One answer to the question as to how S&W intended for the M-39 to be carried - safety on or off? Policy for departments around here followed the IL State Police in allowing either.

Mdl 39 exploded diagram.



Two items that may be of interest -- military magazine and dust cover.

Great info material. I got my first on trough ISP. a fellow student in a protection school went from a cpl or sgt to Col while at school I got mine trough his connections. Armour's did some work on it I carried safety off. If I remember correctly the uniformed troopers wore a cross draw flap holster then. In StL were had 38/357 158 grain ammo. Non uniformed got by with 39s and many from county carried them. Much later I bought a asp from Paris Theadore took a year to get I think it was the model that smith used to make the 3913 that was a better pistol and a lot less money I sold ASP to a judge that loved guns..god Bless Him

One of the last 39-2's made
1981

Great info that shows that S&W was aware of the possibility of discharge if these first gen pistols were dropped on the muzzle from a sufficient height.

Naturally, the second gen and after S&Ws followed the Walther P4 with the introduction of the firig pin safety. This prevented movement of the firing pin unless the trigger was pulled, even with the safety off.

Colt originally recognized this problem with its 1911 before WWII when it installed the Swartz safety (essentially as Series 80 device that worked off the grip safety instead of the trigger, a design now copied by Kimber in its Series II and by S&W in its 1911s). It is not clear why, when Colt reintroduced the firing pin block to its line, it decided to actuate the mechanism by linking the firing pin safety to the trigger instead of the grip safety. I suppose the concern was that they wanted to link the unlocking of the firing pin safety to the final movement of the trigger, but it seems for so many reasons that the Swartz method was better.

In any event, it is clear the S&W ads recommended that first gen pistols be carried safety on. To the extent that agencies did not follow this advice they either did not understand the problem of inertial firing when the pistol was dropped, a distinct possibility in LE service, or they deemed the risk so minor and the possibility of injury so small that they did not care. I could see the latter as our society had not become so bloody litigious in the 60s when ISP adopted the Model 39.

I can attest that the ISP and my department were aware of the inertia discharge problem. As you say, it was a different time.

I've always guessed that Colt designed the series 80 trigger connected FP safety because of the common practice of blocking the grip safety, which would disable a Swartz type FP safety.

Don't know if it's true [so I'll repeat it!], but Dick Heinie said that the S&W and Colt S80 firing pin safeties were designed by the same person.

I'm also pretty sure, without checking the books, that the P-38 had a firing pin safety in the original design.

The 70-80's Walthers changed to a different design. P-5 for sure; did the P-4 have it too? ---Had to look it up. Yes it did.

Well now I am curious. What about the 39-2 Mine has ser#A661101 After Action by T dbl act.pull 9lbs sin. action 4 4lbs. all wolf springs and total action job with jeweling of parts. crowing barrel incl polish breech face. I don't know w/o calling teddy about inertia firing problem or if ths gun has FP safety any body know for sure. Like you said it was a different time. Any info would be appreciated. Pistol is NOS a dazzler. I'm years retired this is not my ccw gun.George

Great ad from 1968. Only $100 for a M39 back then, sounds like they were really cheap. But using the inflation caluclator ($100.00 in 1968 had about the same buying power as $619.00 in 2008.) it really only cost a little less then a 9mm M&P does now. Suggested retail $679.00.
J. S.

Nope, George, the 39-2 does not have a firing pin block either. First added with the 3 digit pistols.

A titanium firing pin would seem to be an advantage for the old 39's -- reducing the mass of the firing pin to be more drop ... resistant.

Hey, S&W, send free firing pins to all us 39 owners!!

thanks for the information I'll check into SW customer service..thanks again..george