3rd gen Smiths & Wessons

[ahern25]

If you don't mind me asking but what was the total with shipping, work and return charge. And how bad of a pain was it to ship and get back?

[03fatboy]

If you don't mind me asking but what was the total with shipping, work and return charge. And how bad of a pain was it to ship and get back?

It ain't cheap and I know as I like to tinker with these. Prices are posted on their website. I'd buy ammo and shoot it instead, ask me how I know but it's a personnel preference thing.

You can buy the components and bead blast it yourself if your handy. The equipment and media isn't all that costly and you don't have the risk of shipping errors.

[C&Rcollector]

I have yet to get my 4566 back from S&W yet, but the shipping was free as it went in initially for warranty repairs. My excuse was faulty springs

[Mr.Hipp]

These guys have the Wolff spring kits that have replacements for every spring on the gun for about $18 with free shipping. There are plenty of youtube videos on how to completely break down a 3rd gen. No excuse for not refurbishing your gun yourself if it's super worn out.

http://www.triggershims.com/wolff_gun_springs.html

Aside from the springs I've only ever heard of extractors chipping or ejector failure after 12,000+ rounds.

[C&Rcollector]

MR. HIPP I'm still waiting to see the refinish job on your 4566...

If S&W ever gives mine back we'll compare.

[JTROKS]

Had someone offer me $500 for my steel frame 5906 complete with box and original papers. I told him if I can find the same all steel frame in the same condition with original box and papers I'll gladly pay $500 for it in a heartbeat. I think we took the S&W Gen 3 autos for granted. Well except for the 1006. Now that VG - LNIB specimens are dwindling down people are now realizing their worth.

[gemini1]

Does any one know of a gunsmith near LA that is good with 3rd gen S&W pistols? Looking to get a pistol refinished and fresh springs put in. Just need a good smith who has knowledge of these pistols.

You probably can save a little by just getting it refinished, and do the spring replacements yourself.
Here's a few vids on how to take completely down a 3rd gen. You can also check out the other vids of blubelly2 on 3rd gen gunsmithing.

[tacos3]

I don't know if this applies to their semi autos but I called S&W about a yoke screw for a mid 1980's vintage 686 a couple of weeks ago. They mailed me one but it was the wrong screw. I called them back and they said they didn't carry it any longer and referred me to a place called Gun and Gun Parts someplace on the east coast.

I called them and he had just got a delivery of the older yoke screw and mailed it to me. Then he said: "mail me a check when you get the part". Interesting. I should receive the part any day now so we will see if he sent the right one.

Anyway, might might be worth a shot to see if he has some older mags for the S&W semi autos. His number is 413 732-9938.

Good luck.

[spencerhut]

It is unfortunate. The 3rd gens were, IMO, the best semi auto firearm S&W ever produced. Economically it is much cheaper to mold a plastic frame then drop an upper onto it then it is to hand fit a steel frame and slide. That and the market has changed to lighter and cheaper plastic guns with Glock leading the way. My G23 does the job but, will never replace my 4506/4566/4006.

I have owned several 3rd gen guns, I still own a 3913TSW. Great shooters for the most part. I forget how good the little 3913 shoots and then it impresses me with a one ragged hole group on the first mag.
However the 3rd gen guns are not the easiest guns to work on. They have a lot of small parts that are easy to loose. They tend to shed the safety/decocker ambi side, especially the ones with screws holding them on. A complete tear down will take you a while and there are a lot of small spring and detent parts that are not so easy to put back in. The guide rods tend to be overly complex and unserviceable to most if broken. The rear sights are also a bit of a pain.

I'm sorry but the best semi auto S&W ever produced is the current M&P 9/40/45 series. The no mag safety, no internal lock, no external safety being the simplest and best of this series. Total tear down and reassembly with nothing more than a hammer and a punch or two. They take abuse like a Glock and are more comfortable than most guns on the market. 0h, and they are inexpensive to boot. Too bad it's SSE or PPT to get one from now on. Die roster, die.

[klewan]

A friend bought a 915 brand new 20 years ago. That was the budget version that didn't have the pretty finish work like the regular gun that was $200 more. Supposedly no functional difference except the finish. He was a good shot, but couldn't get a group at 25 yards off a sand bag that was smaller than 6". All of us tried it, lots of different ammo, and nobody could make it shoot. Back to the factory it went, 2 months later it reappears, no info on what the did. But it would get 4" groups after that....that said, on Gunbroker they get $400+ for the common models in average shape. Stuff like a Ladysmith are $650+!! The Ladysmith without the Ladysmith logo is even more expensive; I guess there are a lot of guys that aren't too secure in their masculinity...