Any 3rd-Gen Smith fans?

My experience is somewhat limited, I bought an S&W 4506 in the late 1980's. I still have it, but it never was shot much. It is a good gun, but I got into 1911's a year or two later and the 4506 has not seen much action. Every time I think my 5" 1911 is a little big, I pull out the 4506 and realize how sleek the 1911 is.

Had lots of them over the years, but prefer the 1st and 2nd gen. The 3rd gen. uses the plastic grip module to retain the mainspring. They had some issues with early grips cracking, (usually when dropped) rendering the pistol unusable. Supposedly the later ones corrected this, but I still dont trust 'em. The 1st and 2nd gen use a full metal grip frame, with the plastic panels being cosmetic only.

That said, I dont recall ever actually experiencing any failures with the 3G Smiths I owned, they were reliable feeders and accurate. Magazines can be hard to come by for some models.

Had a few Gen.2 and Gen. 3 S&Ws, all of them 9mm.s. Good guns, all were well built and reliable but I never got use to the DA trigger and I really didn't care for the slide mounted safety.

I've had a couple 1076 and 6926 both decocker versions and a 6946 for a short time. They're great guns durable and reliable. I sold them because Smith stopped supporting them or at least running out of parts and I wanted something different.

Get the CHP TSW, you won’t be disappointed. I love mine, and every other 3rd Gen I own. I just wish someone made threaded barrels for them.

Parts are out there, but S&W doesn’t work on them. I’ve heard they’ll work on the PC models (or some of them) but I don’t own any PCs, yet.

Wyman

I am a big fan of the 3rd Gens!

I started with a 1006 and quickly started expanding.

I have owned more than I currently have, usually sold to fund more desirable models, like the NYPD 3914DAO.

I had a 4566 for about 8 years, nice enough gun but owning an all steel 3lb boat anchor wasn’t for me so I sent it to auction.

I have a 659, 669, and 3913, all bought new in the 80's and 90's. All of them have been superb in accuracy and functioning, and the 659 can do double-duty to clout something, much like my Ruger Security Sixes.

I only have one of the inexpensive models, but I like it. It's a Model 915 that was some kind of surplus. I got it for around $300. I like the trigger and sights. It fits my hand well. I enjoy shooting it. It's my favorite "medium-sized" 9mm.

Count me in as a huge fan. I own and have owned many semi-autos but I can say unequivocally that, in my experience in terms of extreme reliability, no pistol surpasses a Smith & Wesson Second/Third Generation pistol. There might be others that are as good-but none better.

I have owned two 3rd gens...a 6906 which I had reliability issues with and gave away and a 4506-1 which I still have and is my primary deer hunting gun after converting it to .45 Super. I also own several 1911's and stock the 4506 is the most accurate .45 auto I have ever owned.

Yes, i am. Had about a dozen at one point. Only have the 3906,3913 and 2213 now. I love how the single stacks fit in my hand.

5906,6946 and a 3913 no complaints from me!

It's not a secret that I'm not a fan of the "new for no good reason" club, and IMO, the S&W GENIIs and GENIIIs are the Golden Age of the S&W auto loader.
If you like low profile sights, designed for holsters and draw practicality, accuracy, generous feed ability with most ammo, and the grip, they may be for you. IMO, everybody should have at least one, they are iconic.

Down side, some mags and parts are an internet no-holds-barred, knock-down-drag-out bidding war. And S&W isn't interested in servicing them, anymore.

I have a 4006. It's a great gun. Exceptionally reliable and accurate enough.

Weighs a ton, so I never carry it. Range fun only.

I have a lot of respect for cops that carried this gun (or any cop for that matter).

I had a 5906 for years. Over 100k on that gun and not one Failure. Most were my loads.

Admitted 3rd gen fan here. 5904 was first, then, after a LONG hiatus, came back to shooting handguns and realized how sweet the 3rd Gens were. Still have the 5904, and now a 5903 with both the standard barrel and slide and an additional 669 upper for a full size grip with a carry length barrel, a 6904, a 6906, a 5946, a 908, a 4013 TSW and a 457. Got an ex BIL that has a 10mm, unsure of the model number, but it will be mine the next time he's hard up for cash.

To me, the 3rd Gen pistols were truly the golden age of S&W autos. Machining costs were high, their numbering system would give an analytical physicist fits, and there were so many variants, but they were, and still are, solid guns that will outlive all of us. The "plastic fantastic" crowd came along, and the world spun in favor of utilitarian firearms, but the old S&W's will always hold a special place for me. That, and they'll feed empty beer cans if you can stuff 'em into the magazines first.

I am fond of my third gen Smith and Wesson pistols. Of course what inspired many of them was the custom work of Charley Kelsey and his Devel conversions of the Smith and Wesson 39 and 59 pistols. This is my basic model conversion 39-2. https://ibb.co/jRDPNCf

I have a single stack 3913 9mm I bought used several years ago. I use it in my rotation as a carry gun and really like it. There aren’t as many holster options for it, though, compared to Glocks and the newer M&Ps.

I have 3 and love them. I prefer the DAO. I don't like the slide safety. Much cleaner lines.
Not enough eye candy here:

1086 10mm


4043 40S&W


3953 9mm

Only one in the stable.

I have a S&W M59 and it has been a favorite since I bought it in the 1970s. Basically, it eats anything I load in its magazine. In addition, it will dump a magazine into a small pie size tinfoil pie plate at 25 meters; so what is there not to like?

I like the 3rd Gen S&W guns a lot. I have 3 now, a 5906, a 6906, and a nasty looking 4506 that I got stupid cheap. Looks bad, shoots good! I sold my pretty 4506 a couple of years ago, and I think a pretty one will be my next gun to look for.