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| Member |
I’m sort of looking for a new compact .9mm and keep running into the M&P Shields. I want to like them but can’t pull the trigger. I love my 3rd Gen S&Ws.4906, 5906 and 6906 are my favorite guns I own. Smith seems to have lost their mojo after the 3 gens peetered out. At least in my mind. The only Smith I have bought in the last decade was a j frame .38. I want to like them, I just think these new generations are not as good. They don’t feel as good or shoot as well. I’ve switched to buying Sig, and HK instead. I love the old hammer fired ones. The new stuff just doesn’t do it for me. Any others feel the same? | ||
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Member |
Big fan of the shields. I have three and my daily carry is the first model in 9mm. I have smaller hands, so this works well. There is a double stack Shield out now and have not had the chance to handle it yet. I also have a M&P 40sw compact. Although bigger and heavier, I shoot this darn near perfectly. This coming from a guy who owns Glocks, Sigs, and Rugers. Sigs P-220, P-226 9mm, & P-230SL (CCW) | |||
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E tan e epi tas |
So track down a CS9 or 3913 and go that route. Take Care, Shoot Safe, Chris | |||
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| Member |
The M&P pistols, while excellent, will never be as iconic as the 3rd-generation pistols. Nostalgia plays a factor for sure, but I also think that the 3rd-generation pistols benefit from the overall diversity of their era. Most mainstream pistols today, the M&P included, are Glock clones; this doesn't take anything away from them from a functional/engineering standpoint, but it does make them feel more generic compared to what they replaced. Notice how that lines up with your newfound appreciation of HK and SIG Sauer pistols; both companies still offer their iconic hammer-fired designs, largely or completely unchanged, despite each company's own Glock clone surpassing them in popularity quite convincingly. | |||
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| Wild in Wyoming |
Own numerous 3rd Gen Smiths (CS9, 3913, 6946, 4013, 457). No M&Ps for me. PC | |||
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| Member |
I'm a big fan of the CS9. It does what needs to be done for my situation. Jerry | |||
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Member |
Have a 4046, 4043, and a papered 5946 ex NYPD gun. We tested the 4046, 226, and Beretta 96 when we went to autos but the 4046 fit my hand like it was made for it. Changed out the curved back strap on the 59 to the flat of the 4046 just because of that. Absolutely solid guns. | |||
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| E tan e epi tas |
I don’t think a lot of folks realize just how small and light those CS9s were. I was never a Smith auto guy but the 3rd gen had some really good guns. Take Care, Shoot Safe, Chris | |||
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| Member |
I think this is spot on. I like striker fired guns but I love hammer fired ones. I don’t think it’s all nostalgia but those 3rd Gen S&Ws and the Berettas are just smooth. | |||
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| Member |
I didn't find the 3rd gens until recently but really like my 6906, fits my hand like a glove. I also picked up a 3913 and a 3913TSW, though honestly those are basically S&W versions of my Sig 239's re size and capacity. The only downside is findings mags to keep them fed these days. | |||
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Member |
Have you considered the CSX-E Series? It's smaller than the Shield and hammer fired. | |||
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| Just because you can, doesn't mean you should |
I carried a first gen Shield for years and still would if not for the 365XL. They were available for a while at exceptionally low prices ($200ish) and were reliable, accurate and great parts availability. The XL is a tiny bit better for accuracy in my hands, but the Shield was more than good enough for the expected use. I still have it for just in case purposes. ___________________________ Avoid buying ChiCom/CCP products whenever possible. | |||
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| Member |
I have a 1 gen 9mm S&W Shield, pretty accurate for its size, over head cost wasn't too much. Lights every primer so far. The 3rd gen smith autos were finicky in my experience. | |||
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| Member |
Interesting gun. I have not actually seen or held one before. I’m going to have to make a point of finding one of these. | |||
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| Member |
Ah, the caveat… SAO. Dang, I liked it until that detail. Nothing wrong with SAO. I have a 1911 and plan on another one. I just don’t see the point for a compact SAO .9 mm IN MY WORLD. Not fun at the range and wouldn’t carry it as it differs too much from what I trained with. Nice weapon but there are other guns I could have more fun with. | |||
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| Stupid Allergy  |
Y’all have overlooked the clear and obvious answer. Buy both! 3rd gen S&W handguns are awesome, newer M&P’s are solid as well "Attack life, it's going to kill you anyway." Steve McQueen... | |||
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Irksome Whirling Dervish |
I CCW a Gen 1 Shield. Love the gun for a bunch of reasons but the one caveat is mag changes. The grip is so short that the 7 round magazine is not convenient to use during a quick reload. You can't slam it in while maintaining a good firing grip. I took a two day CCW class with the gun and the only one negative was the 7 round reload. Once fully inserted, the gun hummed along just fine. I still carry it and will continue doing so. It's a great for carrying and shooting. | |||
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| Uppity Helot |
I like the third (and second) gen Smith 9mm’s. I wish some grip maker would tool up and make a decent g10 grip for the third gen Smiths. | |||
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| Member |
I would normally agree. However, there are so many striker fired guns out there and the are all very similar. I have HK, Sig, Ruger and Stoeger striker fired pistols. All are nice but very similar. None are special. Hammer fired pistols just seem more unique. 3rd Gen S&W, HK USPs, Sig P226, Berettas and other hammer fired guns just have more variances between them. I love them all and will continue to buy both striker and hammer fired ones but in my opinion striker fired guns are all too similar. I feel very little difference between my HK VP9 and my Stoeger STR9. Vastly difference cost though. I do see and feel a huge difference between my P226, Beretta 92 and S&W 5906. | |||
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Member |
I have sold both my Shields and carry pistols similar to the 3rd gen. I keep thinking I should buy a 5906 to replace the one I carried as a young man. https://athlonoutdoors.com/article/smith-wesson-5906/ ------- Trying to simplify my life... | |||
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