The 6906 is my favorite daily carry pistol. The addition of a 5906 hammer and magazines, some key internal polishing, lighter springs, and a Hogue grip make it perfect for me.
Those were so expensive to make compared to polymers, what a great rugged duty or carry gun, the rear sight is really armored, lol love those, I would take that over any polymer for a duty gun.
Your right and still are….the sights certainly are robust. I love an all metal gun as well. Although it’s hard not to tip your hat to the polymer guys based on what they’ve been able to accomplish. I think the initial costs of HK put it out of reach / off the radar for most folks and then Glock came it at half the price and provided an exceptionally reliable platform, albeit boring and certainly not perfect. I’ve actually been giving HK a lot of time recently given their list prices have come down and used ones are down around the price of a new Glock.
I have the exact same pistol minus the adjustable rear site. After some research, I learned that there was a recall. As I remember, something to do with the decocker. Smith sent it back with a lot of new parts! I have always love the fact that it wont shoot unless the mag is seated. For me, it adds another measure of safety. I can chamber a round, take the safety off, and leave the mag slightly unseated. Slapping it in, is quicker than adjusting the safety. Great video!
Thanks. I kind of grew up with the mag disconnect and like you, for a civilian, it’s an easy way to render the pistol safe, so it doesn’t bother me. I have an Sig 229 CA compliant I bought used with the same feature. I do remember that recall but that goes back quite a ways now, I think it was the decocker or drop safety , can’t remember exactly now…
I bought one off an officer from another department back in around 1990 when mine was contemplating letting us switch to autoloaders if we wanted to (at our own expense.) With no formal training on that type and still a crack shot with my agency-issued Model 67, I never shot it that well and didn't end up carrying it at all. Later, I switched agencies to one that issued the Ruger P-85. I never had to train with it, only qualify, which I did with no problem. I sold the 659 not long after, and then left the profession. It would be interesting, considering the practice I've had since, if I could do better with the 659 now. I've had P95 for several years now and shoot it better than I ever shot an autoloader back then.
Hey thanks for a great comment and similar to my experience, dept issued 67 and there wasn’t much appetite for semi autos but were allowed off duty carry if you qualified w it so I carried my 5904. Was never great with it but now decades later with much more trigger time I do shoot them much better. Their SA is normally fantastic and the DA is still very long but very smooth. Very nice all metal guns.
Not sure what it is about the smiths 1st 2nd and even 3rd gens just dont get anywhere near the credit they deserve IMO. They do pop up on reviews on line and in magazines (Concealment) from time to time but odd there isn’t a much bigger bigger following for them. I was just in a shop that had a 539. Heavy being all steel and someone had refinished it to like a parkerized finish so wasn’t for me but cool to see one. Glad you still have yours and maybe that’s part of the reason we don’t see as many in shops as we should ,given the decades they were manufactured, very heavily used by law enforcement and I have to assume many guys still have them for sentimental reasons.
I also wanted to add that the trigger guard's did get rounded off in the later models. So S&W did go back to the rounded guards on many of the 3rd gens. As for grip panels. Hogue made awesome wood panels for these. I never liked the Hogue or Pachmayr wrap around grips they made for later models.
I believe your correct on the trigger guards, it actually seems a little confusing on how they go backwards and forth on that feature but no one ever said smith and Wesson was super regimented at times.
I didn’t like the hogue panels either although I’m ok with the pachmayr wrap around grip, used them on a 1911 and liked them. IL. State Police used them on their model 39s and 39-2 as I understand back in the day. Not the most attractive looking grips.
Are you sure about the rounded trigger guards coming later and not before? I found the trigger guards to be completely useless for steadying the pistols _unless_ it was pushed against something, like a branch. I liked the aluminum frames because of the weight reduction, but the 659s were beautiful to some and "boxy" to others. I was with the first group. Gorgeous. Even tho I have a 5906, I prefer the 659.
@@johnroberts6695 I may be misremembering but it also may have been by model which way they decided to go first….I enjoy shooting my 3rd gens the most but absolutely love my 39-2.
How do the aluminium frames hold up, say, with the 459s and 6906s? I have a 659 and a 5906 and love ❤ them. On the other hand, I also have a stainless Taurus PT-92 and think it's a GREAT gun, having a hammer drop _and_ a cock'n lock feature. Your gun looks brand new. Where did you get it? The 59/39 had a horrible reputation for jamming. I wanted a 59, but everyone was saying S&W should stick to making revolvers. One magazine had a cover story that said, “Why A $49 Raven is Better Than a $220 S&W 59!” If you could chose between a 659 and a 5906, which would you take?
I haven’t had any issues with the frames and I think generally they were consider pretty stout, minus the 10mm 3rd Gen. It was a LGS find. There were jamming issues noted with the 39 early on but there are reports that had more to do with correct cleaning procedures and training as guys moved from revolvers to semi autos. The 5906 / 3rd Gen guns are the final evolution of the platform and I think generally considered the best overall but there is some great history with the 1st and 2nd Gen guns.
I noticed on the right side of the ambidextrous decocker the retaining screw is an allen head. That is incorrect it has been replaced it would have had a phillips-head screw in it
Interesting I would have thought the opposite or wouldn’t put it past smith to make a slight change during the production run from one type to the next, I’ll look into that.
Personally I feel S&W 3rd gens were the finest pistols they ever produced. I collect 3rd gens. I have a 1006 , 5906 with AS and a 4006. I recently picked up a 4506 AS. When S&W built the 10mm's I had already purchased a Bren Ten ( which I still own but with no working magazines) so hard to find . The only issue I have ever had is with that stupid guide rod which anyone who knows the 3rd gens well also dislike this system. With all my 3rd gens I removed the magazine disconnect plunger on the underside of the slide. I never quite understood the whole magazine disconnect thought process. It is rather stupid. S&W also came out with the TSW which I dislike . Never did like any of S&W alloy frames. The pistol you have there is the beginning of S&W's brilliantly designed pistols. Sure now days there are many good pistols out there that have more mag capacity like my FN FNX tactical .45 and my FN FNX 9mm. I never was a Glock fan ( yes I am THAT guy!) as I think they are ugly pistols. However I do own a G10 as I feel it is the beat hi cap 10 mm on the market. Anywho, I am rambling on and on. Great review of an rather awesome pistol indeed. Thank you for sharring.
I too think the 3rd Gen guns are fantastic, very enjoyable to own and shoot, especially if your a DA/SA person. You’ve got some very nice pistols in your collection. Not sure I’ll ever go down the 10mm path but we’ll see. I actually like the TSW models and especially the connection back to the CHP w the 4006TSW. The 5906 and 4006 as well as the 4506 IMO were probably their pinnacle models. Believe it or not I actually walked into a shop a few years and found (and bought) a NIB 4506. I’m not a huge Glock guy , I think with all the ergo pistols out there their blocky grip design is very evident now, but still hard to displace the g19 as a great all around firearm. I still prefer my sig p229 and really a sleeper is the HK p2000; in fact it’s so nice I’ll probably do a video on it because if your looking for a DA/SA sidearm in a G19 like package, that’s the best I’ve found so far.
I detest striker-fired pistols. I can't help it, but I always think of a Raven .25 or Jennings J-22 .22LR. I like hammers. Also, we get it that these guns are checked for safety and it doesn't help to hear the disclaimers. Most of the folks watching this aren't blind or stupid, and we know gun safety. But who knows, maybe Alec Baldwin is watching. I have two 659s, a 5906 and 3906. Love the matte grip panels on your 659. I've shot the 3906, but not my 5906 and only one 659. Also, I have a number of Mecgar grips. I've always wanted a 639, though. Beautiful guns, all. You can remove the magazine safety, though I haven't.
Hey thanks for a great comment, I really started to go full circle and go back to DA/SA as I was buying into some of the comments from trainers and other firearms guru that it might be a better platform for civilian carry, not easier to learn, but a better overall platform plus I enjoyed the challenge of working both trigger types. And it got me back into revolvers too. On the grips I was really trying to go for the dull finish grips like the FBI guns had plus I thought it just looked better. Yep you can remove that mag disconnect but never felt the need to really do it, plus wanted to keep them with them with the original set up.
@@thedailydefender1408 » Yep, me, too. I struggled with whether to keep it or leave it be. Massad Ayoob made some good points for leaving the magazine safeties in place. A cop once told him how he was alive because a bad guy grabbed his S&W auto from him. Just before the guy wrenched it from his hand, the cop pushed the magazine release. The weight of the cartridges caused the magazine to fall to the ground. The guy he was struggling with then turned the gun on the cop and pulled the trigger, only managing to get himself an attempted murder charge.
@@johnroberts6695 yeah he’s commented favorably about the mag safety a number of times and I believe he was also referencing the Illinois state police had documented cases of that feature saving officers lives. I carried a 5904 off duty and always liked that gun, shoot it much better now LOL…
@@thedailydefender1408 » Yes, Abraham Lincoln carried one in law school, I think, just before they stopped making them! It was a great pistol. Did you ever visit Metropolis, just over the river from Paducah? Back in the 70s and 80s there was a great place to eat there. Don't recall the name, though. They specialized in home cooked meals there. Best food I ever had. All the women were heavy and they all had hair nets. They had pictures of Superman on the water tower and the paper was called The Metropolis Planet. My uncle used to go over and shot crows there.
Thanks for your note, I do too. Not only are they really neat pistols but the 39 I think has a special place within S&W and firearms history, as do a few others. Also interesting to see them migrate over into semi autos during this time frame for a company that was know for revolvers. Very nice little article on them and specifically the 3913 in this months Concealment magazine issue #32.
Did you purchase a new one or a LE trade in? SW carried trade ins for some time. I never found the LE trade ins were the best way to get ahold of a 3rd gen. There were a massive amount of LE trade ins all over the market that were pretty rough. I have to agree compared to many pistols today which are lighter and have a higher capacity also have much better triggers. Most DA/SA pistols have triggers that are less than desirable but there were places that did trigger jobs on 3rd gens. I have 2 that have trigger jobs 1 is my 4506 and the other is the 4006. I am not sure if anyone out there still offer trigger jobs on 3rd gens? But they do benefit from some good trigger work. Most people that handle these today feel the 3rd gens are too heavy. I personally like the weight. When I carry my FNX9 it feels weird because of how light it is. The 5906 was my preferred carry for some time. I do not carry these anymore and have started carrying either my FNX9 or my G10 Glock. Some of these 3rd gens have really gone up in price. Some ridiculous prices actually but I also know that it would be very expensive for S&W to produce these today. I can only imagine what the new prices would be. I would venture to say well over $1000.00 to purchase one. And at todays prices I would seriously not pay the asking prices. I am glad I already own the ones that I do. 3 of which I purchased when they became available to the civilian market. I purchased these between the 80's and 90"s as they became available. The 4506 AS I purchased more recently but at a very reasonable price. And that took some looking and making offers until one finally was at a great price and I jumped on it. The single stacked mags are kinda weird to me. To be honest a good 1911 like my Sig is a much better choice for .45 ACP. I would love one of S&W's 1911's. Really nice sidearns. Wow, I.bet you will go blind reading all of this. Sorry .. like I said though I truly love the 3rd gens..
@@Patriot-rising this one was just in a shop I go to frequently that generally has older nicer stuff. Sounds like you purchased at a good time before the light bulb went back on with people realizing what S&W had actually build with these guns. I don’t see many folks doing triggger jobs anymore although I’m lucky that I have a shop in my town and the old timer there use to work on these back in the day for the local sheriff/ PD so he’s a great resource. The mag disconnect was a safety feature for law enforcement and supposedly is credited with saving officer lives back in the day. Price points for the smiths to your point are all over the place, very hard to understand accurate values, of the unique or special versions will always have a premium to them. I don’t own one of their 1911 yet but I hear nothing but good things about them. I also tend to gravitate to 1911 when shooting.45 over other platforms.
I did not , and really can’t recall stovepipe issues with any of mine, not a gunsmith but I’d check the condition of the extractor (I did have one that was slight chewed up and I did have feeding issues) as well as the extractor spring and also your mags.
@@nolagospeltracts8264 there were some really good vids of full tear down on these guns which should help you. I changed out the extractor on a third Gen several years ago and from memory on that one you drive the pin from the inside of the slide out being careful to keep tension on the extractor, but again the videos out there should do the trick for you. An older gun smith can help too I found the owner of a shop used to service the old smiths for the local sheriff so he was very familiar with them. Where did you locate the extractor if you don’t mind me asking?
@@thedailydefender1408 Numrich Gun Parts website. I had to settle for the "blued' extractor because the stainless one is out of stock, but it's the same part. Thanks for your videos and the quick response
Thanks for the comment on them, very subjective I guess, visually they just work for me, probably b/c one of the first pics I ever saw of a S&W semi auto was the 39 hush puppy with the large sights, I always thought it looked cool and my original 5904 had them. I think I’m just use to them.
I have four S&W and the 659 is the only one that works the 40 M&P is a jamming POS and the 22A has been back to S&W 4 TIME and will not run a clip with out jamming will never buy a S&W GUN AGIAN The 659 is a good gun the others are a POS
It is , as are a lot of DA/SA , and in fact I was the same in the 90s but shot a ton of striker fire and came back around to it. But that’s the beauty of having so many firearm choices, something literally for every one.
![[TH] VCT Pacific Stage 2 - Week 4 Day 1 // PRX vs RRQ | GE vs GEN](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/iIi2_04jGr0/mqdefault.jpg)
![ตีสิบเดย์ [FULL] | ครอบครัวสะท้านทุ่ง "นางบี & อ้ายสติ๊ก"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/A1rhYcxxNtA/mqdefault.jpg)
The 6906 is my favorite daily carry pistol. The addition of a 5906 hammer and magazines, some key internal polishing, lighter springs, and a Hogue grip make it perfect for me.
Hey thanks for the comment, yep two great firearms right there. Which springs did you go with , mfg and lbs?
Those were so expensive to make compared to polymers, what a great rugged duty or carry gun, the rear sight is really armored, lol love those, I would take that over any polymer for a duty gun.
Your right and still are….the sights certainly are robust. I love an all metal gun as well. Although it’s hard not to tip your hat to the polymer guys based on what they’ve been able to accomplish. I think the initial costs of HK put it out of reach / off the radar for most folks and then Glock came it at half the price and provided an exceptionally reliable platform, albeit boring and certainly not perfect. I’ve actually been giving HK a lot of time recently given their list prices have come down and used ones are down around the price of a new Glock.
@@thedailydefender1408 I have a video on the p13 HK they are built like a Swiss watch and the bore is so low, hk made the first strikers I think.
I have the exact same pistol minus the adjustable rear site. After some research, I learned that there was a recall. As I remember, something to do with the decocker. Smith sent it back with a lot of new parts! I have always love the fact that it wont shoot unless the mag is seated. For me, it adds another measure of safety. I can chamber a round, take the safety off, and leave the mag slightly unseated. Slapping it in, is quicker than adjusting the safety. Great video!
Thanks. I kind of grew up with the mag disconnect and like you, for a civilian, it’s an easy way to render the pistol safe, so it doesn’t bother me. I have an Sig 229 CA compliant I bought used with the same feature. I do remember that recall but that goes back quite a ways now, I think it was the decocker or drop safety , can’t remember exactly now…
I bought one off an officer from another department back in around 1990 when mine was contemplating letting us switch to autoloaders if we wanted to (at our own expense.) With no formal training on that type and still a crack shot with my agency-issued Model 67, I never shot it that well and didn't end up carrying it at all.
Later, I switched agencies to one that issued the Ruger P-85. I never had to train with it, only qualify, which I did with no problem. I sold the 659 not long after, and then left the profession.
It would be interesting, considering the practice I've had since, if I could do better with the 659 now. I've had P95 for several years now and shoot it better than I ever shot an autoloader back then.
Hey thanks for a great comment and similar to my experience, dept issued 67 and there wasn’t much appetite for semi autos but were allowed off duty carry if you qualified w it so I carried my 5904. Was never great with it but now decades later with much more trigger time I do shoot them much better. Their SA is normally fantastic and the DA is still very long but very smooth. Very nice all metal guns.
Tank
Reseviour Dogs, they all had that gun
The smiths have been in many movies , always cool to see them.
Why doesn't anyone talk about S&W 669. That was my carry gun when I was a LEO. 1968 - 1994 I carried that pistol my last ten years. Still have it
Not sure what it is about the smiths 1st 2nd and even 3rd gens just dont get anywhere near the credit they deserve IMO. They do pop up on reviews on line and in magazines (Concealment) from time to time but odd there isn’t a much bigger bigger following for them. I was just in a shop that had a 539. Heavy being all steel and someone had refinished it to like a parkerized finish so wasn’t for me but cool to see one. Glad you still have yours and maybe that’s part of the reason we don’t see as many in shops as we should ,given the decades they were manufactured, very heavily used by law enforcement and I have to assume many guys still have them for sentimental reasons.
I have 3 - 659s. Luv em
Hey thanks for the comment, they are really nice guns. I tend to be partial to the blued guns but that 659 was as solid as solid gets….
I have failure to eject issues once every two mags or so.
I also wanted to add that the trigger guard's did get rounded off in the later models. So S&W did go back to the rounded guards on many of the 3rd gens.
As for grip panels. Hogue made awesome wood panels for these. I never liked the Hogue or Pachmayr wrap around grips they made for later models.
I believe your correct on the trigger guards, it actually seems a little confusing on how they go backwards and forth on that feature but no one ever said smith and Wesson was super regimented at times.
I didn’t like the hogue panels either although I’m ok with the pachmayr wrap around grip, used them on a 1911 and liked them. IL. State Police used them on their model 39s and 39-2 as I understand back in the day. Not the most attractive looking grips.
Are you sure about the rounded trigger guards coming later and not before? I found the trigger guards to be completely useless for steadying the pistols _unless_ it was pushed against something, like a branch. I liked the aluminum frames because of the weight reduction, but the 659s were beautiful to some and "boxy" to others. I was with the first group. Gorgeous.
Even tho I have a 5906, I prefer the 659.
@@johnroberts6695 I may be misremembering but it also may have been by model which way they decided to go first….I enjoy shooting my 3rd gens the most but absolutely love my 39-2.
How do the aluminium frames hold up, say, with
the 459s and 6906s? I have a 659 and a 5906 and
love ❤ them. On the other hand, I also have a stainless
Taurus PT-92 and think it's a GREAT gun, having a hammer
drop _and_ a cock'n lock feature.
Your gun looks brand new. Where did you get it?
The 59/39 had a horrible reputation for jamming.
I wanted a 59, but everyone was saying S&W should stick
to making revolvers. One magazine had a cover story that
said, “Why A $49 Raven is Better Than a $220 S&W 59!”
If you could chose between a 659 and a 5906, which would
you take?
I haven’t had any issues with the frames and I think generally they were consider pretty stout, minus the 10mm 3rd Gen. It was a LGS find. There were jamming issues noted with the 39 early on but there are reports that had more to do with correct cleaning procedures and training as guys moved from revolvers to semi autos. The 5906 / 3rd Gen guns are the final evolution of the platform and I think generally considered the best overall but there is some great history with the 1st and 2nd Gen guns.
I noticed on the right side of the ambidextrous decocker the retaining screw is an allen head. That is incorrect it has been replaced it would have had a phillips-head screw in it
Interesting I would have thought the opposite or wouldn’t put it past smith to make a slight change during the production run from one type to the next, I’ll look into that.
Personally I feel S&W 3rd gens were the finest pistols they ever produced. I collect 3rd gens. I have a 1006 , 5906 with AS and a 4006. I recently picked up a 4506 AS.
When S&W built the 10mm's I had already purchased a Bren Ten ( which I still own but with no working magazines) so hard to find .
The only issue I have ever had is with that stupid guide rod which anyone who knows the 3rd gens well also dislike this system.
With all my 3rd gens I removed the magazine disconnect plunger on the underside of the slide. I never quite understood the whole magazine disconnect thought process. It is rather stupid.
S&W also came out with the TSW which I dislike . Never did like any of S&W alloy frames.
The pistol you have there is the beginning of S&W's brilliantly designed pistols. Sure now days there are many good pistols out there that have more mag capacity like my FN FNX tactical .45 and my FN FNX 9mm. I never was a Glock fan ( yes I am THAT guy!) as I think they are ugly pistols. However I do own a G10 as I feel it is the beat hi cap 10 mm on the market.
Anywho, I am rambling on and on.
Great review of an rather awesome pistol indeed. Thank you for sharring.
I too think the 3rd Gen guns are fantastic, very enjoyable to own and shoot, especially if your a DA/SA person. You’ve got some very nice pistols in your collection. Not sure I’ll ever go down the 10mm path but we’ll see. I actually like the TSW models and especially the connection back to the CHP w the 4006TSW. The 5906 and 4006 as well as the 4506 IMO were probably their pinnacle models. Believe it or not I actually walked into a shop a few years and found (and bought) a NIB 4506. I’m not a huge Glock guy , I think with all the ergo pistols out there their blocky grip design is very evident now, but still hard to displace the g19 as a great all around firearm. I still prefer my sig p229 and really a sleeper is the HK p2000; in fact it’s so nice I’ll probably do a video on it because if your looking for a DA/SA sidearm in a G19 like package, that’s the best I’ve found so far.
Third gens were the last gasp of old Smith & Wesson quality.
I detest striker-fired pistols. I can't help it, but I always think of a Raven .25 or Jennings J-22 .22LR. I like hammers. Also, we get it that these guns are checked for safety and it doesn't help to hear the disclaimers. Most of the folks watching this aren't blind or stupid, and we know gun safety. But who knows, maybe Alec Baldwin is watching.
I have two 659s, a 5906 and 3906. Love the matte grip panels on your 659. I've shot the 3906, but not my 5906 and only one 659. Also, I have a number of Mecgar grips.
I've always wanted a 639, though. Beautiful guns, all. You can remove the magazine safety, though I haven't.
Hey thanks for a great comment, I really started to go full circle and go back to DA/SA as I was buying into some of the comments from trainers and other firearms guru that it might be a better platform for civilian carry, not easier to learn, but a better overall platform plus I enjoyed the challenge of working both trigger types. And it got me back into revolvers too. On the grips I was really trying to go for the dull finish grips like the FBI guns had plus I thought it just looked better. Yep you can remove that mag disconnect but never felt the need to really do it, plus wanted to keep them with them with the original set up.
@@thedailydefender1408 » Yep, me, too. I struggled with whether to keep it or leave it be. Massad Ayoob made some good points for leaving the magazine safeties in place. A cop once told him how he was alive because a bad guy grabbed his S&W auto from him. Just before the guy wrenched it from his hand, the cop pushed the magazine release. The weight of the cartridges caused the magazine to fall to the ground. The guy he was struggling with then turned the gun on the cop and pulled the trigger, only managing to get himself an attempted murder charge.
@@johnroberts6695 yeah he’s commented favorably about the mag safety a number of times and I believe he was also referencing the Illinois state police had documented cases of that feature saving officers lives. I carried a 5904 off duty and always liked that gun, shoot it much better now LOL…
@@thedailydefender1408 » Yes, Abraham Lincoln carried one in law school, I think, just before they stopped making them! It was a great pistol.
Did you ever visit Metropolis, just over the river from Paducah? Back in the 70s and 80s there was a great place to eat there. Don't recall the name, though. They specialized in home cooked meals there. Best food I ever had. All the women were heavy and they all had hair nets. They had pictures of Superman on the water tower and the paper was called The Metropolis Planet. My uncle used to go over and shot crows there.
Great for heists gone wrong lol
Reservoir Dogs
I love the old smith autos. I have a 39-2, 59, 539, 659, 469 nickel, 645, 6906, and a 1006
Thanks for your note, I do too. Not only are they really neat pistols but the 39 I think has a special place within S&W and firearms history, as do a few others. Also interesting to see them migrate over into semi autos during this time frame for a company that was know for revolvers. Very nice little article on them and specifically the 3913 in this months Concealment magazine issue #32.
Had that version. Got it at a sport mart. Did not like the trigger.
Did you purchase a new one or a LE trade in? SW carried trade ins for some time. I never found the LE trade ins were the best way to get ahold of a 3rd gen.
There were a massive amount of LE trade ins all over the market that were pretty rough.
I have to agree compared to many pistols today which are lighter and have a higher capacity also have much better triggers. Most DA/SA pistols have triggers that are less than desirable but there were places that did trigger jobs on 3rd gens. I have 2 that have trigger jobs 1 is my 4506 and the other is the 4006.
I am not sure if anyone out there still offer trigger jobs on 3rd gens? But they do benefit from some good trigger work.
Most people that handle these today feel the 3rd gens are too heavy. I personally like the weight. When I carry my FNX9 it feels weird because of how light it is. The 5906 was my preferred carry for some time. I do not carry these anymore and have started carrying either my FNX9 or my G10 Glock.
Some of these 3rd gens have really gone up in price. Some ridiculous prices actually but I also know that it would be very expensive for S&W to produce these today. I can only imagine what the new prices would be. I would venture to say well over $1000.00 to purchase one. And at todays prices I would seriously not pay the asking prices.
I am glad I already own the ones that I do. 3 of which I purchased when they became available to the civilian market. I purchased these between the 80's and 90"s as they became available. The 4506 AS I purchased more recently but at a very reasonable price. And that took some looking and making offers until one finally was at a great price and I jumped on it.
The single stacked mags are kinda weird to me. To be honest a good 1911 like my Sig is a much better choice for .45 ACP.
I would love one of S&W's 1911's. Really nice sidearns.
Wow, I.bet you will go blind reading all of this. Sorry .. like I said though I truly love the 3rd gens..
Ahhh, I remember sportmart , I didn’t either to be honest it does take some getting use to.
@@Patriot-rising bought it brand new in the early 1980s.
@@Patriot-rising this one was just in a shop I go to frequently that generally has older nicer stuff. Sounds like you purchased at a good time before the light bulb went back on with people realizing what S&W had actually build with these guns. I don’t see many folks doing triggger jobs anymore although I’m lucky that I have a shop in my town and the old timer there use to work on these back in the day for the local sheriff/ PD so he’s a great resource. The mag disconnect was a safety feature for law enforcement and supposedly is credited with saving officer lives back in the day. Price points for the smiths to your point are all over the place, very hard to understand accurate values, of the unique or special versions will always have a premium to them. I don’t own one of their 1911 yet but I hear nothing but good things about them. I also tend to gravitate to 1911 when shooting.45 over other platforms.
Is anybody else having stovepipe issues with this pistol?
I did not , and really can’t recall stovepipe issues with any of mine, not a gunsmith but I’d check the condition of the extractor (I did have one that was slight chewed up and I did have feeding issues) as well as the extractor spring and also your mags.
@@thedailydefender1408 I did order a replacement extractor. Now I just have to figure out how to install it. Brand new upgraded mags.
@@nolagospeltracts8264 there were some really good vids of full tear down on these guns which should help you. I changed out the extractor on a third Gen several years ago and from memory on that one you drive the pin from the inside of the slide out being careful to keep tension on the extractor, but again the videos out there should do the trick for you. An older gun smith can help too I found the owner of a shop used to service the old smiths for the local sheriff so he was very familiar with them. Where did you locate the extractor if you don’t mind me asking?
@@thedailydefender1408 Numrich Gun Parts website. I had to settle for the "blued' extractor because the stainless one is out of stock, but it's the same part. Thanks for your videos and the quick response
The large rear sights with its ears looks like it belongs on an M1 carbine. It is hideously ugly, in my opinion.
Thanks for the comment on them, very subjective I guess, visually they just work for me, probably b/c one of the first pics I ever saw of a S&W semi auto was the 39 hush puppy with the large sights, I always thought it looked cool and my original 5904 had them. I think I’m just use to them.
I have four S&W and the 659 is the only one that works the 40 M&P is a jamming POS and the 22A has been back to S&W 4 TIME and will not run a clip with out jamming will never buy a S&W GUN AGIAN The 659 is a good gun the others are a POS
Sad to hear that. The 659 was a solid firearm for S&W.
Gun is very well made but not my cup of tea, long and heavy trigger pull.
It is , as are a lot of DA/SA , and in fact I was the same in the 90s but shot a ton of striker fire and came back around to it. But that’s the beauty of having so many firearm choices, something literally for every one.
Not very good at reviewing a gun, are you?