3rd Generation S&W Autos

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While a decided fan of the S&W's, especially the third gens, I'm not the first to admit that the chart posted above looks too much like a hillbilly genealogy chart..... That said, these things are built like tanks. I carry a 6904, and have a 5904 as a truck gun, to go with the Keltec Sub2k under the back seat. Also a number of others, both straight up third gens and value series. S&W for a long time did a "flavor of the month" sort of thing...want a decocker? Sure. Want a safety? Oh, OK...NO safety...you get the idea, but each and every one were about the epitome of machining and engineering for their time, and while lighter, faster, more hip, tactical, polymer guns have come, and gone, the Third Gens will stand for a long time as the high water mark in many circles, including mine.
 
I have the typical ones: 1911, Hi Power, CZ75, Glock, etc. My 915 works as well as any of them.

I will readily state that the 3rd Gen S&W pistols are superbly reliable and a very good value , but when I see them mentioned in the same sentence with the guns mentioned in the quote I just have to point out that the difference in ergonomics is significant. The Smiths in question are good , solid , manageable pistols , but a Hi Power fits the hand like a well broken-in kid leather glove.
 
I carried a 3rd. Gen. S&W .45 on duty for a few years. Now retired, I still carry it, or a 3rd. Gen 9mm. Both mine are alloy frames though, so less than the weight of a Subaru. I have another 3rd. Gen. gun or two around here that might be considered a bit more "Subaruish" in weight;)
CQB, 3913 (14).JPG
 
All these posts and nobody has mentioned the real hero of the 3rd generation: the 10xx series. I occasionally carry a 1006 in bear country. I also have a sweet 5903 that was reimported from Israel by a local company. It was essentially new when I bought it but I’ve put a few thousand lead bullet reloads thru it and would certainly consider carrying it once I tested it with my carry ammo.
 
I carry a 5903 quite a bit, but only owb when I can throw a shirt over it. It’s an alloy frame.
 
A 3913LS has been my EDC for going on 25 years now. It was quite a financial stretch when I bought this as a young married guy in 1995ish, but it proved to be one of the best gun purchases I have ever made.

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The Cor-Bon 115gr +P ammo dates that pic a bit. That was my carry load of choice for many years, until I could no longer readily find it.
 
Oh my Gosh!
BenEzra is driving me over the edge....

We are now being forced onto this forum, and to look at more 3rd Gen guns almost every day.:eek:

With your constant reminders that I own a 908 and a 6904 (plus all-metal CZ and Sig)... life might —permanently— remain “Glock-less!” :what:
 
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A 6906 is my EDC as well. I was not planning on that. I came across it in a sheriff's sale and bought it really cheap. I cleaned it up and was going to sell it, and thought I might as well try shooting it at least once. I absolutely fell in love with it. I have two original 12 round mags, and have used the little adapters you can buy to use 5900 series mags with it for a 15 round capacity.

Does anyone know of a good IWB holster for it?
 
Yes! CS9, CS45, 4513TSW, 457 customized with Novak night sights and a new to me 3913NL. These are my EDC guns. Same manual of arms and they all share two different holsters.

As a Firearms Instructor at the local indoor range, I also picked up a beater 5903 to teach with too. And I still occasionally carry my 4506-1 or 4566s when working at the range. Great pistols. Regards 18DAI
 
I love my 4006, but after an hour, it feels like I'm carrying a Subaru on my hip.

Love mine also however I cannot ever imagine carrying that thing. I shoot it well even though it is blocky and has an odd trigger pull however I am not sure how cops managed 20 years with that thing strapped to their side. My 1076, on the other hand, its actually slim and carries ok, however it is a flame thrower and getting quick follow up shots for the 80's FBI agents must have been problematic. I can see why they were quick to transition.
 
jeff 10:
You mentioned that the " ...quick follow up shots for the 80's FBI agents must have been problematic".

Were you referring to the Miami FBI agents who decided to try to arrest a former Marine, and his bank robber partner, a former Army Ranger (?), who was known to carry a semi-auto .223 Mini 14 rifle while robbing banks?
 
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I have an example of 3Rd Gen 4506. To be honest its rather a Safe Queen. I believe it hasn't been fired in most likely a decade or so. Its the only 3Rd generation I've kept.
 
I’m one of the few that hated the 5906 as a duty gun and had zero faith in it Mine had a lousy, mushy, heavy trigger, weighed a ton and did a nuclear jam on me at a crucial point in my timed pass/fail final academy qualification. ( I cleared it on the clock by smashing the gun against a 55 gallon drum to break free the partially fed round that was jammed against the case still left in the chamber.) I dropped it for a Robar-tuned SIG P-226 within hours of the agency allowing us to carry our own guns. (Over 3/4 of the patrol force quickly did, too.)

That being said, I respect the design and quality that the Gen 3 guns can exhibit. I carried a 4013 for about 20 years off duty after ditching my .25 auto for it. That gun was a lot easier to pack than the 5906 and was 100 pct. reliable for me.

These were the first rounds I fired through this gun in about five-six years, it still shoots pretty well in my hands:

4D8AE47E-B181-4075-AE71-0B53F6C41A1A.jpeg

Someone on another thread pointed out my only real criticism of the Gen 3 Smiths; the grips are made from “Delrin” which must be code for “ A rock hard and greasy-slick plastic.” The shallow molded in checkering on them isn’t much help. Sadly, the aftermarket rubber grips made them really bulky, so the wood grips above are about the only options for a better grip/feel without the bulk. :thumbup:

I’m sure you’ll have much better luck than I did, my opinion of the 5906 is a bit jaded because of the bad experience I had. The gun is going to be a good bit less friendly in a ccw mode because of the weight compared to the others you listed, but if you’re prepared for that I think you’ll be well served with one. :)

Stay safe.
 
jeff 10:
You mentioned that the " ...quick follow up shots for the 80's FBI agents must have been problematic".

Were you referring to the Miami FBI agents who decided to try to arrest a former Marine, and his bank robber partner, a former Army Ranger (?), who was known to carry a semi-auto .223 Mini 14 rifle while robbing banks?

More thinking about the new agents at Quantico having to qualify. I am sure its why the FBI didn't go with a Norma load and chose that 40 S&W power-level Hydrashok.
 
Still love my 5946, just can't shoot it well anymore. Forget WML mounting, but need RDS with my awful eyes for anything to be really fun.

Still carry it once a year or so, like I sometimes do with the Nickel Star PD or the Model 19, just for fun. Makes me miss it sometimes. Great gun. If they still made them, I'd certainly have gotten one customized to do all I need but the M&P is great, with less weight and more bullets.
 
I was a cop for over 30 years and lived thru the transition to autos. I still have my favorite smith, a model 457 that I carry on a pretty regular basis. It has never had a hiccup, will feed everything I ever put in it and shoots easy. The gun is as reliable as I could ask for. Magazine prices are crazy for it now, but spring kits are cheap.
 
I was a cop for over 30 years and lived thru the transition to autos. I still have my favorite smith, a model 457 that I carry on a pretty regular basis. It has never had a hiccup, will feed everything I ever put in it and shoots easy. The gun is as reliable as I could ask for.

Same here (though my le stint was for 28 years and my Third Generation variant was/is a Model 6906). I still carry mine too on occasion and, though I have many good auto pistols, none are more reliable than my Model 6906.
 
I carried various issued 3rd gen S&W's from '90 through '16. Calibers included 9, .40 & .45ACP. Once I became trained as an armorer for them (4 classes over time) I started buying several of my own, but they were all compact and subcompact, in all 3 calibers.

I still own the 3rd gen's I bought in those years, and I still own and use them, even though I also own other plastic and metal-framed pistols. I actually have more armorer classes in some of the other makes/models (i.e. 5xGlock, 5xM&P Pistol), but I also helped support some hundreds of the early 3rd gen Smith's, and then hundreds of the late production TSW models that replaced the original 3rd gen guns. I have some passing familiarity with them being run for quite a few years. One of the issued early production 6906's I carried for a little while ended up seeing upwards of a guesstimated 45,000+ rounds fired through it (although I replaced some parts and assemblies during that time). Another one only had a short time to be used to fire a little more than 3,000 rounds before it was time to turn it in for a new TSW.

The manufacturing and materials were improved quite a bit during the last several years of the 3rd gen guns being in production, and I especially liked the TSW models. That doesn't in any way mean I don't like my 3913, 4040PD, CS9 or CS45, though, even if they aren't part of the TSW line. (I also own a compact TSW each in 9, .40 & .45ACP. :) )

The 3rd gen guns have become designated as "obsolete", though, so it's becoming more difficult to get access to all of the parts. The smiths familiar with servicing and repairing them, and the number of remaining factory-trained LE armorers, are seemingly dwindling in numbers, too.

FWIW, the extractor and sear release lever (decocking timing) are fitted parts in 3rd gen guns. Fitting (filing adjustment pad of) the extractor was done by armorers using a factory supplied (sold) extractor Bar Gauge (Go/No-Go). In earlier 3rd gen armorer classes they also used a Flag Gauge, a Go/No-Go gauge to check the dimension between the back of the extractor hook and breech face, but it was dropped and just the Bar Gauge was used. Checking the extractor spring tension was done using a Wagner Force Dial gauge to make sure the tension was within the recommended factory range, and optional extractor springs were available to allow an armorer to adjust the tension to put any particular extractor within the desired tension range. Extractors changed a bit over time, too.

Fortunately, the 3rd gen's, if properly cleaned and lubricated and used with good quality factory ammo, were pretty robust, reliable and durable guns for their time. Especially as design and machining improvements came along. The new(late) production guns were noticeably better in virtually all respects than the early 3rd gen guns. :)

While I own and use a variety of plastic (M&P's, 99's, Glocks and LCP's), my S&W 3rd gen guns will remain working gear for whatever remaining years of shooting I have left in me. :) Well, the 3rd gen's, and my collection of S&W J-frames, of course. ;) My J-frames are why I originally worked to include a factory armorer course for them, so I could maintain, service and do any needed repairs after I retired. They get a lot of range and carry use, too.
 
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