I just bought a nice 3913 over the weekend that came with the 2 magazines pictured. I would like to add a few more original magazine. I will be keeping an eye out at my LGS and gun shows. How do I tell a 3913 magazine from something else that won't won't be the correct fit? Mine do not have any markings other that S&W stamps, so not sure if it's a measurement or something else that will tell me what I'm looking for. Thanks in advance for any help you guys can provide!
S&W 3913 magazine identification
- Thread starter RichieMac
- Start date
Register to hide this ad
Compact 39xx magazines will be 8 rounds, with an orange follower and a plastic base plate. Full size third gen 3904/3906 magazines also had orange followers and plastic base plates, but were 9 rounds capacity. 39/39-2 and most x39 magazines had metal or black plastic followers and metal base plates. I know there was a brief run of x39 magazines with the same general specifications and that complicates matters.
What you might want to do is trace out the measurement from the bottom of the magazine catch slot to the top edge of the base plate onto a piece of paper and carry that paper with you at guns shows. If the magazine catch slot is beyond the measurement of your 3913 magazines, you will know that the magazine is for fa full size pistol.
What you might want to do is trace out the measurement from the bottom of the magazine catch slot to the top edge of the base plate onto a piece of paper and carry that paper with you at guns shows. If the magazine catch slot is beyond the measurement of your 3913 magazines, you will know that the magazine is for fa full size pistol.
Great, thank you!!
The 7 round magazine that came with the 3913 does have a thin metal base plate. Will the xx39 not work with the 3913?
IIRC, they came with the early Lady Smith guns, but were supplanted by the regular ones.
RichieMac, you may want to set that one aside as it might have some collector value if someone wants it for their early LS. Or maybe not, but the 8 round magazines are relatively more common.
RichieMac, you may want to set that one aside as it might have some collector value if someone wants it for their early LS. Or maybe not, but the 8 round magazines are relatively more common.
Thank you... I may actually do that to cover the cost of the ones I need.
Thanks!
I'm thinking I may try a couple of the Pro Mags replacing the internals with S&W springs and followers for range use. I have looked back at a few older posts where others had some success. Looking forward to getting to the range soon to try out my 3913.
I'd be interested in reading if this worked out for you. More just curiosity as I have a sufficient stock of OEM magazines.
Ok, cool... I'll keep an eye out for those. Thanks!
I will let you know. It might be a couple of weeks before they deliver depending on when I order, but I will reply back to this post with the results.
The CS9 7rd mags are NOT compatible with 3913 except for the early 3913TSW 7rd pistols with indented grip to match the shorter mags. The longer 7rd mags with metal base which came with 3913 Lady Smiths (same metal shell length as the standard 8rd 3913 which were available with flat plastic or finger rest plastic bases) are NOT the same as the CS9 mags.
The 9-round 3906 magazine will indeed work in the 3913 pistol (while protruding [slightly] beyond the magazine well), but they are among the hardest 39-series magazines to source, & also among the most expensive...
VASCAR2
Member
I had a metal base plate magazine for my 3913 NL but I can’t remember if it held seven or eight rounds. I had one eight round magazine with the flat polymer base plate. I had a second eight round magazine with the extended finger rest on the base plate. The metal floor plate did fit flush with the bottom of the 3913 NL frame.
I’m pretty sure I bought the metal base plate magazine because it was easier to conceal. I have one of the nine round stainless 3904/3906 magazines I use with my 39-2 and 439. I traded my 3913 NL when my Agency transitioned away from S&W in 1999/2000. I wish I still had my 3913 NL but I couldn’t afford to keep it on a Cops budget.
I’m pretty sure I bought the metal base plate magazine because it was easier to conceal. I have one of the nine round stainless 3904/3906 magazines I use with my 39-2 and 439. I traded my 3913 NL when my Agency transitioned away from S&W in 1999/2000. I wish I still had my 3913 NL but I couldn’t afford to keep it on a Cops budget.
As I recall the 3904/3906 mags were initially 8rd red/orange follower plastic base - similar to the 39-2 and 439 8rd mags except for baseplates and followers. As I recall the 3904/3906 mags work in the 39-2/439 but they stick out slightly - while the 39-2/439 mags do not work in the 3904/3906?
The 9rd 3904/3906/909 mags were available later as replacements taking advantage of the additional metal sleeve length after the 3913 came out with the shorter 8rd capacity mags and the 9rd mags came standard with the later 909 pistols - so be aware there are longer 3904/3906 geometry 8rd mags similar to the one pictured except for round count markings which may be confused with shorter correct 3913/3953 8rd mags. Dont assume an 8rd single stack 9mm mag is the 3913/3953 variety.
And yes the 3904/3906 mags will work in a 3913/3953 but they will stick out exposing part of the metal sleeve at the base. I seem to remember an old post saying that the feed area at the top of a longer mag was damaged by repeated hard insertion of the mags in the shorter grip without a spacer but maybe that was a 5906 mag in a 6906.
Last edited:
I had a nice 3904 for a couple of years. Neat range gun, but had no advantages over a 3913. I had a number of magazines and found that by exchanging the springs with the nine round magazines, the eight round magazines became nine round magazines.
I'm not sure I could explain that any worse if I tried. Sorry.
I'm not sure I could explain that any worse if I tried. Sorry.
Similar threads
- Locked
Expired/Withdrawn
SIG SAUER P320/P250 magazines or trade for S&W, Ruger mags
