Walther P88/SW 5906 curiosity

[SIGfiend]

I know that the SW 99 borrows much of its design from the Walther P99

....so I want to know something about the much older P88, the SW 5906 looks strikingly similar. Did SW also borrow the design of the P88 to build 5906?

 

[Jim Watson]

Probably the other way around, if there is any connection at all.
The P88 came out in 1988, right?
The S&W 5906 is a development of the 659, which is a development of the 59, which is the double stack version of the 39, circa 1954.

 

[hksw]

Other than they both have linkless barrels, IMO, no.

For the, IMO, major differences, the action bar for the P88 is external, ala P38, bushingless barrel, no safety, frame mounted decocker. (P88C having the slide safety/decocker.)