S&W Model 59

[Guest Son of Aslan]

Pros and Cons? Just got one in excellent condition.

[mikegideon]

I bought mine new in the '70's. I've always loved it. I can't recall a malfunction the whole time I've had it. It doesn't have a firing pin safety, so they say it can go off if you drop it. I've never dropped mine.

I also have a Gen 3 S&W. The guns are identical in function (externally). The grip on the 59 is a little fatter.

[Caster]

Don't own one but I love 'em. Personally I like the 659 better. I am very much in lust with this handgun.

Look up a fella by name of Mikegideon. Him know a thing or two 'bout these smith & wessons.

[Caster]

HA!!! He beat me to it!

[mikegideon]

The only complaint I heard out of cop buddies when they were first issued was about the fat grip. Never bothered me.

BTW Caster, if I ever see a 659 like that, I'll probably grab it. I'm a big fan of the older S&W autos as well.

Edited April 2, 2012 by mikegideon

[SonnyCrockett]

I have a 39-2 (single stack 9MM) and I like it a bunch ....the 59 is a double stack version of a 39-2....Id grab it

[SonnyCrockett]

Don't own one but I love 'em. Personally I like the 659 better. I am very much in lust with this handgun.

Look up a fella by name of Mikegideon. Him know a thing or two 'bout these smith & wessons.

pretty slick w custom grips

[Caster]

39-2 is a cool pistol. I've always felt like the 3913 was one of the finest compact 9x19 pistols ever made. I'd dearly love to have one of those too!

[TNWNGR]

The Mdl. 59's tended to have a really bad DA/SA trigger pull that didn't improve much over time, the 5906 finally got thing's right and was the best of that breed. I purchased a M59 when S&W first marketed them and tried to make myself like it but just couldn't. I loved the way the M39 felt and shot, thought the 3913 was perfect and regret not buying a 5906 instead of a Beretta M-92, which BTW is also a better pistol than the M59.

[Caster]

Thanks to the OP for screwing up my budget. I had just forgot about a 659. Now I'm on my head to have one again. I've sworn since I was a kid I would have one.

When I was a kid[8 or 9 years old] we [not me ] were at a family friends home and everyone was in the backyard shooting. My dad had bought my mom a 659 and I wanted to shoot it. When I asked for about the third time to get a go at it, I was reprimanded and sent away. So it's it's been one of those things on my mind. I'll have one and I'll shoot the hell out of it and dare anyone to say anything about it.

Dang it. And I had just sat down and budgeted out my priorities for the next 6 months.

[Glenn]

The first semi-auto I ever bought was a 59. I don't think I ever shot a full mag without a jam. I didn't know enough to try to get it fixed, just sold it and bought something else. I wish I had it now. I always liked the way it felt in my hand and I'm sure the jamming could be fixed.

Glenn

[SonnyCrockett]

big fan of S&Ws metal guns

check out this gem I got last week

[hipower]

Sweet looking CS you got there, Sonny. I've not owned one, but have given it some consideration.

I have though, been the owner of my Dad's nickel 59, as well as a really nice 39-2, and I ran across a fantastic 3913 last year that I just had to have.

And the 659 sounds rel good right now. Maybe Caster and I can both find one...cheap.

[1gewehr]

I had an early S&W M59 and never really liked it. The trigger was much worse than my M39, and it seemed less accurate. I never bought one of the later models, but everyone says that S&W made some serious improvements. Maybe I'll snag a M659 or 5906 if I see one at the right price.

[hipower]

I agree, the 59 didn't have the best trigger of the smith guns, but things did get a lot better with the 2nd/3rd generation guns.

[Guest Gwith40]

My father owned a 59. Unfortunately, it was a jam-o-matic. Rather than spend time working on it, he got rid of it. I wish he had kept it.

I owned a 4006 for many years. I really liked that model, other than the fact that is was heavy as a concrete block. The gun was extremely reliable, except when using the old UMC ammo. With the UMC it would stovepipe frequently. I had zero problems with any other kind of ammo I tried, even when I mixed ammo and purposely did not clean the gun. I came to the conclusion that the UMC did not have enough power to kick the slide hard enough.

[Guest Son of Aslan]

Thanks for all the responses. Here's a picture...

[Caster]

Nice. We'll expect a range report with more photos on our desk first thing monday morning.

[gregintenn]

Cons? The grip is thick and the trigger isn't too good.

Pros? Everything you'd want in a 9mm that isn't mentioned above.

Nice pistol!!!

[TNWNGR]

I still remember all of the buzz in the gun rags on the M59 when it first came out and how good it looked to everyone in the pictures. A lot of reference's were made to an experamental earlier version of it being used during the Vietnam War. I consider the M59 to have been a very good transitional gun for S&W as they matured it into much improved model's. It's good to see a nice example posted and read so many other shooter's experences with them as well.