3913 has been doing all that for almost 20 years

[18DAI]

I noticed a gun ad recently. It was for another short barreled 1911 type pistol.

This ones ad proclaimed it to be better for carry than a J-frame. Why?

Because, "sometimes 5 shots are not enough, light weight, thin, DA first trigger pull and 8+1 rounds of 9mm, with 8 more in a spare mag".

I had to laugh when I saw the ad, and laughed harder when I looked up the model and saw the asking price. My 3913 cost less than half the MSRP, and has been doing everything proclaimed in the "revolutionary" pistols ad for almost 20 years, with 100% reliability.

Another example of new not necessarily being better.......or even new. Regards 18DAI.

 

[18DAI]

I noticed a gun ad recently. It was for another short barreled 1911 type pistol.

This ones ad proclaimed it to be better for carry than a J-frame. Why?

Because, "sometimes 5 shots are not enough, light weight, thin, DA first trigger pull and 8+1 rounds of 9mm, with 8 more in a spare mag".

I had to laugh when I saw the ad, and laughed harder when I looked up the model and saw the asking price. My 3913 cost less than half the MSRP, and has been doing everything proclaimed in the "revolutionary" pistols ad for almost 20 years, with 100% reliability.

Another example of new not necessarily being better.......or even new. Regards 18DAI.

 

[Erich]

Yup.

 

[586L-Frame]

Ditto!
586L-Frame

[IMG:left]

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[j38]

Amen!

Jerry

 

[ldp4570]

+1000, there isn't much better than the 3913!

 

[shawn mccarver]

Originally posted by 18DAI:
I noticed a gun ad recently. It was for another short barreled 1911 type pistol.

This ones ad proclaimed it to be better for carry than a J-frame. Why?

Because, "sometimes 5 shots are not enough, light weight, thin, DA first trigger pull and 8+1 rounds of 9mm, with 8 more in a spare mag".

I had to laugh when I saw the ad, and laughed harder when I looked up the model and saw the asking price. My 3913 cost less than half the MSRP, and has been doing everything proclaimed in the "revolutionary" pistols ad for almost 20 years, with 100% reliability.

Another example of new not necessarily being better.......or even new. Regards 18DAI.

S&W's guns are often ahead of their time. That, in combination with S&W's routine failure to understand why a particular product is good and to advertise as such has caused the early demise of a number of good S&Ws.

Examples that come to mind are the Centennial, SW9M, 3913, the DAO 3rd Gen autos, etc., etc.

The 3913 is just one of the all time greats from S&W. Always reliable, the right size for the cartridge, etc.

 

[Landric]

I'd really like the see the original 3953 (pre-TSW) available again. As much as I liked the 3913 I had (and foolishly sold), I liked the flatter profile and slicker DAO trigger on the 3953 better.

I agree that the 3913 is on of the best single-stack 9mm pistols out there, and I find it amusing that it is constantly being reinvented.

 

[Hoplophile]

Uh, one minor point: .45 v 9mm.

I love my 3913, and my other Smith 9s.

But I also love my 4563.

 

[chuck pullen]

Me and my 3914 agree.

 

[PX15]

FWIW:

Here's a photo of my 3913 I bought new in 1995..

My Son has asked that I "put it away" for him, so I've done that (w/three mags).

But I did replace it...



Best Wishes,

Jesse

 

[Smith Shooter]

Originally posted by shawn mccarver:
S&W's guns are often ahead of their time....

Examples that come to mind are...the...SW9M...

This one I have to disagree with. I had one for a brief time and it went back to S&W twice before it was adequately reliable. Even at that it was a very harsh gun to shoot and seemed fragile.

It was a blowback full-power 9 mm pistol, a design which many others have tried and failed and S&W was no exception. That's one model that is not missed.

 

[svlwolf]

AMEN, AMEN 3913 is the only ccw i can think of, ok or want to even consider

 

[Erich]

Uh, one minor point: .45 v 9mm.

No, 18DAI's original post made it pretty clear that he was talking about the EMP or somesuch.

Not that I've ever seen a .45 be effective where a 9mm wouldn't have or a 9mm NOT be effective where a .45 would have. I know that everyone here agrees that there are a whole lot of people out there talking about what works who've never seen a shooting.

Like Hoplophile, I own guns in both calibers, myself.

Both are great calibers.

 

[18DAI]

As to 45 vs 9mm, I would refer anyone who argues for, or against, either caliber, to Erics signature line. Nuff said.

IIRC the ad was for a Para Ordnance LDA pistol, in 9mm.

As Eric points out, the EMP is another example of reinventing the 3913. A guy on my squad purchased an EMP, and paid alot of money for it. We went to the range and he let me shoot it, and I let him shoot the 3913. While the EMP was a very nice pistol, he was disgusted when he found out how little the 3913 cost, comparatively. The groups were very similar from both pistols, at all distances. The EMP choked twice, on WWB, the 3913 was 100% functional with everything.

I've got my 3913 on as I type this, and hardly know its there. Fine pistol. If it ever appears on the cover of a gunrag, it will cost three times what it currently does. Regards 18DAI.

 

[Erich]

It's one of those guns that "gun guys" know about. And it's what I recommended my little brother buy when he was looking to get into something to carry last year.

 

[PX15]

Originally posted by 18DAI:

I've got my 3913 on as I type this, and hardly know its there. Fine pistol. If it ever appears on the cover of a gunrag, it will cost three times what it currently does. Regards 18DAI.

18DAI:

In already has.. In 1995. In fact this article was responsible for my purchase of my NIB 3913 which I still have, but have put "away" for my Son (at his request) to have after he gets out on his own.

This was a time before I retired when I could buy whatever new pistol I wanted, and when I actually BOUGHT gun books vs just reading the articles I liked free in Booksamillion like all the other freeloaders such as myself.

I read the article, ordered a new 3913 from my friendly FFL dealer and $401.95 later took possession of my first 3rd generation Smith.

Best Wishes,

Jesse

P.S. Here's what it looks like over a decade later...
P.P.S. Now I still have my original 3913, plus a Crimson Trace equipped 5906, a 6906, a 3913LS, and a CS9.. Yeah, I like 3rd gen. Smiths....

 

[colemanrw]

Here's my 3913.Anyone know of a good way to get the rail of

f?

 

[TN RAT]

Originally posted by Erich:
It's one of those guns that "gun guys" know about. And it's what I recommended my little brother buy when he was looking to get into something to carry last year.

That's your little brother?!?!?!?!? No way! That cat does not look anything like you!!!!

hahahahahahhahahahahaahahahaaha!

Seriously, now that the 9mm has some ammo that has been proven on the streets, and not just "great performance in ballistic gel tests," I am thinking more about a 3913.

I have always loved the platform in the traditional SA/DA format with a single decocker. I handled the 3953 but hated the sloppy feel of the DAO pull.

 

[Zebulon]

18DAI...Will you please send your current e-mail address to me? last information didn't work. Thanks very much....Zebulon (JP)