Another 659

[6GUNSONLY]

Went to the B'ham Alabama gun show today, this 659 insisted on coming home with me. Everybody needs at least two, right? So now I have two of these plus a blued 59. These old guns are addictive. What a great heavy-duty 9mm service pistol.

[twistedracer]

Congrats, that's a fine looking gun. I like the squared trigger guards, it adds to its brutish good looks.

[Craig19]

Congrats. It looks great.

[nightw50]

I have it's twin, what a tank. With Wolf 18# spring it will digest +P with ease.

[trailmix]

Addictive is right. Everytime I see an old S&W auto at a store I get gun fever real bad.

[6GUNSONLY]

Right? I haven't started on the 39 series guns yet, but I can see that happening.

[Sevens]

Originally Posted by 6GUNSONLY

Right? I haven't started on the 39 series guns yet, but I can see that happening.

I will preface this by saying that I really like the one single 659 I have and my one 5906 is a fantastic pistol.

But to my point:
If you were looking for a method to STOP chasing the 59-series pistols... you have a fantastic recipe! Buy even just one 39/39-2 and your days of going after the double stacks might dry up quickly.

Across the board, each individual is always going to have his own opinions on any model. But if we can nail down a genuine "trend" it isn't a stretch to say that the single stacks are MORE popular and when you get one you may very quickly agree.

[trailmix]

Originally Posted by Sevens

I will preface this by saying that I really like the one single 659 I have and my one 5906 is a fantastic pistol.

But to my point:
If you were looking for a method to STOP chasing the 59-series pistols... you have a fantastic recipe! Buy even just one 39/39-2 and your days of going after the double stacks might dry up quickly.

Across the board, each individual is always going to have his own opinions on any model. But if we can nail down a genuine "trend" it isn't a stretch to say that the single stacks are MORE popular and when you get one you may very quickly agree.

I have examples of both the single and double-stack pistols and I like them equally, both styles are great in my opinion.
I currently have a 59, 639, 915, 5906,and a 4006CHP and it would be tough to pick a favorite.

[Sevens]

I have often posited that if anyone TRULY wants to see a hands-on example of the genius of the 3rd Gen, have a 59 or 659 available and a 5906 available and quickly pick each one of them up in your strong shooting hand and go back/forth between the two.

The 5906 is fairly ergo-friendly for the average human hand and this is due in large part to all the updates and larger picture of what S&W was attempting to accomplish with the 3rd Generation line. They managed to take a fat pistol and slim it in the areas where it benefits most folks with average hands.

Truly, I do love my 659 -- but this thing is massive in my shooting hand (width-wise) and it gets even worse when you add some Pachmayr rubber to it as the OEM plastic panels don't offer much grab to them. And FWIW, my hands are slightly larger than average, I am most comfortable in an XL-size glove except in a leather glove for motorcycling where I find a 2XL is the best size that gives me breathing room.

For a person with hands smaller than mine? The 59/659 can be an almost abnormally large handgun stuffed in to the shooting hand... all the while a 5906 fits awfully darn well.

But of course, we all get the fit/feel we have come to be comfortable with.

[trailmix]

Originally Posted by Sevens

I have often posited that if anyone TRULY wants to see a hands-on example of the genius of the 3rd Gen, have a 59 or 659 available and a 5906 available and quickly pick each one of them up in your strong shooting hand and go back/forth between the two.

The 5906 is fairly ergo-friendly for the average human hand and this is due in large part to all the updates and larger picture of what S&W was attempting to accomplish with the 3rd Generation line. They managed to take a fat pistol and slim it in the areas where it benefits most folks with average hands.

Truly, I do love my 659 -- but this thing is massive in my shooting hand (width-wise) and it gets even worse when you add some Pachmayr rubber to it as the OEM plastic panels don't offer much grab to them. And FWIW, my hands are slightly larger than average, I am most comfortable in an XL-size glove except in a leather glove for motorcycling where I find a 2XL is the best size that gives me breathing room.

For a person with hands smaller than mine? The 59/659 can be an almost abnormally large handgun stuffed in to the shooting hand... all the while a 5906 fits awfully darn well.

But of course, we all get the fit/feel we have come to be comfortable with.

It is funny how things like gun grips work differently for different people. I don't find the large grips to be a hindrance in any way even though my hands are smaller than yours(I generally wear large or sometimes xl motorcycle gloves for a reference). In fact, I find that larger grips tend to work well for me for some strange reason. My 4006 has those giant Hogue rubber grips and I don't seem to notice any negative effects. I guess that is why the aftermarket grip business makes so many different styles.

[Sevens]

It is funny and hard to get a "grip" on ( couldn't resist!) but in all honesty, I find that felt recoil works VERY much in the same, mystifying way.

Case in point-- I've shot heaps of 10mm over many years, most of it from a Glock 29 (some from my 1006) and I've never been "bothered" by it. But 9mm in any Kahr pistol and .380 Auto in a fixed-barrel Bersa Thunder imparts a certain kind of sharp "shock" that my shooting hand simply cannot tolerate. Likewise, .44 Mag from most any platform is awful to me but .460 Mag from my 8-3/8" XVR is a rolling riot, every shot is like a carnival ride.

It's sometimes hard to figure.

[Mark_]

Originally Posted by Sevens

Truly, I do love my 659 -- but this thing is massive in my shooting hand (width-wise) and it gets even worse when you add some Pachmayr rubber to it as the OEM plastic panels don't offer much grab to them.

Speaking as someone who wears size medium motorcycle gloves, the best grips you can put on a double stack 2nd gen are the discontinued Uncle Mike's rubber panels. They are thin and don't wrap around which is good because I like to feel metal on the front and back straps.

Uncle Mike's must have made thousands of these because there seems to be no end of people selling them on ebay for really cheap prices. Try to buy Uncle Mikes grips for a HiPower.

[Sevens]

Fantastic tip, thank you. I'll see about trying to find a set of these!