SW 5903, 5906, 693

[mcapo]

Oooooo... Shiny.

It’s a tactical gun. I know that because SW put it on the slide in great big a$$ print...

 

[goldsmithr3]

Mine is SA/DA, but I've seen a few variations of this under different numbers on Gun Broker, so most may have been DAO.

 

[STEEL CORE]

They were considered by many top of the line back in their day.
(BG) Before Glock , there were Smith and Wesson gun of the month clubs formed as S&W seemed to produce so many variations starting with the model 39 9 .mm .
I had mdl 39/59/459/ 639/659/ .5903/5906 then came Glock.

Glock is like the S&W of old with all their new models.

Good solid guns (IMHO) my son has the 5906, and all the others I had are now long gone.

 

[Dead Duck]

They were considered by many top of the line back in their day.
(BG) Before Glock , there were Smith and Wesson gun of the month clubs formed as S&W seemed to produce so many variations starting with the model 39 9 .mm .
I had mdl 39/59/459/ 639/659/ .5903/5906 then came Glock.

Glock is like the S&W of old with all their new models.

Good solid guns (IMHO) my son has the 5906, and all the others I had are now long gone.

Put that punch bowl down...... Glocks suck! They sucked in the 80s and they suck now. If Glocks could suck anymore, they would make vacuum cleaners.
I will take a real metal gun over tupperware any day.

 

[mcapo]

They were considered by many top of the line back in their day.
(BG) Before Glock , there were Smith and Wesson gun of the month clubs formed as S&W seemed to produce so many variations starting with the model 39 9 .mm .
I had mdl 39/59/459/ 639/659/ .5903/5906 then came Glock.

Glock is like the S&W of old with all their new models.

Good solid guns (IMHO) my son has the 5906, and all the others I had are now long gone.

SW rested on their laurels with the law enforcements agencies. Between losing the Army contract to Beretta in an ugly fashion and not being able to compete with Glock in tupperware, the all metal SW's semi-auto fell by the wayside.

OP: Just for conversation sake, SW submitted the 459 which is an alloy frame version of the all steel 659 for the military trials. It was rejected (along with everyone else but Sig and Beretta) due some controversial rounding of the data leading to adoption of the Beretta 92.

The military trials where held before the Third gens came to market.

Third gen production went from ~1988 to ~2010. Second Gens from 1978 to 1988 and the First Gens were manufactured from 1954 until 1982!

 

[doddg]

SW rested on their laurels with the law enforcements agencies. Between losing the Army contract to Beretta in an ugly fashion and not being able to compete with Glock in tupperware, the all metal SW's semi-auto fell by the wayside.

OP: Just for conversation sake, SW submitted the 459 which is an alloy frame version of the all steel 659 for the military trials. It was rejected (along with everyone else but Sig and Beretta) due some controversial rounding of the data leading to adoption of the Beretta 92.
The military trials where held before the Third gens came to market.
Third gen production went from ~1988 to ~2010. Second Gens from 1978 to 1988 and the First Gens were manufactured from 1954 until 1982!

1. Thanks for the info: it is much appreciated.
2. I'm glad I didn't buy the 5903 yesterday, there are many 5906 around, even if I don't want to pay $500+ for one.
3. I'm afraid to take a chance on some with " a few marks" on them: I bought a Beretta 92 for $300 and it was really beat up and I wish I would have spent $100 more to get a decent looking one, but then I fell into the CZ line and lost nearly all of my interest in one, but I would buy a decent one for $300, but they seem to go for $400+. Almost bought 2 different ones at that price. I can get a new one for $550.

 

[Sigblitz]

They were considered by many top of the line back in their day.
(BG) Before Glock , there were Smith and Wesson gun of the month clubs formed as S&W seemed to produce so many variations starting with the model 39 9 .mm .
I had mdl 39/59/459/ 639/659/ .5903/5906 then came Glock.

Glock is like the S&W of old with all their new models.

Good solid guns (IMHO) my son has the 5906, and all the others I had are now long gone.

The gun of the month club was a marketing effort with the old revolvers, 24 guns in 24 months, for a monthly payment. I have seen this complete collection for sale.

 

[doddg]

Found a 5906 fairly close by (better than the guy who wants to buy my Ruger Blackhawk that lives North of Ft. Wayne).
I put in a call. $500.
I member here put me onto one online for $400 +shipping +taxes (now) + FFL fees ($30+28+25 = $83 +$400 = $483).
I'd rather get one local and be sure of it's condition.

 

[rhino]

Smith & Wesson 3rd generation pistols are excellent shooters! In addition to being very reliable and durable, they were the first DA/SA gun with a really short reset for the trigger in single action. I suspect that if you measured, they still have the shortest trigger rest of any factory standard DA/SA pistol. A used 5906 with a trigger job and some good night sights would make an excellent defensive tool.

 

[doddg]

Just got through talking to the guy in Shelbyville who works in Indy (so convenient!) about his 5906, but it was the wrong profile for me.
He picked it up at a gun shop, only has put 1/2 a magazine of rounds through it, and knows nothing about its accuracy.
I've not had good luck buying any well used gun with a history of a trade in at a shop, and/or the person hasn't put some serious rounds through it and really knows the gun.
If it was $350, I'd take a chance on it, maybe even $400, but I passed on it for $500.
The guy was super honest, and wasn't trying to hide a thing: my kind of guy!

 

[doddg]

Smith & Wesson 3rd generation pistols are excellent shooters! In addition to being very reliable and durable, they were the first DA/SA gun with a really short reset for the trigger in single action. I suspect that if you measured, they still have the shortest trigger rest of any factory standard DA/SA pistol. A used 5906 with a trigger job and some good night sights would make an excellent defensive tool.

1. Appreciate you chiming in!
2. It is further complicated b/c the guy said he was flexible and would come down to $400.
3. I have a notion to go for it.

 

[mcapo]

1. Appreciate you chiming in!
2. It is further complicated b/c the guy said he was flexible and would come down to $400.
3. I have a notion to go for it.

I can't tell you if its a good one or not; but $400 sure isn't a bad price.

 

[doddg]

I can't tell you if its a good one or not; but $400 sure isn't a bad price.

1. We have been having a dialogue off and on for the past hour+.
2. At this point, with the 2nd mag and the holster and sights that still can be seen, it's just concerns I have about its veracity.
3. If he would have put 3-4 boxes of ammo through it w/o any FTF or FTE issues: I'd jump on it, but I have had to replace parts on a used gun before and it's demoralizing since the sea is full of working used guns.
4. I'm wondering if I should just be content with my Ruger P95 that has been wonderful, instead of replacing it with this "unknown" but reputable 5906.

 

[Sigblitz]

Found a 5906 fairly close by (better than the guy who wants to buy my Ruger Blackhawk that lives North of Ft. Wayne).
I put in a call. $500.
I member here put me onto one online for $400 +shipping +taxes (now) + FFL fees ($30+28+25 = $83 +$400 = $483).
I'd rather get one local and be sure of it's condition.

Well it didn't have a case which is a big deal for what it is.

 

[Sigblitz]

1. We have been having a dialogue off and on for the past hour+.
2. At this point, with the 2nd mag and the holster and sights that still can be seen, it's just concerns I have about its veracity.
3. If he would have put 3-4 boxes of ammo through it w/o any FTF or FTE issues: I'd jump on it, but I have had to replace parts on a used gun before and it's demoralizing since the sea is full of working used guns.
4. I'm wondering if I should just be content with my Ruger P95 that has been wonderful, instead of replacing it with this "unknown" but reputable 5906.

Let me know if you pass on it.

 

[Sigblitz]

I picked up a Smith and Wesson 1911 pro series 45 from Expat. Trigger reset is about the thickness of a credit card. Plus I have lots of old Smith revolvers. Love Smith and Wesson. But I'm not into the plastic.

View attachment 73874

 

[Sigblitz]

I have a plastic Glock collection but it's more of a limited run of models, not a fan boy stockpile.

 

[doddg]

I am going to take a chance and buy it tomorrow after work: thanks everyone for your processing.
He seems totally honest, so I'm taking a chance on the gun living up to its reputation; my sense is that he is not hiding anything.
He has had the slide off and it looked good.
Comes with holster and 2 mags, plus ancillary case.
I just hope when I put it through its 200 round trial that it does well or I will wish I'd just stuck to my Ruger P95.

 

[doddg]

I am going to take a chance and buy it tomorrow after work: thanks everyone for your processing.
He seems totally honest, so I'm taking a chance on the gun living up to its reputation; my sense is that he is not hiding anything.
He has had the slide off and it looked good.
Comes with holster and 2 mags.
I just hope when I put it through its 200 round trial that it does well or I will wish I'd just stuck to my Ruger P95.

I'm hoping this is my last hurrah, but it seems I always find something to chase after due to the bad influence of the threads here.

 

[mcapo]

I'm hoping this is my last hurrah, but it seems I always find something to chase after due to the bad influence of the threads here.

We are here to help!