A couple of questions please

[mike from st pete]

I have recently bought a 3904. From what I've read the magazines should be 8 rounds, the ones I have are 9 rounds and have a gap between the bottom of the grip frame and the floor plate. They are marked on the floor plate as Smith & Wesson. I'd like to know where I can find the 8 round magazines.

Also is there a serial number look up so I can get a 'born on date'?

 

[PPS1980]

Most retail outlets are out of magazines for the 3904 but you can always try Gunbroker.

 

[oldman10mm]

3904 uses the standard 8rd S&W magazine.
Midway has the curved base mags for 34.99 and the flat base ones on sale for 20.99.

 

[Sevens]

Okay, here is the deal. The 3904 is the 3rd Gen evolution of the Model 39.

39 > 39-2 > 439 > 3904

The first three above had an 8-rd magazine with a flat metal floor plate. When seated, it too had a tiny gap. When 3rd Gens arrived, the first magazines were indeed 8-rd, but now had a plastic floor plate. And a tiny gap. Very shortly after, the magazines moved to 9-rd capacity even though from the outside, they looked basically the same as the very short-lived 8-rd plastic floor plate magazine.

The original 8-rd plastic floor plate magazine is out there in the wild but only the most astute and detail-oriented S&W pistol fans really remember, recognize or care about them, for the most part.

If you find one, it will work, but it offers no tangible advantage over the magazine you have currently. The small gap is something you are stuck with.

Of course, this assumes that the magazine you have now that you don't care for is indeed genuine S&W. If it happens to be some junk Pro-Mag, I can understand why you don't like it.

The S&W magazine that fits "952/3906" is the magazine that is correct for your 3904.

 

[sousana]

Check with summitgunbroker.com they often have hard to find magazines. They have 3906 mags for $35 which will work.

 

[jsbethel]

Pic 1 Left to right - these are stainless magazines but they also came blued.

1. 3913/14 magazine - too short for 3904

2. 1st/2nd gen 39/439/539/639 magazine - tube is too short for 3904

3. later 39/439/539/639 magazine - longer tube is correct length for 3904 but the stepped floorplate keeps it from locking in place.

4. 3904/3906 magazine - 8 or 9 round capacity.

Pic 2 comparison of 8 and 9 round followers.

 

[GaryS]

Early 390x guns shipped with 8 round magazines. Later ones shipped with 9 rounds.

When I had a 3904, I used both interchangeably. There is no difference in tube length, it's in construction of the magazine spring. Just as you can convert an early 3913NL 7 round to 8 round, you can do the same with the 390x magazine. The problem will be trying to find an early spring, since they are long out of production.

Call customer service and give them the serial number. They should be able to tell you the month and year of production.

 

[mike from st pete]

Very interesting, thanks for sharing your knowledge with me.