Why no love for 3rd gen S&W auto's?

I believe the 3rd generation Smith auto's were the pinnacle of semi auto , steel or alloy frame auto evolution before the polymer frames took over. For me, anyway they were the zenith before the slide down the slippery slope of polymer frames. Heavy? yeah. Love? yeah. One man's opinion.:)
 
I will admit when I first started learning about these guns I was not a fan due to the mag disconnect but once I learned how to "clean under the rear sight" I started to come around.

I even went as far as picking up a few for my sons when CDNN had them cheap as a first center fire handgun. Good weight for home/range use, good mag cap and a solid performer. What was not to like?

My first 3rd gen was a 1076 of all things, it was at a local pawn shop and after running that gun knew I was in trouble with them.
 
I'm not a 9mm fan, but if a pristine 5906 showed up in my neighborhood, I'd snatch it up in a heart beat. I think you can still get 15-rd mags for those.
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Mec-Gar makes both 15- and 17-rounders that are every bit as good as the factory magazines. I used exclusive Mec-Gar 17's with my 5906 and was very impressed.
 
I bought a 39-2 and loved it. Wasn't it the first bob-tail grip? Anyway, it fit my hand like the proverbial glove and it's carryable. That started my fascination with older S&W semi autos.

I now have a 4566, 5906, 5903 and 3913. All are great fun. I prefer the slightly lighter 5903 to the 5906, but i really like them both. The 3913 is carryable. I always check for them at my LGS used counter. I would love to add a 10mm to my collection, and a chief special.

I second Mec-Gar on the mags. I have had very good luck with them, and the same mags fit several models.
 
I tried three different ones, for me the only gun that shot worse was the 95 rugers. even a llama outshot them. one I sent it back to smith Wesson. they tuned it to shoot factory wichester silvertips. at that time in my life wages were 6 bucks an hour and jobs lasted three months at a time. lol. bobn
 
"Why no love for 3rd gen S&W auto's?"
I have three and have some love for them.
3913
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1026
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...and a 4506-1 I recently acquired
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After the initial range session with the 4506-1, I felt the sights on it needed to be drifted some. So, I did that and put 25 rounds through it the other day to check them out.
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That's off hand at 10yds, so I think I leave them where they are now ....and work on the fliers.:):o
Regards,
Greg
 
Well, from the one guy here who apparently has "no love" for 3rd Gen Smiths, I'll chime in. Aesthetically, I just always thought they looked ugly, especially compared to European autos like Sig's, CZ's, Beretta's and Hi-Powers. Don't like the wrap around grip, the goofy slide safety (which no gun should have but at least Beretta's look good with one), and the oddly small looking trigger guard. Whatever floats your boat though.

Just my OP! :D
 
I had always thought the S&W 1-2-3rd Gens were handsome, good looking pistols, but when the 3rd Gens were new to market I was almost purely a revolver kinda guy.

My very first S&W semiauto pistol was actually a 1006 and iirc, it was 1995. It was a pistol that my good friend purchased new on my advice. He got it in 92 or 93 for around $600 OTD and his then new wife didn't want it in their house (lol) and it came to me for $400.

Considering that S&W 1-2-3rd Gens are without a doubt my biggest passion these days... it is almost ludicrous to admit that it took me more than FIFTEEN YEARS to get my second S&W pistol. Absolutely crazy. That was a Bud's formerly issued 5906.

I have a slew of S&W semiautos now and I absolutely love them. All of them are 1-2-3rd Gens or Performance Center.
 
I have always liked them. I have one that my stepmom confiscated from me a few years ago. She does not care if her purse weighs a ton. She carries a smaller gun on her body. She likes the Smith, and she shoots it well enough that I decided to let her keep under the condition that if she changes to another gun, or no longer can carry it. Then it will go back to my safe.
 
Tons of love...I've got the two important Chief's Specials...CS45 & CS40 :)

And...courtesy of a pawn shop in Crestview, FL...for the princely sum of $20,
a 10mm magazine, for whatever random 10xx I'll eventually end up with ;)
 
I love my 1006...

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Not pictured, but I have an extended slide release made by a member in S&W Forum. Still have the original, but gives me a lot easier manipulation of that control.

After that, I picked up that FBI 15 rounder. Got it when the magazine capacity was 15 in NJ. When it dropped to 10, and before moving to ME, it took a vacation in PA at my godmother’s. For the amount I paid for it, not pinning it to 10.

Last thing I did was convert the slide to the TSW cut. A member on S&W Forum offers the service. Nothing external done, but allows me to switch over to decock only. Still can go back to OEM, with the original control, but I got away from safeties in slide mounted guns. All my Berettas are G Models, so this moving to decock only really made shooting across platforms easier.
 
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