Today during my periodic pawnshop crawls, I found a most peculiar S&W 659. The pistol was labeled 659 but it wasn't. It had all the features of a third gen value model with a slab-side compact ally frame and stainless slide. It was in 9mm and it did appear to be a legitimate Smith model. My question is, this doesn't appear to follow the model series for their value line of all-metal automatics during the third gen. I've seen 457's and the like but this one puzzles me. If its legit, did Smith reuse a model number on a different pistol?

It's my understanding that some of the very earliest 3rd Gens may have been stamped with their 2nd Gen model numbers. That could be a rare gun.

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Some debate on whether those are pilot or transitional guns

Late model 659 identifing help PLEASE

659s were never part of the "value line"

Early 3rd gen. guns ( Edit:except 3913/14s) had square trigger guards...... S&W has always been infamous for using every part it can ...... transitional guns are almost the norm no matter what the Model........

Good example was the transition in revolvers away from pinned and recessed....... there are a fair amount of Magnums out there with one feature but not both

Your exclusion must be for 3913 variants as I have never seen a 3906 with anything other than the hooked, elongated early style trigger guard. I believe that includes the 3904 as well, but I can't be certain.

As to a pistol that is marked 659 but looks like a 3rd Gen, it is most likely that if you also had it's original box, the end label would call it a 6590. These pistols typically have a "collectible" premium attached to them, but I would say that for the most part... you cannot realize any premium if two hurdles are not met:

You need extremely high condition and you need the original box with end label. Without these, they tend to be shooter grade curiosities that carry value the same as an early 5906.

The 659 was all stainless, it make no sense that this one would have an aluminum alloy receiver, even if it had been sent back to S&W for repair/replacement of a damaged receiver.

This is what has me boggled. This was NOT a stainless frame, it was a slab-sided alloy compact frame with a stainless slide. Also it had a spurless hammer.

Oh wow, I need to pay more attention to what was actually posted!

Alloy compact? Is the frame actually stamped 659?

The frame you describe is exacty a 669... any chance that you simply didn't see the model stamp clearly?

The biggest problem with this particular mystery is that it isn't a pistol that you HAVE and can supply pictures. So... go back and buy it!

This wasn't a 669, it was slab-sided, no step on the frame. It had the characteristics of a 3rd Gen value line model like the 457.

Without pictures we can guess all day..