Question about magazines

[T.O.M.]

Friend is offering me a Smith 3914 at a really good price.  Problem is that it only has two factory mags.  Factory mags for the 3913/3914/908 Smith autos are not easy to come by, and run between $70 for used and well over $100 for new.  Third market mags are made by Triple K or ProMag.  I was taught early on that with a few exceptions, the mag should have the same brand stamp as the handgun (exceptions are 1911 pistols and mags made by MecGar and Magpul).  Anyone have any positive feelings towards Triple K or ProMag magazines?  Or am I buying a safe queen in the making?

[WLJ]

ProMags are widely considered garbage mags with a few exceptions here and there and I will only buy one as a last resort if no one else makes one of that type.  I consider them range mags only.
Triple K I don't have any experience with

[Boomhauer]

I haven’t heard of Triple K mags in years didn’t even know they were still in existence.

[Hawkmoon]

My only experience with ProMag is two 10-round magazines for the Para-Ordnance P14.45, which I purchased (the magazines) about 20 years ago. Contrary to all reports I have seen about ProMag, those two magazines have been excellent. I do recognize that this is an extremely limited sample.

I have owned one Triple-K magazine in my life, and it was pretty awful.

[bedlamite]

Mec-Gar worked well in my Beretta, but I don't know about the s&w mags.

I never should have sold my 1076. :(

[WLJ]

Mec-Gar worked well in my Beretta, but I don't know about the s&w mags.

I never should have sold my 1076. :(

Mec-Gar are probably hand down the best mags you can buy.

[T.O.M.]

Mar-Gar are probably hand down the best mags you can buy.

If MecGar made mags for Smith 3913 pistols, I'd be set.  They don't.  And Smith doesn't either.  Seems like I'm stuck with either crap shoot after market mags of hard-to-find and expensive factory mags.   May need to think about this deal...

[Cliffh]

Maybe mags are why he's offering a good price?

[K Frame]

Not even Gunmagazine Warehouse has any, unfortunately.

As I told you on chat the other day, it you want to buy a gun for which you can't find magazines, buy a Sig. 

I've a 4506 and a 410.

I got 2 mags with each one of those, and I immediately bought two more from Gunmag. I'm glad that I did, because Gunmag doesn't have magazines for either one.

I don't have any experience with Promags, but I do have some experience with Triple K... and it's not good.

[WLJ]

Are you planning on carrying this with extra mags?
If no you already have two mags so you're set IMHO.
If yes no way I would trust Promag or Triple K in a carry piece. Range maybe, carry no.

[WLJ]

As I told you on chat the other day, it you want to buy a gun for which you can't find magazines, buy a Sig. 

They sure are proud of their mags aren't they?

[Ben]

If yes no way I would trust Promag or Triple K in a carry piece. Range maybe, carry no.

I guess the question is, will TOM being using this as a CC gat? If yes, either suck it up with the price of factory mags if he can finds them, or if it's a range gun and he really wants it, just get the Promags and put up with a few glitches here and there on the range.

I think the big issue, IIRC, with Promags is quality control. Some of them work well (but for me, not well enough top trust them to CC), and others always glitch, with stuff like consistent first round FTFs and last rounds not locking the slide back. That's all potentially acceptable for a plinking gun.

[WLJ]

The problem with tolerating a glitch here and there at the range with a gun you intend on carrying is the question was it the the mag or the gun when it glitched. You need to know 100% whether or not you can trust the gun and you really don't need glitches putting doubt in your mind

[WLJ]

Just found this in an old The Firing Line thread

The following S&W single stack same caliber are compatible: 908, 3913, 3913TSW, 3914, 3953, 3953TSW, 3954.

If true you may able to expand your search a little

[WLJ]

I posted on another forum if anyone had any and one guy replied he got 4 for $30ea on http://smith-wessonforum.com/forum.php after he put up a post in the Want to Buy section

[T.O.M.]

When the offer was made, I was considering it as part of my carry choices.  This whole mag situation has killed it.  Once upon a time, I had a 3914 that I enjoyed.  It was a good carry gun.  Thin and had that "used bar of soap" feel to it.  In what I. An only call one of my fits of stupidity, I traded it.  Along with the pistol went half a dozen factory mags and my holsters for it.  I've been casually shopping for a new gun, and found myself complaining to my friend that auto pistols are just generic plastic pieces, and that I missed pistols like that Smith 3914 with Hogue with dark wood grips that looked good.  That led to his offer, and this thread.

Seems like these days, if I want something that isn't generic tactical Tupperware, I need to go revolver or 1911...

[WLJ]

When the offer was made, I was considering it as part of my carry choices.  This whole mag situation has killed it.  Once upon a time, I had a 3914 that I enjoyed.  It was a good carry gun.  Thin and had that "used bar of soap" feel to it.  In what I. An only call one of my fits of stupidity, I traded it.  Along with the pistol went half a dozen factory mags and my holsters for it.  I've been casually shopping for a new gun, and found myself complaining to my friend that auto pistols are just generic plastic pieces, and that I missed pistols like that Smith 3914 with Hogue with dark wood grips that looked good.  That led to his offer, and this thread.

Seems like these days, if I want something that isn't generic tactical Tupperware, I need to go revolver or 1911...

If you're turned off by plastic take a look at CZ, they make several really good all metal handgun models.
Beretta still has their 92 series but that may not fit what you're looking for size wise.
I know they're plastic but they are different take a look at a Beretta PX4 Compact

[Ben]

If you're turned off by plastic take a look at CZ, they make several really good all metal handgun models.

I second looking at CZ if you don't want plastic.

[Perd Hapley]

One does hear tell of metal-framed guns from time to time. S&W makes metal M&P semi-autos, and also this: https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2022/01/06/smith-wesson-csx/

[230RN]

Are you planning on carrying this with extra mags?
If no you already have two mags so you're set IMHO.
If yes no way I would trust Promag or Triple K in a carry piece. Range maybe, carry no.

OP:
"Friend is offering me a Smith 3914 at a really good price.  Problem is that it only has two factory mags. "

Like WLJ, I fail to see a problem.

[K Frame]

They sure are proud of their mags aren't they?

As I noted here some time ago, SIG has a particular business model...


Sig's business model.

Monday -- Quietly quit carrying parts, magazines, and accessories for Model XXX1

Tuesday -- Announce that Model XXX1 has been discontinued

Wednesday  -- Watch the world *expletive deleted*ing burn for Sig owners as they now pay 5 times the already extravagant MSRP for a magazine for the Model XXX1

Thursday -- Announce the Model XXX2, which is similar, but just different enough that it has no parts or magazine commonality with the XXX1.

Friday -- Go to Oktoberfest and slam sausages, beer, and Brunhilda.

[dogmush]

While it doesn't scratch the "Wood and rubber Houge grip" one of my shooting buddies just bought the new M&P Performance Center Spec, and loves it.

He took off the comp and carries it. 

Metal, Smith and Wesson, has mags available. Checks a bunch of your boxes.  Doesn't check the "really good price" one unfortunately.

I have a M&P metal competitor that I am getting to know slowly.  So far I like it, and the metal frame handles nicer than the plastic M&Ps.

https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/2023-spec-series

[Tuco]

This thread prompted a search for 10#6 magazines on GunPorker.  Fifteen years ago i picked up 5 for 20 bucks each. Wowzers. I can recover my entire basis ( gun +7 mags) by selling 3 or 4.

Which brings me back to the topic.  A SW semi is not a simple machine. Magazines aside, what's the factory support for a 3914? Is it only one mistake from a paperweight?