Smith & Wesson 3904 ?

T

tsillik

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Went to a auction the other day, there was a S&W 3904 there, I really liked it,but it brought 475.00. Is this a normal price? Any body give me any info. on these? I see alot of 39-2's for sale. What is the difference in the 39-2 and the 3904? terry
 
S&W's 3904 was a 3rd gen gun as compared to the 39-2 2nd gen gun. I have a 3904 and it is great to carry and a pleasure to shoot. I liked the 3904 trigger better than the 39-2 I got rid of, the trigger was smoother on the 3904. The price you saw is about correct depending on condition. Mine is some what of an oddity because it has the gray frame and stainless slide VS the black coating on it. They were some of the last of their breed due to the popularity of the double stack weapons.


P.S. there is one on GB right now for $425 with just under 2 days left (its not mine). Mine is never being sold!
 
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They were some of the last of their breed due to the popularity of the double stack weapons.
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Isn't is funny that single stacks are coming back? With so many states putting a cap on the amount of rounds, an 8 or 9 round 9mm like the 39 series, the old Star B Supers, etc are ideal. The grip is so much slimmer than what you get in a P226, 92, or CZ 75 etc, and if you can only get 1-2 more rounds, it's a nice trade off.
 
tsillik said:
What is the difference in the 39-2 and the 3904?
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  • Slightly longer grip frame; does not accept 1st-gen 39 or 2nd-gen x39 magazines*
  • Trigger-actuated firing-pin block
  • RH-side ambi decocker/safety lever
  • Beveled mag well
  • One-piece wraparound hard plastic grip unit that doubles as a mainspring retainer; earlier generations use individual screw-on grip panels and a separate metal mainspring retainer
  • Minor feed ramp changes and other internal refinements
  • Minor cosmetic changes to slide and frame contours
  • 20# rather than 22# mainspring
  • Matte blue finish vs. traditional gloss blue or nickel
  • Squared-off and serrated trigger guard
  • 3-dot sights
  • Dovetailed (easy-to-replace) front sight vs. ramped front sight integral with slide (which must be drilled for night sights)
  • Integral barrel bushing and coned barrel (and correspondingly simplified field-strip procedure) vs. traditional 1911-style barrel bushing
  • Drift-adjustable rear sight (2 styles*) or fully screw-adjustable blade rear sight* with protective "ears" or "wings"; 1st-gen pistols use a relatively fragile unprotected blade-style rear sight that is snag-prone and screw-adjusts for windage only
Footnotes:
  1. Original early M3904 mags were 8rd with blue finish and a plastic base plate, and early M3906 mags were similar, just with stainless finish. However, later 9rd 909/952-style mags are dimensionally identical, and these are what you'll generally find on the replacement market unless you stumble across a seller with a stockpile of NOS 8rd mags. BE WARNED: 2nd-gen x39 8rd mags look very similar but do NOT lock in; I've personally verified this.
  2. The 3 styles of M3904 rear sight use different dovetail widths and therefore are NOT interchangeable unless the entire slide is swapped over. Additionally, the adjustable-sight pistols have a hump in the slide under the front sight to match the taller rear sight height without needing a special proprietary front sight.
 
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I love 3rd generation S&W. I once found the 3 on my wish list together on consignment by the same owner at my local FFL. The 4506, 5906 and 6906. Could not make up my mind on which one as the 5906 and 6906 didn't come with magazines as per Ct laws and the 4506 was priced comparable to what you find in gunbroker. Needless to say, I have NOT found any of those babies in that condition again.

Had I had my thinking hat on that day, I should have offered $1200 for all 3 in the hope the owner would have taken it.. Oh well, Live and learn.
 
Lucky, I've been trying to find a 39-2 locally for QUITE sometime now. Out of curiosity, if you don't mind sharing, what are they going for?
 
If I remember correctly they wanted around 550.00 for the 5906, 6906 without magazines which is what kept from buying the 6906. 2 10 round mags can run you about $80/100. The 4506 was 679.00 which is a price you normally find them in Gunbroker.

I should have "bundle" them for a lower price but didn't think about it. I have spend more than that on other guns since.
 
Mikef262 said:
...I've been trying to find a 39-2 locally for QUITE sometime now. Out of curiosity, if you don't mind sharing, what are they going for?
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They = M39-2?

In my area, values are typically—give or take $50—$700 in legit LNIB condition, $550 Exc, $450 VG, $350 for a badly holster-worn shooter. Nickel carries a premium of ~$50.

FWIW if you're not hung up on having a M39-2 specifically, the 2nd-gen M439 has superior rear sights, a firing-pin block, and the option of a RH-side ambi decocker/safety lever (albeit one held on by a fugly Allen or Philips head screw, what was S&W thinking? :rolleyes:), but still retains the traditional styling, glossy finish, light alloy frame, and more hand-filling wood grip panels—and prices seem to be ~10% lower than the M39-2.

I actually prefer the ergos of the M39/Mx39 to the M39xx series; I find the 3rd-gen grips to be too narrow and the grip frame contours to be uncomfortable. (These criticisms are the reason why one often sees these guns wearing Hogue grip sleeves.)
 
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