How did you get bit by the Third generation bug?

[pmosley]

I traded a Springfield XD something or other for a 6906. Shortly thereafter a new no lock 442 for a 6904. The rest is as they say is history..............


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[BAM-BAM]

IN the 1980s I wanted a ASP or another of the cut down 39s soooooooo badly...... but wasn't willing to shell out the $$$$s sight unseen..........


I got a 6906 when they first hit the street.........nice "but a bit tubby" ..... then a 3913...... and it was love......

more 3913/14s regular and NLs........ PC 6906s ... an SD-9.... PC DPA 5906 ... then some 915s and so on and so on.......

 

[TercGen]

My first few handguns were Kimber, Taurus, and a Beretta PX4, yet none of them seemed to be what I was after (or were not reliable). I really liked the M9 I shot in the military, but was wanting a smaller gun for CC with similar controls and lower-priced. This lead to my first 3rd gen purchase - a nice 6904 -and the rest is history!

Now almost all of my pistols are S&W 3rd gens, with a few vetted metal Kahrs as well, but the Smith's get all the love.

 

[Smoke]

First handgun I ever owned was a model 915. Too me the third gen S&W has always been the epitome of what a handgun should be

 

[GaryS]

Great, more competition for the few 3rd gen guns that show up here.

While a forced early retirement followed by the election of our illustrious President BO got me back into the shooting sports after 25 years away, my "renewed" interest was long guns exclusively (mostly "EBRs") right up until July of last year, at which point I bought myself a Beretta 92FS, which I had long desired.

The problem started when that wise metallic handgun purchase was followed by a long series of plastic gun purchases as I got back into Smith & Wesson's current production pistols along with a few Glocks.

The bottom line: I totally "OD'd" on plastic.

Long story short: 3rd Gens were the obvious "cure" for what ailed me. I now own three 3rd Gens with at least 2 or 3 more on the radar screen. Now, I am happy again!

 

[petepeterson]

Having decided that I wanted all of my carry guns to have a DA trigger pull for the first shot (revolvers do most of the CCW duty for me), I was looking for a replacement for my Colt Defender. I also wanted 9mm, due to the fact that my GF and I were starting to shoot more (alot more!) and she was using 9mm.

The 3913 gets high praise on this forum, and seemed like a good starting point. My first handgun was a 915, and other than needing the money at the time, I had no other reason to sell it, so I was already on board with their reliability and construction.

Everyone knows that if you have a 3913, you need a 5906! And the CS9 I just snagged yesterday...and a 908 as a backup...and a 3914 for the finish change...it's a never-ending cycle!

I don't usually carry an auto, but when I do, a 3rd Gen does everything I need it to (and with style!)

 

[TercGen]

Everyone knows that if you have a 3913, you need a 5906! And the CS9 I just snagged yesterday...and a 908 as a backup...and a 3914 for the finish change...it's a never-ending cycle!

Naturally, any 3rd gen purchase needs to be balanced with another, and quickly before someone else sees it!! I can see from your list that we're in the same cycle right now...

 

[petepeterson]

Naturally, any 3rd gen purchase needs to be balanced with another, and quickly before someone else sees it!! I can see from your list that we're in the same cycle right now...

I'm actually hoping to deviate on the next purchase and find me a 1066 or 1006. Why, you ask? Because it's 1mm bigger!

 

[GerSan69]

Everyone knows that if you have a 3913, you need a 5906!

Funny that you mention that...a couple weeks ago, my favorite FFL texted me about a 5906 that another cop was wanting to sell. I asked a few questions, he sent a couple pictures, and I took it. He said later that he offered it to me first because of my recent 3rd Gen buying streak...

 

[TercGen]

I'm actually hoping to deviate on the next purchase and find me a 1066 or 1006. Why, you ask? Because it's 1mm bigger!

If I was into 10mm, it would probably be one of those as well. So far I'm fine with the 9/40/45 trinity, but who knows where this crazy ride will end? Originally, I was just going to buy one 3rd gen...

 

[rwsmith]

I was in the LGS

I was in the LGS looking for semi's. I had looked a good while through the selection and not seeing anything that turned me on and was expecting to leave empty-handed. Then I saw it (5943)and knew I wanted it as long as it was sound. Didn't get a 'deal' on it but I'm darn glad I got it.

 

[TTSH]

Great, more competition for the few 3rd gen guns that show up here.

Fortunately for you and others, I am "economically challenged" and on a very tight budget. I am, perhaps, the world's poorest S&W collector. A brief buying spurt fueled by concern over our pending "gun violence" legislation has now ended as things don't look as terrible now as originally proposed.

That said, I am still actively looking for a 4506-1 and at some point in the future I dream of owning a 10mm 3rd Gen as well. I can dream, can't I?

The thing is that we need to figure out how to get more 3rd Gens back into MA where they were born. Damn the EOPS list and the AG's top secret (unpublished/nonexistent) list.

 

[TTSH]

Originally, I was just going to buy one 3rd gen...

Now, that is a funny statement!!! I wonder... has it ever been done?

 

[18DAI]

In my case it was because I shot one. A police confiscated 4516 no dash out of the property room. Sweet trigger. Superbly accurate. Bet your life reliable.

After that, I purchased a 4516-3, then a 4566, 4506-1, 910, 3913, 3914, 645, Shorty 45 MKII, 45 CQB, 3954, 457, 4513TSW, 4563TSW, 4516 ND, 4566M......well, you get the idea. Regards 18DAI

 

[TercGen]

Now, that is a funny statement!!! I wonder... has it ever been done?

I would imagine it would take more willpower than I've got...

 

[TercGen]

Fortunately for you and others, I am "economically challenged" and on a very tight budget. I am, perhaps, the world's poorest S&W collector. A brief buying spurt fueled by concern over our pending "gun violence" legislation has now ended as things don't look as terrible now as originally proposed.

I just ended my own recent 3rd gen spree that somehow got kicked off by scrambling to find spare 3rd gen parts. Not sure how that happened exactly, but I've got some sweet new guns and probably won't be buying any more for awhile. Maybe a nice 3913TSW pre-rail if it came up, but I'd have to sell something...

 

[kaveman]

Got bit totally by accident. I've never been a fan of TDA and as far as I knew, that's what S&W built. I quit looking at them during the 39/59 years and was only vaguely aware that they'd been updated with things like 459/669, etc. Didn't know squat about all these 4-digit things, but figured it was just more of the same.

Shortly after Sandy Hook I was digging through piles of stuff trying to decide what to buy/what to sell, and I found eight stainless steel 59xx series magazines I really didn't know I had. Nice S&W factory mags. They seemed too good to sell, but too valuable to keep as long as I didn't have anything that took them,................so I looked into options. Pretty much discounted the S&W pistols out of hand and didn't care for the Kel-Tec. Looked around for a bit for a Daewoo but didn't find one quick enough. Somewhere along the line I discovered the S&W DAO pistols and that solved my original dislike for the 3rd gens. Bought a 5946 and 6946 pretty quick(had two of the 69xx mags in my stash as well), but before either of those two got delivered I found a 915 at a screaming deal and bought it just to have. Suddenly I found myself feeling under-mag'd, so started looking for more magazines. Best deal I could find was a package of new in packaging Mec-Gar 15rders, but it was all or nothing. Had to buy the entire lot of 60 magazines. Well, now I'm over-mag'd and the only solution to that particular problem is to buy more pistols.

Then it occurred to me that it would be wise to duplicate my S&W 9mm collection in .40 caliber(since you never know when 9mmP ammo might be discontinued). Played the same balancing game with the .40 cals,.........not enough mags/too many pistols,...........too many mags/not enough pistols. Thankfully my 4586 came with three mags and several more popped up pretty quick otherwise I'd probably be knee deep in .45's as well.

Then I got started with single-stack 3rd gens and made a short side trip into the 39-2's, but I've slowed down a bit lately. I'm still looking for a couple of representative 2nd gens and my 3rd gen collection still has plenty of holes in it, but the pile is impressive enough to keep me happy. Still looking but not finding the deals I was 12mos ago. Probably my own fault,........I think I drove the prices up completely on my own. 30 pistols in 18mos. 150-200 magazines. Holsters for all,.............and then some. The DAO pistols are hard to find leather for since the elongated slides don't work with hammer straps designed for the xx04/xx06 series pistols, but I've found they're generally a good fit in SIG holsters.

 

[Comrad]

This forum is the culprit. After purchasing my first S&W, a model 65, wanted to add a semi auto to my stable. Lot's of research and reading here and deciding it had to be metal, DA/SA, mag safety and decocker there was only one obvious choice a S&W and a 6906 came along and Bob's your uncle.

 

[GaryS]

The thing is that we need to figure out how to get more 3rd Gens back into MA where they were born. Damn the EOPS list and the AG's top secret (unpublished/nonexistent) list.

I have been told, but have not verified, that one FFL in MA considers that all S&W products made before the 1994 ban were registered in MA since they were built here.

I don't know the owner well enough to ask him about that, but I have a friend who does a lot of business with him. If it ever comes to that, I'll have to make some inquiries.

So far, I've found that being patient pays off (and saves money).

 

[TTSH]

I have been told, but have not verified, that one FFL in MA considers that all S&W products made before the 1994 ban were registered in MA since they were built here.

I don't know the owner well enough to ask him about that, but I have a friend who does a lot of business with him. If it ever comes to that, I'll have to make some inquiries.

So far, I've found that being patient pays off (and saves money).

I believe the EOPS list effective date is 10/21/98. Right off the bat this presents a problem since 3rd Gens were manufactured through 1999. One cannot automatically assume they are "pre-list." A few 3rd Gens are on the EOPS list but most aren't.

But even if the date of manufacture (or shipping?) can be documented as being pre-10/21/98, you still have to contend with the Massachusetts pedigree requirement to get around the damned EOPS list.

Yes, patience along with a nice, thick wallet and some very good luck. Too bad for me that I have none of the above.

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Edit: Just had a discussion today (7/29) with my favorite LGS and there seems to be less hope than ever about ever getting around the MA pedigree rule for "pre-list" handguns. Not what I wanted to hear.