America's Last Steel Duty Pistol: The S&W 5906 [Ep 2]
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- Опубликовано: 16 мар 2024
- Second installment of what I'm calling, "look at all of my pistols I own".
Today we'll be taking a look at the S&W 5906, in all it's 90s MIM cop-show glory. 
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I wish S&W would bring these back into production. Beretta Sig and Cz all have metal frame guns based on older designs
It likely won't happen, but I'd love one of the TSW 5" or 6" versions of these guns. But likely everyone who knows how to make them is dead.
Its because beretta sig and cz have old designs worth making 😂
@@Deanosaurous I would bet money they still have the schematics and building plans on file somewhere.
If they did each pistol would cost $1,499.99 but it will never happen.
@@DeanosaurousI don't know if you'd actually like the TSW version if you got one. When I joined the Norfolk Police Dept. in 2000, I was issued a 6906, which is basically the same gun as this, but the compact version, and with an alloy frame instead of steel -- I'm sure that was because when the department switched over to this gun from revolvers, off-duty carry was mandated (they paid extra for it, at least), and I'm sure they wanted a design compact enough for concealed carry. I was never a fan of S&W autos, but I liked that gun; I shot it a _lot_ and never had a single malfunction.
But about four years after I joined, I had to turn in that 6906, and I was issued a 5946 TSW -- that's the double action only variant of this gun. That gun was a boat anchor. In adding the rail to turn the 5946 into the 5946 TSW with the accessory rail, Smith & Wesson added a lot of steel to the dust cover area of the frame. That gun was _heavy._ I don't normally complain about the weight of steel frame guns either; I've carried the 1911 and the Hi Power (the heavier .40S&W version -- and my current off-duty gun is a Hi Power converted from .40S&W to 9mm so I can shoot +P ammo in it). The 5946 TSW was just too damn heavy, especially when you had to add that weight to all the other gear we had to carry on our duty belts. The 5946 TSW was also a piece of junk. I had three different ones issued to me, because the first two couldn't be made to run reliably. I actually planned, if I got into a gunfight, to go straight to my backup gun, that's how little confidence I had in that pistol. Thankfully that never happened, and a little more than a year of carrying that gun, our department switched over to the Glock 17. Thank God. They offered us the opportunity to buy the 5946 TSW at a hefty discount, and I wouldn't have taken it if _they_ had paid _me._
I am sorry I was never given the opportunity to buy my 6906 though. The department sold those back to Smith & Wesson, who I am sure sold them on the police surplus market.
In the NYPD I carried the S&W5946 which is the double action only version of the same pistol. I have since retired and moved to another state where I became a cop (again) The new department has Glock 45's as the duty weapon. I love the Glock but miss the S&W . Great video!
The 5946 9mm was cool. At 1 point; 1990s as the NYPD grew to 36000-40000 sworn officers, transit & reserve they set the officer choice of a S&W 5946 9mm, SIG P226 DAO 9mm or the popular Glock 19 9mm with a added +2 trigger(NY+2). I think the 19s had Glock night sights too. Over time, as the PD drifted down to around 34000 cops, the Glock 19s 17s in 9mm became standard.
I’m carrying a G45 on duty now too. I had a G22 before this. I love the new one. It’s very accurate and just feels good in the hand.
@@larry648 G45 is my duty carry as well
Went from a Sig P226 to a G22 to a G17 to a Sig P320 then back to Glock with our current G45 with rmr's .
@@bozo572 looks like the G45 is a silent success. Lots of agencies are going to it.
I retired from NYPD. I had the Ruger Police six, then the Department move to Nine MM. I got chosen to test the Ruger P89. Sloppy trigger but a good gun, Pd took that gun away and issued me the Ruger P93. A better trigger and the smaller size made it so much more comfortable. But PD said Ruger didn’t make the trails. I chose the SW5946. It’s an excellent gun. Accurate and durable. Ate any ammo I fed it. Not a one malfunction. Good feeling when you’re patrolling the streets of Crown Heights- Bedford Stuyvesant. Glock and Sig had their problems, Smith was the way to go. Still have it and pop a few rounds out of it. When others ask if they can shoot a few rounds, their reactions is, “ holy Shit, you carried this?” 12.5 lbs trigger pull. My partner who was a firearms instructor at Rodman’s Neck, made it sound like a machine gun with a tight group. If you can get your hands on one, it’s worth it!
It's weird that a PD can just take away your pistol that you grew accustomed to, to give you one that was different for not much of any reason. Working at big city police departments like the NYPD has to be like working at a Walmart, but with more responsibility and a better uniform.
I agree, be it pistol or, my favorite a J-Frame revolver, S&W is the Patek Phillipe of handguns.
Ruger semi auto were on trail. So were Glock. SW and Sig Sauer. The dept was in the transition from revolver to semi. Officer were afforded the option to remain with their revolver if they wish. It was on the spot decision on what pistol you were assigned. Since I was assigned the Ruger, it was up to the department if I can keep a gun that was on trail. I really wanted to keep the P93. The department said no, stated that they would not be an authorized gun for the department once the trials were over. It was very political. Glock invested a lots of money with the city. From what I understand, Glock is now the only gun Authorized to use on NYPD. Smith are so much better, my opinion.
@@runwayrayThe 5946 was discontinued by Smith and Wesson. The R.C.M.P. also issued them. The S&W was a better trigger compared to the Sig Sauer P226 DAO. The Glock 19 had the 12 pound trigger which was terrible. I was lucky that my Department Glock 19 had the 8 pound trigger.
I remember one of my colleagues who transferred over from the NYPD telling me that he was issued 10 round magazines with Full Metal Jacket ammunition.
Glad it served you well.
I LOVE S&W 3rd gen guns! Have several and they are all you need in a fighting pistol.
The second department that I worked for began issuing 5906's in 1988, then transitioned to 4506's in 1992, then on to Glocks in 2000. As a firearms instructor and rangemaster I found that the gun were very reliable and durable, and I can only recall a trigger spring breaking on one 4506. I must admit that I welcomed the Glock transition, not only on a personal level (because I really like Gocks), but also from a training standpoint. I found it easier to train new recruits, as well as seasoned veterans to use the Glock pistol.
No safety and works just like a revolver.
Yeah but... what I found with too many officers was the lack of follow up due to the lack of need for follow up so they and the department fell out of practice. Confusing I know. With the revolvers and DA autos, there was forced maintenance and inspections. With the Glock and all the plastic and lack of maintenance there wasn't any, Glock even used that as a sales point. I found with the group I taught, who transitioned revolvers, S&W 3rd gen autos, Beretta 92's, and a few other odds and ends DA autos, that the department and too many officers fell in to that trap of "qualify and forget". I could tell who practiced, constantly familiarized themselves, and maintained their weapon. I think many or most departments learned their lesson and now force a certain schedule of inspections, multiple times yearly qualifying, etc. I can tell you this much: Glock is an "idiots" gun, anyone can pick it up and use it. They are cheap too. There is a reason the Glock has quickly taken over from Lorcin and the other junk guns on the street: cheap and mags galore.
Calling it the 5906 is what killed it
How did a model number kill it? Like 17, 226, 365, or 320?
@@BrokenBarBox S&W model numbers were extraordinarily confusing because they were codes. So like 5906 meant "full size double stack 9mm stainless". The 5903 is a 5906 with an aluminum frame and the 5904 is a 5906 with a blued finish. But things get more complex from there. Like the 5946 is a 5906 with a double action only trigger, the 5924 is a decocker-only bobbed hammer 5904, and so on. That being said I don't necessarily think the confusing model numbers tanked the series since they had widespread adoption from various law enforcement and security agencies.
@@burmiester1 That’s really interesting, and in a way actually made some sense. We’re so used to guns being very streamlined and uniform, like the Glock 17. That’s the only way it comes. But if they were offering different finishes, different trigger configurations and even different construction materials, I could see needing a unique way to differentiate them all. Thank you for the information! Quick! What’s a 5926? 😂
@@BrokenBarBox 5906 with a decocker lol
Back then we called S&W the gun of the week club. They seemed to come out with endless model variations. The company even had a pin wheel, slide rule type of thing they supplied to dealers, just to figure out the bewildering array of models. They were great guns though. That period was the last gasp of the old S&W.
This was my first gun, a hands me down from my father. The slide to frame fit is awesome. The slide glides on d frame like its floating on butter.
Those 3rd gen S&W auto were solid and well built. I had a 4566 (not the silly DAO version) that I sold back in 1992. I sure wish I had that thing back.
The Smith and Wesson 3rd Gen pistols are really well made. I have a 1006 in 10 mm and it is a tank, heavy and really overbuilt.
Love my 1006! Reliable & as accurate as I can manage. Same with my 5904.
I wish they would at least do a limited run release of this gun again.
I carry one and would definitely buy a limited run one
Why?
@@stangaloski4208 because they are popular now that you can't find them. It's also a very well made handgun. This was back when ruger semi autos and Smith semi autos were built like tanks because the only two popular polymer options were from HK and Glock. Some of those all steel guns shoot really smooth
me too
They are still fairly common. If they made these again they would cost double than what they are currently on the used market. Look at how much the model 10s and 36s cost in their "classics" series.
I love them! Have had the Model 39-2 since the early 80s. Along the way, I was able to acquire several LEO trade ins. The S&W 457 in .45 ACP and two S&W 5903 Tactical. The 5903 has right handed safety. I got the 5903 for $200 each with little signs of wear just holster rash.
I’ve owned my 5906 and carried it daily for about three years now. I absolutely love everything about it.
It was heavy, but wow! - it was a Cadillac of a pistol. The 645 in 45 ACP was great, and the 10 mm version was even better!
3rd Gen. S&W pistols were definitely the peak of the company’s quality and performance. These pistols will only go up in collectability and price.
Seen them in movies but never knew what they were. Very cool
Its counterpart is the Ruger GP100. This was the last full sized double action revolver built for the law enforcement duty market
My first S&W semiautomatic was a 4506, with adjustable sights, bought in 1988, as a "lawsuit resistant" alternative to a Colt Gold Cup, also .45 ACP, which was carried "cocked and locked." Bought the 4506 at the height of the whole "Miami Vice" craze, so of course it rode in a Galco shoulder rig with two spare magazines under the other arm. Summer gun was the 9mm 639, adjustable sights, in the same type carry rig. Both were ridiculously easy to qualify with, especially the 639, thanks to the weight of a steel frame, and a grip combination (size, shape, and angle) that fit my hand like a glove. Still have, and carry, both but have gone over to the "one gun/year round" side, using a SIG 220, in .45 acp. But, just to freak out the "children," I still qualify with the S&W's!
Thanks for the video! In 1988 I bought a then new to the market S&W 5904, the alloy frame brother of your 5906. I've enjoyed shooting it ever since. Also lucked into a Model 52 Master a few years ago, maybe the coolest S&W auto I own.
I have a 6946 (compact DAO) version of this. It was a detectives gun from Newark NJ. It's my summer carry.
My first duty pistol. Jammed a few times. Heavy, and lots of sharp, pokey edges. Transitioned to the Glock and never looked back.
When our police department changed from revolvers to semi auto pistols in 1979 we had a choice of several to buy. I tried them all out & picked the 5906. Served me well
In 1988 our department switched over to the Beretta 92f. However due to some new recruits having trouble obtaining it, due to availability cause it was so popular, they were allowed to carry the S&W 5906. So the end result was 90% of the department carried the 92f, and 10% the 5906. Personally I always preferred the Sig Sauer P226 over both.
very cool to see this pistol. One of the first pistols i've ever shot. A college friend of mine way back got one used as a police trade in and it was a great shooter. This was back in the mid 2000's and you could still find these as police trade-ins especially in rural areas where some of the police/sheriff depts were still transitioning to Glocks. Nostalgia feels lol
Smith & Wesson 3rd gen autos are a great representations of a bygone era. I think this video illustrates this point perfectly. It's still viable but there are so many better options out there.
Bought mine new in the 80's. Still one of the best shooting pistols I own.
There were alloy frame versions 5903 and 04 for service use, too. These ones are slightly more often in police use than the full steel versions. LAPD used these long time alongside to the 92FS Berettas.
I bought a 5906 off of Alantic Firearms a year ago, it was a PD trade in and cost me around $400. It shoots great, has been reliable. Seeing yours I am thinking of getting wood grips for it now and polishing up the Satin Stainless Steel.
Fun fact, S&W does make a all metal M&P 9 2.0, granted the frame is aluminum not Stainless and that pistol cost almost $1000. I have a first gen M&P 9 the last 15 years and love it, so the metal M&P 9 2.0 will be joining my collection soon.
I am looking to build a collection of S&W handguns from the 1870's S&W Model 3 to the 2020's era M&P 9 2.0 Metal.
I have a 3rd Gen S&W 4566. Great pistol chambered in 45acp. I replaced the Novak sights with a set of Trijicon Tough & Bright night sights.
Along with the 4566 I also have a 1st Gen S&W model 59 chambered in 9mm. Another great pistol with screw adjustable rear sights.
Love those things. I have four. Two CHP's .40's police trade ins a 9 mil and another .40 TSW. Nicely machined stainless steel pistols.
I will never take a Glock over the 5906, durability and accuracy!! My cousin had a Glock until his hound chewed it up.
I have a 5903 I absolutely love it it's a very fast pistol has a great trigger and a super short reset
I had a 4506 , it was the softest shooting .45acp I have every fired. It had a beautiful finish and great accuracy. I was trained with the 1911 and though I felt the 4506 was a better firearm, I was not familiar with it enough to give up my beloved colt/singer1911.
I have a fondness for the 5906. It's tough as nails, it fits the hand nicely, it's accurate, and it doesn';t hurt that it was prominently featured in the X-Files.
I missed out on the surplus shipments of them though because it was either that or the surplus Jericho 941F with the uncommon and exquisite factory option single-action-only trigger. At the time I couldn't afford both. I don't regret my decision. The 941F is objectively a better gun. But that's not to say anything harsh or negative about the 5906.
Staccato makes a steel framed duty pistol that is gaining a lot of traction with law enforcement. To your point about the niche pistols, I think it is awesome. Over the years I have sold six or seven pistols that I regret getting rid of.
Great video, and shooting, I loved the history and intro. I loved watching COPS on Saturday evenings right before America's most wanted.
In my area, all the cops where I was either carried these in .40 or the Beretta 96!
I carried a S/W 439, great gun. Then bought a 5904, carried it for a few years in patrol, with 3 trips to the armory for fixes, I lost faith in it. Moved to Sig P-220. Still love my 439, I sold the 5904 to a non-LE for a range only gun.
The first pistol I ever owned was a mid-90s S&W model 915, which was lower priced variant of the model 59. It was a nice pistol, very reliable and accurate.
My 1st gun as a 21yr old was a Ruger snub SP101 5 shot DA only. My first semi auto gun was 1997; a great unissued NP3 coated 96D DA only Beretta with 3 NP3 mags. Trijicon sights.
Have a Model 915. The 915 has an aluminum alloy frame rather than the stainless teel frame of the 5906, so the 915 is notably lighter than the 5906. 915 is a good carry pistol.
I bought a used model 457 in 2005 for $250. Funny how 20 years later they're basically the same price.
I agree with the wood grips, they're gorgeous and are a beautiful contrast with the stainless steel.
That's EXACTLY what I was going to say!!😂 The first time I saw it, I thought "That's a pretty pistol. There's no way that's stock S&W wood." The stainless frame and slide, accented with the dark controls and wood really make it. If it had black plastic duty grips, it would just be "Meh."
@@analogludite9575 You summed it up beautifully. Funny how those things happen 😂 Have a good day.
You know, I thought those were stock grips.
My first duty gun was the S&W 6946 9mm DAO. Great gun, never had a problem. We switched to the Sig 229 in .40 S&W.
One of the local PDs in the area where I grew up used to issue these (or maybe the very similar 5903; I forget which), before eventually jumping on the Glock bandwagon. It’s a gun that I associate with growing up in that area in the 1990s.
Still have mine from when they first came out. Love it
I think the SS frame is what killed that gun. I had a S&W 4006. Double-stack .40 caliber with SS frame. An insanely heavy pistol to tote around on your hip for a long shift. That and the fact that the S&W had something like 365 parts while the Glock had 70.
I still have my dad's 5906 he carried when he was a Sheriff's Deputy in the 90's. Awesome gun and I keep it in my winter carry rotation. Only downside to the gun is that it is a seriously heavy boi. It weighs almost as much as a GI 1911 even though it has an inch shorter barrel.
We had the 5904. I believe it had an aluminum frame. I liked it because you could, if necessary, such as somebody getting your gun, eject the magazine and the gun wouldn’t shoot. We went to the Glock 22. If the same scenario occurred you knew you could get shot at least once.
I liked it so much, I now own a 5906. Much heavier version.
I carried a 5906 similar to yours when I became an LEO in 1991. When I became a detective I switched to a S&W 457. Surprisingly that was considered “concealable and compact”.
as a kid in the 80's this is the pistol we saw most police with and wished we had one, they were still in wide use but its true the polymor pistols made them vanish quickly.
I have a S&W 4506-1 and I just love it it was my duty gun as an armed guard and I also carry it concealed.
Love these old school guns. Regret selling mine a long time ago.
Looking at the parts, I am very happy that Glock has simplified pistol design. M&P is great too. In fact I hope to buy an M&P shield one day.
The 5906 was the first semi auto my old Agency adopted as standard issue & they're great guns...
I was happier when we switched to Glocks, but I happily carry a 5906 daily for defense and feel very safe....
Those things were built like tanks & the only problems I ever saw with them were caused by defective magazines & instantly corrected by throwing those away & switching to a functional one....
Lastly, in an emergency they made a heck of an impact weapon but be ready to spend a long time in the E.R. while they sew up the cuts those big ole square checkered trigger guards caused....
When S&W introduced the smaller more concealable Model 469 they discovered that it was noticable more accurate than it's bigger brothers due to the different barrel design....so they incorporated those changes into their Gen 2 designs and by the time the Gen 3's came out Smith had worked all the bugs out & what they had left was a great pistol....
Sure, it's big...and old...and contrary to modern handgun designs, but I'd happily carry one daily for defense, they are remarkably reliable...
Trust me, if Cops can't break it.... it's tough ! ! !
I live in france and I was lucky enough to found & buy a early gen3 5906, with the rectangular trigger guard and the adjustable rear sight.
I really love its look, very 90s, also very agressive look, in my opinion.
The SA trigger needs some training, of course, but its 1 of my favorite gun (I only have 3 9mm anyway (m9A3 and Jericho 941F)
I like heavy gun and full metal guns :)
Only drawback I have is one magazine only, and its rare to find one alone in europe.
I have a question, is the wood grip a good addition and increase the feeling ?
Greate video, great gun !
Are those wood grips (actually grip module since the gen 3's came with a one-piece polymer grip) on your 5906? If so, please share where you bought them from. Looks really good against the stainless steel!
Check out KSD grips. It's a full wooden grip module that's pinned in place, like how the third gen gun grips are.
@@Deanosaurous thanks for the 411 and quick reply!
This is what we used in the Florida Department of Corrections in the 90's!
I carried the S&W 4006 when I started police work in 1998. It was an excellent gun in every way. I hated the Glock 21SF we switched to.
I must know where you found those grips. The 5906 was my first handgun purchase at 18 (before the age raise). I developed a little obsession and picked up a couple other variants. Sadly holsters and stuff are hard to find.
This gun would still sell if they brought it back.
They could literally bring it as a collectors or competition piece just to charge double. Bad marketing move by SW to allow sig, cz and beretta to hold the market uncontested by them.
I collect S&W 1st-3rd gen pistols for my kids to own one day. They’re gorgeous pistols and only going up in value!
You had us in the first half
I carried this in my apartment in Philadelphia. It was either deal with this or my rice Krispy treats.
I have a S&W 915, which was the first stage of their last ditch effort to sell all-metal pistols in the early-mid 90's. As a way to cut cost, they switched to an aluminum alloy lower and simplified the overall set of features, i.e. only one safety/decocker lever (left side), as well as a matte finish with certain external machine operations omitted on the exterior of the pistol and vastly simplified sights. Shoots just as well as my buddies 5906, just doesn't look as pretty.
I own a Smith & Wesson 6904 that's a great handgun, love shooting it and before that I owned a Model 39-2. Even though the 6904 has the alloy frame/steel slide and 6906 like the 5906 has the steel frame/steel slide. I like the slightly shorter 6904 because it's a little easier to conceal with the 3 1/2 inch barrel compared to the 4 inch of the 5906/6906 guns.
NYPD was all about the 5946 (DAO), it seemed like every cop had this. Never saw a P226(which was apparently offered as well). Then one day the G19 just showed up and that was it
Nah, lots of agencies are still using the classic SigSaur line of metal duty pistols.
I've yet to come across a 3rd Gen on the shelf that I couldn't walk past without at least handling.
I'm up to 3x 4506-1, 4506 no dash, 1006, 1066, 2x 4566TSW, 5906, 5904, 3913, and a 645 if we let a 2nd Gen sneak in to the count.
I've sold (and regretted): 2x 4506 no dash, a 4506-1, 2x 4006 (including a CHP trade in), a hooked trigger guard 5906 and a clean 5904. Wish I had all of them back.
my main carry is a 3904, i like glocks and sigs, but there is something about the controls and balance. Thinking about switching to Beretta once im not a brokie but ill never sell my s&w
My first duty gun was a model 59 then I got this same model to carry next. It was a great gun.
Where did you get the wooden grips? Thanks
Check out KSD. They have an amazon store as well as a website.
@@Deanosaurous thanks
Fan of both, the 59 series and the Glock.
Finally this is my favorite gun no one talks about.
If anything Glock hurt steel firearms, not the other way around. My recently stainless steel revolver I purchased from S&W was very disappointing. My S&W 5906 from around 1991, been very reliable.
You mention the M&P, but there's a forgotten chapter in there that S&W would like you to forget. That's the "Sigma" series of pistols. The Gen 1 guns are wild, with the 380 and 9 compact guns not having frame mounted magazine releases. Instead the release was two tabs on the magazine itself that depressed.
Oh yeah, the Sigmas were interesting. Mostly because they were nearly 1 for 1 a glock copy. S&W got sued for it, and rightly so. If you ever take the two guns apart, you'd swear the parts could interchange.
where did you get the Wood Grips?
Hogue Grips ✔️
These are KSD. Check them out at their website, or on their Amazon page.
The decoking lever is not a safety, according to the inventor, Carl Walther.
There are no MIM parts on any mod 39/59.
92s only cost 7 bills and that’s what Smith would go for.
Have one acquired it from
My older brother that never shot it
Great gun
I have a 4006 and it is one of my favs
Got a 5903 i bought for $300 years ago super nice
these are good pistols. 👍
These are very nice guns.
.I brought a Mod 39 home with me from Germany 50 years ago in 1974..bought it through the post Rod and Gun Club for around 100. OX in 1972..dumbass me sold it in1979 whenI moved from NJ TO FL...
Bought an aluminum framed 5904 just before the assault weapon ban in the mid 90's. That gun was utterly reliable, but I absolutely hated the long heavy DA trigger pull. It was OK for a range gun, but don't care for DA/SA guns for defense. Finally traded it off 20 years later. Not really sorry to see it go.
Loved my 5908
They weren't "Boutique or niche" guns...they were simply old guns. Made from steel because well, that's what guns should be made from. I owned one of the first budget 40s from S&W back in the day. It sat high in the hand so recoil was amplified when it didn't have to be. Magazine held 11 rounds. I also bought their version of a Glock, the S&W Sigma (in .40). The trigger was weird but you could get used to it eventually. Accuracy was not good. At least not for me. Never bought another S&W after that. Though I am considering the M&P Shield plus.
When editing, I realized I cut what I said previously, and that statement was mainly pointed at the re-release of guns like FN's hi-power, sig's P210, etc. Just like if S&W tried to make this gun again, it would be a niche collector's/shooter's piece.
@Deanosaurous Ahhh...yeah that makes more sense. It would be interesting if they did remake them with a higher capacity and maybe a more modern look. Y'know like forward serrations and optic cut. I think the price would be the only thing holding them back.
Well good riddance too. I have several Gen 3 S&W semi autos and was never impressed with them. What pisses me off is that S&W won’t even make magazines, nor spare parts for these guns anymore. There’s still police departments that use Colt 1911’s, even though Colt is owned by the company that owns CZ. For “duty,” there’s still police departments that use Colt 1911’s. Long Beach Police in California is one example. …even though Colt was recently bought by a Czech Republic company.
Smith and Wesson ceased production around 2013 on the S&W 5946 for the R.C.M.P. that ended the 3rd Gen series. Sadly, Smith and Wesson doesn’t have the talented gunsmiths to work on the older revolvers. They are focused on the polymer.
Great review. Very interesting. Glock changed a lot of things.
Now every body makes a Glock copy with a few minor cosmetic changes an puts their own name on it.
Walther makes steel framed striker-fired pistols. $1700 to $1900 unfortunately. It makes me have to appreciate my $300 polymer framed clone.
Still have my 4006. Bought it new about 1990.
I’m like you I love theses guns and have a 5906 and 915,
I recently rewatched Training Day and now this comes up on my suggested. Yes I know, different calibers. Internet is trying to tell me something....
I have a 3914 and love it, but I almost never find a gun I don’t want!
The 59 with suppressor was used in Vietnam by the Seals and MACVSOG.
Great gen 3 smith and Wesson. I have the CHP 4006 a real tank🇺🇸🇺🇸
In Canada the RCMP has been using the 5946 since the early 90’s. The one good thing I will say is it’s a reliable firearm, however beyond that they are obsolete for duty use. They have terrible triggers, no accessory mounting options, are heavy and worst of all, they’re ugly. Thankfully they are set to be replaced in the next year or two.
I have a 6906 and really like it
Typical old school police duty pistol like the SIG P210 and P220. Reminds me to the Walther P66. I thing this pistols will have a comeback.
The Model 52 is nice, but it only holds 5 rounds, and the magazines run $150 each, if you can find them. On the other hand, they are great target pistols.
What killed the Smith 3rd Gen guns, Beretta 92FS and SiG models was pretty much two things. Weight and ease of teaching officer to use the safe action system. The DA/SA system took way more time and attention to teach people who were not gun savvy. Also, Glock needs one punch to take apart and repair. The others not so much.
I just snagged a nice 5904! Third Gen Smiths are the shizz!