1st and second gens are welcome also.

Well I finally took my 5904 home and immediately started cleaning it. It was rough seeing what had to be years of neglect.

I completely tore down the slide and frame which included the rear sight. It's a good thing too since it allowed me to take out the pointless mag disconnect. All of the parts cleaned up fine and there's actually very little wear on anything inside, but it was as dirty as can be. There was crud in the magwell that looked like caked on sand. It took multiple cleaners, brushes, rags, a plastic scraper and elbow grease to get off the crud in the slide and frame. I let all of the small parts sit in Hoppe's 9 and they all wiped clean with less effort. The barrel looked new after it's cleaning so I have to conclude that this was definitely a gun that was carried a lot, shot a little and almost never cleaned. It came with two mags and one had balls of lint falling out of it as soon as I took off the floor plate. Even though both mags were worn on the outside, they cleaned to a mirror shine on the inside.

After cleaning I lubed everything that needed lube and put it back together. It now functions as smooth as my Beretta Elite which feels like the slide is riding on bearings. The DA trigger pull is smooth and predictable and the single action pull and reset is very short. The only type of gun I own with a trigger reset this short are my 1911s so I'm very happy about that.

Overall it's got a bit of wear, but honest wear that gives the gun character. I have mint firearms and some with edge wear and I like them both for different reasons. Now I just need to get it to the range and see if it shoots as nice as it functions.




Now the bottom of the grip does not have a dimple. It has what almost looks like a center punch mark towards the back that I've seen on other grips although I'm not sure what that means. The LGS gave me a brand new set of factory curved back grips for free when I asked if they had any, but they don't have the dimple either so they went straight into my parts bin.



The good thing is S&W is sending me the updated grips for free that will ship in 3-4 days. I know people say that S&W is not supporting the 3rd. Gens anymore, but the rep told me a few things that makes me think they do as well as my 5904 was made in 1989 . First off he straight up told me they still support them and have all sorts of parts like frames, slide, barrels and other internal parts. Some are still set up to be restocked. The grips he's sending me weren't at the building/location he was at, but they were in stock at "the other warehouse". Maybe S&W is stocking parts for warranty work and for those few LEOs that still use them. Some reps might not look up other locations for parts, but this guy seemed like knew what he was talking about. I also know that places like Brownells and Midway still have "backorder okay" or something similar on the 3rd. Gen parts they do sell so all is not lost for those with 3rd. Gen autos.

So post pictures of your 1st, 2nd. or 3rd. Gen S&W autos if you got them. I like M&Ps, but I've seen enough threads on them to last me a good long while.

A 910 with a 915 slide and barrel.  Works like a charm.



457 .45 acp

Nice.

I haven't even shot my 5904 yet and I'm thinking about picking up a 3913.

 

Here's my 1076, back from getting the once-over at S&W and new factory night sights.  Shot it yesterday, fantastic.  It's in the carry lineup now!

I have a 5906 ex cop gun that sits next to my chair in the house.  I don't routinely carry a 9mm when I have .45acp and 10mm guns.

Awesome collection!

Polymer never feels as good as an all metal pistol, but I do like my M&P FS45 quite a bit. It's my bed side gun, but I'm almost thinking about trying to get a slimmer 3rd. Gen like the 3913 for a CCW piece.

I've always looked at the 3rd. Gen Smiths in the used cases, but I think I'm starting to understand why people have more than one. Definitely a nice piece you have there and the 5906 is a great gun as well. I'm kind of digging the aluminum frames a bit more just forthe decreased weight.

One that I no longer have as it has too many levers .  Two others that I no longer have for the same reason are a 5904TSW and an integrally-railed 5906TSW (had two of those).  Sadly, no photos but they can be found at the Smith forum if you care to hunt them down.


Falls River, MA, PD 6946 picked up at Cabela's:


Pair of integrally-railed and Melonited 5946s (NOT TSWs).  One like new, one found used (and stamped as such) at a local shop.  That dealer is where I found all the other oddballs described earlier, he had a direct line to Lew Horton's:


Photo of the "new" one.  This one was lettered and was one of five sent to a company in Rogers, MN, back in around 06 for Meloniting.  When I'd called prior to sending off for the letter the rep indicated that production numbers on this model were in the single digits, at least based on product number.  Over at the Smith forum we THINK we've accounted for a total of four of this model as they're owned by forum members.  Speculation is these were prototypes for the RCMP.  The used one had indications that it was a test gun (brass colored scuffs on either side of the slide as if utilized with a duty holster with brass snap, etc.):


Gunbroker score 5946TSW - bought for around $400 in very rough shape. Was sent to Smith and they did very well by me in getting back in shape - FOR FREE!
 

Like new 5944 for which I have the box, docs, and accessories:
 

$299 shipped 4586TSW from Bud's a few years ago.  Got a 4553TSW at the same time for a mere $259 shipped but had to sell it for some reason I can't recall:


I'm a big fan of 3rd Gen. DAOs if you couldn't tell.

Scotter260,

Let me know when you get tired of one of those railed 5946's.

I knew as soon as I found out these existed I wanted one but figured I'd never come across one.  It just so happened that the guy who posted info about them put his up for sale shortly afterwards and things just worked out - that's the new-ish one.

The used one left me shortly after getting it - the price was decent and I knew I could flip it for a profit pretty fast on the Smith forum so I had it gone almost immediately upon putting it up.  The forum member who bought it actually sent me more money than I asked for just because he was so happy to get it.

As much of an oddball as it is I don't think I'll be parting with the one I still have however I'll keep you mind should that thought change.

Scotter is a tough act to follow.  Nevertheless, here's another Frankengun that works very well indeed: a 908S with a 3913 slide and barrel.  I never liked the "checkering" on the front of the trigger guard of the real 3913 and actually like this S&W mashup a lot better:

It was more of a jest as I can't imagine selling one of those, but heck, if you ever do. Right now I'm on the search for a 4506-1 R3.

I'd like to get a CS9/Chief's Special but they're either hard to find or expensive. The fact that fat Hogue grips are the only grip option kind of ruins what it's meant to be though.

Agree, but I'd still pick one up if I found it for a good price. There is a guy on the S&W forum that used to modify the factory 3913 Delrin grips to fit a CS9, but I'm not sure if he still does it.

HereMy newest.

I'd much rather have the thin plastic grips. I may try to pick one up and ask over at the S&W forum if anyone still modifies the grips.

Big Dog grips is what you seek.

Recently aquired police trade-in 5906 that is now in pieces.  Will be polishing up some pieces and cleaning up the hoster wear.

Does he still make them or is he MIA? Last S&W forum thread I saw in 2014 had people saying they couldn't contact him.

I'm not sure. Someone over there can likely answer definitively.

I asked and he hasn't been around for some time. Some people have modified 3913 grips themselves to fit the CS9 so I'm going to try that route.

Yeah, I saw your thread after posting here.

It might be a waste of time, but you might ask if anyone has some old and worn 3913 grips they've replaced with newer ones that they might sell cheap or donate to your project. New ones are getting harder to find and aren't cheap, and you might futz up a set or two trying to make your modification.

I have a few but this is my favorite, been shooting 2 gun with is this year.

My wifes 3913 LadySmith

 












 

I like the DAOs as well.

How are you guys getting S&W to go through your guns for free? What all did they do to your 5946tsw?

I have a 4046 that I wouldn't mind having spruced up by the factory.

It was dumb luck - I received it and had major functioning issues with it so I sent it in.  They went through it, worked their magic, added the rail AND shipped it back at no charge.

I then received the 4586TSW and 4553TSW both with the rails removed so I sent them in hoping for the same treatment.  I didn't get it with those, they charged for the rails and return shipping.  They still went through the pistols for worn/broken parts though.

I'm not sure if their terms changed in between the service or if it was just luck of the draw as to who opened the package when it arrived at the factory.  It's been my experience that you can call customer service with questions and sometimes you'll get guys who are thrilled to help and will bend over backwards and other times you'll get guys who sound like they'd like to "bash ya head in wit a Louisville slagguh" (bad attempt at typing Bostonian dialect ) just for interrupting their day.  I am pretty sure that if you aren't actually wanting a specific service like rail attachment, they'll still go over the pistol for broken or worn parts so you might want to call to ask.

Thanks for the offer, but I have a 3913TSW set already waiting for the CS9.

 

My 1989 manufacture 5906.

Ok, I see. The 4046 I have functions fine. It's just a little ugly. I've been kicking around the idea of sandblasting it myself and giving it to my dad. I just didn't know if I could send it in to get some of the work done by S&W for free.

This thread is killing me, I've been trying to locate a good condition 3906 w/ adjustable sights for a couple of months.

Was tempted by a 3904 in a shop in Cody WY while on vacation a few weeks ago, but still holding out for that steel frame.

If you mean stainless steel, then yes, you'd want a 3906. The 3904 was all steel too, just blued.

Before you do that get some green Scotchbrite pads and lightly go over your 4046 - cheapest and easiest refinish you'll ever get.

Then throw on a fresh set of grips if you can find them and you'll have a new pistol.

I may try that. I used some valve lapping compound to polish out a Brinks laser mark. If the scotchbrite doesn't work my buddy has a blast cabinet and I have some other stuff slated for that anyway.

Well crap, I thought the "4" in 3904 meant it had an alloy frame, while a "5" would mean blued steel? Either way I prefer the look of stainless...

The 3904 they had wasn't the adjustable sights version either... I still came *this* close to buying it.

My bad, I believe you are correct. The 3904 did have an alloy frame if that makes you feel better. Keep looking as 3906's pop up every so oftern.

Has anyone tried a 5906 upper on a 6906? I've seen the opposite to make a pseudo SSV, but that just seems like the wrong direction.

The uppers on my 5906 and 3913 swap with no issues. I have not fired them in that config though.