Cheapshooter
New member
Skip a few lattes, bag lunch it, or what ever to put some money away to buy the 39 outright.
VVVV
VVVV
which is the more iconic/desirable Smith
- Thread starter mavracer
- Start date
I'd say the 39-2 is more iconic however the 1076 is more desirable.
I'm not positive on pricing but I thought a 39-2's are around $500 vs $1,000 for the 1076. I'd just get a 39-2 and see if you like it more than the 1076 and sell whichever you like the least. If I had a 1076 there's no way I'd consider dropping it for a 39-2.
I'm not positive on pricing but I thought a 39-2's are around $500 vs $1,000 for the 1076. I'd just get a 39-2 and see if you like it more than the 1076 and sell whichever you like the least. If I had a 1076 there's no way I'd consider dropping it for a 39-2.
micromontenegro
New member
52 all the way.
I've never thought of any S&W auto as iconic, except within the context of S&W products, but don't think I'd allow historical significance ahead of shootability, so I'd probably go with a 52 before any DA/SA model.
I have a 539, and while it's a beautiful example of gunmaking art, the trigger is terrible, as are the sights, and the 52 addresses both shortcomings.
I have a 539, and while it's a beautiful example of gunmaking art, the trigger is terrible, as are the sights, and the 52 addresses both shortcomings.
It was the S&W TDA double stacks that really started the "wonder-nine" revolution. There was a time that most police holsters were filled with one model or another. I think that is what makes them iconic.
Hun Shooter
Inactive
If you are collecting S&W you should have a 645 
It's not the most refined or best looking but most definitely rare and different. Chances are you are not going to find another person with it at the range. I ended up trading it for a Springfield 1911
It's not the most refined or best looking but most definitely rare and different. Chances are you are not going to find another person with it at the range. I ended up trading it for a Springfield 1911
The S&W 39/39-2 can absolutely be defined as "iconic" in almost any way you'd define the term. Absolutely the Grandfather (along with the 59) of the 9mm double action police sidearm in Notth America. And the ASP and Devel customs (modified 39's & 59's) were the precursor to compact & ultra-compact 9mm defensive guns.
To the poster above that gives the 1006 a nod over the 1076 for "significance in the history" (or development) of the 10mm round... you would have a very serious argument in the 1006 vs 1076, given that the 1076 was issued in very historic and significant LE duty contracts, most notably by the FBI and multiple large State Police organizations.
To the OP: as "iconic" goes, the 39-2 wins this particular matchup. Desirability however, the 1076 has an edge, mostly due to exclusivity. Around 400,000 units of the 39-2 were shipped by S&W where only 13,805 of the 1076 were made.
To the poster above that gives the 1006 a nod over the 1076 for "significance in the history" (or development) of the 10mm round... you would have a very serious argument in the 1006 vs 1076, given that the 1076 was issued in very historic and significant LE duty contracts, most notably by the FBI and multiple large State Police organizations.
To the OP: as "iconic" goes, the 39-2 wins this particular matchup. Desirability however, the 1076 has an edge, mostly due to exclusivity. Around 400,000 units of the 39-2 were shipped by S&W where only 13,805 of the 1076 were made.
Iconic just seems an odd description of most Smith semi-autos. The two digit and three digit Smith autos never seemed very popular to me. Some success seemed to come with the four digit autos, driven primarily by Smith's introduction of 10mm and 40 S&W models.
Even after nearly forty years producing autos, police departments bought the Austrian autos to replace their revolvers. It didn't help that at the time Smith semis cost about as much as a Sig, And when the four digit series came out Smith spent the first few years trying to figure out whether to build DAs with slide safetys or decockers, or DAOs with no safety.
My impression is that the Smith autos were rugged but had rather rough DA triggers, and were not cheap. As I recall, most people in the early 90s were buying Glocks, Berettas, Sigs, 1911s, CZ75s and clones, and even Hi-Powers.
Good guns? Perhaps. But very few that would seem to be iconic.
Even after nearly forty years producing autos, police departments bought the Austrian autos to replace their revolvers. It didn't help that at the time Smith semis cost about as much as a Sig, And when the four digit series came out Smith spent the first few years trying to figure out whether to build DAs with slide safetys or decockers, or DAOs with no safety.
My impression is that the Smith autos were rugged but had rather rough DA triggers, and were not cheap. As I recall, most people in the early 90s were buying Glocks, Berettas, Sigs, 1911s, CZ75s and clones, and even Hi-Powers.
Good guns? Perhaps. But very few that would seem to be iconic.
bamaranger
New member
voted one way, believe another
Given your poll choices, I voted M39. Paaved the way for all the wondernines and DA autos that followed. But the M52.....feeding .38 spl wadcutter and super accurate......nobody by S&W even came close to such a pistol.
There is a very good article on the M42 in "The Blue Press" this month as well.
Given your poll choices, I voted M39. Paaved the way for all the wondernines and DA autos that followed. But the M52.....feeding .38 spl wadcutter and super accurate......nobody by S&W even came close to such a pistol.
There is a very good article on the M42 in "The Blue Press" this month as well.