John Taffin and I Agree

[GoatGuy]

Tonight, thumbing through my January/February 2014 copy of AMERICAN HANDGUNNER, I found a "Taffin Tests" article titled "Playin' Favorites" I had somehow missed the first time around. The article relates Taffin's experience with 9mm semi-auto pistols. In it he refers to a close companion of his for several decades, the S&W 3913, stating "...it soon spent a lot of time riding in my waist belt. It's one of those rare handguns which when placed in the belt simply does not move. It stays in that same spot during whatever reasonable activity I perform. Even as I type this it is well within reach. It does not have a high-capacity magazine, however it carries just as easily, actually easier, than a 2" belly gun in .38 Special and is certainly more effective".

As I sit here typing this my 3913 is comfortably stuffed in my belted waistband, "Mexican Carry" style, how I regularly carry it much as Taffin states he carries his. It's been there since late a.m. throughout my day, including a jaunt into town to run several errands during a busy afternoon and evening there. The "comforting", as well as comfortable autoloader, is in the 8 o'clock position (I'm a lefty) and has not needed to be rearranged since being placed there some 10+ hours ago.

Just thought I would mention it here, as I took great pleasure discovering that I carry the handy, practical S&W 3913 9mm autoloader in the same way with the same comfort and ease as the esteemed John Taffin, ("Mr. Sixgunner") carries and relies on his.

[walks with gun]

I really like the snubby .38's, wish I had a suitcase full of them, but I to have found a smaller auto is much easier to carry and shoot, Unless maybe I was going to fire it from inside a vest or jacket pocket.

[GoatGuy]

I really like the snubby .38's, wish I had a suitcase full of them, but I to have found a smaller auto is much easier to carry and shoot, Unless maybe I was going to fire it from inside a vest or jacket pocket.

I've never had a suitcase full of snubby .38's, but have had a bunch of them over the years. Mostly they were S&W model 36 or 49's and a couple of non-shrouded Colt det. specials. Have none of them now, never found a way to carry them comfortably. I like Inside waist carry, either holster or mexican carry. Never found a holster that seemed to fit me well, all seemed to accentuate the telltale bulge of a concealed popper, and Mexican Carry was liable to find my little snubby starting to "squirt" out of my pants if I bent just the wrong way.

Glad I found a perfect cc gun for me. DA/SA, stainless slide, aluminum frame, 8+1 rounds, ambi-safety and in a credible caliber with some of the "new and improved" 9mm rounds on the market today.

[Blaine]

My AirLite, and AirWeight are supreme little carry guns.....But, I too would rather carry my little semi-auto...the LCP.

[AJMD429]

Who's this John Taffin guy...? ( )

...I'll have you know none other than Ysabel Kid agrees with me (I think), that the Para P-14 is IT, man...

Seriously though it is fun when you realize you came to the same conclusion on your own as an expert, without just doing it because somebody said so. Never had a 3913, but have had a couple similar ones that are just so darned handy they stick with you; kina the Leatherman Tools of the handgun world.

[elmo123]

I started out in Law Enforcement with a revolver and shot on the pistol team with several. Then one day Glock showed up. I thought they were the ugliest thing I had ever seen. I wore the first .40 out, the only original serial number or part when the gun left was the barrel. As much as the shortfalls of the Glock it was lighter, held more ammunition, carried easier/lighter and you really couldn't break them unless it was mine. I have never owned a Glock but have numerous semi autos and carry one when the need arises. Although I would not feel under gunned with a small 5 shot J frame. I had a 640 in magnum that was too heavy and later developed severe flame cutting/erosion from use with magnums. It went back to S&W and never came back.

[BobM]

I bought a 3913 when they first came out and carried it a lot as an off duty gun. I shot quite a few IDPA matches with it as well. Once in a while I think about selling it but can bring myself to do it.

[Les Staley]

Got a Sig P 6 that fits my bulk pretty good. Has ridden many miles in a High Dessert slide on my strong side behind where my hip bone would be if I had one.....I am in shape........Round is a shape!

[Terry Murbach]

The S&W M3913 was a benchmark pistol. As far as I can remember I had the first article on it in a slick gunmag back about 1989[?] in PETERSON'S HANDGUNS.
I bought that one and still have it. And I was queer for all those other S&W 9MM pistols too....M39, M32-2,[ BEFORE] M3913, M3904, M3906,.....DANG...I just had a brainfart...can't remember the rest...phooeey.. still got 'em all excepting the original M39 that I shot to junk with a bit over 5M rounds of Canadien 9MM 115gr Hardball. That M39 frame was trashed from being incorrectly hardened after manufacturing....Maj Nonte was freaking amazed...and S&W threw a fit....long story.....

[Booger Bill]

I bought a model 39 back in the 1960`s. The first time I tried to shoot it I had a misfire. I had bought some surplus sub machine gun ammo that had too hard primers. It felt great in the hand and I cant recall why, where or when I sold it. Wouldn't mind having it back.

[GoatGuy]

I have a police trade in S&W 5903, the aluminum frame, high capacity model. A new recoil and magazine spring and now it's a keeper. For me, it's a belt holster carry piece.

[BobM]

Just remembered that I actually had two 3913s for a while. I had RH and LH IWB holsters and sometimes carried them both

[wm]

The first center fire handgun I ever bought was a S&W 3906 (big brother to the 3913) and by all rights I should have parted with it by now but it is still here and doing duty occasionally as a carry gun. Very accurate and reliable.

I've been on the look out recently for a good deal on other 3rd generation S&W autos......specifically a 3913 or 14. They seem to be getting rare to find. I was told they were becoming collectors items but I can't say I know that.

Sig Sauer is selling a lot of small single stack 9mm and 40 S&W SA/DA auto pistols these days. There must still be a lot of merit to that mode of function in the eyes of some consumers.

[GonnePhishin]

Hey Terry Murbach, are you ill or feelin' poorly?
Reason I ask is that you're not POSTING IN CAPS

Never owned a 9mm S&W but have a 4506 in .45 that shoots great.

[Terry Murbach]

Hey Terry Murbach, are you ill or feelin' poorly?
Reason I ask is that you're not POSTING IN CAPS

Never owned a 9mm S&W but have a 4506 in .45 that shoots great.

I AM JUST FINE, SIR, and thanks for asking. I did get tired of having all the new found whiners here bellyache because they thought my caps were yelling at them. I listened closely and never heard a darn thing I swear to you !! BUT, then again, us old shooter geezers are a done deaf bunch of folks.

MY S&W 4506 is a real shooter too. It has the NOVAK carry package and is as sleek as a bar of soap. I also have a 400CORBON barrel that fits it well and shoots up a storm to boot. That same 400C/B BBL also fits my S&W 645 and 745 and shoots just as well. How's that for luck of the draw !?!??!

[GonnePhishin]

TERRY: GLAD TO HEAR YOU ARE DOING WELL, SIR.
Sorry, just couldn't resist.

The S&W series of 3900-5900-4500 were really great shootin', well made pistols, although I'm sure some here will disagree.
Interesting you have a barrel that shoots 400 Corbon. I didn't know you could do that: that being said I just looked it up to find out more about it.
Not wanting to hijack the thread, but how does it compare recoil wise to 45.acp?

[piller]

Just a simple observation. It appears that there are people who would still purchase a well made 9mm semi-auto in a more reasonable size than that of some of the wondernines.

I know nothing about those older S&W model 3900 series other than that they were not nearly as large as the Beretta 92. Were they single stack?

[Terry Murbach]

Just a simple observation. It appears that there are people who would still purchase a well made 9mm semi-auto in a more reasonable size than that of some of the wondernines.

I know nothing about those older S&W model 3900 series other than that they were not nearly as large as the Beretta 92. Were they single stack?

YES THEY ARE. Most of their magazines held eight rounds. ALL of the S&W 9MM's I ever had are doggone good shooters with decent triggers and superb functionality.
At one time I had EVERY 3rd GEneration S&W pistol made in every caliber and every BBL length,[ EXCEPTING the 9MM's that had the SIG style hammer drop lever, ] in for testing. We burned cases of ammunition through ALL thoise guns without a single malfuntion of ANY type---NONE ZILCHO ZIP NADA---PERFECTION !!! I bought the 3913, the 3904, the 3906, the 4506, the 4006......and I just drew a blank from there on. All the rest were sent back to S&W dirty which elicited a call from one of their guys with a whathaeffisthis???????? question. I told him when my guns got dirty I just tossed 'em in the trash and bought new ones and since these are S&W maybe I'd let you toss 'em away....just in case you wanted to see 'em first...
And so it goes...

[1894c]

tried a M&P Shield in 9mm this year (kind-of 3913-ish) but gravitated back to my Gen4 Glock 26, simply works for me and hides real well in the front pocket of my uniform pants...I haven't had a J-frame in 8-years so I have a 642 Airweight with "no internal lock" on lay-away, I simply missed owning one... :)

glock 26.jpg