Would anyone else like to see the old S&W GEN 3 pistols comeback??

[C4IGrant]

Particulary models 3914 or 5904? I think they would need to be melonited though. What say you?


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[Joe R.]

Grant, I carried a third gen Smith for a lot of years. I never had a problem with the guns but I'm not sure I see a market for the 5900 series gun at this point. The 3913-14 might have a niche and I could see some guys liking the manual safety especially for AIWB carry but with the market for single column compact pistols being so crowded right now how many would they really sell?

[C4IGrant]

Grant, I carried a third gen Smith for a lot of years. I never had a problem with the guns but I'm not sure I see a market for the 5900 series gun at this point. The 3913-14 might have a niche and I could see some guys liking the manual safety especially for AIWB carry but with the market for single column compact pistols being so crowded right now how many would they really sell?

I think a melonited version would do well. If you remember this gun that S&W did specially for us, it was received well: https://www.m4carbine.net/showthread...d-S-amp-W-3953



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[Kain]

I think it would have as much chance as anything at the moment. I would say that some of the fudds would jump on it, since it is metal, and S&W, and both are supposed to be superior to plastic and none S&W guns, at least in some circles. I also know a few who continue to swear by the guns, some even are able to shoot them kind of scary well. I'm talking being able to hit 3 liter bottle at 100 yards without too much hassle. Granted I can do pretty well at the same distances with a 92, but still impressive feat.

[Etho]

With the older segment of shooters, probably. Newer/younger shooters, no way. Strikers, plastic and high capacity rule the interest of newer/younger shooters. I'll even go out on a limb(read: talking out of my ass) and say that the 1911 will be all but dead and a boutique pistol in the very near future. If it isn't already closer than I suspect.

[C4IGrant]

With the older segment of shooters, probably. Newer/younger shooters, no way. Strikers, plastic and high capacity rule the interest of newer/younger shooters. I'll even go out on a limb(read: talking out of my ass) and say that the 1911 will be all but dead and a boutique pistol in the very near future. If it isn't already closer than I suspect.

People have been saying that about 1911's for a long time. WC has some kind of crazy 4-6 month wait for their 1911's. We sell as many Colt M45's in the ($1800 dollar range) as we can get our hands on.

Classics will always sell well.



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[Gary1911A1]

Maybe it's an old guy type of thing to want metal pistols, but I would be interested in both models. Frankly S&W can keep their M&P, Sigma and their other polymer crap.

[jck397]

I absolutely would. I will be giving AIWB a try for the second half of the year, and when I spec'd out my gear requirements a 3rd Gen Smith likely would have gotten the nod if they were still in production. I would almost certainly pick up an all steel, compact 9mm in either single or double stack 6906 or 3906) if it could be had for under $600. A big plus would be decocker only, since I'm pretty firmly against slide-mounted safeties.

[Desert Dog]

There is definitely a market for a hammer-fired all-steel (or aluminum/steel) pistol like the 3rd gens; I'm just not sure exactly how large that market would be if you were charging buyers current retail(ish) pricing vs. what people are paying for plastic guns vs. the secondary market prices for original 3rd gen Smiths. You also have the open question of how much parts support you would get from the factory. At present, it does look like parts supplies are drying up. The unavailability of 10mm mags has witnessed recent eBay sales of said mags for ~$150 per!

If we are taking requests, I think a TSW 4566 with integral rail, melonite finish, no mag and decock only safeties would be a keeper. This is the current contract duty gun for the WVSP and that might open an opportunity to tag on a planned production run with a smaller commitment from you (just speculating here). A smaller 45 like the light 4513 would likely have its takers too. The 3913 or Lady Smith (same gun with angled dust cover) would be the classic for many. I actually prefer the balance of the aluminum framed 5903 to the needlessly (IMO) heavy all-steel 5906. The smaller 6906 would be a better carry gun size wise, much the way a G19 is the 'just right' proportion. Definitely think the melonite would be popular on any model here.

For me, the decock only safety (slide mounted) was the best variant in the 3rd gen line. Hate the riveted rails and billboard etching of the TSW series, but the boxed rails and better fitted slides and barrels were an improvement over the standard guns. A spherical Briley bushing (ala Performance Center variants) would be the cat's meow.

[ST911]

A new 3913...yes, that would be interesting.