S&W 659 - Parts Question

[Handgunner00]

While reassembling my 659 (photos attached), the recoil spring and spring guide assembly took off in flight and was lost for a couple of stressful hours. This experience prompted me to check the availability of parts for this model S&W and I found no single vendor carried all parts, so I'm now on a parts hunt. For fans of the 659, assuming I'm firing no more than a thousand rounds a month, what parts should I hunt for other than the following: recoil spring and recoil spring guide assembly; barrel bushing; firing pin and firing pin spring; extractor and extractor spring; and sear release lever?

Thanks.

Peter

 

[Skans]

I have a S&W 659 that I bought either new or barely used in 1989. It is one of the most reliable, most durable guns I own. I doubt I'd ever sell it. I used to shoot it quite a bit, but not as much these days. I've never had the gun or any part fail. It's rock-solid reliable.

I've toyed with getting a parts set for it - there used to be tons of parts sets on ebay and gunbroker because they were often police trade-ins and you could get more for the parts. Plenty of parts should be out there for these guns. Recoil springs I believe are easily obtainable from Wolf. I believe the 659 uses many of the same parts as the 59.

 

[Handgunner00]

Thanks, Skans. Good to hear this from a senior member. Maybe I'm overstating a concern for needed parts for this seemingly indestructible S&W semi-auto.

Peter

 

[chaim]

I see you've been here since April but only have 10 posts. Welcome to TFL (I missed it originally). We are fairly local (I'm in Columbia MD so about an hour from Fairfax County VA).

Unfortunately, S&W has total ceased to support the 2nd and 3rd generation S&W pistols. They don't even carry parts anymore. So, if you like the gun, your idea of gathering some of the more likely to fail parts, and especially those that are normal maintenance after X rounds is a good idea. At minimum I'd pick up a couple firing pins, extractors, and various springs. That and/or limit how much you shoot it.

 

[Sevens]

Let's look at the numbers rationally. If you honestly believe that you will put 12,000 rounds annually through a S&W 659, the math says that's $2,400 a year in ammo at market prices.

Let's say instead of factory ammo, you are a seriously high volume handloader... $600 a year if your loads are cast bullets that you made yourself.

This is annually.

So your answer, realistically, is to skip the parts and start buying 659's. A better idea is to buy 5906's as -many- of these have been hitting the market lately.

At 12k a year, you'll honestly be wearing out the barrels in 5 years. And unless the taxpayers are buying your ammo, your budget should include more guns.

 

[Handgunner00]

chaim: Thanks for the response. Have read often in this Forum and in the S&W Forum that S&W no longer will service the 659. So, I was surprised that S&W accepted my 659 in a recall and replaced the sear release lever last month. Must presume service/parts are available when a recall deals with a malfunctioning safety system.

sevens: Thanks for the mathematical analysis. I misspoke. I do shoot about a thousand rounds a month, but with five different handguns to include my 659.

 

[RickB]

When I stripped my 539, I was amazed by the number of tiny, spring-loaded plungers in the gun.
One for the firing pin block, one for the mag disconnect, one for the decocker, the trigger, and maybe another one or two more.
I would not want to disassemble that gun anywhere but a clean, well-lighted bench, not because I'm going to wear-out anything, but I'd probably lose one or more of those tiny pieces.

 

[Handgunner00]

RickB: Agree completely. The disassembly/assembly of this pistol needs to be conducted as a surgical procedure. The MSRP of $449 back in April 1983 attests to the complexity of its highly integrated parts and functioning. This $449 cost came from the S&W Historical Foundation Letter of Authenticity for this 659 - that's $1,110 in today's dollars.

Peter