Thoughts and opinions on S&W 5906?

[HDCamel]

Found one in a store for $300. Seemed solid, so I put a downpayment on it.

 

[signalzero]

Seems a little high for a gun that hasn't been in active production for going on 13 years now. However, from what I remember, it was a pretty decent gun. My wife's uncle swears by Smith & Wesson and has several older models that work great to this day. If it's in good condition, it might be worth the $300.

 

[DAdams]

I'm going to post a few comments from the S&W Forum. You are going to like it. Here is the S&W Forum for Semi-Autos. Go search on 5906. You will find many fans of the 3rd generation.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/

The recent 5906s I've handled ranged from "good" condition-grips showing a fair amount of small dings, frame and slide some holster scuffs and a few minor surface scratches-to "excellent" condition-grips showing very little if any wear and the frame and slide showing very minor holster wear.

All regardless of cosmetic condition seemed to be in excellent mechanical condition with clean bores.

Even if some have had a few thousand rounds through them, I'd expect the barrel to last for 40k rounds+ and the frame and slide at least double or triple that with tentative ease.

Bottom line: An American made semi auto with a forged barrel, frame and slide, chambered in a round that the gun is over built to handle for $299 is a steal.

Get one. Heck, pick up two if funds allow!

Best,

The 5906 and 5906 TSW are at the absolute top of the full size 9MM service pistol tree. Reliable, accurate and built to last, S&W does not make pistols like them anymore.



I had a LEO trade 5906, however I traded it on another Smith because I've come to favor S&W's compact 9MM's- 3913, 6906 and CS-9. Can't go wrong with any 3rd gen S&W pistols.
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RE: 5906

Sweet. A price cannot be placed on quality, reliability and proven performance. Let us know how it handles, please. I am envious.

 

[481]

They are nice guns, albeit a little hefty, if you are accustomed to the polymer guns that have become so common place these days. Of course, the extra mass attenuates the already gentle recoil of the 9mm so it's a real pleasant gun to shoot.

I have two, one that I carried for less than a year in the line of duty (due to a change in employer) and one that remains to this day NIB, unfired and totally pristine each having ten magazines.

Nice guns.

Shop around for a nice clean one. They are a "best buy" (can be had in exc cond for less than $350) that shouldn't be missed if you can avoid it.

 

[HDCamel]

I would describe this one as "very good" condition. The grips were a little dinged up, but everything else was fine.

I thought it felt pretty light, compared to a 1911 at least.

The ergos with the stock grips were great. Probably second only to CZ in terms of comfort. They also had two police buybacks, one with a hogue grip, the other with a pachmayr and they both felt too big in the hand.

 

[wrs840]

There are still plenty of S&W 3rd gen fans out there, and I'm one of them. I think I have eight right now. They're relatively cheap ($300 is not bad at all for a decent-shape 5906, though I prefer the alloy-frame 5904 variant of that one, I own three ), they're uber-reliable, and accurate... enough.

In short, 3rd gens are still fabulous utility pistols, if you like the mechanics of the Beretta 92 style safety-decocker protocol, which, I do, very much so, for a SD/carry auto.

 

[trex1310]

I owned one for a while when they first came out. I bought it
from a U. S. Marshal. I literally could not hit a 55 gallon drum
at 25 yards with it. I never did get it to shoot right, but
function was good.

 

[481]

Well, if the OEM "hard shell" grips give you the best fit and are the only thing that need to be replaced, that is easily done and for less than $20. Just hit Brownells for a new grip and a grip detent pin (if the original is missing) and you are all set.

I actually went with the straight backstrap grips (ala the 1006) on both of mine although I did retain the curved backstrap grips for completeness of both guns.

 

[WaterH]

My father has one from when he was a deputy sheriff. I like shooting it. Super smooth and accurate. His is outfitted with adjustable night sights.

 

[HGM22]

I've only heard good things about them. The only concern I have is that since they're out of production it might be hard to get spare parts.

 

[greenlion]

It was the third best pistol out there............... in 1989......

 

[itchy1]

I love my 5906. It got me hooked on S&W 3rd gens. Unapologetically solid and heavy--the way that most pistols used to be made. Mine is a range workhorse that eats any cheap ammo I feed it. A lot of gun for the money IMHO.

 

[Sky]

5906 and 6906 here. Great $700 pistols for $300! Never had a problem with either of mine. Think Centerfire Systems has the 5906 for $299 (LEO trade in) and the 6906 for $329? Both of mine seem to be accurate at the distances I shoot them (usually 30 feet or less).

 

[HDCamel]

It was the third best pistol out there............... in 1989......

Care to elaborate?

 

[Murphys Law]

Congrats HDCamel. I still love mine. The grips indicate it was probably carried by a cop. I was always banging mine on the car door while getting in and out. Not to mention occasionally rolling around on the ground with some of the "denizens". I found mine to be very accurate for a service pistol. I have about 50,000 rounds through mine and its still going strong.

 

[TonyT]

The S&W 5906 is a very solid and reliable pistol. I don't know if it will feed empty cases but it will feed every other 9mm round. It is built like the proverbial tank - solid all steel construction.

 

[dcarch]

Congrats! Post up pics when you get it!

 

[USAF_Vet]

I got my 2nd gen 469 for $250, and I love it. Easy to clean, easy to field strip, accurate, it fits my every criteria for a carry gun. I've always got an eye open for other S&W auto-loaders from the era. Awesome guns.

 

[towboat_er]

Nice buy. Great pistol.

 

[Sauer Grapes]

I'm a big fan of the S&W 3rd gen handguns. I've got 3 and all of them are very accurate. They are really well made and reliable.
If you like all steel guns and DA\SA handguns, don't hesitate to buy one. I carried my 5906 until I bought the 4006. Heck I even carry my 4506 from time to time.

 

[jackpinesavages]

You will be happy. The 3rd Gen. S&W have a following for a reason: quality and customer service.

My 1076 has been a favorite. Welcome to the cult.

 

[Onward Allusion]

For $300 in a store, it's a good deal. While you can get 'em online for $300, shipping ~$25 and transfer ~$25 are add-ons.

I've posted this before, but what the heck...

As for the gun, the make/model is solid. It's overbuilt/over-engineered and will last several lifetimes as a regular range toy with routine maintenance. It's combat handgun accurate and will eat ANYTHING, including empty cases. Yup, did that... It'll handle +P+ with no worries, just put a heavier recoil spring in it. BTW, no recoil either.

Get 'em while the prices are still rock bottom, 'cause once the police trade-ins dry up the prices will be shooting up. If this was a current S&W, it would probably be around $1,000. Got a dozen of the 3rd gens.

 

[Strykervet]

They are highly under rated pistols and I expect they'll go up in time. Especially since there aren't that many pistols made to that standard anymore, not in the US anyway. Mostly plastic now. I like my plastic, but I like those tanks too.

I have a 1006, I plan on a 5906 (for about that price, but I never pay the asking price) and some others in that group.

Spare parts? Smith still works on 'em, I suppose you can find parts. Though I can't imagine much is going to break in 'em, they are fairly simple pistols. The barrels will be more problematic when those are gone though.

Gotta ask why they quit making them. Answer: Too expensive to compete with Glock, who was killing the market at that time. Back then, Glocks were ceramic and could be carried through airport metal detectors, and this made them VERY popular.

Don't know about you, but I appreciate pistols that are too expensive to make, and sell now for less than they did when they were new. I don't know where you'll find 'em cheaper, I mean any less and it will sell for the same as a Hi-Point, and I'd pay twice that before I got one of those.

 

[HDCamel]

Back then, Glocks were ceramic and could be carried through airport metal detectors, and this made them VERY popular.

Ah, yes, the Glock 7. Back when Glocks were made in germany and people had to spend an entire months salary to get one.

 

[ColtPythonElite]

I carried a 5906 as a duty weapon for nearly a decade. It was a well built weapon. However, I do not miss it.