Wrong I bought 4 3913/3914s at that price or less; two were NLs. Bunch of $10 mags too!

Folks wanted the 10+1 Glock 26 or 27......... I ended up with the best end of that bargain......cus the 39xx's were all ANIB "sock drawer" guns.

IIRC the cheapest was an "as new" 3914 around $250..... cheaper cus it was "blue" not stainless. Also a great time to pick up a "back up" 6904 or 6906 or both...... $300 guns with 2-4 mags!


Between 2000 and 2010 was a great time to pick up cheap "sock drawer" 915s.

It was an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to compete on price with Glock. Glock targeted the military and police markets which Smith had dominated for decades and it hurt their bottom line.

I don't know if it worked in the short term and it wasn't until the M&P polymer frame guns came out that smith became competitive again. At least that is my impression.

I owned a M&P9c for a couple of years. It was very clinky and I sold it to fund the purchase of a former police 6906. A much better gun IMO. I don't carry it,but love shooting it.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

You just have to be patient and you can find bargains.

A 3914DAO for under $500.00 including shipping and transfer, an ANIB 6946 with two magazines for $325.00 OTD from a FFL, and a very nice 3913LS with two magazinesfor $420.00.

They're out there, you just have to find them.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

I own a 915 (all metal) and while not the nicest finished (matt black rather than polished) it is the best shooting S&W 9mm I own, and I have several.

You are basically correct, Rosewood. Adding to my comment #26, the name "American Pride Series" was a thinly veiled dig at Glock. Because it was metal and made in America it was something to be "proud" of, unlike that piece of Austrian plastic which had captured such a market share. American Pride or Austrian Plastic, you see. The Clinton ban brought about a lot of changes including more plastic parts to what was now called "Value Series" because they were still trying to get their agency market back and the Glock is a hundred dollars cheaper per unit. (At least! Please correct me anyone.)

Making Beautiful guns had always been part of the S&W brand.

I heard about the Model 29 and silhouette shooting. The Dan Wesson pistols were stronger in every way and the model 29 especially had a much weaker and thinner top strap. It was further weakened by the sight groove cut in it. You simply could not shoot the Dan Wesson loads in that gun. It was out of the question to make the top strap thicker because then it would be as UGLY as a Dan Wesson! The solution was the "endurance package" of 1988 which worked pretty well, though you will still hear the ignorant and unaware saying that you must only shoot magnums occasionally in the M29. (Can anyone correct me here?)

I also heard that S&W hired a high-priced artist to design the grips on the third gen, the beautiful curvy checkering pattern on the Delrin grips. I really appreciate the design myself and it goes a long way to make the guns at least less ugly than the Glock. (Anyone know the story?)

I am of the opinion that Smith has finally learned to make their guns just as ugly as anybody's :-)

Kind Regards!
BrianD

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696-6906-457-38-3913-CS40-411

I concur! Blued and or alloy 3rd gens are hard to find. I love stainless 3rd gens but I want a bit of variety too. Love my 915 and 411! Smith & Wesson had done this before, anybody remember the model 28 Highway Patrolman? Exact same concept.

The 915 is a great utility high-cap like the Model 28. Now with Mecgar newest mags it's now 17+1.

The straight back grip fits my hand almost like a HI Power.