S&W's Budget 3913: The 908!

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ev239

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I had the opportunity to pick up a 908 for a steal of a price so I jumped on it. I previously owned the second gen S&W 469, but had traded it off. My father in law got the 457, the 45acp version of this "Value Series", last spring for a great deal at a gun show (yeah, I know how often does that happen?).

Anyways, for $220 that included a total of 3 mags not to mention a less than desirable nylon holster, I picked up my first 3rd gen S&W auto. I'm a little thrilled that it's covered under S&W's lifetime warranty (from what I understand all 3G's are). It's a very slim gun! Slimmer than my Sig P239 and lighter as well. It's not quite as thin as my Kahr, but not many guns are. I still need to give it a good cleaning as it's barrel looks like it may have been a little neglected. It's definitely not a looker, but as a working gun it sure looks the part. Not as nicely finished as the 3913 and containing a few *gasp* plastic parts, the 908's still has a good feel. This week I'm planning on taking it to the range to give it a little workout and see how well it operates. If all goes well, it will then move into the rotation.

Pictures...of course...
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My view is, if you can find a pistol in a fighting caliber from a name brand maker for under $250 that works then it's a good value. Any blemishes to the finish are marks of character.

***Range Report!!!***

Ok, just got back from my lunchtime range after running the 908 through the paces. I put a little over 100 rounds through it with a few hp's to check feeding. I came away liking it very much. I brought my Sig along to compare triggers and sights. I'm a big fan of the "dot the i" as with three dot sights I tend to miss the middle dot when quickly acquiring the target. The 908 lines up very instinctively so I didn't have too much of a problem with it when doing double taps. Accuracy was similar to my Sig. I'm no master marksman so both of these weapons are more accurate than I am. I can easily do head shots at 10 yards so take that for what it's worth.

The trigger is pretty smooth and very different than my previous 469 primarily in DA. Mostly because the 469 employed a half cock notch which you could feel as you pulled through DA. Compared to the Sig trigger it feels a tad lighter and just a hair less smooth, though it is a shorter pull than the Sig.

I wanted to go ahead and give it it's first carry day. I've been carrying a Sig P239 in a Crossbreed SuperTuck and since they are both very similar in size I figured why not try it out. The CBST's kydex is molded specifically for a P239, but since the backside is all leather the gun never "snaps" in like kydex-only holsters. I was a little worried that it might slide or wiggle around, but after trying it out...success!

Here are some shots.

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It's always nice when an existing holster works well for different guns.

Overall, I'm very satisfied and think I got much more than my money's worth.
 
You got a great deal on a great pistol. S&W 9mm are very accurate. The 908 is almost the same as the 3914. The plastic sights can be replaced with trijicon NS, as far as i know trijicon is the only one offering tritium sights for the 908/3913/3914. Maybe the XS big dot is made for this model now ? The lack of an ambi safety lever is a big plus in my book, it adds to the flat, concealable profile of the pistol. I prefer the flat bottom mags, as opposed the "the finger hook" as shown in your first pic. Well done !
 
Thanks, I've already looked into those night sights. Best price I've seen them is about $110. I will look into XS's big dot. The flat bottom mag conceals better and still fits my hand just fine so that's what I'll carry in it.
 
$220 for the pistol and three mags? Yeah, that sounds like a deal to me!
 
Great Find!

I have a 3914 and it is my favorite CCW. It's also a pleasure to shoot and very accurate. I'd love to get a 3913 or 457 at some point. I carry mine IWB and it's one of the few guns I can comfortably carry this way, IMO it's one of the best concealed carry handguns ever made. I replaced the sights on mine with Trijicon ones and I would highly recommend them.

Here's my 3914....
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nwilliams, thanks for the recommendation for the Trijicon sights.

The recoil isn't bad at all. It's a 9mm that weighs ~27oz loaded so it's not like shooting a superlight Kel-tec or plastic Kahr. It's definitely no worse than the Sig P239.

Dangerman, if you can find one at a decent price snap it up!
 
Tru glo NS may be available for these pistols now. Shop around , $110 sounds very high to me. Maybe Ebay?
 
Balance - The gun balances well in hand. The metal frame and the short 3.5" barrel give it a neutral feel so it's not as top heavy as some of the newer poly frame pistols. What helps with the balance is the slimness and angle of the grip.

Build Quality - Since the gun came to me used and with a good amount of scuffs/dings/marks I can't comment on NIB build quality. I will say that the slide and controls operate smoothly. The safety click on and off with just the right amount of pressure and the magazine release is tight with a fully loaded mag, but releases when pressed with authority. A full mag also doesn't drop free (that may be more an issue with the mag than the gun itself). An empty mag shoots right out when released. I'm not one that's turned off by tooling marks, though there are none to be found on the outside of the gun. I wouldn't say the insides are covered with them though they can be found if you look hard enough. There is a bit of movement of the slide on the rails if you wiggle it side to side, but the barrel and slide show no signs of peening or other wear.

All in all a very solid gun that works as it was designed.
 
new guy here at the forums. i saw this thread and just had to reply. i recently bought my wife a 3913 here in AL for $299, i didn't realize what a deal it was til just now. it is quite nice. i may end up carrying it more than her. :evil:

liontribe

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thank you, i am going to get some hogue rubber grips for it soon. it is just a little slick with the factory plastic. the knife is one of my custom EDC designs. i am debating selling or keeping it for myself. i have been carrying the same EDC for years now.

liontribe
 
Liontribe, I would encourage you to try a little skateboard tape on the grips if your 3913. The only rubber grips for it are VERY soft rubber, and grab at your clothes all the time. Like a hand full of playdough, too. The factory grips with a small patch of skateboard tape on each side solved the slippery problem for me, and is much more practical than the Hogue rubber.
 
that sounds like a good idea. i may even try a little home made stippling. i did that to my M&P Pro and it came out great.

liontribe

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