OT - S&W 39

Leverdude · Post by **Leverdude** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 8:21 pm

Whats the consensus?
I bought one & will be putting some rounds thru it tomorrow. Never had a 9MM before. Handled a bunch of guns & this one felt good, looked to be in great shape & I could afford it.

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 9:21 pm

Other than a 1911 that was the first auto I had. I actually used a 639 (stainless) for duty. I have small hands and the single stack of the 39 fits me. The double stack 59 was just too big. I liked it other than it was a 9mm. At that time I couldn't carry a 1911 on duty and there weren't many single stack 45's the department would authorize. Good pistol, never had a problem. You should like it.

Rusty · Post by **Rusty** » Sat Sep 22, 2007 11:14 pm

I had one for a short while back in the late 70's. I just could never get mine to shoot well for me. That was before 9mm's were the rage and there wasn't much interest in them where I lived at the time. We all used wheel guns back then. The dept I was with mandated S&W or COLT .357's with a 4" or 6" barrel and that was it.

Rusty <><

guido4198 · Post by **guido4198** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 6:29 am

Also back in the late 70's....
There was one Mod 39 that the group I shot with back then sort of traded around between us for several years. It worked every time, with a variety of reloads. I like the 39's, but there were so many out there with reliability "issues" I wouldn't own one unless I knew it's history, and had the opportunity to shoot it extensively. I was the last owner of that particular handgun..until it ( along with a jack-butt shoulder rig and three mags...) fell into the Zambezi river.

Ah Well...

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 7:08 am

If you progress to the point where you're considering it as a carry piece, you might want to pop off the slide and remove the magazine safety plunger - so it can be fired while you're in the middle of changing magazines.

I liked the one I had.

The late Theodore Paris based his ASP conversions on them, back in the mid-60's, which led to the current wide choice we all have now in factory compact autos.

Compact/mini C.F. autos (9mm up) were virtualy an unknown, back then - strictly a custom project, and usually problematic due to teething issues that the factories have now resolved.

Leverdude · Post by **Leverdude** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:30 am

Well, I'll find out in a few hours just how well it shoots & functions.

Thanks Pete for the tip. I was wondering if there was an easy way to fix that.
If it works out it'll be on my person pretty regular.
All I have besides it is an old Colt 03 32 & an Accutek .380.
the 380 was on loan to my Dad for years but I recently swapped him the colt.
The .380 is real easy to conceal & much lighter than the Colt, its my primary carry piece now.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 6:23 pm

[Well, I'll find out in a few hours just how well it shoots & functions]

Are you back yet ? How did the folks, down at the Seven-Eleven, like it?

Leverdude · Post by **Leverdude** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 6:37 pm

Pete44ru wrote:[Well, I'll find out in a few hours just how well it shoots & functions]

Are you back yet ? How did the folks, down at the Seven-Eleven, like it?

They offered me 3 slurpies & 4 go go taquitos for it.

Seriously,
I put 125 rounds thru it. 100 hardball & 25 JHP's & it worked every time.
20 yards keeping them in a 6" circle was pretty easy & 4" was doable if I really tried. Honestly I'm pleasently supriseed & expect with practice I can shrink them a bit. There was a 16X16 inch steel plate on the 50 yard berm that was easy to hit too. All in all I like it.
Asking around the range opinions varied from them being junk to them being a good solid shooter. A few guys actually raved about them. I got a strong Ford vs Chevy feeling out of it.

Scott64A · Post by **Scott64A** » Sun Sep 23, 2007 7:27 pm

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Mon Sep 24, 2007 7:59 am

[I got a strong Ford vs Chevy feeling out of it.]

When it was introduced in 1955, it was the first large (bigger than pocket pistol/.380/etc) DA auto, and there was a lot of pro/con back-and-forth in the shooting press in those days.

http://www.modelguns.co.uk/s&w_m39.htm