Smith & Wesson Model 3953 9mm Compact DAO, 3.5 in Barrel, Stainless Slide/Alloy Frame, 8+1
This Smith & Wesson Model 3953 is a Third-Generation compact 9mm built with a matte stainless slide over a matte silver aluminum-alloy frame. It features true DAO operation with a bobbed hammer and no slide-mounted safety or decocker, plus Novak Lo-Mount rear sights paired with a red-insert front ramp. The single-stack 8+1 configuration, approximately 3.5-inch barrel, and USA manufacture place it squarely in the 1990s S&W lineage collectors and shooters recognize.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Overall Condition: Excellent - Clean, mirror finish, no signs of wear.
Bore Rifling: Excellent Rifling - Sharp lands and grooves.
Specific Condition Details: There are significant handling marks and areas of rust/staining on the finish from previous use.
What's Included
- Two 8-round single-stack steel magazines with polymer finger-rest baseplates
- Polymer pistol magazine carriers/holsters (tan)
- S&W one-piece rubber wraparound grip with finger grooves (installed)
The Model 3953 is a Third-Generation S&W compact DAO 9mm with a consistent double-action-only trigger and a bobbed, spurless hammer. Its DAO configuration omits a slide-mounted safety/decocker, and the slide uses a plug at the safety location.
The pistol carries a matte stainless slide over a matte silver aluminum-alloy frame, delivering a two-tone finish. Slide details include an external extractor and rear cocking serrations. The magazine release is on the left side, and capacity is 8+1 using single-stack magazines.
Sighting equipment is fixed and low-profile: a ramped front sight with a red insert and a Novak Lo-Mount rear with two white dots. The rear sight is marked "NOVAK'S PAT. D230,846" as noted.
Markings include "Mod 3953" on the frame and "9 MM PARABELLUM" on the barrel hood. The included magazines have numbered witness holes. This compact was made in the USA and represents the 1990s era of Smith & Wesson’s Third-Generation pistols.