Compact 3rd generation pistols

[18DAI]

I like the 9mm's and 45's. I find the compacts to be supremely accurate, as reliable as their bigger siblings, loaded with standard features that would cost hundreds on "custom" pistols, undervalued and look good doing all that.

I also shoot them more accurately than I do the full size guns.....or....they shoot more accurately than the full size guns do.

My favorites are the 3913 and 4513.....especially the Shorty 45.

Discuss........ Regards 18DAI

 

[BAM-BAM]

"Discuss".......

YES !!!

You are correct on all points..........



Regards bam-bam....LOL

 

[Birds Away]

I have a 457, 469 and a CS9 compacts. I like the 2nd gens as well. I have tried a lot of guns and keep coming back to the Smith autoloaders. Whether compact or full size I can't get enough of em.

 

[m1976]

I'll choose compact 9mm 3 gen over full size, as the perfect pistol for self defense.

1. Reliable as their big brothers.
2. Very accurate at self defense encounters range (and more).
3. Considerable fire power (and you can always carry extra magazine)
4. Easy to conceal.
I love the slim figure of the 3913/3914/908.
The size is as small as possible without hurting the gun ergonomics and shooting experience (recoil...) .


I guess that at shooting range, the 4" barrel and the heavier weight of the full size is an advantage.
But ,for me, a big and heavier pistol will be left at home, and we all know that the first rule in a gun fighting is to have a gun

 

[dw910s]

I like the 6906. Just picked up two and having one cerakoted since the frame was in bad shape. This will become my EDC. Bought my wife a 908. She loves it. Have CT grips for both ordered.

 

[waffenmac]

I have a 457, 469 and a CS9 compacts. I like the 2nd gens as well. I have tried a lot of guns and keep coming back to the Smith autoloaders. Whether compact or full size I can't get enough of em.

I am the same its just my wallet cant keep up with my wants.And I still want an M&P in the tan color.

 

[StatesRightist]

I like the 6906 and the 908S. I'm planning to pick up a couple more 6906's and single stacks this summer. They are great guns.

 

[Bearcat]

My 6906 is one of the most accurate 9mm handguns that I have ever shot. Even my longer barreled Glock 34 does not put them in a smaller circle.

 

[Matt C.]

3953 here

Funny, I was at another forum where the resident experts spoke of the "worthlessness" of single stack pistols. I am soooo undergunned.

 

[18DAI]

Beware of "experts" who make such proclamations. Odds are they have not even held, let alone shot, a single stack 3rd generation pistol.

I usually avoid these experts by not using the internet from 3pm till 9pm. This covers the time when the experts get home from school till their moms put them to bed. Regards 18DAI

 

[Gunhacker]

18DAI... it's interesting that you shoot the compacts better than their longer brethren, it kind of flies in the face of the "conventional wisdom" that's seen so often in the gun magazines about shorter tubed guns being less accurate than the longer ones.

I have a 4516-1 that I struggle with, but I recent got a 4566 that I can do better with, than my 4506-1.

Maybe it's due to less mass hanging out in space that one has to support/control causing less wavering while aiming/shooting than an inherent accuracy difference between the guns??

 

[StatesRightist]

Funny, I was at another forum where the resident experts spoke of the "worthlessness" of single stack pistols. I am soooo undergunned.

I've seen the same stuff...8 rounds isn't enough when you pray and spray...but I hit what I'm aiming at...lol. I'm sure you do too.

 

[Fishslayer]

Funny, I was at another forum where the resident experts spoke of the "worthlessness" of single stack pistols. I am soooo undergunned.

If you can't gitter done with 7 + 1 of .45ACP then plan B needs to involve a 12GA.

4536

 

[StatesRightist]

I like the 6906. Just picked up two and having one cerakoted since the frame was in bad shape. This will become my EDC. Bought my wife a 908. She loves it. Have CT grips for both ordered.

You found CT grips for 6906? or are you cutting down the 5906 grips? If you found them, where?

Thanks.

 

[quitsnivln]

I have carried a 908S for years and shot countless rounds through it with absolutely no hiccups. I didn't think I would find a gun I liked more until recently purchasing a CS9 from a fellow forum member. It is fantastic. It tags along most everywhere I go. I am going to pick up a CS45 when the funds allow for a tad bit more stopping power. I don't think you can go wrong with any single stack 3rd gen handgun.

 

[Fastbolt]

What's to discuss?

No disagreement here.

 

[Franciscomv]

I've always been fond of compact .45s, probably for the same reasons that I like large caliber snubbies. There's just something aesthetically appealing to me about them.

To be honest completely honest, being a revolver guy I only purchased a 457 and CS45 because they were NIB and the price was great. I had half a mind to keep them mint as trade fodder to get more wheelguns (I've owned nothing but revolvers for a while!).

Then I made the mistake of firing them... Now I'm thinking about going down to the gun shop to see if they've still got any .45s left.

 

[coorslight]

I am a new fan of the 3rd gen. S&W, after 30 years of shooting pistols I just got into the 3rd gen and love them, have a 908s and a 6906, soon will be looking for a CS9, to bad they are getting tough to find and the prices are going up.

 

[sw44spl]

I love my 6906 and 6904s. I shoot my 6904 with square trigger guard and the old sights IDPA. tonight at gander mtn I looked at two 5906s one with silver hammer and trigger and the other they were black.one was nice and one really worn alot. both $500 are they crazy.I wouldnt pay that for one.Id like to get a beater 5906 but not for that price.

 

[Stu Honea]

I like the compacts,also.My favorites are the 3913 and the 4516. I also seem to shoot better more consistently with compact pistols.I would say that it might have something to do with older eyes and a shorter sight radius,but the fact is more than 60% of my shooting is point shooting,so I guess that's not it at all.
They feel more natural in my hands,even though I don't have small hands This even translates to revolvers and to Glocks. I have a lightly customed G26 that outshoots every othe 9mm Glock I have. Is it me,or is the pistol? I honestly don't know,I just know what works for me.

 

[Stu Honea]

I like the 6906 and the 908S. I'm planning to pick up a couple more 6906's and single stacks this summer. They are great guns.

SR,I am negotiating on a nice 6906 currently. This will be my first one of these if it works out.I hope it do.

 

[Nico Testosteros]

Can someone tell me how the grip size of the 4513 and 4013 differ, if at all? I really liked the feel of the 4513TSW I held. I didn't have what the LGS was asking for it at the time and now have a lead on a 4013.

 

[J D Allen]

3rd gen. S&W

I've owned the 469 , cs9D , cs40 and the 4046TSW. These are top quality weapons. The point that changed Smith & Wesson was the glock. Its lighter weight and cheaper manufacturing cost were hard to compete with. Thus came the M&P line. The 3rd generation pistol is still higher quality and I believe more durable. I've contacted S&W to release a line of classic pistols. When you can mention it to them.

 

[Badkarma 1]

Still running an old 669 myself, the thing kicked a gen 4 Glock back omits box at the range too! It likes Federal 9BP, for it's accuracy load and gets a diet of either those or 124+P Gold Dots for general use.
And yes, the little bugger will stay with my SIG P226 regularly!!
If I may: SMITH AND WESSON, BRING BACK THE THIRD GENERATION! Dale

 

[StatesRightist]

SR,I am negotiating on a nice 6906 currently. This will be my first one of these if it works out.I hope it do.

Congrats, it will not be your last, you will absolutely love it. They shoot better than most full size guns. Hope you are well and have a great evening.

 

[Stu Honea]

Congrats, it will not be your last, you will absolutely love it. They shoot better than most full size guns. Hope you are well and have a great evening.

Thank 'ya sir.Hoping to close on it tomorrow.The owner is leaning toward my offer,I think he'll go.

 

[j38]

I find my 5904 to be my most accurate 3rd generation pistol, ... followed closely by my 4566. My 3913 & 3914 are lagging slightly because my hands/fingers are just a bit too long for a totally comfortable grip on them. ... but why don't you ask me next month as they're so close, that, on a given day, I could change my mind.

Jerry

 

[18DAI]

Hi Gunhacker,

Yes I was surprised as well. I was not alone though. Out of 16 of us qualifying last year with full size duty pistols and compact off duty/BUG guns, in the same caliber, six of us who regularly shoot in the top ten, shot perfect scores with our compacts.

In fact all six of us had identical scores 98 day 98 night with the full size duty pistol. 100 day 100 night with the off duty compact.

The qual is 50 shots day, 1 to 25 yards and 50 shots night, 1 to 15 yards.

While discussing it during the smoke and joke afterwards, we came to the conclusion that the shorter slides were an advantage in point shooting as was the shorter distance to the front sight in forming a snap sight picture. Some also opined that the added effort needed to shoot a small pistol well, forced us to focus on the basics harder - thus improving our performance. Dunno..............

There have been threads about this.....phenomena...on other boards. Apparently lots of shooters are more accurate with their compact 45's than with their full size guns.

I'd be interested in y'alls opinions on this topic. This thread is as good as any to discuss it. Regards 18DAI

Good luck Stu Honea!!

 

[RufusG]

18DAI... it's interesting that you shoot the compacts better than their longer brethren, it kind of flies in the face of the "conventional wisdom" that's seen so often in the gun magazines about shorter tubed guns being less accurate than the longer ones.

I have a 4516-1 that I struggle with, but I recent got a 4566 that I can do better with, than my 4506-1.

Maybe it's due to less mass hanging out in space that one has to support/control causing less wavering while aiming/shooting than an inherent accuracy difference between the guns??

Once upon a time I had a 4516 and a 4506 at the same time. I shot the 4516 better, and not because there was anything wrong with the 4506. My feeling was that the 4516 had a whole lot of mass close in to your hands, and as a result tended to move around less and get back on target sooner. Something along the lines of "polar moment of inertia" coming into play. Or I could be completely full of it.

I wouldn't say the same thing about the 9mms, because I don't have a steel compact in that caliber. I'd say I shoot full size and compact nines about the same.

 

[Bartman3562]

Compact

I agree. I had a full size 1006, and a 1013 (4013 converted to 10mm) and my accuracy with the 1013 is amazing when compared to the 1006. And being an alloy, it is amazing to carry. I would bet the only gun I have that is as or more accurate is my LW champion Springfield. Now that gun makes me look good