Field stripping S&W Model 59 - Help

Noban

New member
My friend asked me to clean his S&W 59 for him and I would like to know how to field strip it. Some straight forward direction or a web site with directions would be great.

Thanks for the anticipated help.
 
S&W will gladly send you an instruction manual, but the process is very simple:

Just take out the slide stop after aligning it as in the 1911, with the slide partially back. The slide assy. then slides right off. The recoil spring and recoil spring guide are held to the bottom of the bbl. by a very small cut out, so carefully pull out the recoil spring and guide from this cut; there is a fair amount of pressure on the spring. In fact, when you remove the slide assy. from the receiver, I usually keep my thumb on the recoil spring, pushing into the bottom of the bbl.
The bbl. bushing removes just like a 1911.

That is all there is to it. Walt

PS; If you ever detail strip the thing, take care to cover the little plunger that is in the safety with your thumb as you remove the safety. It is spring loaded, and I put one into LEO. Still haven't found it. WW
 
1. Ensure that the pistol is unloaded, slide forward, with the hammer cocked and the magazine removed. Take the pistol with your right hand, fingers and thumb pulling the slide back (1/4 inch or so) until the forward (rounded) edge of the slide stop/release is aligned with the cut (left side of slide) in the lower edge of the slide. Hold it in that position against the recoil spring tension.

2. With your left hand index finger push on the protruding end of the slide stop pin (right side of the slide) until the slide stop sticks out far enough to pull it out completely with your left hand fingers.

3. Move the slide forward off the frame completely. The hammer will be released to fall as the slide passes over the automatic hammer-drop, so keep a thumb on it and ease it down.

4. Move the recoil spring guide slightly forward (from the flange & spring loaded plunger end), lift it up from its recess (little cut) on the barrel, and remove the
guide and spring by pulling backwards and out. The spring is under tension as you do this. Be careful.

5. Turn the barrel bushing to the left until its lug lines up with the open track and remove the bushing from the barrel.

6. Lift the barrel up at the rear and remove it from the bottom of the slide.

The M59 will now be field-stripped for cleaning. Reassembly is now the reverse of this. Hope this helps.
 
I've had a model 59 since the 1970s when I bought it new. I like it fine, but it has always been difficult to get the slide stop out. It's not a big problem, but don't expect it to just slide right out when you push on it. I always spend some time getting everything lined up just right and working it out. After that, the rest is easy.

Doug
 
Thanks to all for the advice and E-mails. All went well. I went the extra mile(s) and further disassembled the pistol (thanks Harley for the visuals1). BTW, the pistol belongs to a friend of mine who (get ready for this) has NEVER cleaned or lubricated it in 10 years. It was a mess. There wasn't even a hint of lubrication on the rails or on the internals. The barrel had enough copper in it to make a few pennies. The carbon build up was like nothing I had ever seen before, even compared to teh vintage WWII rifles I have worked on. Before I give it back to him (with a bottle of CLP) I'm going to hit him over the head with it.

Thanks again for the help.
 
Back
Top