Jericho1911
New member
Hard to find any. Does anyone have any suggestions as far as links to go to?
Smith and Wesson Third Generation Semi Autos
- Thread starter Jericho1911
- Start date
Jericho1911
New member
Thank you for input
Not around here
Not around here
wnycollector
New member
Southern Ohio Gun has 5906's for $349 currently.
Check SARCO occasionally, those jokers come up with all kindsa neat stuff 
An option to the 3rd Gen S&W are the Star Final Gens...
the Full-size 28/30/31-M/P, in 9mm & .40S&W
the compact Firestar M40, M43, M45, & M243 double-stack compact,
the massive Megastar line (10mm & .45acp),
the plastic fantastic Ultrastar M240 in 9mm or .40S&W,
and, the final build, the ASTAR MAX 8800, which was a amalgam between ASTRA and Star.
Was looking for a Star when I saw a S&W CS45, nifty 3rd Gen,
tried it out, since it looked so similar, fell in love at first grip
Speaking of which, within a month I'll have a Star M45 on hand
after which a range war between the CS45 & M45 will take place
the M45 is roughly a half-inch longer in length and the same height/width...
An option to the 3rd Gen S&W are the Star Final Gens...
the Full-size 28/30/31-M/P, in 9mm & .40S&W
the compact Firestar M40, M43, M45, & M243 double-stack compact,
the massive Megastar line (10mm & .45acp),
the plastic fantastic Ultrastar M240 in 9mm or .40S&W,
and, the final build, the ASTAR MAX 8800, which was a amalgam between ASTRA and Star.
Was looking for a Star when I saw a S&W CS45, nifty 3rd Gen,
tried it out, since it looked so similar, fell in love at first grip
Speaking of which, within a month I'll have a Star M45 on hand
after which a range war between the CS45 & M45 will take place
the M45 is roughly a half-inch longer in length and the same height/width...
^Bah, humbug. That is some folks' occasional experience and even the same person with the same gun can get service on it when previously denied simply by calling S&W on a different day and talking to a different person.
Smith & Wesson sent me a part -FREE- and shipped it for -FREE- for a 2nd Gen pistol that was born in 1988 and pre-dates their Lifetime Warranty.
In the end, what matters is what part of the pistol needs the service and if S&W still has the part to address it. It also matters which different person is on the other end of the phone and their mood.
I can't see how they would fit the definition of "the flagship of their firearms", they were produced from 1988 to... somewhere in the early 2000's. This is legendary manufacturer that brought the world the .357 and .44 Magnum and a couple dozen other true firearm legends.
Arguing terminology and etymology is often fun. I would suggest that the Model 5906 is the "flagship of the 3rd Gen Pistol", but to say that a 3rd Gen is "the flagship of the entire S&W company" is, well, wrong.
Smith & Wesson sent me a part -FREE- and shipped it for -FREE- for a 2nd Gen pistol that was born in 1988 and pre-dates their Lifetime Warranty.
In the end, what matters is what part of the pistol needs the service and if S&W still has the part to address it. It also matters which different person is on the other end of the phone and their mood.
I love the 3rd Gen pistols -- I love them a lot.
I can't see how they would fit the definition of "the flagship of their firearms", they were produced from 1988 to... somewhere in the early 2000's. This is legendary manufacturer that brought the world the .357 and .44 Magnum and a couple dozen other true firearm legends.
Arguing terminology and etymology is often fun. I would suggest that the Model 5906 is the "flagship of the 3rd Gen Pistol", but to say that a 3rd Gen is "the flagship of the entire S&W company" is, well, wrong.
4040peters
New member
Try gun shows if there are any near you. Pawn shops can also be a very good source for firearms. I also recommend Gunbroker as I have done very well finding what I what I want there.
I recently started carrying a 3913NL. When I started looking my criteria were; 9mm, S&W third gen. maybe second, accurate, slim so it needed a single stack mag, stainless throughout or just the slide. I had a 469 when they first came out that proved ultimately reliable if a bit short on effective range. I considered the 669 but focused on the 3913 as meeting all my criteria.
I recently started carrying a 3913NL. When I started looking my criteria were; 9mm, S&W third gen. maybe second, accurate, slim so it needed a single stack mag, stainless throughout or just the slide. I had a 469 when they first came out that proved ultimately reliable if a bit short on effective range. I considered the 669 but focused on the 3913 as meeting all my criteria.
claydoctor
New member
My 3913 is one of my favorites .
Flagship probably doesn't make the right description... probably closer to workhorse.
The 3rd Generations did start being produced in the late 1980s, but the original Model 39 came out in 1954. Considering the line was officially ended in 2008, that was a long run.
They also were so widely used in L/E prior to Glocks, I'd definitely use workhorse for them. They are still used in the LAPD, NYPD, and many smaller departments across the country as second hand sidearms (a higher level agency retired them, and pass them to lesser funded ones). I'd put them in the same boat as the Remington 870, Ford Crown Victoria, and Chevrolet Caprice.
S&W always made revolvers, but continuing to make them has likely tarnished their reputation. The 3rd Generation was cheaper out and safetied up like the current sample of revolvers... which I think is a good thing and why they have a strong following. I have a 1006, and it is one of those pistols I'll never sell. Completely stainless, and in my eyes, built how guns used to be built in America.