JohnHL
Member
Parts can be fabricated.
3rd gens will remain viable as long as there are people who know how to fix them.
John
3rd gens will remain viable as long as there are people who know how to fix them.
John
How Long Will 3rd Gens be viable?
- Thread starter xfarfuldog
- Start date
I know one thing.....I'm gonna run out of gas before my 5906, or 6906 does.
S&W 5906 refurbed police "trade-in"
Manufacture date: March 06, 1992 TVW 9239
S&W 6906, former duty pistol, built by me at one of the many armorer field school recertification classes, this one at St. Charles, MO PD, 1989. Built eight of these from scratch that week.
S&W 5906 refurbed police "trade-in"
Manufacture date: March 06, 1992 TVW 9239
S&W 6906, former duty pistol, built by me at one of the many armorer field school recertification classes, this one at St. Charles, MO PD, 1989. Built eight of these from scratch that week.
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kbm6893
Member
I have 6 of them. 2 5946's, a 5906, a 6946, a 3953, and a 4566. Have probably a dozen 59 series factory mags, bought when they were plentiful and cheap, I think 5 4566 mags, 5 3953 mags, and 4 6946 mags. All with new factory springs installed. I have a couple of service packs for each of them. The 5906 is my house gun.
Truth is, I have them because I love them. There are better choices to launch bullets. The 3rd gen guns are to admire and shoot occasionally. I do carry the 3953 every now and then. At the rate I use them, they only have about 500 years left in them.
Truth is, I have them because I love them. There are better choices to launch bullets. The 3rd gen guns are to admire and shoot occasionally. I do carry the 3953 every now and then. At the rate I use them, they only have about 500 years left in them.
Unfortunately Midway has phased out/sold out a lot of the 3rd Gen parts that they once carried.
I'm assuming that their parts supply dried up from S&W on all but the most commonly needed parts.
.
Shutthefrontdoor
Member
Silly question, but who is BMCM?
The fact that a gun is no longer produced does not make it a bad choice for daily carry.
There are certainly some firearms that are fragile or unreliable that are out of production (or should be), but they are poor choices period, regardless of whether they are still produced or not.
Firearms that were well regarded for reliability and that were produced in significant numbers can still be a viable choice decades after they have gone out of production.
Magazines that are no longer produced can be an issue, but the issue is almost always higher cost, not unavailability.
Magazines also tend to be very durable, provided they are well made (feed lips properly formed and not too soft, etc) and are not abused. What may wear out is the magazine spring but they can usually be replaced, just like the recoil springs in popular but long out of production semi auto pistols.
Till 2 days after the Grand Canyon is filled with sand.........My Win mdl's 12 & 97 are 104 and 103 years old and still going strong.....Quality last.
Having worked for S&W when the 3rd gen guns were still being made, I managed to accumulate a "crapload" (more than a boatload) of parts for those pistols. More than I'll ever use myself or to fix other folk's pistols. If anyone ever gets desperate for something, contact my by private message and I'll see if I can dig up what you need. They aren't free but they are cheap.
DUSTYDOGDAN
Member
I doubt you will wear out any 3RD Gen
Ammo is so hard to find and if you do it is so expensive I doubt any of us will shoot enough to wear out any of our 3RD gens in the foreseeable future unless you reload and start with a worn out pistol to begin with. On most days I carry a Shield Plus but own over 25 2ND and 3RD gens and they do see a rotation in my carry routine. I especially like to carry a 3913LS , 908, 4586 and a 4013 single stack.
Ammo is so hard to find and if you do it is so expensive I doubt any of us will shoot enough to wear out any of our 3RD gens in the foreseeable future unless you reload and start with a worn out pistol to begin with. On most days I carry a Shield Plus but own over 25 2ND and 3RD gens and they do see a rotation in my carry routine. I especially like to carry a 3913LS , 908, 4586 and a 4013 single stack.
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Really like the 3rd gen pistols and have a couple -- 6906 and a 915. No complaints about either of them but I recently tried to find a good polymer belt holster. Good luck with that.
However, my polymer frame CZ P-07 is maybe a little lighter weight, in current production and aftermarket support with things like holsters, sights and tuning parts is robust. Time marches on. Have to decide if I'm a collector or a shooter.
However, my polymer frame CZ P-07 is maybe a little lighter weight, in current production and aftermarket support with things like holsters, sights and tuning parts is robust. Time marches on. Have to decide if I'm a collector or a shooter.
hammy5150
Member
I'd say as long as recoil springs, magazines and magazine springs, extractors, and ejectors in that order remain readily available. So the double stack 9s and the 40s will probably remain pretty easily supported for a while longer but you're going to have to scrounge harder to keep the single stacks going.
hkcavalier
US Veteran
Don't carry a gun you can't easily replace. As mentioned here and elsewhere, chances are good you either won't get it back for years, or you'll never get it back.
I consider most 3rd gens easy to replace. I wouldn't carry my pre-39 though, for example, even though it's perfectly viable as a carry gun.
Just like you shouldn't use a '67 L88 Corvette as a daily driver.
I consider most 3rd gens easy to replace. I wouldn't carry my pre-39 though, for example, even though it's perfectly viable as a carry gun.
Just like you shouldn't use a '67 L88 Corvette as a daily driver.
Get a good leather holster; I'm using the same Milt Sparks holsters I bought in the early 90s for 3913s & 6906s.......amoritizes out to a $1.50 a year..... and they are still going strong.
Trooper224
Member
The Achilles heel for keeping some of the 3rd Gens running is the magazine. The guns themselves are built like a tank. You may have to replace an extractor or ejector somewhere down the road. But, for the guns themselves that's about it, other than recoil springs.
Magazines are a consumable and will need replacement eventually. Mags for the 9s and 40s are supported by MecGar, but when it comes to the 45s and 10s there's a lack of magazine supply. OEM mags can still be found but the prices are climbing. $100 for a single magazine isn't really tenable for most people, at least for a working gun. Best to stock up now.
For some of these guns custom leather is the only way to go for gear. Most of your Kydex suppliers have never heard of a 3rd Gen.
Magazines are a consumable and will need replacement eventually. Mags for the 9s and 40s are supported by MecGar, but when it comes to the 45s and 10s there's a lack of magazine supply. OEM mags can still be found but the prices are climbing. $100 for a single magazine isn't really tenable for most people, at least for a working gun. Best to stock up now.
For some of these guns custom leather is the only way to go for gear. Most of your Kydex suppliers have never heard of a 3rd Gen.
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Well as a soon to be owner of a 4567 I can say I will be taking it to the range this weekend and intend to shoot it then and every outing afterwards.
Might even keep handy around the house and in the truck
Might even keep handy around the house and in the truck
I have plenty of stainless magazines for my 3rd Gens. So far all I have had to do is replace springs and a few followers.
You have to hunt for them, but there are Kydex holsters for 3rd Gen. FIST has them as well as some lesser known brands. For the later railed TSW guns, there are some Gould and Goodrich holsters for P226R that will work.
You have to hunt for them, but there are Kydex holsters for 3rd Gen. FIST has them as well as some lesser known brands. For the later railed TSW guns, there are some Gould and Goodrich holsters for P226R that will work.
AgentM
Member
I'd opine that extractors, trigger play springs, recoil springs, trigger bar pins, side plates, and magazine springs would be common replacement parts to have on hand. Getting a complete set of internals wouldn't hurt.
Alloy-framed guns will eventually suffer frame cracks. Especially with +P usage. Steel-frame guns will,.of course, hold up considerably longer.
My advice would be to stock up spare parts for your favorite Gen3 S&W. Buy complete mags when available.
Look for high-condition and "shooter grade" guns on Gunbroker, as well as at your local gun stores. Have multiple identical copies of your favorite Gen3 model, and designate a carry gun and a "range beater". Use the beater for training to extend the life of your carry gun.
My agency went "GLOCK" when S&W discontinued our Gen3 weapons, and wouldn't build more unless they had combined production orders of 60+ guns for a given model. We didn't want the Sigma, SW99, or M&P, and never looked back.
I remain a Gen3 S&W fan, especially for the 3953. Mine has a spare parts kit, plus range and carry magazines. I have long been a fan of the S&W 3000 shotgun line, and have accumulated multiple models and spare magazine tube springs and followers. And my favorite revolvers remain S&W, both old and new. I hope S&W never stops supporting "pre-lock" wheelguns.
Proper cleaning and maintenance are a must. Never run your Gen3 S&W "dry", and lube immediately prior to range practice.
Alloy-framed guns will eventually suffer frame cracks. Especially with +P usage. Steel-frame guns will,.of course, hold up considerably longer.
My advice would be to stock up spare parts for your favorite Gen3 S&W. Buy complete mags when available.
Look for high-condition and "shooter grade" guns on Gunbroker, as well as at your local gun stores. Have multiple identical copies of your favorite Gen3 model, and designate a carry gun and a "range beater". Use the beater for training to extend the life of your carry gun.
My agency went "GLOCK" when S&W discontinued our Gen3 weapons, and wouldn't build more unless they had combined production orders of 60+ guns for a given model. We didn't want the Sigma, SW99, or M&P, and never looked back.
I remain a Gen3 S&W fan, especially for the 3953. Mine has a spare parts kit, plus range and carry magazines. I have long been a fan of the S&W 3000 shotgun line, and have accumulated multiple models and spare magazine tube springs and followers. And my favorite revolvers remain S&W, both old and new. I hope S&W never stops supporting "pre-lock" wheelguns.
Proper cleaning and maintenance are a must. Never run your Gen3 S&W "dry", and lube immediately prior to range practice.
sigp220.45
US Veteran
3rd Gen? I'm still trying to wear out the first two.
This old fella is 110 years old, and I can still find parts for it pretty easily.
This old fella is 110 years old, and I can still find parts for it pretty easily.
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Rock185
US Veteran
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