Battle between two of the '90s classic Wonder-Nines

[Miami_JBT]

Battle between two of the '90s classic Wonder-Nines



The early 1990s were an amazing era in handgun development. You had the Wonder-Nine revolution sweeping the nation when it was really starting in the early 1980s with the adoption of the Beretta 92FS by the U.S. Military and the explosion in popularity of GLOCK, Sig Sauer, Ruger, HK, and Smith & Wesson with their products for the law enforcement market. By the 1990s, you had such a variety of choices and today we’re going to look at two choices offered by the Italian Stallion and Big Blue.

S&W and Beretta offered a number of variations of their guns, both are the shorter slide, full size frame variants of their traditional aluminum framed 9mm duty guns. First up is Big Blue’s gun, the Model 5903 SSV.



S&W took their traditional four-inch service model 5903 and did a few tweaks. But only 1,500 of ‘em were made and released in 1991 by Lew Horton. So, what did Big Blue do?

They slapped on a 6904 slide and barrel, cutting the length down to three and a half inches. Also, the 6904 was their blued carbon steel slide. So, the gun got a nice proper two-tone look.

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[tightgroup tiger]

I really like the looks of that Beretta, the S&W looks so utilitarian next to it.

 

[wnycollector]

Great article. Its made me start looking around for a surplus 6904/6906 top end to put on a beat up 915 that I have. A poor man's SSV.

 

[earlthegoat2]

I have always liked the looks of the 92 Centurion but have never come across one in person. Two cool guns there.

 

[yeongjo]

I have carried a S&W 6904 since I bought it new in 1988. She is a fond friend, I never felt the need to upgrade my little concealment pal. quite remarkable, 33 years. wow, just wow, I am old now.
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[Rinspeed]

Both were a dog compared to the 226.

 

[lsudave]

Both were a dog compared to the 226.

Nah, I have examples of the Beretta, 3rd Gen Smiths, a West German P226 (and for that matter a pre-B CZ 75 to round out the team). Mine are all the fullsize variants, but I do have both a 5906 (all stainless) and a 915 (aluminum frame with blue steel slide).

They each have their points, the Smiths have fabulous trigger resets. You can pump out followup shots like nobody's business, it's simply a matter of pulsating your grip. The Beretta's slide action is second to none for smoothness. All point well.

 

[Ignition Override]

yeongjo:
my S&W 908 (OEM mag prices!) arrived about 2 months ago, and the 6904 weeks later . Hard to decide which feels better in meinen fairly slender “ja, Gurly-Man!” Händen.

They seem like a superb pair, which complement my civilian German “P225” (it never was a P6), Walther P99 AS and CZ PCR.

Holster? They all fit quite well in my only Remora, IWB.

 

[ECVMatt]

Some of the guys that taught me how to hunt in the early 80's were LACO Sheriff's. They were the real deal and had been in many shootings and took down some bad guys. Regardless of what we were hunting or how we were armed, they always carried handguns. They both loved the 6904's. I remember hunting pheasants one day in Delano, north of LA, and a coyote ran out of the milo fields ahead of us. They both dropped their 870's and whipped out their 6904's, started shooting, and one of them actually hit the coyote. They were crazy guys, but I am always thankful for the time they took to teach me how to hunt. Great article! I remember the Wonder 9 years well.