame. Easy to fix just order a set of regular 3913 grips.

You misunderstood. The gun in the video link is not mine. I was using it to show the type of grip on the one I just bought. Judging by 18DAI’s response and the pic of the actual gun I have coming I listed a few posts down from the video, the one I bought is an earlier model with the slightly smaller grip frame and the 7 round magazines.

[Heymatt]

That’s a great score! I was watching that one, very tempted.

[kbm6893]

I have no intention of changing the grips, but I would think since the shortened grip frame and 7 round mag were not used for very long, I wouldn't be able to swap them out anyway. Are there any grip alternatives to one of these early TSW guns?

[NewSport]

I am not sure about alternative grip availability for your new pistol, however if I remember correctly your 7 round magazines interchange with the Chiefs Special 9 (CS9) line of pistols. Regular 8 round mags work as well, but hang out a little bit for both...