I was in Lexington over the weekend, so I stopped by Buds... with a $100 gift card and a hunger for a cheap hipster gun.
I zeroed in on a scuffed-and-roughed 3914. It didn't necessarily look abused, per se--but it was definitely the most "meh" looking pistol in the entire case. Haggled down to $350, applied my $100... had me a classic DA/SA single-stack 9mm for $250.
Some serial number searching suggests this one was made in 1990--early in the continuum of 3rd gens. It has the narrower tab in the barrel hood and slightly different machining around the ejection port vs. later 3rd gens. Compared to my 1994 6904 (on the left), here.
It also has the thinned-down levers, which my 6904 doesn't--nice feature, in my opinion. Overall, it feels pretty much like my 6904 with a thinner grip. Which is exactly what it is.
But man... sheathed in Hogue rubber, that thin grip feels great.
And while the frame is riddled with idiot scratches and the slide is burnished with holster wear, mechanically it's solid. The angled surfaces in the frame that cam the barrel don't show a lot of wear and the frame rails still have decent amounts of anodizing. The extractor has plenty of tension and the entire gun locks up tight with the mag inserted. Looks like the guide rod is aftermarket... but seems to work/fit just fine. Overall, the gun feels solid, substantial and well made. Just like every 3rd gen I've had.
So, I threw some oil on it and headed to the range.
I've owned a 3913TSW, but I always shot my venerable 6904 better--I chalked it up to the wider grip offering a bit more stability. So, I was curious to I'd do with a 39XX again...
While my shots were grouping slightly right, they grouped decently. I later noticed that the front sight was a touch left of center... could explain the right-ness. I slowed down and applied some Kentucky windage (I live in Kentucky--I can say that). Got a halfway decent 10-shot group @ 10 yards.
In terms of handling, the gun felt nimble and natural. Extremely comfortable to hold. Extremely comfortable to shoot. With the thinner grip circumference and the straighter backstrap, the trigger reach is noticeably shorter vs. the 6904. Plus, the rubber grip makes the recoil disappear.
And I personally love the DA triggers on 3rd gens. This one is no exception. It's not necessarily light... but it's consistent and stack free throughout the stroke. I tend to think the hammer release happens a little later in the trigger's travel vs. Sigs and Berettas. And, for some reason, that seems to give me better control. Combined with the thinner grip and shorter trigger reach, this thing is one hell of nice shooter in DA. I wouldn't mind converting this one to DAO, honestly.
It feels just like you want a compact gun to feel. It shoots well enough for... anything you'd need it for. Plus, it's 1911 thin and 100% reliable: I put 100 rounds through it, zero issues.
Overall, it's a superb little DA/SA blaster. And, most of all, it makes me realize how much of a gap guns like this left behind. It's solid, well made, safe, easy to shoot, easy to carry.
And for $350... I don't know how you could do better.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Duelist
