What handgun do you like better than your 59xx?

W

WestOfPecos

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I have had 3rd gen S&W pistols since the early 90s. They have grown on me, to the degree that they are now among my very favorites.

I am curious. If you own/ have owned a 59xx or similar 3rd gen S&W, what semi-auto pistol do you prefer to it, or like equally?

Right now, I own a 5904 and a 3913 and really enjoy both, probably more than than the other half dozen pistols I own (most of them much more recent than my 3rd gen S&Ws). I find them impeccably reliable, easy to clean and comfortable to handle. I regret the fact that they are not made any more.

Here are some other semi-auto pistols that I own/ have owned and compared them to: Beretta 92, Jericho 941, multiple 1911s and 2011s of different makes, Bersa Thunder, Sig P226 and P229, Kimber Solo, Spingfield XD and XDM, Glock 17 and 26, CZ 75.
 
I have the 3913 and a WWII Walther P-38 as my only 2 pistols. I like to shoot both and carry the 3913 on occasion. I personally prefer revolvers and favor the S&W 640 from the 1990 era, and the S&W 627 from the more modern era. S&W is my goto.
 
I remember seeing a 59 for the first time - 6 months before it came on the market !! :eek:
I was more interested in the later developments in their 45acp .I watched the developments of that gun during IPSC matches. I was impressed with all the work that went into it !!
 
I will answer the question in three ways:

Kind of a jerk way: I like my Performance Center 5" PPC-9 better than my 5906! ;)

In a S&W kinda way: deeply in love with my S&W 745, but like the above, it's quite different than a 5906 and the two can't be easily compared because they do different things

Realistic way: a 915 or 5903 probably does a 5906's "best role" even better than a 5906 simply because the 5906 would be like carrying an anvil in your belt all day. Furthermore, while I do not get any manner of passionate for tupperware guns, I respect what they do well, and in a 5906's typical role... here in 2016 I would rather use tupperware, no question.

With all that out of the way, I have NEVER met a 5906 that I didn't like. I own just one 5906 but it's a phenomenal handgun that I won't ever give up.
 
i'll take a 3rd gen over almost ANYTHING else...

But...I've found another love...Star pistols.
Years ago I carried a Star 30, it was my first semi-auto of the Wondernine variety...
loved that it was 15+1 w/doublestack mags, (S&W 59xx mags, btw)
just compact enough to easily conceal,
but it was still a full-sized duty pistol.

When I found a S&W CS45, when first picking it up,
the thought occurred to me, "just like a Star!"
which led to me finding a Star M45, M43, & M243 in quick succession...
then a S&W CS40 popped up ;)
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So...thusfar the M243 (.40S&W) shoots the best,
feels like its a .32ACP when firing...it REALLY soaks recoil!!!
The reason I carry the M45 practically all the time instead,
is due to only having ONE M243 mag...need at least 3 to be a carry pistol.

The M45 shares mags with the S&W CS45, due to Star's uncanny intelligence
in matching up most of their pistols with S&W 3rd Gen Mags ;)
All you have to do is Carefully Mill the mag catch hole in the S&W CS45/or 45XX mags.
Then carefully mill all the Star mags to fit the CS45...
so then, you have mags that interchange between the two,
you can see the benefits there, especially when you use a double-gun rig.
 
For me, not much beats a 59xx. A Glock 22 comes in at a close second for me; in a battle ready sort of way. A 5906TSW would be my "one" gun if it every came down to it.
 
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