This gun is extremelly beautiful, if i had one i would never sell, Smith & Wesson should make a comeback of these classic pistols, i am sure that the public would love it.
I just wonder how much it would cost to produce the pistol and what the price tag would be? I look at the prices of the 1911s nowadays and can't help but think they would be prohibitive.
My first 9mm when I turned 21 in the late 80s. My friends (wealthier friends) were buying the Sig P226 and Beretta 92F, but this was my choice. I still have it, and I love it. It is a tank as Sootch says, and it shoots everything no problem. I put a Crimson Trace laser grip on it and it has been my go to for most of my adult life. I love this pistol. S&W did it right! Also, note how Hollywood loves this pistol!!!
My father was the gun smith at Smith & Wesson who helped design the 659. It was designed for Law Enforcement as their carry pistol. It was a heavy firearm to carry all day. I did own one a Gen 3 model that was awesome. No issues at all and ate just about any ammo I fed it. Great review.
I did warranty work for S&W and still have the armorers hand book from the course I took at S&W. When NYPD went to semi-auto pistols, the 5946 was the only one they never had functional issues with. Your father deserves praise and recognition for the great pistol he designed.
@@patricklozito7042 Thank you Patrick! My dad was a Master Gun/Hard Fitter for S&W for 38 years. He was promoted to at that time was the Task Force Dept. and he was with the engineers is the development of the first scandium j-frame revolver. That revolver was the Model 460 which only 250 were ever made. It was a 38 special, ported snubby revolver. Today the Task Force Dept. is now the S&W Performance Center. Just a little history.
.I have one of the Army XM-9 test pistols. It has OD Green grip panels. It's still NIB. I grit my teeth every time i see the box because i want to shoot it, but nope.
I got mine then too, still have it. I replaced the barrel, so it had to be fitted. I never liked how loose the barrel bushing was so I made a new one. Lightly stoned the sear. Fitted the barrel and refinished the pistol. Added the extended slide release. It is a beast. Never jams eats everything. I’m hunting for a 645✌️
i really wish S&W would bring these old autos back in a retro series, boy would they make some money, retros are huge right now in the firearms industry.
Years ago Leaving Nevada, sold all my pistols to have money to move to a different state. When I moved I was walking through a pawn shop and the pistol get my attention was a s&w 5906 in 9mm. It was a great gun, but to heavy to carry. Just used it for home deffence. Well built accurate and dependable. It's all most like new condition. Sootch thanks for the history lesson. 😊
My first duty pistol was the S&W 5946 DA only . The NYPD issued it with a awful 13 pound trigger pull, but I still own it and it's blue box the it came in when I was issued it in 97. I will own it forever!
Started me LE career 1982 with a revolver. In 1987, this was my first civilian semi-auto. First qual, the sear pin broke. Never felt good about it and traded it off later that year for that new plastic Glock 17. Still have that pistol. Still love it.
The Smith autos were the top cop guns back in the day. Illinois was the first state to start issuing S&W autos. But in my area, southern Indiana, they just were not really popular. I've owned several of their autos- various gens and calibers. The first 9mm handgun I ever fired was my Uncle's Model 59 when I was a young teen. These are awesome guns ! Much more character than our modern plastic wonders.
I like all those older S&W semiautomatic models better than what they're producing now. The 5906 was my 1st ever duty weapon.. I don't know why they stopped producing them!
I carried a S&W model 39 for about 13 years or more. Bought it about 79 or 80, sold/traded it about 1983. Was a 8+1 round 9mm Luger. And it never failed me. Wish I still had it!
The NYPD issued the 5906 DAO for a fairly long time, but pretty recently stopped issuing them because of consistent issue with frames and barrels cracking plus the extractors breaking with low round counts. They just don’t hold up to regular use especially combined with a steady diet of 124gr +P gold dot.
Another great video is always. Since I started collecting 19 years ago I have owned many of these all metal Smith & Wesson pistols in 9mm and 45acp and think they are fantastic firearms. Always been a fan of the traditional hammer fire double action design... The only thing I did not like about these pistols was the magazine disconnect which can be deactivated.
Great review. I’ve owned my P239 .40 cal since the late 90’s and I would never part with it. I carried a Colt Government 1911 in the Army and began my law enforcement career when the issued firearm was a S&W 4” Model 15 .38 special. I bought a S&W Model 686 6” for my duty gun because I liked the extra weight up front and the accuracy. I carried 3 speed loaders and never worried about capacity. I also carried a S&W Model 60 5 shot .38 as a backup and off duty gun and was very comfortable with it as well. I later moved to a different department where I carried a S&W Model 659, 9mm, that held almost 3 times as many rounds but did not shoot near as well as my 686. I carried a Walther Stainless PPK/S .380 as my backup and off duty gun and it only had a 7 round capacity. That was a great shooting gun and I never thought I needed more than the extra mag I carried. Plus, living in commiefornia, and now being retired, 10 round magazines are it. All of that said, capacity is a factor but accuracy, reliability and comfort when carrying are every bit as important imo.
I have this exact gun. Mine must be an even earlier version, as I don’t have the safety decocker on both sides. I love it. Bought it used many years ago. Somehow I got it really jammed good, and upon finally freeing the round, I did a little research. There was a recall of certain serial numbers. It had to do with the half-cocking mechanism. I sent it in, and S&W put all kinds of new parts on it for me. Shoots like a dream now. I am particularly fond of the fact that the trigger is disconnected when the magazine is out. I can chamber a round, decock, leave the safety off, and leave the magazine slightly unseated. (It doesn’t fall out!) It is easy to pop the magazine in, and you are in full double action like a revolver. I love that extra little measure of safe operation. Thanks for your informative video.
My first duty gun was a 5906 bought new in 1990. It had squared trigger guard and machined hammer and trigger. Never ever ever should have sold that gun. Alot of buddies carried the 645. Every range day someone ended up looking around on the ground for those damn phillips screws.
I grew up shooting a 659. My bought it new when I was just a boy. It was the first “grown up” gun I ever fired. I was fortunate enough to get it when my Dad passed away, and it’s still one of my favorites to shoot. This gun will certainly last several lifetimes. Thanks for the video!
I own the 645 with the big sight wings and I love it. Gotta get my hands on one of these 659s. Great video love your content, subbed and liked this video
Carried a Gen 3 5903 for several years on duty. Never had an issue with it, wish I’d bought it when we switched to 226 40’s. Thanks for sharing some love on these awesome pistols!
I had one in the 80’s. Bought it new. One of the best handguns I ever had. It cycled like it was on roller bearings. So smooth and I got hit target better than any gun I ever shot. I sure wish I would’ve kept it. One awesome handgun
Good video, good job. Love used guns, the industry works so hard to be in innovated which is good but I think sometimes we pass over some pretty cool firearms.
To be precise: the German Tiger tank was not over-engineered, but under-engineered. The so important gear box was much to weak for such a heavy tank. It often broke down. This was the same problem with the Panther tank and the Tiger II, also known as the Köningstiger.
Thank you so much for covering this pistol. I have a Model 459 that I got from my Grandfather. After I oiled it she ran smoother than a sewing machine and very accurate. It's not a lot of content on these pistols so again thank you for your research in this video.
I have the .45 in this. A double action 1911 with bells and whistles. These were an end of an era of all metal DA semi autos. What a chunk of love. Bring your manhood when you shoot it. Smaller hands need not apply. When you run out of ammo it’s an awesome club.
I have one of those also. My Dad actually carried his when he was in law enforcement back in the day. I went into law enforcement myself for a bit and I carried a Sig. I still shoot it and think of my Dad and how he used to out shoot me. Stay safe out there everyone !!!
My first DA/SA pistol I acquired back in 1987 was a model 39. Traded a friend a S&W model 29-6 even for it. Later I sold the model 39 for a Sig Sauer P225.
Somehow, I skipped the Model 659. I have a Model 59 and a Model 5906, both purchased in the late 1980s. I actually carried the 5906 in a Galco “Miami Vice” shoulder holster for around three years. I carried it with a round in the chamber and the safety off. To confuse the models even more, I also own a S&W Model 649. You know, the stainless steel .38 Special, 5-shot revolver with a shrouded hammer.
I purchased one around 1984 / 85, wish I still had it. Found a used 469 a couple years ago and smile every day I carry it. Still prefer a metal hammer fired DA/SA (in this polymer world).
What's the story on the military trials? The earliest results I've seen are Beretta M92, 1 malfunction per 2,000 rounds. The 459 scored 1 malfunction per 952 rounds, technically a tie. Some testers didn't like the Beretta, saying it was too big. I have two 659s and a 5906, and I have to say I like the 659 better. I also have a 645 and love it as well. Years ago a S&W rep came to a gun store. He took 10 sized .45 acp brass and was able to feed all of them into the chamber one after another. Many firearms instructors said they'd never seen anything like it. Manufacturing steel guns now is so danged expensive, no one can do it. If any of you guys see steel guns out there, GRAB THEM! As more guns go plastic, fewer collectors want them because they _are_ plastic and they just are less desirable.
This was my "first gun" purchased, meaning in the early 00s I gave my friend, who is older than me, money to purchase a _Daisy Model 93_ .177 caliber BB version of this for me lol I've since moved on to Arex, Star, and Kel-Tec, but I'm examining it right now as you go over the real one.
I just picked up a model 559 at a pawn shop. The bluing was pretty rough but I only paid $300 for it. I'm extremely happy with it. I found a company that makes a red dot mount plate for it, and I was so happy when I found out about the 17 round mags.
Given the popularity of the Model 59 and its predecessors at the time of their production, I've always found it odd just how underappreciated the Model 59 is. Folks will go on and on about the merits of 1911s, Hi-Powers, 75s, 226s and 92s, but will habitually overlook the variations of Model 59. They're truly great pistols, and have been featured in some of the best 80s and 90s action films.
I have the very rare model 6591, Basically a transition gun! It is all stainless steel! Basically, a Third-Generation frame, with a Second-Generation slide! I have had the 5906 in the past, and also the 5926! I am looking for another 5926!
BTW the early 3rd gens continued to use machined parts. It wasn't until the mid 1990s when S&W started losing their shirt to Glock that they started going with MIM and polymer parts in their pistols.
My duty weapon from 1992-2000 was a 4006. Loved it but couldn't beat the reliability and weight savings with the G17 I switched to. 8-10 hours on a duty belt- weight does matter.
I got one back in1991 or so. Turner's Outdoorsmen got a shipment of police trade-ins from the San Diego County Sheriff's Dept. I jumped on one of the first.....I should have got 6 of them. I still have it and is one of my favorite handguns I own. Never had an issue of the round jamming in the ramp, which was a problem back then.
I remember when each of these generations came out I always wanted one but I just could never seem to have the cash I needed to get one. I ended up settling for the Ruger p85 Mark II series. That gun was a beast as are the Smith & Wesson models as well.
Dad had a model 39 that I loved. The grip was perfect which reflected the single stack of the 39. After that i just couldnt warm up to the new double stacks of that era. I would just use tge songle stack or stay with a .45 1911 or revolver. Great job brother. God bless all here.
Brought back alot of memories. I started LE back in 1990. My department issued the SW Model 65 357 back then but many bought the 59 models for off duty. I carried a 6906 as mine for a few years and loved it despite the long somewhat mushy trigger.
I am fortunate to have 3 of these early Smiths in my collection. A Model 39, 439 and a 459. The 439 and 459 are both nikeled with the wing protected rear sights. The 39 when I first got it had a Bomar rib on top of the slide, but I was able to replace it with one from Gun Parts. Always on the lookout for other examples of these early all metal Smiths. While the US Military never adopted them I knew several NCOs and one Captain who carried privately owned versions the 39, 59 and at least one 469.
I had an earlier model of 5906, Don, that had most if not all,of those more expensive features you spoke of. It wasn’t until the competition from Glock was hurting their market share that they began introducing cheaper features to try to be more competitive. My model had a flash chromed hammer and trigger like your 659, and only a 14 round magazine. I did have an 18 round Ramline magazine that I loved, but that was the only higher capacity magazine thatI owned with it.
Of note some of the S&W metal framed semi automatics were made after 1999, primarily for large orders NYPD (5946), CHP (4006), and WV State Police (4566). I purchased a 5946 new from Cabelas in 2007.
my friend preferred the 39 because it was more compact, I picked the 59 because of the capacity ! Damn if I didn't go through guns prior to the 90's, had to have a 357.
I think you'd be pleasantly surprised by their DAO models. Will be picking up a 4046 soon. One of these days, I'm also going to get one of the 3rd gen Performance Centre models, probably a Shorty 40. Love these things.
just to let you guys know i bought a 4506 in 1989 it cost $700.00 back then could not imagine how much it would be today to make do love it , my 4506 rides in a milt sparks holster and it looks badass.
I have a 659.. awesome pistol. There was a bunch of gunk underneath the rear sight I disassembled the sight couple yr ago to clean it off and wasn't able to get the tiny spring to go back in right and put it away.. need to get around to that
In the mid-1990s I was in the market for my first semi-auto handgun. I already had a S&W 629 Classic for hunting. That gun is a dream. I have taken lots of deer with it. I was looking at the S&W 5903, but they were running close to $1,000. Frankly, I could afford that, but the S&W Sigma had just come out, and there was the new .40 S&W cartridge. So, I bought a SW40F for about half the price of the metal frame guns. I wish I had bought the 5903. I have actually had no problems with the Sigma. It is not a great gun, but not too bad, either. Someday I will do some trigger work on it. Some day. Also, the assault weapon ban had just come in and the gun came with only one mag. I had to buy two more for a $10 markup (if I recall correctly, that was a 33% increase). A couple of years later I bought three more (I like to have six factory mags for all my guns) for $75 each (I was making more money by then). I would love to pair up a 5903 with a 6906.
Great video and great gun. With that out of the way, it's more likely I'd go for M&P9 series which are more modern, have a very good reputation and are cheaper new than this gun.
I love the Cold War era metal semi automatic handguns. It’s sad that mostly only Beretta and Sig are the companies still producing these models. Hard to believe these weapons are now considered retro. Before disposable plastic striker fired handguns took over, handguns had style.
mine was nice to look at, reliable, weighed a freaking ton and if you call glocks bricks, these are cinder blocks like under your f150 type concrete blocks. don't know why and never took it to get looked at by someone with more smarts than I, but a shooter could never tell where this damn thing would hit, fortunately the rounds never seemed to turn 180 back at the shooter. got rid of it after a year on a Beretta 92, still a heavy beast and the grip was a double fistful, but all together a 500% better pistol than the smith. if these were wonder nines , current poly striker guns are miracle 9's. this was mid 80's. brother had an fn hi power that was great. also got an amt long slide stainless hard baller .45 that was one of the most unreliable guns I've ever owned and I some how got a very old 1911 rattle trap that wasn't a bulls eye gun, but surprised the dickens out of me that it never failed to go off that I can recall. the best personal defense hand gun of the 80's was a 4" smith 19 or 66.
Love the Gen2 & Gen3 S&Ws myself
Did you forget your TPS reports?
Agreed! 4506 and 5906 are my favorites.
@@2A_Patriot the 6906 can still work as an EDC even today
I found one at my local gun store for 399.99. I immediately jumped on it. I'm so happy with it.
This gun is extremelly beautiful, if i had one i would never sell, Smith & Wesson should make a comeback of these classic pistols, i am sure that the public would love it.
I just wonder how much it would cost to produce the pistol and what the price tag would be? I look at the prices of the 1911s nowadays and can't help but think they would be prohibitive.
These guns feel like their revolvers in a way. Spend some time thumbing the trigger and you will get it.
My first 9mm when I turned 21 in the late 80s. My friends (wealthier friends) were buying the Sig P226 and Beretta 92F, but this was my choice. I still have it, and I love it. It is a tank as Sootch says, and it shoots everything no problem. I put a Crimson Trace laser grip on it and it has been my go to for most of my adult life. I love this pistol. S&W did it right! Also, note how Hollywood loves this pistol!!!
Reservoir dogs
My father was the gun smith at Smith & Wesson who helped design the 659. It was designed for Law Enforcement as their carry pistol. It was a heavy firearm to carry all day. I did own one a Gen 3 model that was awesome. No issues at all and ate just about any ammo I fed it. Great review.
I did warranty work for S&W and still have the armorers hand book from the course I took at S&W. When NYPD went to semi-auto pistols, the 5946 was the only one they never had functional issues with. Your father deserves praise and recognition for the great pistol he designed.
@@patricklozito7042 Thank you Patrick! My dad was a Master Gun/Hard Fitter for S&W for 38 years. He was promoted to at that time was the Task Force Dept. and he was with the engineers is the development of the first scandium j-frame revolver. That revolver was the Model 460 which only 250 were ever made. It was a 38 special, ported snubby revolver. Today the Task Force Dept. is now the S&W Performance Center. Just a little history.
.I have one of the Army XM-9 test pistols. It has OD Green grip panels. It's still NIB. I grit my teeth every time i see the box because i want to shoot it, but nope.
@@deplorable1-2 Very Nice and very rare! I'm jealous
Your dad was responsible for designing an absolutely atrocious pistol
This is the first gun I ever bought. Got it back in 1987. I still have it. To this day, it's the most accurate pistol I have.
I got mine then too, still have it. I replaced the barrel, so it had to be fitted. I never liked how loose the barrel bushing was so I made a new one. Lightly stoned the sear. Fitted the barrel and refinished the pistol. Added the extended slide release. It is a beast. Never jams eats everything. I’m hunting for a 645✌️
Good thing you guys kept them. Ive heard too many people say they sold them in the 90/2000s and regretted it. I wish could get one
I bought one in 1988. Got in a bind and had to sell it a few years later. Still miss it…
I just remember these always being in movies and tv shows in the 90’s. You never see them any more
@@famalam943 reservoir dogs comes to mind
Nothing says Miami Vice more than a stainless Smith autos. ❤️
I remember looking at/wanting so bad this pistol at my first gun show with my dad. Those days were great.
i really wish S&W would bring these old autos back in a retro series, boy would they make some money, retros are huge right now in the firearms industry.
Years ago Leaving Nevada, sold all my pistols to have money to move to a different state. When I moved I was walking through a pawn shop and the pistol get my attention was a s&w 5906 in 9mm. It was a great gun, but to heavy to carry. Just used it for home deffence. Well built accurate and dependable. It's all most like new condition. Sootch thanks for the history lesson. 😊
I acquired 6906, then later a 5906. They are built like a watchmaker, making a tank! Just Solid, reliable, and and do not fail.
My first duty pistol was the S&W 5946 DA only . The NYPD issued it with a awful 13 pound trigger pull, but I still own it and it's blue box the it came in when I was issued it in 97. I will own it forever!
You can order a reduced power hammer spring pack from Wolff Springs. Knocks a few pounds off the pull 👍
Had this holy grail firearm S&W 659 15 rounds 9mm about the same size as my cheetah/Browning BDA .380 Berretta 14 round .380
Started me LE career 1982 with a revolver. In 1987, this was my first civilian semi-auto. First qual, the sear pin broke. Never felt good about it and traded it off later that year for that new plastic Glock 17. Still have that pistol. Still love it.
The Smith autos were the top cop guns back in the day. Illinois was the first state to start issuing S&W autos. But in my area, southern Indiana, they just were not really popular. I've owned several of their autos- various gens and calibers. The first 9mm handgun I ever fired was my Uncle's Model 59 when I was a young teen. These are awesome guns ! Much more character than our modern plastic wonders.
I like all those older S&W semiautomatic models better than what they're producing now. The 5906 was my 1st ever duty weapon.. I don't know why they stopped producing them!
I carried a S&W model 39 for about 13 years or more. Bought it about 79 or 80, sold/traded it about 1983. Was a 8+1 round 9mm Luger. And it never failed me. Wish I still had it!
The NYPD issued the 5906 DAO for a fairly long time, but pretty recently stopped issuing them because of consistent issue with frames and barrels cracking plus the extractors breaking with low round counts. They just don’t hold up to regular use especially combined with a steady diet of 124gr +P gold dot.
Another great video is always. Since I started collecting 19 years ago I have owned many of these all metal Smith & Wesson pistols in 9mm and 45acp and think they are fantastic firearms. Always been a fan of the traditional hammer fire double action design... The only thing I did not like about these pistols was the magazine disconnect which can be deactivated.
The reviews of these vintage firearms are my favorites.
Great review. I’ve owned my P239 .40 cal since the late 90’s and I would never part with it.
I carried a Colt Government 1911 in the Army and began my law enforcement career when the issued firearm was a S&W 4” Model 15 .38 special. I bought a S&W Model 686 6” for my duty gun because I liked the extra weight up front and the accuracy. I carried 3 speed loaders and never worried about capacity. I also carried a S&W Model 60 5 shot .38 as a backup and off duty gun and was very comfortable with it as well.
I later moved to a different department where I carried a S&W Model 659, 9mm, that held almost 3 times as many rounds but did not shoot near as well as my 686. I carried a Walther Stainless
PPK/S .380 as my backup and off duty gun and it only had a 7 round capacity. That was a great shooting gun and I never thought I needed more than the extra mag I carried.
Plus, living in commiefornia, and now being retired, 10 round magazines are it. All of that said, capacity is a factor but accuracy, reliability and comfort when carrying are every bit as important imo.
I have this exact gun. Mine must be an even earlier version, as I don’t have the safety decocker on both sides. I love it. Bought it used many years ago. Somehow I got it really jammed good, and upon finally freeing the round, I did a little research. There was a recall of certain serial numbers. It had to do with the half-cocking mechanism. I sent it in, and S&W put all kinds of new parts on it for me. Shoots like a dream now. I am particularly fond of the fact that the trigger is disconnected when the magazine is out. I can chamber a round, decock, leave the safety off, and leave the magazine slightly unseated. (It doesn’t fall out!) It is easy to pop the magazine in, and you are in full double action like a revolver. I love that extra little measure of safe operation. Thanks for your informative video.
I have a 659 and I love that gun. These old smith and wesson handguns are awesome guns.
My first duty gun was a 5906 bought new in 1990. It had squared trigger guard and machined hammer and trigger. Never ever ever should have sold that gun. Alot of buddies carried the 645. Every range day someone ended up looking around on the ground for those damn phillips screws.
i have the 4013 from 1997. Still shoots great. miss those all metal guns.
I grew up shooting a 659. My bought it new when I was just a boy. It was the first “grown up” gun I ever fired. I was fortunate enough to get it when my Dad passed away, and it’s still one of my favorites to shoot. This gun will certainly last several lifetimes. Thanks for the video!
I was one of those guys that put Pacmyers on his. Almost made that grip completely round. It was a very good service weapon.
I love the old SW. First pistol I ever bought.
I have a gen 2, I took it to the range yesterday after sitting for 6 yeas. I forgot how much I love it.
I own the 645 with the big sight wings and I love it. Gotta get my hands on one of these 659s. Great video love your content, subbed and liked this video
Carried a Gen 3 5903 for several years on duty. Never had an issue with it, wish I’d bought it when we switched to 226 40’s. Thanks for sharing some love on these awesome pistols!
I had one in the 80’s. Bought it new. One of the best handguns I ever had. It cycled like it was on roller bearings. So smooth and I got hit target better than any gun I ever shot. I sure wish I would’ve kept it. One awesome handgun
Good video, good job. Love used guns, the industry works so hard to be in innovated which is good but I think sometimes we pass over some pretty cool firearms.
To be precise: the German Tiger tank was not over-engineered, but under-engineered. The so important gear box was much to weak for such a heavy tank. It often broke down. This was the same problem with the Panther tank and the Tiger II, also known as the Köningstiger.
Yes Sir...and the Germans lost the war!! I agree a U.S. Tank would have been better to say.
Thank you so much for covering this pistol. I have a Model 459 that I got from my Grandfather. After I oiled it she ran smoother than a sewing machine and very accurate. It's not a lot of content on these pistols so again thank you for your research in this video.
Had a model 39 and a 59,loved them both
I've got a S&W 459.
Very similar to this one.
Fantastic action, and very reliable.
I have the .45 in this.
A double action 1911 with bells and whistles.
These were an end of an era of all metal DA semi autos.
What a chunk of love.
Bring your manhood when you shoot it.
Smaller hands need not apply.
When you run out of ammo it’s an awesome club.
I have one of those also. My Dad actually carried his when he was in law enforcement back in the day. I went into law enforcement myself for a bit and I carried a Sig. I still shoot it and think of my Dad and how he used to out shoot me. Stay safe out there everyone !!!
Imo, the s&w 559 is the most beautiful semi auto that they ever made. Put some wood stocks on to pair with the deep bluing and its just lovely.
My first DA/SA pistol I acquired back in 1987 was a model 39. Traded a friend a S&W model 29-6 even for it. Later I sold the model 39 for a Sig Sauer P225.
In the late 80's i bought a 459 and a 659. Still have them both and they look new.
Somehow, I skipped the Model 659. I have a Model 59 and a Model 5906, both purchased in the late 1980s. I actually carried the 5906 in a Galco “Miami Vice” shoulder holster for around three years. I carried it with a round in the chamber and the safety off.
To confuse the models even more, I also own a S&W Model 649. You know, the stainless steel .38 Special, 5-shot revolver with a shrouded hammer.
I prefer Blued , 59!, stainless is very nice at the range , too shiny for me to carry
I purchased one around 1984 / 85, wish I still had it. Found a used 469 a couple years ago and smile every day I carry it. Still prefer a metal hammer fired DA/SA (in this polymer world).
Love these old school Smith & Wesson semi-autos
Picked up a 6906 years ago. Awesome pistol.
Carry in a shoulder rig, 2 mags on right side balance it nicely.
My 4006 has the same sights. The Miami Vice vibes are strong with the stainless Gen 2 and Gen 3 pistols.
i have a mod 645 which was my dads he was in law enforcement i love shooting my 645 it heavy but recoil is manageable in 45 act
What's the story on the military trials? The earliest results I've seen are Beretta M92, 1 malfunction per 2,000 rounds. The 459 scored 1 malfunction per 952 rounds, technically a tie. Some testers didn't like the Beretta, saying it was too big.
I have two 659s and a 5906, and I have to say I like the 659 better. I also have a 645 and love it as well. Years ago a S&W rep came to a gun store. He took 10 sized .45 acp brass and was able to feed all of them into the chamber one after another. Many firearms instructors said they'd never seen anything like it.
Manufacturing steel guns now is so danged expensive, no one can do it. If any of you guys see steel guns out there, GRAB THEM! As more guns go plastic, fewer collectors want them because they _are_ plastic and they just are less desirable.
This was my "first gun" purchased, meaning in the early 00s I gave my friend, who is older than me, money to purchase a _Daisy Model 93_ .177 caliber BB version of this for me lol
I've since moved on to Arex, Star, and Kel-Tec, but I'm examining it right now as you go over the real one.
I purchase my 659 right after the William Cruse mass shooting in 1987. Excellent gun. Carried it on duty for years.
I just picked up a model 559 at a pawn shop. The bluing was pretty rough but I only paid $300 for it. I'm extremely happy with it. I found a company that makes a red dot mount plate for it, and I was so happy when I found out about the 17 round mags.
Given the popularity of the Model 59 and its predecessors at the time of their production, I've always found it odd just how underappreciated the Model 59 is.
Folks will go on and on about the merits of 1911s, Hi-Powers, 75s, 226s and 92s, but will habitually overlook the variations of Model 59.
They're truly great pistols, and have been featured in some of the best 80s and 90s action films.
I have the very rare model 6591, Basically a transition gun! It is all stainless steel! Basically, a Third-Generation frame, with a Second-Generation slide! I have had the 5906 in the past, and also the 5926! I am looking for another 5926!
BTW the early 3rd gens continued to use machined parts. It wasn't until the mid 1990s when S&W started losing their shirt to Glock that they started going with MIM and polymer parts in their pistols.
My duty weapon from 1992-2000 was a 4006. Loved it but couldn't beat the reliability and weight savings with the G17 I switched to. 8-10 hours on a duty belt- weight does matter.
Hell yeah. I love Smiths but went Glock for the weight
I have a 5900 and 6900 S&W .Had them for years. Glad I still have them.
My 5906 is the square trigger guard and guarded rear sight. I also carried a 645 .45acp and it is an excellent pistol.
I carried this as a backup in a shoulder holster as a LEO in north Chicago. I loved it.
What was your primary duty pistol?
I have a 5903, I bought it in 1998. Its been my favorite for years
I got one back in1991 or so. Turner's Outdoorsmen got a shipment of police trade-ins from the San Diego County Sheriff's Dept.
I jumped on one of the first.....I should have got 6 of them.
I still have it and is one of my favorite handguns I own.
Never had an issue of the round jamming in the ramp, which was a problem back then.
Great review of a fine firearm. Sootch delivers again!
My first 9 mm was a nickel plated version with walnut grips it was a beautiful gun and very well made.
I remember when each of these generations came out I always wanted one but I just could never seem to have the cash I needed to get one. I ended up settling for the Ruger p85 Mark II series. That gun was a beast as are the Smith & Wesson models as well.
Dad had a model 39 that I loved. The grip was perfect which reflected the single stack of the 39. After that i just couldnt warm up to the new double stacks of that era. I would just use tge songle stack or stay with a .45 1911 or revolver.
Great job brother.
God bless all here.
I carried a 5946 for 22 years on the PD.
Brought back alot of memories. I started LE back in 1990. My department issued the SW Model 65 357 back then but many bought the 59 models for off duty. I carried a 6906 as mine for a few years and loved it despite the long somewhat mushy trigger.
Love my 6906. He did a video on that model a while back.
Got the 3” Model 65 still great gun
I carried a 659 then a 5906. Solid pistols. Heavy but solid. My model 39 goes with a lot these days.
Thanks for the history lesson!
Thanks for stopping by!
I am fortunate to have 3 of these early Smiths in my collection. A Model 39, 439 and a 459. The 439 and 459 are both nikeled with the wing protected rear sights. The 39 when I first got it had a Bomar rib on top of the slide, but I was able to replace it with one from Gun Parts. Always on the lookout for other examples of these early all metal Smiths. While the US Military never adopted them I knew several NCOs and one Captain who carried privately owned versions the 39, 59 and at least one 469.
Looks like a great gun
My first is a nickeled 39-2. Then I snagged a ALL Steel nickeled Smith & Wesson Model 539, and a Stainless 5906! Still have all three.
I have the 915 model. Great pistol. Love it.
For such a solid and well finished gun their priced pretty decent right now.
Beautiful iconic 80s gun. MIAMI VICE Vibes definitely 👍.
Makes me think of the movie training Day with Denzel Washington
I had an earlier model of 5906, Don, that had most if not all,of those more expensive features you spoke of. It wasn’t until the competition from Glock was hurting their market share that they began introducing cheaper features to try to be more competitive. My model had a flash chromed hammer and trigger like your 659, and only a 14 round magazine. I did have an 18 round Ramline magazine that I loved, but that was the only higher capacity magazine thatI owned with it.
I loved that gun ever since i first saw reservoirs dogs!!!
It’s a shame Smith & Wesson still hasn’t reissued Gen2 and Gen3 pistols.
Of note some of the S&W metal framed semi automatics were made after 1999, primarily for large orders NYPD (5946), CHP (4006), and WV State Police (4566). I purchased a 5946 new from Cabelas in 2007.
my friend preferred the 39 because it was more compact, I picked the 59 because of the capacity ! Damn if I didn't go through guns prior to the 90's, had to have a 357.
I love my dad's old 745
The gun from Reservoir Dogs and my first carry gun.
I can't remember the last time I've seen one of those old Smith & Wesson autos? You don't really see them very much anymore.
I think you'd be pleasantly surprised by their DAO models. Will be picking up a 4046 soon. One of these days, I'm also going to get one of the 3rd gen Performance Centre models, probably a Shorty 40. Love these things.
I own 5 gen 3s and carried a 5906 on duty for my first 6 years.
The model 59 I had in the 80s never felt as right in my hand as their 39. Grip felt too fat at the top and skinny on the bottom.
What a great review to do.
Hope I get to try one of these someday
Bought one of these from a popular website. Has a hangup about every two three magazines. It seems to run best with 124 grain ammo.
I have a Mod 59 with the 459 blue slide on it. It shoots really well. Thanks for the video.
My early 659 has a rounded front trigger guard and a hex screw on the right side decocker.
just to let you guys know i bought a 4506 in 1989 it cost $700.00 back then could not imagine how much it would be today to make do love it , my 4506 rides in a milt sparks holster and it looks badass.
Looks like a 5906. Frankenstein comes to mind as well....that huge Phillips head screw for the safety is SO aesthetically pleasing....😑
I have a 659.. awesome pistol. There was a bunch of gunk underneath the rear sight I disassembled the sight couple yr ago to clean it off and wasn't able to get the tiny spring to go back in right and put it away.. need to get around to that
In the mid-1990s I was in the market for my first semi-auto handgun. I already had a S&W 629 Classic for hunting. That gun is a dream. I have taken lots of deer with it. I was looking at the S&W 5903, but they were running close to $1,000. Frankly, I could afford that, but the S&W Sigma had just come out, and there was the new .40 S&W cartridge. So, I bought a SW40F for about half the price of the metal frame guns. I wish I had bought the 5903. I have actually had no problems with the Sigma. It is not a great gun, but not too bad, either. Someday I will do some trigger work on it. Some day. Also, the assault weapon ban had just come in and the gun came with only one mag. I had to buy two more for a $10 markup (if I recall correctly, that was a 33% increase). A couple of years later I bought three more (I like to have six factory mags for all my guns) for $75 each (I was making more money by then).
I would love to pair up a 5903 with a 6906.
Great video and great gun. With that out of the way, it's more likely I'd go for M&P9 series which are more modern, have a very good reputation and are cheaper new than this gun.
I had a 659 in Mid 80's and I had a mdl 59 in the early 70's both were awesome pistols , I Wished I still had them.😊
I've got the 659 gen 2 and love it! Good video!
Love the inverted rails at front of frame and slide... Just like on the high power
I love the Cold War era metal semi automatic handguns. It’s sad that mostly only Beretta and Sig are the companies still producing these models. Hard to believe these weapons are now considered retro. Before disposable plastic striker fired handguns took over, handguns had style.
mine was nice to look at, reliable, weighed a freaking ton and if you call glocks bricks, these are cinder blocks like under your f150 type concrete blocks. don't know why and never took it to get looked at by someone with more smarts than I, but a shooter could never tell where this damn thing would hit, fortunately the rounds never seemed to turn 180 back at the shooter. got rid of it after a year on a Beretta 92, still a heavy beast and the grip was a double fistful, but all together a 500% better pistol than the smith. if these were wonder nines , current poly striker guns are miracle 9's. this was mid 80's. brother had an fn hi power that was great. also got an amt long slide stainless hard baller .45 that was one of the most unreliable guns I've ever owned and I some how got a very old 1911 rattle trap that wasn't a bulls eye gun, but surprised the dickens out of me that it never failed to go off that I can recall. the best personal defense hand gun of the 80's was a 4" smith 19 or 66.