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Old 07-25-2017, 09:22 AM
mscook mscook is offline
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Default Md. 59

Why is the Md59 so much cheaper that other S&W auto ?
It seems to be the red headed step child of the older autos. (IMHO)
What's the deal on them. I have had several and they were
great sidearm, and carried a lot of bullets too
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Old 07-25-2017, 01:28 PM
DCW DCW is offline
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I, too, have been somewhat mystified by the same. I, too, have had, still do in fact have several Model 59s and, like it's immediate predecessor, shoots cleanly, accurately.

It seems to me that, if anything, the 59 was, perhaps still is seen as a "rush job" wherein it was not made for the sake of itself being a complete, all-new model as much as one that took the Model 39, widened the lower frame section for the sake of adding more cartridges and that was that: No new gun; just rehashed older gun - the 39 arising in the 1950s and the "new" 59 appearing nearly 30-years later.

IMHO.

Later.
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Old 07-25-2017, 04:05 PM
mscook mscook is offline
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Maybe so I just don't see a junkie gun. Thank's
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Old 07-25-2017, 04:59 PM
Old_Cop Old_Cop is online now
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The last model 59 shipped in 1982, 35 years ago. The grip was not as comfortable to my hands as the model 39, but 14 rounds in the magazine was impressive at the time. My police department didn't switch to semiautos until 1990 or so. I think that we were typical of many PDs that were not ready to switch when the 59s were new. In my opinion the finish that S&W put on their aluminum frames has hurt the resale value with its tendency to show wear with the least bit of use.
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Old 07-25-2017, 06:27 PM
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The Model 59 is a historically interesting S&W as it took the decocking 9mm DA upper of the Model 39 and mated it to a
hi cap double stack 9mm magazine like the BHP.

IMO where it failed was in the ergonomics and styling dept,

The Model 39 had beautiful wood panels with nickel brass medallions, the frame had a rounded heel for the palm and a nicely curved tang for the web of the hand,
In comparison the Model 59 had black nylon panels with molded TM's, Its heavily grooved backstrap is straight from top to bottom with the look and feel of a 2 x 4 plank.
S&W did offer a rounded replacement heel made of plastic but that added even more grip circumference and for those with normal sized hands it only made the 59 more difficult to hold comfortably.

Grip shape did change in the 3rd Generation with the introduction of the plastic Delrin monogrip, the heel got rounder and the web got a slight curve but they do not have the cosmetic appeal of the Model 39 , the Browning High Power or the CZ-75.

Last edited by Engine49guy; 07-25-2017 at 10:00 PM.
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Old 07-25-2017, 07:05 PM
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I have been on a fast-tracked journey over the last 5-6 years of chasing down S&W 1-2-3rd Gens. My first was a 1006 that I got way back in like 1996 or so... and my second 1-2-3rd Gen wasn't until like 2012 when I got a 5906.

Now I have, ummm, well, more than a few. Well more than a few. And until very recently I have specifically avoided the Model 59. I always thought it was a little ugly, and E49guy described it quite well.

I also love to use the 59/659 and the 5906 as specific tools to anyone who wants to see AND feel why the 3rd Gen is not only a great improvement ... but the pinnacle of a fantastic design. The 59/659 really feel gargantuan in the shooting hand while a 5906 feels much better.

I don't think any 59 will ever get the kind of love that the 39-2 sees and I find that is wholly justified. It really does feel like an engineer who doesn't own/shoot/love guns was ordered to take a 39 and make it hold a 14-rd magazine -- almost with zero thought to how that pistol would fit and feel to a shooter.

On top of that, the 59 got some really bad press many decades back about failures to feed and function reliably. The 59 has NEVER experienced the love and legend that the 39/39-2 has.

Anyway, I finally did buy one just a couple months back. OTD for $320 with one original mag and nothing else, a 98% gun. No possible way for me to say no. It's a great addition to my collection and I love it more than I ever thought I would.
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Old 07-25-2017, 10:35 PM
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I have to agree with all of the negatives about the 59. I also agree with all of the positives. I got a blued one to just fill out my S&W 9mm examples. But then I "needed" a nickel one to go with my nickel 39-2. Then I rescued another weird nickel,(?) one for way cheap. They are all most excellent performers, and I admit I really like them.
All three were under a $1000.00 total, the blued one with box, extra wrapped mag, and papers. I still don't know why these nice pistols are so inexpensive, but I am not complaining.
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Old 07-26-2017, 05:05 AM
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I actually have to pick up a 59 Thursday. $240 OTD, in "much-loved" condition, lots of finish wear but only one gouge on the backstrap.

I can see why they're not as sought-after--and I do enjoy DA and DA/SA Smiths. The trigger on this 59 is okay in single, but double is almost too heavy to pull. It's nearly impossible to get a grip and finger placement that gives good leverage for both the double and single-action pulls, since the trigger itself is so damn flat. And when it's not being ergonomically-challenged, that damn thing is using its sharp edges to pinch the hell out of my precious trigger finger.

I plan on tearing it down and cleaning it up, but I'm not holding out a ton of hope. I suppose I could always polish a few things, or even try out refinishing on such an inexpensive gun, but that seems like such sacrilege on an otherwise-original pistol.

So I think I'll just shoot it and learn to deal. It's an interesting snapshot in time, and a reminder of how far we've come. Not every pistol has to do everything but make toast and loan me money.
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Old 07-26-2017, 07:33 AM
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I had a S&W 59 and when the 659 came out, the 59 was gone. The grip didn't change but to me it was just a whole lot nicer looking pistol. When the original plastic grips on the 659 were replaced with wooden ones, what an improvement.
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