S&W 3rd Gen love/hate?

John_R said:

I tried a 9mm Chief Special once. I really wanted to like it, but it was underwhelming to me. I thought the trigger was just average. I held a 3913 in the store once and same thing, I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about.

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Well, compared to my SIG P229R DAK, the DA pull, of every Third-Generation S&W DA/SA I have ever handled, was/is nothing to write home about, and the SA pulls were/are not wonderful, either. But, in the very early Nineties, when I was previously using a 3913 for serious purposes, SIGs did not have the most wonderful DA pulls, either. (I owned an old-school P220, with the “European” heel-clip mag release, and carried it daily, for both police duty and personal carry, 1991-1993.) Because I had worked, diligently, to master the long DA stroke, with a quite rough Bangor Punta-era 686, in as a cadet and then rookie LEO, in 1983 and 1984, however, an “average” DA pull has never phased me, if other aspects of the weapon are favorable.

The one I really liked was a nicely smooth DAO Model 3953, which went to live with a dear friend, when I decided to start another 1911 phase, and concentrate on the SA trigger.

Is a 59 a 2nd or 3rd gen? Came across one today

Mars5l said:

Is a 59 a 2nd or 3rd gen? Came across one today

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First Generation. Second Generation would be 459 or 659. Third would be 5904 or 5906.

There may be more than one version/iteration of the 59. I have little familiarity with pre-Third Generation S&W autos.

The 915. It is a "value series " 5904. all metal. only plastic being the grips, better than the polymer frame guns they make today.

mrmike7189 said:

The 915. It is a "value series " 5904. all metal. only plastic being the grips, better than the polymer frame guns they make today. View attachment 1020544

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I have a 915. It’s my go-to 9mm these days. Incredible little marvel.

Brought home my 915 today. I think im going to wait it out til I come across something in .40, 10mm, and .45acp

Nice pistol(s), Mars51.

Mars5l said:

View attachment 1020785

Brought home my 915 today. I think im going to wait it out til I come across something in .40, 10mm, and .45acp

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Bring coin for the 10mm!

Only have one a 4006 TSW. I like the pistol, the plastic grips are awful though.
What I dont understand is that CZ can make and sell steel framed guns like the Shadow 2 for 1300 bucks or a TSO for 1900 but yet S&W can't make an upgraded version of a 3rd gen?
Walter makes a 1500 PPQ for crying out load.
But whatever I guess.

Steve762us said:

Bring coin for the 10mm!

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10mm would be way down the list since I have no 10mm ammo for it but have plenty of .40 and
45

Absolutely love the 5900 series. I bought a Model 915, which was basically a budget 5904 back in the mid 90s. The 5906 was still standard issue for the Illinois State Police at the time. Once I had it a felt the 915 had some advantages over its more expensive 9mm cousins. Nothing really lacking and it was actually a little beefier. I've always used +P+ in it with no issues. Federal 9BPLE, which was the Illinois State Police load, and Cor-bon's equivalent +P.

I replaced the sights with Meprolight illuminated sights and slapped Hogue rubber grips on it. Those are the only mods I've done to this day. Fits my hand perfectly. It's one of my all time favorite handguns. I've got three 15-rnd mags for it I've had since the 1990s; the original blued mag that came with it and two stainless mags.

I'm well practiced with it. It's reliable and plenty accurate. If I were to work for a department again I would still choose it over any plastic gun as my duty weapon without hesitation.

~Beck

I’ll take my WG P226 every day.

One exception to the rule that a 3rd Gen. S&W has 4 digits, is my 908 (“value line”), a 3rd Gen.

There might be another exception.

Ignition Override said:

One exception to the rule that a 3rd Gen. S&W has 4 digits, is my 908 (“value line”), a 3rd Gen.

There might be another exception.

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Yes it is.

410, 411, 910, 915...457...CS9...

With S&W, the rule seems "there's always exceptions".

GunnyUSMC said:

I carried a 4046 for two years on duty. Hated the DOA and the mag disconnect. It was also a boat anchor. I was so happy to turn it in when we went to Glocks. Now there were some very nice models in the 3rd Gen lineup. I think I still have one of the economy versions in 40 S&W tucked away in the back of one of my safes.

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I had a 410s from the early 2000's. Loved that pistol. Ex wife made me sell it and I have never seen on locally sense. Keep it and don't ever sell it. I want to find aother to have as a range gun.

Also I have a bunch of the 3rd gens about 10 years ago, couple 4506's, a 5906, 6906, 4006, 3906,3913, 422, 2213. I sold them all when parts starting getting scarce for them. I still have the 2213, 3906 and 3913. They fit my hand great.

CZ and Sig fit my needs.