who has experience with the s&w 3913NL?

[alloyguitar]

Found one at a pawn shop today that I had to have. Needed to be cleaned, but other than that it's in good shape. Only came with one flat bottomed 8rd magazine and some piece of junk holster, though. Put it in layaway for 400, which seems about average for them, but I don't quite understand the auto decocker thing.

Basically If you rack the slide with the safety on the hammer immediately falls (and autodecocks i assume) and when the safety is then switched off the first round is DA, and the rest are SA, but if the safety is off and the slide is racked, the hammer stays back and all rounds are SA, correct?

Is there a magazine safety on them? I forgot to check for that when I was there.

Coming from a 1911 or striker fired pisol background, the idea of the hammer falling worries me, so I'm just making sure that's how it's supposed to operate.

Also, does 400 sound about right for price? It's one of two I've seen locally EVER (the other being the "lady smith" model priced at 599 or something absurd), so I'm not exactly able to shop around on them, but I really wanted one considering the great reviews I've seen of them in the past.

So how'd I do? Lol

 

[SEIndSAM]

$400 is a good price, I bought a like new one for a little higher than that a month ago. Mine is a 3914 and does have a mag safety. It's a nice carry gun, you should enjoy it.

 

[Colt556]

Yep, that's pretty much how the safety/decocker works. There should also be a mag safety, but they are easily removed. Pretty good guns IMO and $400 is a pretty good price. Try CDNN for a few spare mags.

 

[alloyguitar]

Great. That's what I was hoping to hear. Not really a fan of a mag safety, but I'll live. I was just happy to find a good sized carry gun that wasn't polymer framed.

 

[alloyguitar]

Checked cdnn and the shooter's box for spare mags. the factory mags are 30/piece at cdnn, but TSB has promag ones for 19. I wonder if they'd match in quality. Says they're warrantied to feed and whatnot for the life of the original purchaser, so it may be worth a try.

I plan on keeping the factory mag it comes with in the gun for carry, but I may buy some promag ones for range time or a backup mag in my center console of my car.

 

[Doug]

If you look closely at the part of the decocker that is under the hammer, you will see that a half-cylinder rotates up to cover the firing pin to keep the hammer from striking it. I have not heard of these breaking, but I would ALWAYS keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction while using the decocker.

When the decocker is down and/or the magazine is out the trigger is disconnected.

Also, be aware, decocker (or decocker/safety lever, as some prefer) up or down, nothing restrains the firing pin. So, just like your 1911(unless its a series 80), there is at least the theoretical possibility of an unintentional discharge if the pistol is dropped.

If your going to carry it for defense, decide early whether to carry with the "dingus" up or down and always do it that way. If you carry with it down, its easy to shove your thumb forward to take it up as you bring the gun to eye level. Just like you snap off a 1911 safety when you carry cocked and locked.

 

[snorko]

$400 for an NL model is pretty good. They are indeed hard to find. Like everyone said, CDNN for mags.

BTW, I just received my Raven Phantom holster. I ordered the 6906 model and my pre-rail 3913TSW fits great also.

 

[alloyguitar]

Good to know. I really like the blackhawk serpa and similar holsters with the retention button, but blackhawk doesn't produce one for this gun. Fobus does, but from the image on their site it doesn't have the button, so I may be going to same route you did.

 

[Squib]

Snorko is right on with the valuation. Nice NLs are hard to find and $400 is very reasonable for that.

 

[Birds Away]

Checked cdnn and the shooter's box for spare mags. the factory mags are 30/piece at cdnn, but TSB has promag ones for 19. I wonder if they'd match in quality. Says they're warrantied to feed and whatnot for the life of the original purchaser, so it may be worth a try.

I plan on keeping the factory mag it comes with in the gun for carry, but I may buy some promag ones for range time or a backup mag in my center console of my car.

I have had a lot of S&W semi autos. I have had zero luck with Promag. I would stick with S&W or Mecgar. Just my . Enjoy the 3913. They are fantastic carry guns.

 

[sparkyfender]

I carried a 3913 LS model for a couple of years. Liked it so well I found a new/old stock example that was unfired and put it away for safe keeping, just in case I want to start carrying one again in the future............
I don't look for them to ever be made again........

I would avoid Promag. Pay the extra $ for a S&W mag or two.........

 

[alloyguitar]

UPDATE: Picked it up today. Spent an hour or better cleaning it (it was beyond filthy) and this is what I ended up with.

 

[singlestacksig]

If you look closely at the part of the decocker that is under the hammer, you will see that a half-cylinder rotates up to cover the firing pin to keep the hammer from striking it. I have not heard of these breaking, but I would ALWAYS keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction while using the decocker.

When the decocker is down and/or the magazine is out the trigger is disconnected.

Also, be aware, decocker (or decocker/safety lever, as some prefer) up or down, nothing restrains the firing pin. So, just like your 1911(unless its a series 80), there is at least the theoretical possibility of an unintentional discharge if the pistol is dropped.

If your going to carry it for defense, decide early whether to carry with the "dingus" up or down and always do it that way. If you carry with it down, its easy to shove your thumb forward to take it up as you bring the gun to eye level. Just like you snap off a 1911 safety when you carry cocked and locked.

this is not correct.
any 39xx gun is a 3rd gen auto, it has a firing pin block that is cleared by the trigger & the firing pin is trapped by the safety when rotated to the "safe" position...
when trigger is not pulled & gun on safe, that fireing pin will not move..
the gun might also have a magazine disconector.. 3rd gen design has them, some were made to order with out it..
a 3rd gen s&w is a very good gun to carry..

 

[alloyguitar]

Turns out it does have a mag safety...which I find annoying.

 

[covert justice]

I had a 3913 in the '90s that i carried as a backup and off duty gun. I loved it!!! I wish I had never sold it! It was reliable and accurate.

 

[Doug]

this is not correct.
any 39xx gun is a 3rd gen auto, it has a firing pin block that is cleared by the trigger & the firing pin is trapped by the safety when rotated to the "safe" position...
when trigger is not pulled & gun on safe, that fireing pin will not move..
the gun might also have a magazine disconector.. 3rd gen design has them, some were made to order with out it..
a 3rd gen s&w is a very good gun to carry..

Mea Culpa.

I thought it was like my 39.
Thanks for the correction.

 

[singlestacksig]

the magazine disconnect will not really effect things much.. & it is great if you have kids around.. it allows an extra level of protection.. if you ever have the gun out but not in your holster, take the mag out and keep the mag..

the only time it will be an issue is if you shoot in matches that require a dry fire, you will just want to advise the RSO at the start.. and he might have you use an empty mag..

your chances of having to fire a round while in the middle of a reload is so rare that it is basically none..

 

[Birds Away]

Beautiful 3913. I am jealous. They are great carry guns. I think you will really enjoy it.

 

[alloyguitar]

Thanks! And the mag safety bugs me because it could be rendered useless in a defensive situation by pressing the release.

 

[singlestacksig]

Thanks! And the mag safety bugs me because it could be rendered useless in a defensive situation by pressing the release.

if someone has gotten that close to your gun you have messed up big time anyway...

it can be removed.. but i am not sure how it effects the trigger..

you have to remove rear sight to do it...