Any love for S&W Autos?

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...due to their great weight and bulk. Female LEOs especially had problems getting their hands around the double stack Smiths...
The alloy framed guns were not especially heavy (e.g. 5904 is 4 oz heavier than a G17) and are not especially large guns. They had a rather slick single piece grip that had hilariously flat side "panels" to keep the bulk down more. The "backstrap" was part of the stock unit so you could choose shape and size further.

A handful of agencies even issued single stacks (39xx) for some officers, as it's a system. Not available with Beretta or Glock (esp back in the day).

Now, I have seen plenty of complaints of size and trigger reach etc with the Beretta, and it was pretty well issued for a bit there at the auto transition time.

Heard (much less so) similar complaints with .45/10 Smiths, and the .45 Sigs, at the very beginning with the Glock for being so "blocky" but not really at all for 59-series guns. I even saw a handful of small-handed officers who went back up to the double stack Smith after range staff assumed all girls get small guns, and it turned out they could handle the full size just fine (and: more bullets!).
 
The new production guns with the drop in parts are better. And people that know everything are annoying.
 
The new production guns with the drop in parts are better. And people that know everything are annoying.
Oh I definitely agree they are very annoying. In fact, they’re almost as annoying as people who are clueless but don’t realize it.

Honestly though, buy what you like. There’s nothing wrong with the new Performance Center stamped autos. They generally have better sights and a crisper trigger than the standard production line stuff. If that does it for you, go for it.
 
LGS had this on the shelf today.

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Or rather, A shelf. Not for sale though he let me play with it. He said (and the real S&W fans can correct this as they wish) that it's an over-run for NYPD production back in the day they issued the 5946. They also sold a few single stacks, but not NYPD marked I guess for individual officer purchase instead. Anyway being weird, Smith kept around 300, never just now purged them to the market. He has the box with the authentic factory dust, as well.

Very nice. Unfired, yet as slick a trigger I have seen short of the top 25% from the good old days PC.

Also: restrike. I promise. I pulled it through. So... a different DAO than other 3rd gen S&W DAOs? Why do that?

ETA: Curious, lazy re work, googled. Found this thread: http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/263576-nypd-3914dao.html Says it is newer production, they are still making 5946s as well, and this a "3913DAO," as in that's the model, because it is a normal selective DA trigger, with the DAO hammer, the single action notch buzzed off, and no decocker. The slide shape is what made me notice it, as it is normal selective DA size; the xx4x system guns precock the hammer and to keep from being unsightly/snaggy the slide goes back further to hide that. But here, it's just a normal DA trigger pull. Weird. Not advertised I guess because only making for various agencies as replacements, but technically available if you know the right folks. $7-800 is the straight-to-dealer price. Limited runs keep the costs up!
 
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Oh, and... almost on topic, just modded this for a Chicom knockoff RMR, to make sure it does solve my old man eyeball issues. Oh boy is it fun.
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Somehow the front sight fell off. Anyone know of dirt cheap (knockoff, used...) suppressor height sights I could get to mod the gun fully to RMR trainer?
 
Our local city PD adopted 5906's in 1994. They proved to be very rugged, reliable tanks that were used for over 20 years. They were pretty well worn out and no longer in production by then. Smith offered to make a special production run of them if the city would by a minimum number. But the costs were just too high. They recently replaced them with Glocks.

I've had a 4506 in the past and if I ever find a deal on a 1006 at the same time I have spare money I'll buy one.

Recently I've given the M&P 2.0 version a chance. It is slowly converting a long time Glock guy.
 
Oh, and... almost on topic, just modded this for a Chicom knockoff RMR, to make sure it does solve my old man eyeball issues. Oh boy is it fun.

Somehow the front sight fell off. Anyone know of dirt cheap (knockoff, used...) suppressor height sights I could get to mod the gun fully to RMR trainer?

Other than the front sight issue, what do you think of the SIRT? Been thinking about getting one to practice with (to go with my M&P 40).
 
Other than the front sight issue, what do you think of the SIRT? Been thinking about getting one to practice with (to go with my M&P 40).
Love it. 1000x better than any dryfire I have done. I also have some laser cartridges, and it's say 875x better than those. Really works well. I have the takeup laser off, but when intro training others, really useful.

I have several trainers, used to use the airsoft regularly, but it still requires reasonable range safety. I use the SIRT around the house. I got it originally because I was traveling (domestically) 25% of the time, and it's so quiet I use it to keep what few skills I have up, in the hotel room.

Also, have a SIRT bolt for the AR. Useful in the same way. Practice anywhere no one minds you pointing guns. Clear your house, etc.

Beware: Cats like the laser.
 
The 2nd. Generation were prone to get cracks in the frame rails. In the past they would simply update them to a 3rd. Gen frame. Now if they crack S&W will not repair of replace. simply out of luck. Odd part was the ones cracking shot only factory ammo and none had a high round count.
 
645, 1006, and a crappy picture of a 3953. The 3953 is no longer mine. I don't really miss it; it worked fine, but I didn't care for the trigger pull.View attachment 826545 View attachment 826546

I shot a 645 for the first time a couple of weeks back when one of our guys did his retirement qualification.

Easy to hit the target (I was dawdling about at 10 yards) and a real pussycat with Win 230 gr hardball for sure!

Stay safe!
 
I shot a 645 for the first time a couple of weeks back when one of our guys did his retirement qualification.

Easy to hit the target (I was dawdling about at 10 yards) and a real pussycat with Win 230 gr hardball for sure!

Stay safe!
Love mine, wanted one ever since the 3rd season of Miami Vice.:)
 
I'm the happy owner of a dozen 3rd Gen S&W pistols in .22, 9mm, .40, .45 and 10mm. They range in size from a diminutive 2214 to a full sized 4506. Both blue and stainless, aluminium and steel framed. I love 3rd gens and have zero plans on parting with any of them.
 
I know that my Model 915 was one of the cheap ones, but it's a good shooter.

How good or bad are the triggers on the third generation DAO models? I see them for sale pretty often and assume they were retired from some PD. Some of them look really nice, but I do poorly with stiff triggers.
 
I know that my Model 915 was one of the cheap ones, but it's a good shooter.

How good or bad are the triggers on the third generation DAO models? I see them for sale pretty often and assume they were retired from some PD. Some of them look really nice, but I do poorly with stiff triggers.
Varies. Some are pretty atrocious, but some are perfectly nice. Rarely as good as the commercial models. But, parts are workable and replaceable (when found as they are +/- out of production) so... I regret not buying another when they were cheap.

Friend back in the day had a 915 when I had my 5946. Interesting to look in detail where they were cheap, and where not. External finish was the primary thing; but it was very, very well made on most interior and functional bits.

We need more "cheap" guns like this. Cut an obvious and unimportant corner to save money for the discount buyer, who gets a good gun that's part of the same system as everyone else.
 
Good afternoon
Many years back when the ILLinois State Troopers traded in the SW 39-3 for the 59's we bought one. Only 9mm I have ever really liked and still have it. No idea how many hundreds of rounds we have happily fired through it.
 
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