Gun purchases thread.

[AdAstra2009]

Originally Posted by S&Wshooter

yum, I have a hard on for the older S&W automatics after I bought my 3913.

[S&Wshooter]

I maed dis

[S&Wshooter]

Made a post in here, forum says I made a post here, and the forum doesn't show me the friggin' post


I reckon it's trying to gaslight me


EDIT: Oh, NOW it shows up

[Yournamehere]

The 3913 is not dimensionally different enough from full size S&W autos to yield a real world difference in concealment or comfort of carry, unless you've determined that less than a half of an inch off the length and height will matter. How do you want to carry it?

[commando552]

Originally Posted by Yournamehere

The 3913 is not dimensionally different enough from full size S&W autos to yield a real world difference in concealment or comfort of carry, unless you've determined that less than a half of an inch off the length and height will matter. How do you want to carry it?

I would disagree with that, as not only does it have the shorter barrel it also has a smaller grip spur, no external hammer spur, narrower (single stack) and shorter grip, weighs about half a pound less and lower profile sights (compared to some other Smiths like the 459). All together, it is smaller, lighter and less snag-able than a full size S&W auto.

[Yournamehere]

Originally Posted by commando552

I would disagree with that, as not only does it have the shorter barrel it also has a smaller grip spur, no external hammer spur, narrower (single stack) and shorter grip, weighs about half a pound less and lower profile sights (compared to some other Smiths like the 459). All together, it is smaller, lighter and less snag-able than a full size S&W auto.

Hammer snag and the size of the sights are not concerns of physically carrying the gun, but drawing it. I suppose that the 3913 is more snag proof, but my point was that the size reductions of the gun are not enough to make any discernible difference for the actual carrying of the gun, or the comfort in carry.

Aside from the half inch length off the front and the grip, the other reductions are roughly 2/10ths of an inch all around, including the grip width. The window where the 3913 would be permissible where the full size gun would not be is very, very small, and if the full size gun doesn't work when the 3913 does, it's as simple as changing your wardrobe or getting a better holster.

I will concede that perhaps the narrowing of the grip combined with the narrowing of the slide stop may reduce the pressure of the slide stop digging into someone carrying the gun, but this does not address the concealment issues that will still be present. You have to be a very particular person with a very discriminatory body type to where 2/10ths of an inch matters with regard to a gun being seen or not.

I've just come to understand that the "compact" versions of guns are not much smaller than their full size counterparts, and will typically bear the same issues as their bigger brothers. In carrying my P228 off and on, and trying out new methods of carry, I see how it fails in a lot of the ways that its full size counterpart would. I still like it because it's cool, but I still think a P226 would conceal the the exact same level of adequacy, and give me 2 extra rounds.

[commando552]

Originally Posted by Yournamehere

Hammer snag and the size of the sights are not concerns of physically carrying the gun, but drawing it. I suppose that the 3913 is more snag proof, but my point was that the size reductions of the gun are not enough to make any discernible difference for the actual carrying of the gun, or the comfort in carry.

Aside from the half inch length off the front and the grip, the other reductions are roughly 2/10ths of an inch all around, including the grip width. The window where the 3913 would be permissible where the full size gun would not be is very, very small, and if the full size gun doesn't work when the 3913 does, it's as simple as changing your wardrobe or getting a better holster.

I will concede that perhaps the narrowing of the grip combined with the narrowing of the slide stop may reduce the pressure of the slide stop digging into someone carrying the gun, but this does not address the concealment issues that will still be present. You have to be a very particular person with a very discriminatory body type to where 2/10ths of an inch matters with regard to a gun being seen or not.

The thing is though, it isn't only the grip width that is different, it is a number of factors that combine together to make it a more comfortable and practical carry gun (for some people at least). Just roughly, by picking a 3913 over a 5906 for example you get a 40% reduction in weight (unloaded weight, functionally more when you consider it has less rounds in it), 20% reduction in grip width, and 10% reductions in the height and total length.

If you are going somewhere where you need a full size double stack then fine, but this is not the case the majority of the time. To me it seems that an 8 round mag will be more than sufficient for most self-defence situations, and carrying something over and above this is just wasted effort.

[S&Wshooter]

Originally Posted by AdAstra2009

yum, I have a hard on for the older S&W automatics after I bought my 3913.

I'm tempted to ask to trade; I want a 3913 as a carry piece, but I wuvs my 459