Carry 3914 DAO (NYPD Off Duty)

[NCBeagle]

I lean toward Smith J and Colt D frame revolvers in the summer but occasionally carry Third Generation pistols. This DAO 3915 is one of my favorites. Smith & Wesson made this variant at NYPD request and for off duty use. I think it continued production, sort of below the radar, until about 2015 or so. Maybe somebody can confirm. Super reliable, slim, etc. Great for appendix carry.

 

[Erich]

Cooler than a fan . . .

 

[GaryS]

Mine was owned by a NYPD officer who transferred to another agency that had different requirements for off duty fire arms.

The fired case is dated Nov. 2012, so they were making them and NYPD was still authorizing them as of then.

I acquired it from him in March of 2020. It shoots well and I'd have no hesitation in carrying it, but just haven't got around to it yet.

 

[DUSTYDOGDAN]

Nice pistol. I would love to find one and would carry it with zero worries.

 

[GaryS]

They show up now and then on various gun auction sites. Mine was listed here with a link to the GB auction. We negotiated via PM and email and then I did a "Buy it now" over there.

It was a bit complex, but worked out well for both of us.

Nice pistol. I would love to find one and would carry it with zero worries.

 

[NCBeagle]

They show up now and then on various gun auction sites. Mine was listed here with a link to the GB auction. We negotiated via PM and email and then I did a "Buy it now" over there.



It was a bit complex, but worked out well for both of us.

As you mentioned, these are reasonably available, despite limited production. They show up on GB from time to time. That's where I found my first. Found the other two locally. One was at Cabelas for a ridiculous low price.

 

[otis24]

I have a 3953 DAO. It was a police pistol and has a very low round count. I had been searching for a Beretta 92 DAO. I thought a DAO pistol would be the cat’s meow. I couldn’t shoot worth a darn with it.

I wound up with an AirLite 4040PD. Not as big a fan of the .40 S&W due to price of ammo compared to 9mm. The 4040PD is on its way to Louisiana in exchange for a 3914. I’ve got a holster coming from Garrity Gun Leather for my Browning Hi Power. One of the two will be my primary carry. Or shall be rotated during seasons. The 3914 for summer/fall carry and the Hi Power for winter carry.

 

[mikerjf]

Can anyone contrast the full-stroke trigger pull to the shorter pre-cock style of DAO? Which one do you like better?

 

[MDB1056]

I've carried a 3914 for 12 years now. Own 3. 100% confidence. I've never had an issue with any ammo etc. Replaced return and mag springs . I definitely prefer the traditional double action. The first DA pull is longer but it's also safety factor for me. Hogues on all. Outstanding guns

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Can anyone contrast the full-stroke trigger pull to the shorter pre-cock style of DAO? Which one do you like better?

The 3914DAO's trigger pull is the same long pull as the DA trigger pull of a 3913.

The shorter trigger pull of a 3953 feels lighter but you lose the re-strike feature.

If you're comfortable with the first pull of a TDA then the 3914DAO is only different in that every pull is a "first" pull.
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Smith & Wesson made this variant at NYPD request and for off duty use. I think it continued production, sort of below the radar, until about 2015 or so. Maybe somebody can confirm.

My 3914DAO was made in Jun-2015, likely when S&W released the last of the reserve pistols they had in inventory for the NYC contract, or made ones with the reserve parts they had for it.

I believe that was the last of them to leave the factory.

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3914DAO



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3914 & 3914DAO



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[ACEd]

The 3914DAO's trigger pull is the same long pull as the DA trigger pull of a 3913.

The shorter trigger pull of a 3953 feels lighter but you lose the re-strike feature.

If you're comfortable with the first pull of a TDA then the 3914DAO is only different in that every pull is a "first" pull.
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My 3914DAO was made in Jun-2015, likely when S&W released the last of the reserve pistols they had in inventory for the NYC contract, or made ones with the reserve parts they had for it.

I believe that was the last of them to leave the factory.

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3914DAO



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3914 & 3914DAO



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Not sure when NYPD took them off the approved list, but it looks like selling off contract inventory or making from inventory parts makes sense. I had understood NYPD purchased weapons and resold to officers, so also possible some were returned unsold to SW. I have a 3914DAO UCZ6xxx that SW dates as 10/30/2017. I have seen other UCU and UCW from Houlton ME with 6 digit box end dates 120913 and 011314 plus a bunch of Springfield, MA 061515, 062415, and 110715.

 

[Jeppo]

Not sure when NYPD took them off the approved list, but it looks like selling off contract inventory or making from inventory parts makes sense. I had understood NYPD purchased weapons and resold to officers, so also possible some were returned unsold to SW. I have a 3914DAO UCZ6xxx that SW dates as 10/30/2017. I have seen other UCU and UCW from Houlton ME with 6 digit box end dates 120913 and 011314 plus a bunch of Springfield, MA 061515, 062415, and 110715.

Strange dates. Mine (UCZ5xxx) shows a box label date of 10/28/15 and the fired case envelope was dated 10/15/15. My dealer contacted me in November 2017 to say a quantity of these had been “found in the warehouse”. He was buying the only one available to him and would keep it if I wasn’t interested. I remember it being crazy expensive.

 

[GaryS]

As I recall, they were going for close to $700.00 from some dealers in the NYC area. That had to be back around 2017 or so.

At the same time some 3953TSW (with rail) guns showed up new at a dealer in SC. Price was in the same range. That was about the time my son moved to the area, but I never got a chance to look at any.

My guess is that since agencies were replacing their 3rd Gen guns S&W was taking frames and other parts to put together some complete guns.

That included some small quantity of 3914TSW guns. Or maybe a very small quantity as I only saw one for sale on Guns America and it was listed for over a thousand dollars.

Strange dates. Mine (UCZ5xxx) shows a box label date of 10/28/15 and the fired case envelope was dated 10/15/15. My dealer contacted me in November 2017 to say a quantity of these had been “found in the warehouse”. He was buying the only one available to him and would keep it if I wasn’t interested. I remember it being crazy expensive.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Strange dates. Mine (UCZ5xxx) shows a box label date of 10/28/15 and the fired case envelope was dated 10/15/15. My dealer contacted me in November 2017 to say a quantity of these had been “found in the warehouse”. He was buying the only one available to him...

Similar story for mine. It's SN# is UCW16xx made in JUN-2015 (box label date & fired cartridge envelope) & my dealer got the only one offered to him from his distributor in JAN-2018 when I bought it.

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[.455_Hunter]

My 3914DAO is my preferred compact 9mm carry gun. It makes the Shield look stupid.

 

[lowwill]

Wow where did you fine a holster for that. Looks great. Looking for a iwb kydex for my 3913

 

[NCBeagle]

Wow where did you fine a holster for that. Looks great. Looking for a iwb kydex for my 3913

Watchdog Tactical, a local Charlotte holster company, molded it for my pistol. Watchdog made AIWB holsters for several Third Generation pistols.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

i do not think too many of those made it to Houston. I would remember if I ever saw one offered for sale.

 

[rwsmith]

OO I love third gens....

... but I have a question. According to the Lucky Gunner chart showing 3rd gen variants, a '1' in the third number place means that it's a DA/SA. Is this correct?

I would put one of these on my wish list, but dang if I can afford another gun right now.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

... but I have a question.
According to the Lucky Gunner chart showing 3rd gen variants, a '1' in the third number place means that it's a DA/SA.
Is this correct?

It meant it was a compact, & by default a TDA, per S&W logic.

But the DAO at the end of the model# (3914DAO) overrides that.

Just one of the many idiosyncrasies of 3rd Gen nomenclature.

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