Smith & Wesson pistol advice

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Charlie_K

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Jul 16, 2012
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So I've been looking around at a number of handguns on various auction sites, and I keep coming across old Smith & Wesson models that look like they're out of production. Not the polymer-framed or 1911 models, but the steel and aluminum framed models that were unique to Smith & Wesson. Most of them are going for reasonably good prices.

Does anyone have experience with any of these older models? Are they accurate? Are they reliable? Is there anything to be aware of when buying one?
 
I carried a 4506 on and off duty from 1996-2000 and found it ultra reliable. I have many friends that still have and shoot all floors of S&W autos with no bad things to say. Probably my favorite was the 469; 9mm mini auto (for the time) with 12 round magazines...very concealable and easy to carry. There aren't as many police trade ins anymore, but you can still find them out there and they won't do you wrong.
 
The 3-digit and 4-digit models are good models. If you find a lot of them used at good prices they might be police department tradeins.
 
The S&W pistols tend to be overbuilt and very reliable, but accuracy isn't the greatest and takedown is problematic. The single stack versions are as reliable as a Glock, running well even after hundreds of rounds have gone down the pipe between cleanings. I used to own 7 or 8, in 3 different calibers. Never had a jam. My favorites were probably the stainless 1076 and the alloy 3914. They were reasonably accurate, but had larger groupings than I liked and seemed to shoot several inches low. Did not like the adjustable sights and hated the magazine safety.
 
Those S&W pistols beat the Beretta in the military pistol trials of the 1980's. Politics being what they are, they had ALREADY awarded the contract to Beretta BEFORE the trials. When this was objected to, the trials were held, and both times the S&W was better than the Beretta. I remember it well as I was in the service and then one happened just after I got out. So, yes, those pistols are truly excellent.
I gave my wife basically the same pistol, but modified by S&W for women called the 3913LS when we got married. It was a very, very nice, reliable, and slim pistol.
 


The 59 is S&W's original double stack 9mm, the 6906 is a later generation. Neither have ever disappointed and I've owned and shot for years.

Shoot Winchester Ranger[LE], 124 GR. T-Series +P, RA9124TP....started out with Super-Vel in the 59 in olden times. Ranger T-Series was a successor to original Black Talon load without the bad rap given it by mostly ignorant folks who just knew the word Teflon combined with the color black and an expanding bullet could not be a good thing.

Best.
 
DocT said:
Those S&W pistols beat the Beretta in the military pistol trials of the 1980's. Politics being what they are, they had ALREADY awarded the contract to Beretta BEFORE the trials. When this was objected to, the trials were held, and both times the S&W was better than the Beretta. I remember it well as I was in the service and then one happened just after I got out. So, yes, those pistols are truly excellent.
I gave my wife basically the same pistol, but modified by S&W for women called the 3913LS when we got married. It was a very, very nice, reliable, and slim pistol.
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I can honestly say that I never heard anything about that. The way I heard the story, was that it came down to being between SIG-Sauer and Beretta, and Beretta decided to cut their prices in order to secure the contract, despite the SIGs having the better quality.
 
Charlie_K said:
I can honestly say that I never heard anything about that. The way I heard the story, was that it came down to being between SIG-Sauer and Beretta, and Beretta decided to cut their prices in order to secure the contract, despite the SIGs having the better quality.
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This is how I remember the story, when I was in the service and we switched to the Berettas. Good thing, those SW jam-a-matics weren't selected.

I would avoid any 1000 series SW, because they were plagued with problems and weren't very accurate. IMO, the reasonable price reflects there low worth, because I haven't seen anyone carry one since the 90's.
 
razcob said:
This is how I remember the story, when I was in the service and we switched to the Berettas. Good thing, those SW jam-a-matics weren't selected.

I would avoid any 1000 series SW, because they were plagued with problems and weren't very accurate. IMO, the reasonable price reflects there low worth, because I haven't seen anyone carry one since the 90's.
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I agree... There is a reason a lot of people don't like them...
 
I remember when they announced they would be switching to the Beretta and there had been no trials. It caused a big hoopla and the brass did a lot of covering their back sides. They tried several brands and S&W, Sig Sauer, and Beretta were the top three. The S&W was as good as the Sig and better than the Beretta. It did not jam and passed every test. The S&W had the advantage of having a safety. Some of my buddies were testing, in those days. None of us were happy with the switch to Beretta, but like the military has done for two centuries, it was politically and financially motivated. That model S&W is still a fine pistol, though no longer made. Anyway, that is how I remember it. I know there are some old articles taking about the debacle.

What I would like to see happen today is that our military would get a new side arm, made in the USA (unless its a Glock :) ). Ruger and S&W are both making good handguns, now. Sorry, I digress.

The S&W the OP is speaking of is, in fact, a good pistol as has been proven by police departments all across the USA and in other places. I do not like the position of the safety. I prefer a frame mounted safety.
 
The poop as I remember it was that Beretta got the contract in an under handed deal so we could keep our Air bases etc in Italy.
 
Yeah, I have a link to a congressional investigation over the whole issue. They stated there were probably some underhanded things going on but they had no real proof. Beretta is now making some better models but the 92, while a fine and smooth pistol, was not the best choice for our military.
 
S&W Model 645 in 45 ACP. Without a doubt the best $399 I ever spent on a gun.

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Good guns. But I've always thought the triggers were crap. But then again I'm not a fan of SA/DA triggers period. Quit buying HKs for that very reason... that is until they released the VP9.
 
The original 645 trigger pull was ugly. They came up with some trigger group mods which also went into the 3rd Gen guns IIRC. For example there was a spring that needed it's hole drilled out slightly to reduce the drag. I think the rest was the usual trigger mod smoothing and polishing.

There was also a safety lever mod available that did away with the dual levers and the loose screw problem. I think it was just the single sided 745 safety lever actually. I think Novak was behind all the mods.
 
They're definitely good to go, never any bad press about those classics. Don't see them around nearly as much. Used to be a big LEO/Sherrif gun back before berettas/glocks/sigs
 
I have owned several S&W semi autos- reliable and as accurate as the shooter. Beware the DAO ( double action only) S&Ws though-the only handgun I ever actually hated was a DAO 4046 that was a police trade in. I had a model 59 when I was in college and it was excellent.
 
Yeah, that 469 was probably better for a lot of people because there were a lot of AD's during those years with Glocks. It seems people, cops included, could not keep their fingers off the trigger when holstering, or doing anything other than actually intending to fire. That long trigger pull on the 469 was a plus for such people. (Not knocking Glock by any means, as I am a devoted fan).
 
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