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12-12-2010, 07:15 PM
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Would the M39 still function without the mag disconnector ? I've never been a fan of them, and have one in My 469. If they work without it, I think I would just as soon remove it.
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12-12-2010, 09:21 PM
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Winchester "white box" primers
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Winchester Silvertip primers
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Remington primers
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Wolf primers
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12-12-2010, 11:44 PM
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jpage: Yes it will function without the magazine disconnentor. And it will now fire even if the magazine is out of the pistol! I tried it with my 39 once; didn't like it and reinstalled the mag disconenctor.
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12-13-2010, 01:24 PM
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Hey guys. I'm kind of a lurker around here and don't really post much, but this thread has so much great info, I thought I'd say thanks to everyone who's posted.
I also purchased a Model 39 from AIM. I'm pretty sure mine was the last one to leave their warehouse. They told me I "almost lost it" because of some confusion with my FFL. But that all got sorted out and I was able to get my pistol and take it to the range this weekend.
Unlike W.E.G., my pistol came with the wood grips, which I was glad for. They are well worn, but still have several years of life left in them. Whoever carried it was a righty like me because the texture on the wood is almost completely smoothed down on the right grip panel.
My lanyard loop is also smashed down. My theory is that the Euro police force these came from were trained to use the butt of their guns to crack open walnuts. I'm still developing this theory...
I've owned a couple of dozen pistols over the past few years, but this is my first S&W pre-M&P auto. For some reason, this 39 is close to the top of the list of "fun to shoot" guns I've ever owned. I have no idea why, but I got a big grin every time I finished off a mag. The recoil seems very soft, and I think it will make a great training pistol for my intro to handgun classes.
I did have a few failures to extract, but that could have been because of the cheap Russian ammo I was using, or perhaps due to the fact that it hadn't been cleaned since it left Europe (don't judge me! I had a chance to go to the range so I jumped on it. You'd have done the same!) Anyway, it's been field stripped and scrubbed of all it's nasty Euro-grime now, so we'll see how it does next time at the range. Maybe I'll come back here and give a report.
Okay, that's all I got
Chris
PS: For your viewing pleasure:
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12-13-2010, 01:29 PM
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One more thing!
I emailed TGI, the guys who imported these pistols, and asked if they could give any details about where they came from. This is the reply I got just a few minutes ago:
Sir,
Other than the Austrian Government/Forest Service/Border Patrol/ Regional Police we don't know anymore details, Sorry
TGI
Anyone else want to do some detective work?
Chris
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12-13-2010, 07:37 PM
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Spaker:
Bull City Defense? I assume you've registered your handguns, right? Durham is funny like that.
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12-13-2010, 09:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 4506517
Spaker:
Bull City Defense? I assume you've registered your handguns, right? Durham is funny like that.
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Hah, yes I'm aware of the Durham registration law. From what I've been able to gather, local leo have been told not to enforce it and the last conviction under that law was in the 60s. Doesn't really matter to me though.. I lost all my guns in a tragic boating accident on Falls Lake last weekend.
Chris
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12-13-2010, 10:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Spaker
Hah, yes I'm aware of the Durham registration law. From what I've been able to gather, local leo have been told not to enforce it and the last conviction under that law was in the 60s. Doesn't really matter to me though.. I lost all my guns in a tragic boating accident on Falls Lake last weekend.
Chris
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Then it ought to be repealed. Non-enforcement of existing laws really means selective enforcement, which will be used at the Chief's or Officer's whim.
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12-14-2010, 01:12 AM
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Thanks for the report Spaker!
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12-15-2010, 02:59 PM
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Who remembers 1973?
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12-16-2010, 10:16 PM
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Now in proper form, with thanks to ronjon!
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12-24-2010, 12:03 AM
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Blow-by-blow written disassembly instructions I wrote at Model 39-2 breakdown
Quote:
Originally Posted by W.E.G.
Here is what you need to do.
Remove magazine.
Jack any live rounds out of the chamber.
Retract slide so that trapezoidal-shaped notch on left side of slide lines up with takedown lever.
Takedown lever protrudes through the other side of gun.
While lever is still lined up with notch, whack the protruding part to knock takedown lever out of gun.
Be sure that selector is in FIRE postion when you knock the takedown lever out. Otherwise, the lever will take a chunk out of the top of your left grip panel if the slide moves forward with the lever in the SAFE position.
Pull slide assembly forward off of gun.
Restrain the hammer as you do this, or it will fly forward, and smack the frame of the pistol. If you allow this to happen every time, the hammer may damage the frame.
Remove recoil spring assembly from slide. It just pops out.
Rotate barrel bushing slightly to align tab on barrel bushing with notch on slide. Remove barrel bushing.
Wiggle barrel out of slide.
Reassemble in reverse order.
Try not to leave idiot-marks on the gun when re-installing the slide-stop lever.
That's probably as far as you need to go for most cleaning.
If you want to remove the firing pin to clean the crud that accumulates in the firing pin channel, its pretty easy.
With the slide already off the gun, and barrel and recoil spring removed, be sure the selector is in the FIRE position. Use a punch to push the tail of the firing pin forward, past the selector shaft. While holding the firing pin forward with the punch, pull the selector out of the slide. This is a good opportunity to lose the selector detent and/or the selector spring. Do this job over a towel in a clean area. Capture the detent and spring before you lose them, and don't let the punch slip. If you let the punch slip, and the firing pin is pointed at your face, you will get a tattoo between the eyes. Wear eye protection.
If you have stripped it this far, you can remove the grip panels, and then drown everything (except the grips) in your favorite gun oil. I like Break Free. Blow-off all the excess oil with compressed air.
Blot areas that are still wet. Wipe off all the accumulated crud. Auger crud out of the firing pin channel with Q-Tips.
Unless you are replacing broken parts, I can see no reason to remove the trigger axis pin, or the extractor pin, or the backstrap retaining pin.
If you remove the rear sight (pry up at front, and rotate 90 degrees) you can get remove the magazine disconnect plunger and spring. It really is unnecessary to remove the rear sight to get the disconnect plunger and spring clean enough. I just blast Break-Free around it from the underside of the slide. Manipulate the plunger some with a punch. The plunger assembly will barf-out most of the accumulated goop. you can see the exposed plunger spring through a hole on the underside of the slide. Blast Break-Free into the exposed spring, and allow the barf to all run out that hole and around the shaft of the plunger. No need to remove the sight
I can't think of much else you need to know about disassembly of the M39.
Hope this helps!
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12-25-2010, 02:33 PM
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Santa brought a couple mags.
Looks like these S&W factory mags are designed for three generations of M39 progeny.
sticks out just a little
one extra shot
not sure what "SM" is supposed to mean
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12-25-2010, 02:34 PM
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(Edit January 21, 2011: This mag performed flawlessly at the range today. Full box of Russian steel-case ball ammo through it with 100% positive function.)
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12-25-2010, 06:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by W.E.G.
Santa brought a couple mags.
Looks like these S&W factory mags are designed for three generations of M39 progeny.
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"One size fits all" in this instance means it fits some models better than others. A positive on these mags is that there seems to be less chance of pinkie pinching on a rapid reload.
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12-27-2010, 08:31 AM
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What a great thread.... I own 2 of these guns and they are everything that you guys have said. A blast to shoot, very smooth, very accurate and just a beautiful weapon.. I'll have to look for some of those new mags tonite, I shoot at the range at the factory, S&W range and retail store on Monday nites.. I was planning on just bringing my new TRD325-45acp to shoot tonite, but this thread has inspired me to hang my 39-2 on my side today and throw an extra box of 9mm WWB in my range bag... the MP40 goes back in the vault...
thanks guys and Happy and Healthy New Year to all!!
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12-27-2010, 05:10 PM
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39-2 and a large helping of nostalgia - ALWAYS A GOOD DECISION.
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12-29-2010, 09:53 PM
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Aim Surplus 39-2
I would add my thanks for the information in this thread albeit now I may have to work a little harder before I fire my Aim Surplus 39-2. I asked for wood grips and although they said they did not handpick this weapon that is what I got. Condition appears comparable to the other 2 in this thread, but my lanyard "ring" is undamaged.
All in all a good purchase [I have a mint 39-2 CSP commemorative which I am reluctant to fire too much and a rather beat up 3904 which functions quite well].
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01-08-2011, 04:14 PM
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(Edit January 21, 2011: This mag performed flawlessly at the range today. Full box of Russian steel-case ball ammo through it with 100% positive function.)
Picked up a Pro-Mag to see how it does.
Looks well-made.
Follower is sturdy-looking polymer. Everything else is steel.
Fits crisply.
Don't like the long fang on the floorplate.
Probably will trim that to the same length as the original if the Pro-Mag works without issue.
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Last edited by W.E.G.; 01-21-2011 at 05:10 PM.
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01-08-2011, 06:47 PM
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W.E.G.:
Many thanks for the fine pictorial. Never owned a M-39 but my
36 year old M-59 still performs without issue. I still get looks at the range because I have the original hi cap mags. They raise eyebrows in the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia don't you know.
Paul S
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01-10-2011, 06:38 PM
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I have a 39-2 that I have had for over 25 years. I bought it new in the box for $275. I would not take $500 for it. It is still reliable, and a good carry gun.
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09-20-2015, 05:12 PM
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Beautiful stuff, W.E.G., the year notwithstanding.
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09-20-2015, 06:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by W.E.G.
Really would like to get my hands on some WOOD grips with medallion that show wear consistent with the "character" of this gun.
If anybody has a lead, I'd be much obliged if you would contact me.
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I have grips from a 539 that are more used dirty than worn.
They are from my `82 539.
If you havnt found a set yet PM me.
Jim
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09-20-2015, 06:36 PM
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An excellent read for a five year old thread, I enjoyed both pages of it. Well done!
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09-20-2015, 07:43 PM
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I wonder what W.E.G. thought of that Promag?
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09-20-2015, 09:57 PM
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I would have bought one
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09-20-2015, 11:21 PM
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Thanks for reviving an interesting old thread. I got exited over the $239 model 39s until I realized the ad was five years old.
Still a good read!
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09-20-2015, 11:56 PM
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The 39-2 is one of those AWESOME classic guns. Many parts for them can be had on Numrich (Google: Gun Parts and it will be the first result) and ebay.
My 39-2 is at Karl Sokol's farm and gunsmithy enjoying an extended vacation from SoCal. He will "modernize" it. I already sent the slide of to Chris McVety at Amerigun for a front 1911 Novak Tritium dovetailed sight and rear sight upgraded with a dim Meprolight Tritium revolver blade.
I bought several sets of used S&W Walnut panels. They were gotten from ebay and when received were immersed in Howard's for 3-4 days. The emblems were super-glued down, so they wouldn't spin (from the back of course) and treated to a spritzing-up with a Q-Tip of FLITZ. Makes them better than new. I sent them with the gun, so Karl can relieve the mag button cut out to interface with the Ed Brown oversized mag button.
The 39 is perhaps one of the best-built autos to come out of Springfield. I should say that the 39-2 is the best, as they worked out the bugs from the reverse barrel ramp of the 39. They fit the hand so damn well.
A quick aside is that I've taken the guts from the slightly longer 3906 9-shot magazines and put them into the 39 mag bodies. That makes the 39 a very trim 9+1 9mm that fits the hand. Hard to beat.
Lastly, get the slimmer 3rd Generation trigger and have a gunsmith (or tinkerer) install it. It makes for a better trigger pull with dispensing the VERY wide trigger.
Great thread!
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09-21-2015, 06:59 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NevadaBob
I wonder what W.E.G. thought of that Promag?
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I think it looks goofy the way the flooplate sticks out at a wavy sort of angle.
But, it functions just fine.
I've contemplated taking the dremel to the part of the floorplate that sticks out past the grip. Something to do maybe on a snow day (besides shoveling snow).
I have several 39's that I picked up when they were abundant and inexpensive. Need to shoot them more. I've got a double-stack "plastic pistol" that never needs cleaning that I take on my constitutionals. I sweat on it, and just throw it back in the sock-drawer after the day's exertions. Looks the same the next day,... next month,... next year. Fits my hand well enough
But when I pull one of the 39's out from time to time, I just say, "Wow.... this is how a pistol should feel."
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09-21-2015, 11:52 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NevadaBob
I wonder what W.E.G. thought of that Promag?
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Gary's positive review of the ProMag on FALfiles was one of the reasons I decided to risk buying a few. We had a nice little M39 discussion there a year or so back when I found a deal on my three. I was pretty much oblivious to S&W auto pistols back when AIM sold these surplus. I didn't become a fan until about two years ago.
Somehow I came into possession of a pair of early metal follower M39 magazines and I started searching for a pistol. I couldn't seem to find one for much under about $500 at the time so I disgustedly gave up the search and gifted the mags to a friend who often sold odds and ends at OGCA. Naturally, about a month later I stumbled upon the three 39-2's and just as naturally, my friend had by then passed the magazines along. That's when I started searching the online auction sites and couldn't find original M39 magazines for much under a hundred bucks. That's fairly typical of the way my days go,.......
Anyway, the way I ended up with three of the things is like this,......
Gary Cole imported a bunch of these a year or two back and listed them on GB(cdisales). He had about a dozen of them listed at the time and they still show up ocassionally in ones and twos. Anyway, I picked one that looked decent for the price($239) and bought it. The very next day he listed one that looked even better at $219,............so I bought it. Later that night he had an even better one at $209,.........so I bought that one too. See, none of this is MY fault! It's just the way things seem to work out.
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09-21-2015, 10:57 PM
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Magazine floorplats came in two lengths. The longer ones are earlier and are for pistols that lack the little scallop at the bottom of the fore grip strap. The shorter ones are for the pistols with that little scallop. However both work fine in either type of pistol; a short floorplate is a little harder to get out of an earlier pistol.
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09-21-2015, 11:08 PM
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WEG,
Take the 3906 mags apart and put the guts into the original S&W mags. You'll find that you'll have the same capacity (9+1) with a flush fit. That's what I was alluding to in my post above. It works nicely.
If you look under my name and 39-2, you'll see the posts I did regarding my first 39-2. It may/may not help. I hope it does. They're wonderful guns...
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09-22-2015, 12:50 AM
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Thanks guys for the S&W mag and Promag info!
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09-22-2015, 02:10 AM
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the 2 piece wood panels should have been a carry over feature to the 3rd. gens......a couple screws on each side makes too much sense .......anyway for those looking for 39-2's there are some listed and available at Iammo as I write this......I would jump on one but I just adopted yet another 3913
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