Smith Wesson 5900 and 6900

L

Line Rider

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Recently for some reason I have been looking at old Smith Autos. I've started looking and pricing both the 5900's and esp. the 6900.

Does any still carry one to these for self defense?
 
The S&W metal pistols have been my absolute passion for a couple of years now and I have added many. I totally love them.

No, I don't carry them at all. I use heartless, soulless tupperware for that job, and I enjoy my 1st, 2nd and 3rd Gen pistols on range days.
 
I've had most of my steel 745's, 45ACP, since new. At times will shoot rapidly to the point of fatique with both weak and strong hand. My hope is to mimic stress/fear. I use lesser/smaller calibers for defense that may not be steel.
 
Yes on occason, great guns. I have no reservations about them if well maintained and feeding carry ammo without issue.
 
I've been looking for a 669 or 6904/6 in good to vg condition. I thought I'd start with a carry gun and go from there.
 
I went through a "phase" with the 3rd gen. Smiths myself, a few years ago. Great pistols - some of the best ever made. I had a 6904, a 6906, a 3913 and a CS9. As I said, terrific guns. No way to go wrong with one.

Prices of them were low when I had them, but prices have been climbing recently. I paid just a little over $300 for each of the 6900 guns, about $400 for the 3913 and $450 (I think it was) for the CS9. I don't think you can touch them for that, now.

Parts are still somewhat available, though Smith & Wesson does not support them any longer. They are relatively easy to work on, as well. Of course, these guns are so reliable that nothing much has to be done to them - just spring replacement on well-worn copies, for the most part.
 
745SW said:
At times will shoot rapidly to the point of fatique with both weak and strong hand. My hope is to mimic stress/fear. I use lesser/smaller calibers for defense that may not be steel.
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If you haven't done it, try IDPA or USPSA. There's no REAL fear, but a lot of stress (and a little ego endangerment 'cause there tends to be a lot of folks witnessing what you're doing :eek: ), the time limits (more important in USPSA than in IDPA), and the focus on accuracy (more important in IDPA than USPSA) push you a bit, especially if you are new to the games.

It's not real world stress, but it probably comes closer to simulating a real-world confrontation than shooting rapidly, at the range. Weak hand strings pop up from time to time in IDPA matches, and is a part of the IDPA qualifier exercise.
 
Love the 3rd gen S&W's. Have owned 5 & still have 2: 5946 & 669 (late 2nd gen, close relative to the 6906).

Like above, EDC for me is modern "plastic" guns with dress clothes per my employment. But the 5946 is the bedroom gun. I have shot IDPA with a 6904 in the past, and all are fun at the range.
 
I've had a number of third gen S&Ws, 4506, 4506, 4043, 4006, and a 4006 tuned by Cylinder & Slide.

They were, for me, good, solid, reliable guns. I didn't care for the 4043 (which had been my son's police duty gun). I expected to love the Cylinder & Slide 4006, but didn't, although it was the best of the bunch. I sold my last 4506, and should have kept it.

I also had a 669 that George Stringer, a gunsmith who used to participate here some years ago, tuned for me. He later had some health problems that took him out of the business. That one may have been the best of the bunch, and may have been better the the C&S 4006.

None of them ever really rang MY bells, although the 669 came close: good size and weight. I sold it to a friend, and the frame cracked. S&W replaced it without asking a question, but all the great action work died with the cracked frame.) A friend had a Performance Center 5906 that I would have loved to have owned.

A lot of folks love them. They are strong and reliable semi-autos.
 
Parts are still somewhat available, though Smith & Wesson does not support them any longer.
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This is not accurate but there is some truth buried inside of it.

These guns WERE issued with a lifetime warranty, at least the post-89 pistols were and like many gun makers, S&W's customer service can be hit or miss depending on WHO picks up the phone that day. There are many, many documented cases of exactly that.

S&W does still have MANY parts. The "big" parts, not so much. If you crack a frame or bulge a barrel, S&W likely does not have a replacement, but even that does not necessarily mean they will tell you to go fly a kite.

There is also evidence that S&W is still making some 3rd Gens, yes, really. I have seen offered some 5946's that are stamped Houlton, Maine in bold print. Never thought I would see that, but it is true.
 
Originally Posted by 745SW
At times will shoot rapidly to the point of fatique with both weak and strong hand. My hope is to mimic stress/fear. I use lesser/smaller calibers for defense that may not be steel.

If you haven't done it, try IDPA or USPSA. There's no REAL fear, but a lot of stress (and a little ego endangerment 'cause there tends to be a lot of folks witnessing what you're doing ), the time limits (more important in USPSA than in IDPA), and the focus on accuracy (more important in IDPA than USPSA) push you a bit, especially if you are new to the games.

It's not real world stress, but it probably comes closer to simulating a real-world confrontation than shooting rapidly, at the range. Weak hand strings pop up from time to time in IDPA matches, and is a part of the IDPA qualifier exercise.
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I shot my 539 (2nd Gen, single stack 9) in an IDPA match on Saturday. Probably won't do it again.
The front sight appears to be wider than the rear notch, and it's nickel-plated, so the sight picture is terrible (especially trying align the white front sight on white-painted steel targets).
The DA trigger is long and crunchy, and the SA is short and crunchy. I got some decent hits when I really concentrated and took my time, but I doubt that I'll devote the time and energy to mastering the gun's shortcomings, when it's so different from every other gun I own or have ever owned.
A beautiful piece of gunmaking is the 539, but the Glock 26 that I borrowed for the Back-Up Gun stage is better, as a shooter, in every possible way.
 
It is my take, generally speaking, that the 2nd Gen S&W pistols are basically some 1st Gen pistols with a couple added features and finishes.

The 3rd Gen pistols are, however, the pinnacle of the design.

I can't argue with your recent experience with the 539, it sounds totally reasonable and my 639 is so very much the same way. What I would love to hear is if next Saturday, you were able to take a 3906 to the match and give it a serious run.

I won't sit here and posit that 1990 technology beats a familiar Glock in this role, but I do believe that the 3rd Gen pistols are more than the sum of their parts and simply FAR beyond the 2nd Gen guns.
 
Until I ran across the Springfield XD(S), my single-stack holster gun carried IWB, was the 3914 LadySmith.

If I feel the need to carry a double stack gun, it is a Glock 19 or 30S.

And my multiple loaded home defense guns are 3rd Gen Smiths. I haven't even mentioned the ones I sold. Let's just say I had to carefully check serial numbers to be sure I didn't have an ex-FBI 10mm pistol. And I didn't, sadly.

So you can say I like the metal 3rd Gen Smiths.

Bart Noir
 
Sevens said:
It is my take, generally speaking, that the 2nd Gen S&W pistols are basically some 1st Gen pistols with a couple added features and finishes.
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Arguably true, although I think that the 69-series 2nd-gen design is a little closer to the 3rd-gen pistols than the 2nd-gen 39- and 59-series are, because the 69-series pistols have integral barrel bushings and coned barrels rather than separate barrel bushings. This eliminates wear points and simplifies takedown.

That said, one major plus of the 3rd-gen pistols is the dovetailed front sight. The 2nd-gen front sight is integral and has to be drilled by a gunsmith for a front night sight to be installed.
 
The 3rd Gens are just so much more ergonomically enhanced and it seems like they did so many small things and every one of them adds up to a tremendous difference in your hands.

I have a 659 that I truly love, but if I am holding my 5906 and I put it down and grab my 659... I literally laugh out loud. The 5906 is the DIRECT evolution of the 59/659, but the difference is like night and next week.
 
LR,

To answer your question- yes I carry a 3rd generation most every day. Last three months it's been a 6904. When I want something bigger it's a SW 4516 or Sig p245. I also had a 5906 (frame broke) and currently have a 5904. They're good home/range guns but too long in the grip for me to carry. I've also got the smaller 8 round 3914 which carries great but is a bit too small for my large hands.

Summitgunbroker (www.summitgunbroker.com) got in a shipment of 6906's and 6904's and was recently selling them for $350. I think they're out of the 6906's now. I've bought several guns from him and the quality and price are excellent.

Good luck. It's hard to go wrong with the SW 3rd gens.

best wishes- oldandslow
 
I vacillate between my compact 6906 / Beretta 92C and my full sized 5906 Tactical and full size Beretta 92/96's

Different purposes for the compact and full size, but since the fire control groups and reliability / accuracy are equal I have no problem going between the two brands of handguns.

It's a shame that Companies like Colt, Sig and Beretta have kept their main pistols in the line for so long while S&W seems to be like Taurus... a new fad model every so often. I stopped buying S&W's because I do not like striker fired polymer handguns nor 1911 platforms.

If / when my Smiths become unserviceable, I'll move over to Beretta completely.
 
I like the guns overall, and was buying them when they were a bargain at under $400. Well designed, ergonomic, reliable, nice looking, great capacity.

Now the prices have crept up over $400, and I'll pass in the current buyers market.

I have my complaints - I prefer a slide mounted decocker/safety. And I don't care for the mag disconnect. And I find the trigger guard and trigger not quite right for me. But these aren't deal breakers.

But right now, you can get awesome overstock new production pistols for $200-$300, and that's what I've been buying. Zastava Sig clone, EAA SAR CZ Clone, etc. Unbeatable for the price.
 
I carry a 3953 daily in an Alessi Talon holster. It's a flat, accurate pistol that points and shoots very well. If I need to go to Baltimore, it's a Glock 19 for the higher threat environment.
 
I have a big ol' 1006 I inherited from my great-uncle. I'm in law enforcement, and I've shot the qualification course every year since I received it. It's huge so concealment would be ridiculously impractical. When in uniform we have to carry the issued Glock, but I carry the 1006 every chance I get when I'm doing light duty detail (interviews, conferences) which, unfortunately isn't very often.
 
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