Love for the 3913

[586L-Frame]

My favorite two compact 9mm single stacks.
S&W 3914 & S&W 3913.
586L-Frame

DLC's S&W 3913.


DLC's S&W 3914 & 3913.


xxx

 

[GaryS]

Clockwise from the top right,

Late 3913 ex CA Dept. of Corrections
Early 3913 I picked up from a LGS earlier this week
Pre Rail 3913TSW
3914NL I picked up by by chance early in my 3rd generation collecting career.

At this point I think all I'd want to add are a 3913NL and a 3914. Of course that's what I always say.

 

[nvgunner]

Don't have a 3913 but this thread makes me think of my 6906. It looks very similar in size but w/ fatter frame, so I presume the main difference would be its larger capacity w/ 12 round mags. I had been mostly a S&W revolver guy, was still in the adolescent stage of my relationship w/ a Glock 19 (takes some learning), when I went to a local show some yrs. ago and a guy had a table full of 6906's w/ an interesting story. They were turn-ins from the CA Medical Examiners Office ("CSI"), as they were changing to Glocks. So for $300 bucks I picked out the one w/ least carry wear and nice broken-in action. Came w/ nice Don Hume OWB holster w/ matching mag carrier w/ 2 extra mags. I appreciated that history w/ no obvious sign of abuse. I doubt they were ever fired other than for training, since I would assume that most of the clients of that office were already dead...Being a bit "fatter" it fits my long fingers, ambi. safety works for me being LH. Has turned out to be a good CCW companion.

 

[BAM-BAM]

This has been a great thread..... and got me thinking......

As I posted earlier I got my first 3913 the year they were introduced.... same with my 3913NL.... over the next decade I scored two anib 3914s another 3913NL...... and there might even be another 3913 in the safe.....

The last 3 .....or is it 4 LOL....... were IIRC all picked up for $325 or less with 2 or 3 mags.... it seemed that no one wanted compact single stack 9mm's..... at the price's being asked I couldn't pass up getting back ups and then back ups to my backups..............

Another great buy in the 90s and early part of this century were the Beretta 92M's ....... single stack 8+1.....with the right grips they fit the hand (at least mine) as well as a S&W 39.

 

[GaryS]

That's a double disgrace because there were a lot of CA DOC 3913s and 6906s floating around about five years ago. I bought a 3913 here in MA and should have held on to it.

Wow! my mouth is watering. I snaged and managed to import a LINB 3913 TSW pre-rail into CA just before all 3913s dropped of the CA Safe Gun list. I would love to get a standard 3913, but unless one shows up at a LGS (unlikely) or at the meager SOCAL "gun shows" (EXTREMELY unlikely), I am SOL. :-(

Richard

 

[RV4driver]

Once again, my 3913NL is one of my favorite guns. I've had it for some years now. I bought it with the light gray grips, and 5 mags at the Denver gun show. I have since acquired and transferred to a student a nice 3914. I thought I'd miss that one, but it went to a nice young lady that needed, and appreciated it much more than I could have. The 3913NL, however, will never leave the family. I have some rubber grips for it, as the gray grips were more smooth, and narrow, and not at all as nice as the rubber grips. This gun has been flawless, with whatever ammo, and whatever level of cleaning or otherwise existed. By flawless, I mean, not one failure of any kind.
I guess my advice is, if you find one, and buy it, DON'T LET IT GO!

 

[1775usmarine]

That's a double disgrace because there were a lot of CA DOC 3913s and 6906s floating around about five years ago. I bought a 3913 here in MA and should have held on to it.

I traded a lc9 and 2 mags I boughr new back in 2013ish for a DOC 3913 a few months later. Drove 2hrs after making the deal 10min from when he posted the ad over on fb when you use be able to. Figured the prices on that auction site were true at the time and didn't want him to come to his senses and realize I was getting the better deal.

 

[NCBeagle]

I like the 3913 but cannot get used to DA/SA. So, I prefer the DAO version...the 3953. Also have a couple of the NYPD 3914 DAO. They are in my regular carry rotation with a CS9D.

It's not easy to find good holsters for these guns. Many Sig 239 holsters work well enough. But, TT Gunleather makes great holsters for Third Generation Smiths. Try the TT Gunleather KX Ligtweight or IWB with loops or the Mike's Special.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

A relatively receny addition to my S& W collection"

 

[Jeppo]

I like the 3913 but cannot get used to DA/SA. So, I prefer the DAO version...the 3953. Also have a couple of the NYPD 3914 DAO. They are in my regular carry rotation with a CS9D.

I'm curious. Can you detect any mechanical/operational differences between the 3953 and the 3914DAO (considering one was "born" to be DAO and the other was "born" to be DA/SA and then converted)? I've not handled/shot a 3953.

 

[BAM-BAM]

LOL Caronovirus is reviving a lot of Zombie threads..... dead and gone since 2014

 

[Buick]

Gary,
I may need to be corrected here, as I'm not an expert, but I know the 3913LS and TSW dropped off the list on 12/31/13. I think the standard 3913 fell off maybe 6 mos. earlier.

I think the DOC surplusing happened considerably earlier.
Richard

I dont understand exactly why an approved handgun would for some reason suddenly become unapproved?

 

[Jeppo]

I dont understand exactly why an approved handgun would for some reason suddenly become unapproved?

Is anything in California understandable??????

 

[JohnHL]

I'm curious. Can you detect any mechanical/operational differences between the 3953 and the 3914DAO (considering one was "born" to be DAO and the other was "born" to be DA/SA and then converted)? I've not handled/shot a 3953.

Jeppo, if you don't mind, I'll answer that question.

The 3953 has a "partially cocked" hammer.
That is to say, when the slide cycles on the 3953, the hammer does NOT catch on the sear for a fully cocked single action trigger pull, but rather catches on the sear "partially cocked" requiring a long trigger pull to move the hammer all of the way back and let it drop.

There is no second strike by pulling the trigger.
The slide must cycle to "pre-stage" or "partially cock" the hammer.

The 3914DAO differs in that there is no partial cocking of the hammer.
It is exactly like the double action pull on any TDA (DA/SA) S&W pistol and there is no single action available.
S&W simply deletes the single action notch on the hammer.

It will second strike (and 3rd, 4th, 5th strike as many times as you pull the trigger).

John

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

LOL Caronovirus is reviving a lot of Zombie threads..... dead and gone since 2014

About time we finished a 2014 conversation. No harm in zombie threads.

 

[GaryS]

I inadvertently necro posted because someone gave me a like. I clicked on the thread, but didn't look at the date of my post.

Oddly, it's not the oldest of my posts that someone has "liked" recently.

I guess all of this isolation is making us look way into the past for things to read.

 

[Classic Radio99]

I like the 3913 but cannot get used to DA/SA. So, I prefer the DAO version...the 3953. Also have a couple of the NYPD 3914 DAO. They are in my regular carry rotation with a CS9D.

It's not easy to find good holsters for these guns. Many Sig 239 holsters work well enough. But, TT Gunleather makes great holsters for Third Generation Smiths. Try the TT Gunleather KX Ligtweight or IWB with loops or the Mike's Special.

Hey! I have a similar lineup. I like those guns because I've switched over to all DAO (revolvers & semi-autos). They don't have safeties to fool with and the all behave the same as far as trigger pull. I also have 6946, Ruger P89 DAO, as well as a LCR and a GP-100. It's just easier if I don't need to remember which safety is on which gun.

As far as a holster, I use Crossbreed holsters, they work pretty well for me. And as a bonus, the same holster works for the 3953, 3914DAO and 6946. Retention is good for all, and the draw feels the same.