While an older resurrected thread, it's still nice to see the appreciation of the S&W 3rd gen guns.
I have a small, modest collection of them in 9,. 40 & .45, originally ordered as "working" (off-duty) guns back when I could buy them at a discount under the discontinued armorer purchase program. I was only interested in the compact and subcompact models, though.
The last one I bought was a late production 3913TSW which I had the opportunity to purchase as a former duty weapon. When I got word this was going to occur, I turned in the 4513TSW I was issued and then hand-selected and checked out one of the few remaining unissued NIB 3913TSW's in our inventory. It wasn't in-service very long before the TSW's were pulled from service for replacement with plastic, and that 3913TSW was sent over by my agency to an authorized FFL for transfer to me. I won't rub in the price.
It nicely complements my late 90's standard 3913 (ordered after completing an armorer class).
One of the other older 3rd gen's I own is a CS45S (S=stainless slide) I ordered when the stainless version was first released. I've run a lot of rounds through that chunky little .45 over the years.
Matter of fact, today it's going to see the duty as a retirement weapon carried when I take my wife for driver over along the ocean. The couple of older holsters I picked up for it are a Hume H726 (semi-breakfront) and a Blade-tech belt scabbard. The BT holster was made for me when I knew someone working at the company, and he made it for me with a deeper front cut than was standard (for faster clearance during the presentation).
It wears an original set of the old Ashley Express Big Dot sights that was offered for the 3rd gen CS45 back then. They didn't offer tritium in the rear notch for that model back then, though. Just a white stripe.