I'm posting this draft article here for review and comments, which are always welcome. Hope that this will help to sort out the many 3913 variants!
Just as a side note, I'm not addressing any of the double-stack compact 9mm pistols here, as they are not, strictly speaking, members of the more concealable single-stack Model 39-based clan.
John
The S&W Model 3913 series pistols
His name was Paris Theodore. Not many folks around today have heard of him. In 1966, after reportedly working for some unnamed clandestine government agencies for a few years, he started a small holster-making business in New York City. He was then 23 years old. On the quiet in the back of his shop, he also made very special firearms for government “spooks.” These included pen guns, cigarette lighter guns, a cartridge-firing clipboard, and some briefcase guns.
In the late 1960s, some of his clients asked if he could make an ideal undercover 9mm pistol for their overseas use. It would have to be concealable yet decisively and quickly effective. What he came up with was a cut-down and slicked-up version of the Smith & Wesson Model 39, which was a full-size single-stack double action 9mm pistol. It was called the ASP 9, and it incorporated over 200 changes to the Model 39. Theodore shortened the slide, barrel and frame, and lightened the slide considerably. He replaced the sights with a single “guttersnipe” fixture that in effect was a simple elongated V-shaped trough. The stocks were made of clear Lexan plastic, through which the number of rounds in the cutaway magazine were visible. A curved baseplate was added to the magazine. All sharp edges were “melted,” curved for smoothness. The hammer was bobbed to be snag-free, and the slide stop and safety were reduced in size and smoothed out. A forefinger hook was added to the trigger guard. The gun’s finish was Teflon-S, which had high lubricity. The double action trigger pull was reduced from 10 to 6 pounds, and the gun weighed in at just 21 ounces. The overall length was 6.7”. It was an ideal concealment gun, quick to employ and more than effective for self-defense. Beginning in 1968, Theodore converted quite a number of Model 39s, and patented the design in 1971. In 1982, he licensed the conversions to be done elsewhere. He decided to quit working on guns after 1987, and his patents expired in 1988. He himself expired in 2006.
The management people at Smith & Wesson were impressed by Paris Theodore’s innovations on their Model 39, and saw a market for a factory-produced concealable 9mm pistol with similar characteristics. So in 1989 (right after Theodore’s patents expired) their Model 3913 was born. Taking advantage of more modern materials and manufacturing technology, the new gun became a sought-after item from the start. It was a generation 3 traditional double action pistol with an 8-shot magazine. It had a shortened slide, abbreviated frame and a 3.5” ramped barrel. The frame was lightweight aluminum, while the slide, barrel and other components were stainless steel. It had a wrap-around Xenoy grip with a straight backstrap, and an ambidextrous slide-mounted decocker/safety lever. A magazine safety was incorporated, disconnecting the trigger when the magazine was removed. The gun weighed in at 25 ounces, and measured 6.8” in overall length. The Novak low-mount sights were fixed, but drift-adjustable for windage. This original Model 3913 continued in the S&W lineup until 1999.
In 1990, a very popular version of the 3913 was introduced as the “Lady Smith” model. Designed originally for the women’s market, it featured a slanted dustcover on the frame, and a slant-cut nose to the slide. The decocker/safety lever was accessible for right-hand use only. The front of the grip frame and the forward part of the trigger guard were checkered. The Delrin wrap-around grip was a similar grey color to the aluminum frame. Both curved and flat baseplate magazines were available. It featured a “Lady Smith” logo on the right side of the slide, and came in a softside carry case. The racy-looking Lady Smith 3913 was also so popular with males that an absolutely identical version was produced without the “Lady Smith” logo on the slide. This was the Model 3913NL, and was first produced in 1991. It continued in the line until 1995, and was an instant hit with the guys. The pistol illustrated is a 3913NL, and was shipped in 1995. It is equipped with aftermarket tritium night sights.
A “tactical” version, the Model 3913TSW, was produced beginning in 2000. This had black hardware on the slide and frame and had “Tactical” inscribed on the left side of the slide. The original model had a shorter frame and used a 7-round magazine. Later ones used the standard 3913 8-round frame and magazine. These featured a black accessory rail fastened to the forward part of the frame. The upper rear of the barrel hood had a notch in it to serve as a visible loaded chamber indicator. The frame and slide had oversized frame rails that were machined as a matched set. Matching assembly numbers were inscribed on each of these two parts. All TSW pistols, including the double action-only pistols described later in this article, have a modified barrel cam delayed-unlocking system developed by the S&W Performance Center. It provides arguably less felt recoil.
In 1990, the Model 3914 was first produced. This effectively was a 3913, but with a blued carbon steel slide and a black-anodized aluminum frame. A 3914 Lady Smith was also made, mimicking the slanted-dustcover 3913 Lady Smith, but with the blued finish of the 3914. It was laser-etched “Lady Smith” on the slide’s right side and came in a hard case. These are rare, as production on them stopped after just one year in 1991. The similarly rare 3914NL (no Lady Smith logo) with blued finish was its partner in the same time frame. A “value line” version of the 3914, with economy manufacturing shortcuts, was produced as the Model 908 from 1996 to 2007.
A double action-only version of the 3913 was cataloged as the Model 3953 from 1991 to 1999. Ten were shipped to the NYCPD in January 1997 without magazine safeties; these were marked Model 3983. A “tactical” DAO version, the Model 3953TSW, with “Tactical” laser-etched on the left of the slide was produced from 1997 to 1999. It had an overall length of 6 5/8” and had the compact 7-round frame and magazine. The product code was 104540. Product code 10451 was also named the Model 3953TSW, but was essentially the 3913TSW (with normal frame and accessory rail) in double action-only flavor. Its production began in 2000. Another double action-only pistol was the Model 3954, produced in 1991 and 1992. It was basically a DAO blued Model 3914. Some 3954TSW pistols were also made, but are seldom seen today. Smith & Wesson could convert, on request, the safety on any DAO model to decock-only or eliminate it entirely. None of these DAO pistols could provide second-strike capability without working the slide. The lone exception was the Model 3914DAO, made specifically for NYCPD off-duty use, approximately 1995-2014. It did have second-strike capability and also differed from the 3954 in that it had a standard-size 3914 slide with no safety lever. Made in S&W’s Houlton, ME plant, it was uncataloged with product code 103922.
In 1998, an even more compact version of the 3913 was introduced as the CS9 Chiefs Special. Offered first in matte blue finish, the stainless iteration came out in 1999. These guns had 3” barrels and shortened frames and magazines with a capacity of 7 rounds. Overall length was 6 ¼”, and the weight was 20 ounces. An ambidextrous safety was standard. The Hogue wrap-around grip and often the safety were black, and “Chiefs Special” was inscribed on the left of the slide.
Now fully discontinued in favor of polymer-framed pistols, the S&W Model 3913 series guns have become sought-after collector items. They can still serve superbly as very concealable self-defense pistols, and not a few experts will tell you that they may in fact be the best production discreet-carry 9mm pistols ever made. Classics all!
(c) 2016 JLM
Just as a side note, I'm not addressing any of the double-stack compact 9mm pistols here, as they are not, strictly speaking, members of the more concealable single-stack Model 39-based clan.
John
The S&W Model 3913 series pistols
His name was Paris Theodore. Not many folks around today have heard of him. In 1966, after reportedly working for some unnamed clandestine government agencies for a few years, he started a small holster-making business in New York City. He was then 23 years old. On the quiet in the back of his shop, he also made very special firearms for government “spooks.” These included pen guns, cigarette lighter guns, a cartridge-firing clipboard, and some briefcase guns.
In the late 1960s, some of his clients asked if he could make an ideal undercover 9mm pistol for their overseas use. It would have to be concealable yet decisively and quickly effective. What he came up with was a cut-down and slicked-up version of the Smith & Wesson Model 39, which was a full-size single-stack double action 9mm pistol. It was called the ASP 9, and it incorporated over 200 changes to the Model 39. Theodore shortened the slide, barrel and frame, and lightened the slide considerably. He replaced the sights with a single “guttersnipe” fixture that in effect was a simple elongated V-shaped trough. The stocks were made of clear Lexan plastic, through which the number of rounds in the cutaway magazine were visible. A curved baseplate was added to the magazine. All sharp edges were “melted,” curved for smoothness. The hammer was bobbed to be snag-free, and the slide stop and safety were reduced in size and smoothed out. A forefinger hook was added to the trigger guard. The gun’s finish was Teflon-S, which had high lubricity. The double action trigger pull was reduced from 10 to 6 pounds, and the gun weighed in at just 21 ounces. The overall length was 6.7”. It was an ideal concealment gun, quick to employ and more than effective for self-defense. Beginning in 1968, Theodore converted quite a number of Model 39s, and patented the design in 1971. In 1982, he licensed the conversions to be done elsewhere. He decided to quit working on guns after 1987, and his patents expired in 1988. He himself expired in 2006.
The management people at Smith & Wesson were impressed by Paris Theodore’s innovations on their Model 39, and saw a market for a factory-produced concealable 9mm pistol with similar characteristics. So in 1989 (right after Theodore’s patents expired) their Model 3913 was born. Taking advantage of more modern materials and manufacturing technology, the new gun became a sought-after item from the start. It was a generation 3 traditional double action pistol with an 8-shot magazine. It had a shortened slide, abbreviated frame and a 3.5” ramped barrel. The frame was lightweight aluminum, while the slide, barrel and other components were stainless steel. It had a wrap-around Xenoy grip with a straight backstrap, and an ambidextrous slide-mounted decocker/safety lever. A magazine safety was incorporated, disconnecting the trigger when the magazine was removed. The gun weighed in at 25 ounces, and measured 6.8” in overall length. The Novak low-mount sights were fixed, but drift-adjustable for windage. This original Model 3913 continued in the S&W lineup until 1999.
In 1990, a very popular version of the 3913 was introduced as the “Lady Smith” model. Designed originally for the women’s market, it featured a slanted dustcover on the frame, and a slant-cut nose to the slide. The decocker/safety lever was accessible for right-hand use only. The front of the grip frame and the forward part of the trigger guard were checkered. The Delrin wrap-around grip was a similar grey color to the aluminum frame. Both curved and flat baseplate magazines were available. It featured a “Lady Smith” logo on the right side of the slide, and came in a softside carry case. The racy-looking Lady Smith 3913 was also so popular with males that an absolutely identical version was produced without the “Lady Smith” logo on the slide. This was the Model 3913NL, and was first produced in 1991. It continued in the line until 1995, and was an instant hit with the guys. The pistol illustrated is a 3913NL, and was shipped in 1995. It is equipped with aftermarket tritium night sights.
A “tactical” version, the Model 3913TSW, was produced beginning in 2000. This had black hardware on the slide and frame and had “Tactical” inscribed on the left side of the slide. The original model had a shorter frame and used a 7-round magazine. Later ones used the standard 3913 8-round frame and magazine. These featured a black accessory rail fastened to the forward part of the frame. The upper rear of the barrel hood had a notch in it to serve as a visible loaded chamber indicator. The frame and slide had oversized frame rails that were machined as a matched set. Matching assembly numbers were inscribed on each of these two parts. All TSW pistols, including the double action-only pistols described later in this article, have a modified barrel cam delayed-unlocking system developed by the S&W Performance Center. It provides arguably less felt recoil.
In 1990, the Model 3914 was first produced. This effectively was a 3913, but with a blued carbon steel slide and a black-anodized aluminum frame. A 3914 Lady Smith was also made, mimicking the slanted-dustcover 3913 Lady Smith, but with the blued finish of the 3914. It was laser-etched “Lady Smith” on the slide’s right side and came in a hard case. These are rare, as production on them stopped after just one year in 1991. The similarly rare 3914NL (no Lady Smith logo) with blued finish was its partner in the same time frame. A “value line” version of the 3914, with economy manufacturing shortcuts, was produced as the Model 908 from 1996 to 2007.
A double action-only version of the 3913 was cataloged as the Model 3953 from 1991 to 1999. Ten were shipped to the NYCPD in January 1997 without magazine safeties; these were marked Model 3983. A “tactical” DAO version, the Model 3953TSW, with “Tactical” laser-etched on the left of the slide was produced from 1997 to 1999. It had an overall length of 6 5/8” and had the compact 7-round frame and magazine. The product code was 104540. Product code 10451 was also named the Model 3953TSW, but was essentially the 3913TSW (with normal frame and accessory rail) in double action-only flavor. Its production began in 2000. Another double action-only pistol was the Model 3954, produced in 1991 and 1992. It was basically a DAO blued Model 3914. Some 3954TSW pistols were also made, but are seldom seen today. Smith & Wesson could convert, on request, the safety on any DAO model to decock-only or eliminate it entirely. None of these DAO pistols could provide second-strike capability without working the slide. The lone exception was the Model 3914DAO, made specifically for NYCPD off-duty use, approximately 1995-2014. It did have second-strike capability and also differed from the 3954 in that it had a standard-size 3914 slide with no safety lever. Made in S&W’s Houlton, ME plant, it was uncataloged with product code 103922.
In 1998, an even more compact version of the 3913 was introduced as the CS9 Chiefs Special. Offered first in matte blue finish, the stainless iteration came out in 1999. These guns had 3” barrels and shortened frames and magazines with a capacity of 7 rounds. Overall length was 6 ¼”, and the weight was 20 ounces. An ambidextrous safety was standard. The Hogue wrap-around grip and often the safety were black, and “Chiefs Special” was inscribed on the left of the slide.
Now fully discontinued in favor of polymer-framed pistols, the S&W Model 3913 series guns have become sought-after collector items. They can still serve superbly as very concealable self-defense pistols, and not a few experts will tell you that they may in fact be the best production discreet-carry 9mm pistols ever made. Classics all!
(c) 2016 JLM
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