S&W 39-2

A

AKexpat

New member
I am about to get a S&W 39-2 9mm pistol from an estate disbursement from my FIL. I gave it to him 20+ years ago and it has been a safe queen for that long.

I gave it to him for several reasons, but mostly because I gravitated to 1911 .45 ACP pistols.

I would like to hear the pro's and con's as to why I should keep it or sell it.

I know it is a single stack mag (like my 1911's), but it is in great shape.

As a 1911 guy, the safety movement is backward. I am not in favor of the DA/SA trigger pull difference.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Jim
 
Sounds like you don't want / like it. Let me know how much you want for it and maybe we can make a deal.

PM me if you are interested.
 
I carried one of these for many years, as an off-duty gun while an LEO. I loved the gun, shot it quite a bit, got used to the SA/DA trigger pull and it was no big deal in short order. Of course, my duty gun was a double action Smith & Wesson revolver back in those days, so a first shot DA pull with the M39 was not a big deal for me. I had no issues with reliability, found it to be very accurate, and it was easy to carry and conceal in an IWB holster, since it was so flat. I subsequently got a S&W M59, but found it a bit too bulky for off-duty concealed carry, and sold it off. I guess that old Model 39 was the start of me being a big fan of that series of Smith & Wesson 9 mm semi auto pistols. I eventually sold that M39, but for the last 20 years, I have been carrying one or the other of its descendants: a M3913 or M6906 has been my every day companion since I got rid of that M39. I can't say I would cease carrying a Colt .45 in favor of that S&W M39, especially if I'd been carrying a Colt .45 for many many years, and was used to it. (At my first LEO job, we could carry any off-duty gun we wanted to, and I did carry a Colt Combat Commander 45 back in those days......but in later years, at another Dept where I spent my last 33 years, we were not allowed to carry 45's off duty "back in the olden days", we had to carry either .38 revolvers or one of certain allowed 9mm pistols, which was what caused me to gravitate to the Smith and Wesson M39 and eventually become a fan of that series of weapon.). I guess if I was used to that Colt 45 and had been carrying it for many many years I would stick with that as my every day gun. But I really liked the old M39 that I had years ago, and to this day, still feel perfectly comfortable and well armed, carrying one of the M39's 9mm descendants on my hip.
 
I have a 39-2, and really love it.

Yes, the manual of arms is a little different from more "modern" guns, but in my very humble opinion it is just like ANY machine, be it hand gun or airplane, one has to work on familiarization with each variation to develop proficiency.

This is the original bobtail, and this thing feels absolutely perfect in my hand. I shot it very well the first time I took it to the range. What is not to like about that?

I also love the history of the gun, as the first American 9mm in general distribution. I don't mind the single stack, many carry guns like my Kahr PM9 and Sig 938 are single stacks with fewer rounds. Also consider the Shield, LCP, etc, that are single stack with fewer rounds. I have carried the 39-2 some, and found it nice.

This also led me to my fascination with 3rd generation Smith semi-autos, which are sweet, non-plastic classics.

If it were me, I would keep it. However, if you aren't going to make it work for a living and don't put stock in the history, sell or trade it to someone who will, and get something you will put to work. It does no good in the safe!
 
In my humble opinion, the Model 39 is still the best semi-auto I've ever used. It's flat so it carries well, it's fairly light, it's got a reasonable capacity, and it fits my hand perfectly.

It's not a "safety" really. It's a decocker. Drop the hammer, flip it back to the "fire" position, and holster it. The D/A trigger pull, like a revolver is all the "safety" you need. And keep you finger off the trigger.

The DA/SA trigger, you get used to with practice. Just like anything else.

If you just don't like the gun, sell it. They bring good money today, the better the condition, the better the price of course.

I've owned several myself, but traded/sold them off for one reason or another. Usually because there is another revolver I want more. If the fancy strikes me again, I'll buy another one.
 
I think it's the most handsome gun, ever. The safety wouldn't bother me, because I wouldn't carry it on safe.
 
I would rather have the 3rd Gen 3913TSW version since it has all the upgrades and "IMHO", that would be a more reliable range & carry gun. I personally would sell that Model 39 & perhaps get something that I could shoot & possibly carry.
 
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Well...

You folks have convinced me to keep it, even though I'm no longer a 9mm fan. I'll have fondle it for some time and evaluate.

I bought it NIB from a gun shop in Anchorage in the mid 80's (my first semi-auto pistol) and paid probably more than I should have, remembering the grins on the store clerks. I'll bet it was less than $275 but that's a guess.

I sold it to my FIL because we (FIL, MIL, wife, me, BIL, SIL, et al) saw the need for a CHP (Alaska term for Concealed Handgun Permit back in the day) at the time in the early 90's, and it was a fairly easy pistol to use for folks that had no previous knowledge of handguns. (BTW, my MIL opted for a Ruger SP101 2" .38, and I might obtain possession of that if they can find it somewhere in their house in the next week or so. :o )

I'll weigh the options and let interested parties know what I'll do with the Smith. The Ruger says HOME.

I would rather have the 3rd Gen 3913TSW version since it has all the upgrades and "IMHO", that would be a more reliable range & carry gun. I personally would sell that Model 39 & perhaps get something that I could shoot & possibly carry.
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I have a 1911 Government 5" .45 as a carry gun. I live in the boontoolies, don't venture into the "big city" much, and I watch my P's & Q's quite well. The .45 says it all in my book. I can operate it blindfolded and point it at the offending noise quite well. YMMV.
 
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I'm also a dedicated 1911 guy, and I bought a 539 a few months ago.
First impression is that the overall size and shape of the 539/639 is similar to a Combat Commander.
Second, and more lasting, is the relatively terrible trigger. I don't really mind the stagey, gritty trigger feel as much as how far the trigger has to be pulled.
In order to pull the trigger directly to the rear and not introduced any side-to-side movement in the gun, I have to get my finger very deep into the trigger, which is unnatural if you're used to contacting the trigger between the tip and first joint for single action operation.
For a "fun gun", I might be willing to just develop a different shooting style for that gun, but almost all the shooting I do is competition, and I don't know how much energy I want to put into developing real skill that applies to one gun.
 
I have a 1911 Government 5" .45 as a carry gun. I live in the boontoolies, don't venture into the "big city" much, and I watch my P's & Q's quite well. The .45 says it all in my book. I can operate it blindfolded and point it at the offending noise quite well. YMMV.
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A 1911 aficionado need not explain carrying one to another 1911 aficionado; Such things are just understood!
 
Looking at Gun Broker at the 39-2 they are beautiful. I have seen turn-in guns at Gander Mt. and now I wish I had purchased one. I assume the frame is alloy and that is why I passed on them at about $300 each. Now I have Glocks with plastic frames and I like them very much. Maybe they will have more.
 
I recently got hold of one. And quickly got rid of it. No question about its classic looks, etc. Especially after cleaning up. But it really depends on what you're expecting out of it. IOW, how do you intend to use it? I took mine to the range. It shot very accurately and smoothly. And it malfunctioned mid-magazine each time. That did it for me since I planned on keeping it for home defense purposes. No confidence in it. I tried looking for replacement parts and magazines. Good luck. And if you find what you're looking for they'll sell it for an arm and a leg. Just sayin'.
 
Detail it and lube it.

Have two and would jump on a third.

Just bought for new mags from Pro-Mag. Still using the original but like all magazines they need detailing every other year.

the current ladysmith is supposed to be the lastest variant of thta line.
 
I had a friend who found a Model 39 wrapped up in a towel in the attic of his new home. It was jamming for him so he had me take it to the range and try it out. Turns out the follower spring had been installed in the magazine backwards. Once I corrected that it worked perfectly. Oh, and my brother ran the serial number and it was not stolen.
 
39-2

I saw a S&W 39-2 that looked almost brand new at a Gun show that was priced at $695.00 with the box. They would have probably sold it at $650.00 but I don't need another gun. It felt great in my hand but I think it was over priced.
 
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