The way I read the SCS&W, they were introduced in 1954 and only 900 some were made until 1966, when the alloy frame was introduced. Why so few? Was it a secret? No demand? No marketing?

Read about it here:

S&W M39

I'm sure others will chime in with additional info.

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JimC

Maybe I'm a Bear of Very Little Brain, but I find the SCS&W vey confusing on the subject of the Model 39. I hope it gets rewritten soon.

The post provided by Jim C is excellent; I wonder who wrote it.

Allow me to rough out the chronology and production quantities for these.

The "pre-39" started shipping about 1955. These were all alloy frames. Some 1600 had gone out the door when in 1957 Smith & Wesson adopted model numbers, hence the Model 39, of which over 100,000 were made. Along the way, in the middle 1960's, steel frames which had been made in the pre-39 era were completed as whole guns and released for sale. These numbered a little over 900 units. They were marked as Model 39's.

Around 1971, the Model 39 was superceded by the Model 39-2 which had a revised extractor design. By the time production of this model ceased (circa 1982) the total made of pre-39's, Model 39's, Model 39-2's, and Model 59's (collectively known as "first generation" S&W automatics) approached 3/4 of a million guns.

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SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

That makes a lot more sense than what I was getting from the SCS&W, but I think you'd only have to change a couple words in their writeup to make them agree. Thanks!

And to further confuse things, what would have been the 39-1 actually became the 52A chambered in .38 AMU, not 9mm, and only 87 were made from 1961 to 1964.

I think that actually clarifies things as otherwise you'd wonder what happened to the 39-1.

so let's see if i've got this straight,they made a model 39,o.k ,now i'm with ya !

I remember seeing the Seals carrying them in Viet Nam in 1967/68. That's where I had my first chance to shoot one. As soon as I joined the gun club in the Canal Zone (1969) I ordered one with a couple of spare magazines. Cost me $72.00. Next chance I had to buy one was in 1993 after I retired from the Navy. Paid $300 or so for a used one in really great condition. I still have two and gave older and middle son each a 439. Great pistols and they fit my hand really well!

There is a very interesting book called "The Smith and Wesson Model 39 It's Variations and Modifications". It was written by Richard McMillan who is a member of the SWCA. I have met him and he knows his stuff. I believe I also have a copy on a CD.

This thread needed a pic so here's my Pre Md 39 with a serial number of 1539. since the serial numbers started with 1001, this would be the 539th one made. It shipped in May 1956.

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I'm gonna grow fins.