s&w 3913
- Thread starter Robbins290
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pa350z
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After years of trying, testing... I settled with a 3913 tsw carried IWB with one spare mag IWB. Nice, compact and THIN. No complaints here.
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fastbolt
Member
De nada, guys. 
The CS9 is a dandy smaller single column. Probably be considered a "subcompact", I suppose.
Aside from the somewhat tall and bulky grip, it's a smaller, lighter version of the 3913.
The shorter (unique to the CS series) mainspring may make for a slightly heavier DA trigger press, but I don't notice it much, myself.
The Hogue grips were designed to help mitigate the increased recoil of the lighter gun. It uses a rather short non-captured flat-wound recoil spring, and the cycling is brisk, fast but surprisingly controllable.
Compared to the 3913 series, the balance seems more back in the hand (less toward the muzzle end of the slide). I'd describe it as making for a fast-handling pistol, balance-wise, and the faster cycling makes for a "quicker" felt recoil, as well as making it seem to return back-on-target a bit faster than the 3913.
I like the slightly chunkier grip designed by Hogue for the CS guns, myself, although some folks have often expressed the desire for the company to have at least offered a thin grip of the typical Delrin material. I prefer the way the rubber grips reduce the felt recoil, though. (I compare this to the way I also prefer the Hogue panels on my 3913, making an already nicely controllable shooting experience even more so by offering just a bit more cushioning.)
Another advantage of the CS Hogue grips is that they're more resistant to slippage when my hands are wet (since as an instructor I shoot regardless of weather). Yes, they'll 'grab' at cover garments more than the harder Delrin grips, but I got over that issue many years ago when I adapted to carrying my service & off-duty revolvers with soft rubber grips instead of the standard wooden factory grip stocks.
I've bee using a wide variety of factory ammunition over the years, including different bullet weights in loads ranging from standard pressure, to +P & +P+. Never found a load made by the major manufacturers (who have experience with providing good quality duty ammunition to LE/Gov agencies) that wouldn't feed and offer excellent practical accuracy in my CS9 in my hands.
Considering the increased slide velocities realized in the gun, I tend to replace the recoil spring sooner than recommended in the armorer classes (which is presently every 5 years or every 5K rounds for LE guns). Then again, I do that with my 3913, as well. I finally started ordering replacement recoil springs a dozen at a time for my CS9 & CS45. Saves on shipping.
I held off ordering my own CS9 because I simply liked my 3913 so well. It wasn't until I'd spent some range sessions with another instructor's CS9 that I discovered how well the little gun felt, handled and fired that I decided I wanted to own one. My CS9 exhibits every bit as good of practical accuracy as my 3913.
Although I've owned a CS45 for longer than my CS9, and I've done a lot more shooting with my CS45, if I were only going to keep one of them, it would be the CS9. No question. But that's me and how I've come to consider their relative advantages & disadvantages when it comes to my desires and perceived needs.
Oddly enough, even though the grip height is taller than the G26, the CS9's slide profile is much less blocky, making it seem to "print" less when I carry it in a pocket holster in some of my jackets. When I carry it in a belt holster I can notice a difference in weight between it and my 3913 (the CS9 being lighter on the hip). Same holster, too, so it's just the difference in the guns.
The earlier production CS9's (like the other CS guns) had single side manual safeties and plastic sights. I didn't care for the plastic sights, myself. S&W eventually refined the guns to offer the typical low-mount Novak steel sights, as well as the ambi safeties.
The recoil guide rod assemblies are steel (magnetic), but the plungers have come in both plastic and steel. The plastic ones can get a bit worn with repeated disassembly/assembly, but the steel ones can make disassembly a bit harder at times, offering more resistance to the slide stop lever being pulled out of the frame (wide plunger heads having to compress and be pulled out of the recessed indentation in the slide stop lever's pin). It's a toss-up. Last time I ordered a spare guide rod assembly for my parts bins, I believe it came with the steel plunger, FWIW. Both plungers are of the newer design that aren't staked into the guide rod body, though, so they can be replaced, if needed.
The CS line was a real sleeper, being really popular with LE for off-duty use. The CS40 was dropped from the line after the company reviewed sales and found less than 100 units had been ordered & sold within the previous calendar year. The CS45 & CS9 sales remained strong, though ... up until they dropped them from commercial production, keeping them for LE agency orders. Go figure.
Unfortunately, the age of plastic guns making it less expensive (meaning faster and requiring less labor) to produce and sell (especially as LE/Gov weapons) pretty much ended their profitability. More's the pity.
Unless they ever make another little 9mm in a slim plastic gun ... maybe in the Bodyguard line? ... I doubt we'll see their like again.
Comparing all the little 9's I own?
The G26 suits my hands better than any of the larger Glocks, and it does well enough that I don't mind owning a couple of them and using them a lot (I've fired more than 11K rounds through my first G26).
The 3913 fits my hand very well. Outstanding, in fact.
My SW999c can also be made too small for my medium-size hand by using the smallest backstrap insert, so I use the larger one. The SW999c (like the P99 AS compact) offers a trigger with DA/SA modes that are actually "better" for me (smoother, lighter and with a nicely predictable & crisp "break"), than the 3913, M&P 9c, CS9 & G26.
I don't own a M&P 9c (yet, anyway), but I've done some shooting with a few of them (and I own a M&P 40c). The M&P 9c is a fine smallish 9, and the grip/palmswell inserts certainly make it so the grip profile is even smaller than the CS9 (my impression, anyway) ... and the 9c can be had with either a 12rd or 10rd magazine (unlike the 7rd CS9 mags). The M&P 9c is probably the softest shooting small 9mm I've ever handled and used.
However, the CS9 fits my hand as if they'd made it with me in mind.
I also happen to feel the traditional double action (DA/SA) to be fine for my needs. I've carried, trained & practiced with one or another of the S&W 3rd gen guns for over 20 years, though.
Very subjective, though.
If you ever have the opportunity to try a CS9 on the range, I'd recommend giving it a whirl and seeing how it feels for you.
The CS9 is a dandy smaller single column. Probably be considered a "subcompact", I suppose.
Aside from the somewhat tall and bulky grip, it's a smaller, lighter version of the 3913.
The shorter (unique to the CS series) mainspring may make for a slightly heavier DA trigger press, but I don't notice it much, myself.
The Hogue grips were designed to help mitigate the increased recoil of the lighter gun. It uses a rather short non-captured flat-wound recoil spring, and the cycling is brisk, fast but surprisingly controllable.
Compared to the 3913 series, the balance seems more back in the hand (less toward the muzzle end of the slide). I'd describe it as making for a fast-handling pistol, balance-wise, and the faster cycling makes for a "quicker" felt recoil, as well as making it seem to return back-on-target a bit faster than the 3913.
I like the slightly chunkier grip designed by Hogue for the CS guns, myself, although some folks have often expressed the desire for the company to have at least offered a thin grip of the typical Delrin material. I prefer the way the rubber grips reduce the felt recoil, though. (I compare this to the way I also prefer the Hogue panels on my 3913, making an already nicely controllable shooting experience even more so by offering just a bit more cushioning.)
Another advantage of the CS Hogue grips is that they're more resistant to slippage when my hands are wet (since as an instructor I shoot regardless of weather). Yes, they'll 'grab' at cover garments more than the harder Delrin grips, but I got over that issue many years ago when I adapted to carrying my service & off-duty revolvers with soft rubber grips instead of the standard wooden factory grip stocks.
I've bee using a wide variety of factory ammunition over the years, including different bullet weights in loads ranging from standard pressure, to +P & +P+. Never found a load made by the major manufacturers (who have experience with providing good quality duty ammunition to LE/Gov agencies) that wouldn't feed and offer excellent practical accuracy in my CS9 in my hands.
Considering the increased slide velocities realized in the gun, I tend to replace the recoil spring sooner than recommended in the armorer classes (which is presently every 5 years or every 5K rounds for LE guns). Then again, I do that with my 3913, as well.
I finally started ordering replacement recoil springs a dozen at a time for my CS9 & CS45. Saves on shipping. I held off ordering my own CS9 because I simply liked my 3913 so well. It wasn't until I'd spent some range sessions with another instructor's CS9 that I discovered how well the little gun felt, handled and fired that I decided I wanted to own one. My CS9 exhibits every bit as good of practical accuracy as my 3913.
Although I've owned a CS45 for longer than my CS9, and I've done a lot more shooting with my CS45, if I were only going to keep one of them, it would be the CS9. No question. But that's me and how I've come to consider their relative advantages & disadvantages when it comes to my desires and perceived needs.
Oddly enough, even though the grip height is taller than the G26, the CS9's slide profile is much less blocky, making it seem to "print" less when I carry it in a pocket holster in some of my jackets. When I carry it in a belt holster I can notice a difference in weight between it and my 3913 (the CS9 being lighter on the hip). Same holster, too, so it's just the difference in the guns.
The earlier production CS9's (like the other CS guns) had single side manual safeties and plastic sights. I didn't care for the plastic sights, myself. S&W eventually refined the guns to offer the typical low-mount Novak steel sights, as well as the ambi safeties.
The recoil guide rod assemblies are steel (magnetic), but the plungers have come in both plastic and steel. The plastic ones can get a bit worn with repeated disassembly/assembly, but the steel ones can make disassembly a bit harder at times, offering more resistance to the slide stop lever being pulled out of the frame (wide plunger heads having to compress and be pulled out of the recessed indentation in the slide stop lever's pin). It's a toss-up. Last time I ordered a spare guide rod assembly for my parts bins, I believe it came with the steel plunger, FWIW. Both plungers are of the newer design that aren't staked into the guide rod body, though, so they can be replaced, if needed.
The CS line was a real sleeper, being really popular with LE for off-duty use. The CS40 was dropped from the line after the company reviewed sales and found less than 100 units had been ordered & sold within the previous calendar year. The CS45 & CS9 sales remained strong, though ... up until they dropped them from commercial production, keeping them for LE agency orders. Go figure.
Unfortunately, the age of plastic guns making it less expensive (meaning faster and requiring less labor) to produce and sell (especially as LE/Gov weapons) pretty much ended their profitability. More's the pity.
Unless they ever make another little 9mm in a slim plastic gun ... maybe in the Bodyguard line? ... I doubt we'll see their like again.
Comparing all the little 9's I own?
The G26 suits my hands better than any of the larger Glocks, and it does well enough that I don't mind owning a couple of them and using them a lot (I've fired more than 11K rounds through my first G26).
The 3913 fits my hand very well. Outstanding, in fact.
My SW999c can also be made too small for my medium-size hand by using the smallest backstrap insert, so I use the larger one. The SW999c (like the P99 AS compact) offers a trigger with DA/SA modes that are actually "better" for me (smoother, lighter and with a nicely predictable & crisp "break"), than the 3913, M&P 9c, CS9 & G26.
I don't own a M&P 9c (yet, anyway), but I've done some shooting with a few of them (and I own a M&P 40c). The M&P 9c is a fine smallish 9, and the grip/palmswell inserts certainly make it so the grip profile is even smaller than the CS9 (my impression, anyway) ... and the 9c can be had with either a 12rd or 10rd magazine (unlike the 7rd CS9 mags). The M&P 9c is probably the softest shooting small 9mm I've ever handled and used.
However, the CS9 fits my hand as if they'd made it with me in mind.
I also happen to feel the traditional double action (DA/SA) to be fine for my needs. I've carried, trained & practiced with one or another of the S&W 3rd gen guns for over 20 years, though.
Very subjective, though.
If you ever have the opportunity to try a CS9 on the range, I'd recommend giving it a whirl and seeing how it feels for you.
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