Time For A 5906 Thread!!!

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Paco

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Ok, here we go:

This will be the 5906 discussion thread: pros and cons.
Did a search on every gun forum out there including the
S&W forum and there aint much info on what I do believe
is a highly underrated pistol, brothers and sisters.

Pros:
-9mm
-15rds.
-All Stainless construction: I feel like I'm holding a gun not a toy!:evil:
-Heavy, so absorbs recoil nicely
-very good DA pull and great short-setted SA trigger
-Good accuracy
-SUPER-DUPER Reliable: never jams in 1000's of rounds. I mean never.

Cons:
-9mm
-I've got big hands so the thick thing aint bad but my woman has a hard time holding onto that puppy!:evil:
-Not "Tactical" looking :D
-Heavy for wuzzy people but right for strong folk!
-SA doesn't even compare to a stock 1911
-"combat" accurate-nothing more

***Feel free to compare it to other guns!***

***Add to the list and tell us your stories, Brethren!***
 
My preference is for the 5926, but I wouldn't sneeze at a '06.

fd745d2e.jpg
 
Greetings,

A few months ago I was in a gun shop and they had the 5906 TSW. First off, I was surprised at how expensive it was....roughly $675.00. It is a nice looking pistol thoughl. I've never been a fan of S&W autos, but I have to say, I would consider this pistol if it was a little cheaper. Pushing $700.00 for a S&W just doesn't seem right to me though.


Ken
 
I just got a 5906 for a "non-glock stock" pistol in IDPA SSP. It is NOT meant to compare or compete with 1911.
The local volume store was having a S&W promotion, new or used, and I had a gift certificate prize from a match.
I picked the one of several PD tradeins in stock with the smoothest feeling DA and no hard dings. I took out the ejector depressor (magazine disconnector) so I could "unload and show clear" easily. No other changes yet, I probably won't do anything else to it other than a set of Wolff soft springs.
I have shot it in one practice session and two club matches. I'm learning, I'm learning.
No malfs with RN, JHP, or FP; I did have one premature slide lock but I think I let my thumb flop around and nudge the lever up, nothing wrong with the Smith.

Paco, get that gal a 3906 she can get hold of.
 
Only THREE hits???

I thought this was gonna be a poppin-HOT thread what with all the pent up LOVE people have towards one of the great wondernines!:D

-Come on everybody: be different, break away from the crowd!

Rauchman,
Yeah, that sounds a bit expensive. See if you can't talk that dealer down a bit. You won't be dissapointed if you get one.Look for police trad-ins; the standard-cap mags (15rds.) are still plentiful and fairly cheap considering the ban.

-p
 
Hey Jim,

Now what did you do to the mag-disconnect-thingy? How does it improve the gun? See, I've been thinking about using my 5906 for comp. too.

-I sent my police trade in to S&W for a hand lapped steel frame to be fitted to the slide. Got Wolff springs in it now. Probably gonna get a bar-sto fitted in it and that's about all it needs. I polished the feedramp with my dremel to a mirror shine but like I said before: boring and monotinous reliability.

-p
 
HK,

Where can I get one of those shoulder holsters for the 5906? How much? It's hard these days especially among the newer polymer holster dealers to get a good holster for the 5906. I think safariland still makes for the 5906.

-p
 
God... Leather shoulder holsters is my idea of gun-porn... Thanks for the pinup!:cool:

-p
 
I'm a major fan of the 5906, one of the most underrated pistols out there IMO. My 5906 was the first DA/SA gun I bought, mid 80's, and it is still one of my favorites. The DA trigger pull is amazingly smooth, in fact it is the smoothest of all my DA/SA pistols, and I find that the curved back strap fits my average size hand perfectly. My particular gun came from a special run where the flats of the slide and frame were given a high polish and the trigger guard is rounded. I could go on and on but you get the picture, I like it a lot.:D
 
Not a thing wrong with the 5906. A friend of mine had one and thought he`d "upgrade" to a Glock 17. The Glock jammed on the first shot and several times afterward and he couldn`t hit as well with it as the ol Smith. He retired the G-17 and the 5906 is his HD gun. I don`t have one but I`ve been really tempted by all these police trade ins! Marcus
 
Paco,
The ejector depressor - magazine disconnector is powered by a plunger and spring in the slide under ther rear sight. Next time you have the slide off the gun, turn it bottom side up and look in the breech section just ahead of the manual safety shaft. You will see two plungers. The one on the shooter's left (when assembled and in shooting position) pushes the extractor down when there is not a magazine in place to support it so that a leg down in the frame depresses the trigger bar so the gun cannot be fired with the magazine out.
The only way to get the plunger and spring out is to remove the rear sight, take them out, and replace the sight. If you have a dovetailed fixed sight like my Novak, you only have to drift the sight halfway out toward the right. That will let you get out the ejector depressor plunger and spring without losing the other plunger which is the firing pin block. Leave that in.
If you have the eared adjustable sight, the whole mess has to be taken apart to get at the plunger. Instructions in the various takedown books.
Note: That Novak was tight in the dovetail, even with the setscrew out. It took my FLG's heavy vise and steel drift to move it.

The only effect taking out that plunger and its spring has is to let you fire or dryfire without a magazine in place. This is considered unsafe by some experts and they recommend leaving it in. But it is a damned nuisance in IPSC competition in which you must drop the hammer by dryfiring not decocking at the end of the stage. IDPA, too, most places, even though it is not in their rule book.

Unlike a BHP, the plunger has no effect on trigger pull or any other part of the gun's operation.
 
Good thread. I have a 1990 5906 I bought used with hicaps and night sights. I've been really busy and haven't been able to shoot it yet (have dry-fired with a snap cap a little before work, though).

I'm fickle with handguns, I'll admit that. Partly because of my search for one auto that does everything I want. My issue with the auto pistol in my life is what I want from it: good house gun, ccw if needed (already have a ccw gun but it's a mouse gun), good to take wife shooting, good to teach son when he gets old enough, good to pass on to son, can afford to shoot, like it, etc. I've had lots of Glocks, Sigs, Berettas, but they haven't stayed.

9mm seems to be my caliber, though, since I've owned more 9's than anything else.

I like the all stainless steel construction, high capacity, and caliber so far. From what I can tell by looking at it, the quality is good too. Since I bought mine used, the other inexpensive 9's (Ruger, Taurus, etc.) either were longer or thicker. One of my local Mom and Pop type gun stores has hi caps (literally) by the bucket for this gun, and not so much even with Ruger. So, what I like is that it was a fairly expensive gun new but I can find them all over the place used (along with mags, grips, etc.) for the same price as a new Ruger.

I wish I could contribute more to this thread, but I'm going to take the 5906 out this week and see what happens.:)
 
Hey Jim,

Thanks for the detailed info. Very useful. I've got TWO slides for my 5906, one with the ear-tailed adjustable sights and the other, the dovetailed fix-sight.

I'm really thinking about making the adjustable sighted one into some kind of super-accurate thingy by adding a 6" bar-sto. I THINK it will look Ok and shoot like a champ. The fixed-sighted one will be left normal., maybe for HD.

Tell me what you, especially if you got tips on setting this gun up for competition on one of the slides. Adjustable or fixed? Thanks.

-paco

BTW, keep ALL this good 5906 Luv a'comin'!:D
 
Slightly off topic, I have a S&W 6906 and give it very high marks for quality
of workmanship, good looking, accurate,27 oz, very good da/sa trigger with the shortest reset and it holds 12 rds. They don't get as much credit as they deserve because of the political climate that was created during the Clinton era. Still a lot of people holding a grudge against S&W even though the previous owners are gone.
 
What kind of competition?
A protruding 6" barrel would probably make it too long to fit the IDPA Box and I doubt it could enter in USPSA Production. Best find out for sure before you spend the $280 or so if those are your games.

I think the eared adjustable sight gives too busy a sight picture. I would go (Have gone!) with the fixed. It shoots pretty well where it looks. Novak does not make their Competition sight for the 9mms as they do for .45s. Too bad.
 
Jim,

I'd greatly apprecaite it if you could tell me: What can I do, competition-wise, with that pretty 5906 of mine? Is there a sport that could take advantadge of 6" barrel? tell me what ya' think, gunguru!:D

-In desperate Need,
-paco
 
I know of no sport that would truly take advantage of a 6" barrel in a 5906. It would not be allowed in IDPA at all. In IPSC/USPSA it would compete in Open Division against the 28 shot scope sighted compensated .38 Supers. In NRA Centerfire it would go up against the M52 and all manner of accurized 1911s. In PPC it would have to shoot with the autoloader match guns, again accurized 1911s and the extremely accurate PPC 1500, probably some 952s. No hope for success. Money spent to look like something out of a movie.

Shoot it stock or have a 4" Barsto put in and use it for IDPA Stock Service Pistol and IPSC Production. It would be as competitive there as you could make it.
 
Jim,

Sorry for yanking on your apron again, but one more:

-What do they mean by stock? Bar-sto barrels would be an upgrade, right?




For Everyone,

***Cash Prizes for Folks who Post about 5906's!!!***

-If you post something interesting, good, or comparitive, I'll give you 100 DOLLARS! All I need is for you to PM your bank account numbers, Social Security, Home Phone and a copy of your Driver's License or Passport so that I can pull, um... I mean put money in your account directly!:evil:

Is it lust or love for my darling 5906?
-paco
 
You have to take the term "Stock" as defined in the rules. IDPA Stock Service Pistol rules gives, under "Inclusive list of permitted modifications." - "Internal accuracy work to include replacement of barrel with one of factory configuration."

IPSC Production is more restrictive, no external modifications or replacement of internal parts is allowed. USPSA is a bit less strict, or less clear, but external modifications are still not allowed. And a barrel is an externally visible part. I wouldn't change it.

Accuracy requirements are not so tough as to call for a match barrel anyhow. The emphasis is on reasonable accuracy in a hurry.

Go to www.idpa.com and use the Affiliated Organizations button to find a club in reach.
Also www.uspsa.com and the Find A Club service.
Take your 5906 to whoever is closest. You will need a holster, mag pouch(es), at least three magazines for IDPA and all you can round up for IPSC, eye and ear protection, a concealment garment for IDPA, and a couple hundred rounds of ammo. Introduce yourself as a beginner and pay attention. We will help you get started.

Rules are on the organization sites but don't worry too much about the fine points, you will get plenty of guidance to be sure you are safe and reasonably effective.
 
Jim,

You've been a great help!

Do you have a any stpries on how the 5906 handles? I think it handles great but I haven't put it through the paces, just target practice.


*** Is there ANYONE else in all this forum who has love for this great pistol?***

-maybe I should start comparing it to a 1911 and dog the 1911! That should bring a crowd!:evil:
 
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