Out with the old, in with the new...

[minutemen1776]

I have been enchanted with S&W 3rd-generation autos for several years now. I have owned five of them, if memory serves me correctly. Unfortunately, I have never shot any of them as well as my other centerfire pistols (mainly a Glock 19 and Kahr K9). I believe it is the DA/SA trigger that does this to me.

Whatever the case, I have arranged to part company with my current S&W 5906, which is the last of my 3rd-generation S&W autos. I'm getting a very good trade-in against a new Springfield Armory XD9. I've coveted these for a while, too, so I'm looking forward to a new pistol to break in.

I have no remorse in getting rid of the 5906. It's just peculiar that I can like a pistol so much (enough to try five specimens!) but not be able to shoot it well, despite best efforts. Has anyone else here experienced this? Do you have a type of pistol that you like but cannot shoot as well as other options?

 

[franco45]

I just traded my 3913 for a Marlin Camp 9. I prefer dao in a carry gun and that is what the 3913 is, a carry gun. My nephew is very happy with it but he prefers da/sa triggers.

 

[Plan2Live]

Do you have a type of pistol that you like but cannot shoot as well as other options?

This is a complicated issue you bring up. I shoot 1911s more accurately than any other semi auto I have fired but I have no interest in carrying one. I prefer DA/SA for a carry gun but have limited options currently in production. I wanted to like the Sig 239 but couldn't get it to group. This weekend I fired a very nice example of the S&W Performance Center Recon 9, a tricked out version of your 5906 in stainless steel. Beautiful gun (to me) but I didn't shoot it any more accurately than my own S&W 459 or the M&P Compact 9mm I fired a few minutes before I fired the Recon 9.

It's going to come down to 1) what you shoot best and 2) are most comfortable carrying. In my limited experience it seems that 1&2 aren't always the same gun.

And finally, define "shoot best". As I recently learned during an outing with another THR member, "shooting well" in a true draw-acquire-fire drill against a shot timer is a whole lot different than slow fire punching holes in paper. I didn't think I was shooting my current carry gun all "that well" but found out I was pretty darned good with it in a draw & fire scenario described above.

Like I said, complicated question.

 

[jfrey]

before you give up on the S&W you should really try the 5906PPC. It is a single action version and the one my FIL has shoots great. The Performance Center can and will do a fantastic trigger job on it. I shoot his 952-1 and my 1911 govt. model the best but I have really improved with my G19 lately. When I fist got my G19 I couldn't hit a barn with it (well maybe not that bad but it wasn't good to me). It is surprizing what a little parts swapping and a couple thousand rounds will do for you with any gun. The only pistol I just never could shoot was a Ruger SR9 my son had. Four of us tried and none of us could shoot it well enough to keep it.

 

[theQman23]

I sold my smith 39-2 (predecessor to yours) to a friends' wife because she loved it so much, but I miss it.

I have 1911's and glocks, revolvers, etc but the most accurate gun I ever, every had was my little single stack 39-2. I was literally hitting 1 and a half at 25 yards on sand bags with that gun.

But my friendly affection for my friends, and her love of the little 9 was enough to CON ME OUT OF ONE OF MY FAVORITE GUNS!!!!

Ok, I'm not bitter anymore..................

 

[theQman23]

for me it was the perfect placement of the trigger itself that cause me to NOT pull the gun or jerk the frame. The 1911's are excellent with lighter pulls, but when you set one up for carry and they have a 5 lb pull like a glock or xd, then they really aren't any better at that point.

It's all in what allows YOUR HAND to naturally curl just the trigger finger, without moving ANYTHING else, that will keep the gun still whilst ignition occurs.