One 1,500 were made and now one of them is mine.

Status
Not open for further replies.
Very nice!

I wish S&W had also done a second variant with the barrel and slide of CS9 length on the 3913/14/53/54 frame, providing a full-gripped option for a sub-compact single-stack.

Enjoy your new 3rd Gen!
 
I ran across an ex-NH state police 5903 SSV last year on the S&W forum. I'm still kicking myself for not picking it up. Congrats on your purchase!
 
I'm sad that my appreciation for these wonderful S&W autos only came about as the prices and availability both veered sharply away form me.

Congratulations on the score. What's your general intention for it?

Todd.
 
ApacheCoTodd said:
I'm sad that my appreciation for these wonderful S&W autos only came about as the prices and availability both veered sharply away form me.

Congratulations on the score. What's your general intention for it?

Todd.
Click to expand...
Same here.
I don't know much on S&W handguns like that. But I passed up a lot of them that were police trade ins for dirt cheap.
 
Last edited:
Sweet! I’m a big 3rd gen fan. I’ve had probably 25 and still have 5. I’ve never even seen an SSV. If you want a great video on that gun, go to YouTube and look for the hrfunk channel. He carried one as a cop and replaced it last year.

I’d love to have one. I wish they came in all stainless though. Don’t like two tone guns. Enjoy that gun.
 
Nice find for the OP. It looks to be a nicely-sized gun. I admit, I'm not informed on the S&W (3rd generation, I think) models, even though I was issued a S&W Model 4006 at one time. I soon switched to a personally-owned Glock 22 gen2 for work as I suppose I didn't appreciate the 4006.

I am disappointed how firearm models get discontinued (sometimes really soon); the parts no longer are made and get scarce; firearm prices go up; and the firearms themselves become scarce. I'm not much of a collector, though.
 
Homerboy said:
Sweet! I’m a big 3rd gen fan. I’ve had probably 25 and still have 5. I’ve never even seen an SSV. If you want a great video on that gun, go to YouTube and look for the hrfunk channel. He carried one as a cop and replaced it last year.

I’d love to have one. I wish they came in all stainless though. Don’t like two tone guns. Enjoy that gun.
Click to expand...
Oh, I know about his video. It is on the 5943, the DAO variant.
 
L-2 said:
Nice find for the OP. It looks to be a nicely-sized gun. I admit, I'm not informed on the S&W (3rd generation, I think) models, even though I was issued a S&W Model 4006 at one time. I soon switched to a personally-owned Glock 22 gen2 for work as I suppose I didn't appreciate the 4006.

I am disappointed how firearm models get discontinued (sometimes really soon); the parts no longer are made and get scarce; firearm prices go up; and the firearms themselves become scarce. I'm not much of a collector, though.
Click to expand...
S&W has always done special limited runs for specific distributors and Lew Horton was one of their bigger customers.

They also had the habit of using up parts during model changes and upgrades to models. When they transitioned from the 2nd Generation to the 3rd Generation, Big Blue used up all the old left over 2nd Gen parts and made specific transitional models. They weren't just going to scrap useful parts. It wasn't limited to their semi-autos either.

Colt also was in the habit of doing that. Especially with ARs and 1911s.
 
I remember those when they came out and couldn't understand the attraction. It seemed backwards with the short slide and long grip...might have been bias leftover from the Walther PPK/s; or maybe because CCW was my primary concern and this format just seemed wrong.

Flash forward 25+ years and the SIG 320 X-Carry has found a place on my bench
 
9mmepiphany said:
I remember those when they came out and couldn't understand the attraction. It seemed backwards with the short slide and long grip...might have been bias leftover from the Walther PPK/s; or maybe because CCW was my primary concern and this format just seemed wrong.

Flash forward 25+ years and the SIG 320 X-Carry has found a place on my bench
Click to expand...
Wear a duty pistol for 12 hours and get in and out of a patrol car and you'll understand why such layouts are popular for duty use. The Colt Commander, Snubnose K-Frame, Beretta Centurion, and GLOCK 45 all illustrate why such a layout is popular.

The longer barrel on some guns lift your butt up off the seat and that puts strain on your back and it also chews a hole in the car's seat.
 
Miami_JBT said:
Wear a duty pistol for 12 hours and get in and out of a patrol car and you'll understand why such layouts are popular for duty use. The Colt Commander, Snubnose K-Frame, Beretta Centurion, and GLOCK 45 all illustrate why such a layout is popular.

The longer barrel on some guns lift your butt up off the seat and that puts strain on your back and it also chews a hole in the car's seat.
Click to expand...
I wore a 226/220 for 28 years, also a Beretta 29/96 in the middle somewhere, and never felt the desire for something with a shorter slide/barrel. Granted I did start with a 4" Python and moved to a Commander out of the academy, before going with the SIGs. Maybe my preference for a higher ride holster had some bearing on my comfort in a squad car

My objection to the shorter slide and longer grip frame for CCW is that the longer grip frame is the part that prints the most under a cover garment. The shorter barrel also wasn't as conducive to levering in the butt of the pistol
 
Here is my 4003 that shares the allow frame. I purpose bought it about 10 years ago for a nightstand gun and it has been totally reliable and still in that role. This one never saw service use as I bought it from the original owner who I don't think shot it that much by the condition. S&W 4003 01.JPG

I always thought all these series were very attractive guns with the allow frame and stainless slide maybe a little extra so.
 
I've been looking for one to go with my Marlin Camp 9 . The Camp 9 shares magazines with the S&W 59/69 series, The Camp 45 uses 1911 mags.
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot 2019-09-06 at 10.33.23 AM.png
    Screenshot 2019-09-06 at 10.33.23 AM.png
    487.7 KB · Views: 4
Lew Horton distributing put out some interesting runs from multiple manufacturers, sadly they closed shop within the last year or so. Whoever went shopping for them had good tastes. I have two Lew Horton's, a Colt Gold Cup and a S&W 629.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Miami_JBT
  • Locked
Battle between two of the '90s classic Wonder-Nines
Replies
8
Views
909
ECVMatt
ECVMatt
Miami_JBT
  • Locked
Obscure Object of Desire – The Smith & Wesson Model 5903 SSV 9mm Pistol
Replies
4
Views
608
Ignition Override
I
P
  • Locked
Colt Commanding Officer's Model
Replies
5
Views
514
Jim Watson
J
ugaarguy
  • Locked
An Uncommon Colt
Replies
11
Views
2K
ugaarguy
ugaarguy
Rembrandt
  • Locked
Guns of which less than 2000 were produced...let's see them.
2
Replies
41
Views
4K
ATCDoktor
A
Back
Top