What is up with all the love for the 5906?

[Timber Wolf]

I mean dang, it is just an old 9mm for crying out loud. Does not even have much plastic on it. It is not like a fellow can't find something to launch 9mm ammo out of these days. A 5906 doesn't feel as nice, look as good, or shoot as well as my Hi-Power. I will admit that a 5906 does not make me want to gouge my eyes out or fear turning to salt like when I look at a Glock though. They are not exactly rare and/or scarce either, S&W made like twelve or thirteen bazillion and every last one has had the right side of the grip beat/scratched all to heck by some LEO actually getting some use out of it. Even if that use was not actually shooting the thing. Still, I make room in the safe for one, not really sure why. Oh, I remember, it takes the same mags as my Marlin Camp Carbine.

 

[Doug M.]

At the time, it was likely to be about the best choice out there for a service weapon in 9mm. Too many idiots are afraid of the Browning/1911 pattern, even though they are about as a firearm can be in terms of mechanical attributes. It was stainless, so tolerant of more exposure to crummy weather and other bad things. Higher capacity than most if not all of the other choices, and after ISP did so much development work on the S&W autopistol platform for S&W, a generally very reliable pistol out of the box. A majority of command personnel are not gun people, so getting them to convert from revolvers nearly took divine intervention. They at least felt ok if they got S&Ws, because it was a familiar name. The Glocks were just showing up, and there was all the silliness about it being undetectable by XRay machines and the like, plus they were new, and foreign, and that had to be bad.

 

[timn8er]

I mean dang, it is just an old 9mm for crying out loud. Does not even have much plastic on it. It is not like a fellow can't find something to launch 9mm ammo out of these days. A 5906 doesn't feel as nice, look as good, or shoot as well as my Hi-Power. I will admit that a 5906 does not make me want to gouge my eyes out or fear turning to salt like when I look at a Glock though. They are not exactly rare and/or scarce either, S&W made like twelve or thirteen bazillion and every last one has had the right side of the grip beat/scratched all to heck by some LEO actually getting some use out of it. Even if that use was not actually shooting the thing. Still, I make room in the safe for one, not really sure why. Oh, I remember, it takes the same mags as my Marlin Camp Carbine.

Unless I'm totally missing the intent of your post, you came here to start some. Normally I would be all over it, but it just feels like a waste of time tonight....I will agree on one thing, though, not much compares to a Hi Power. But I enjoy shooting my 5906TSW!

 

[nocents]

Unless I'm totally missing the intent of your post, you came here to start some. Normally I would be all over it, but it just feels like a waste of time tonight....I will agree on one thing, though, not much compares to a Hi Power. But I enjoy shooting my 5906TSW!

Tim.......I can't even imagine anyone coming to this neck of the woods to blaspheme a 5906.....I think it was all tongue in cheek

 

[timn8er]

Tim.......I can't even imagine anyone coming to this neck of the woods to blaspheme a 5906.....I think it was all tongue in cheek

Yeah...you're probably right. But if you know me, you'll know that I prefer to freak first & beat the rush!

 

[S&W SS Revolvers]

5906...Hmmm

I have one purchased new; about 1,000 rounds + - box , papers , all the good stuff. I can't hit the broadside of a barn with the thing at 10.2'...

Surely it's me; not the gun. Ugh...going to the range w/an employee this weekend with the 5906 and his new Beretta 9MM. If I like that 92FS the 5906 may be the only S & W I ever sell. MAYBE...

Being a revolver guy and 200 years old maybe I can't shoot these fancy "new" buggers. Seriously I suck at shooting this perfect safe queen bought back in 93-94...GEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ

 

[hkcavalier]

5906...Hmmm

I have one purchased new; about 1,000 rounds + - box , papers , all the good stuff. I can't hit the broadside of a barn with the thing at 10.2'...

Surely it's me; not the gun. Ugh...going to the range w/an employee this weekend with the 5906 and his new Beretta 9MM. If I like that 92FS the 5906 may be the only S & W I ever sell. MAYBE...

Being a revolver guy and 200 years old maybe I can't shoot these fancy "new" buggers. Seriously I suck at shooting this perfect safe queen bought back in 93-94...GEEEEEEEEEEEEEZ

I had a "carried a lot, shot little" 5906 that fired shotgun patterns with each magazine. Not sure what the deal was. I'm a decent shooter.

With that said I keep my eyes peeled for a clean early finger-rest trigger guard gun with the rear sight guards (apologies if I get the terminology incorrect). My FIL has a 6904 so, who knows, maybe someday we'll get a 3rd Gen in the house anyway.

 

[jimbo728]

Gee whiz, Im sure glad I never snagged a 5906. I was looking for something that would outshoot my old Hi Power and now I thank my lucky stars that I found a 5903 LEO trade in with the right side of the
grip panel all beat to snot. It beats the Browning hands down but aint as pretty.
"I cant stop shaking my head at this one".
Jim

 

[loeman]

I sure won't blaspheme the 5906,especially here! But I don't love mine. But let me quickly add that I like it! Both of my criticisms are directly related to me and not to the gun. First, double stacks just don't "feel" right to my hand. I'm far more accurate and comfortable with the 39s. And second, I just plain don't like the adjustable sights. IMO, they just look funky on an otherwise beautiful gun. And anyway, I prefer fixed sights. That being said, it is an excellent and reliable shooter.

 

[TTSH]

I mean dang, it is just an old 9mm for crying out loud. Does not even have much plastic on it. It is not like a fellow can't find something to launch 9mm ammo out of these days. A 5906 doesn't feel as nice, look as good, or shoot as well as my Hi-Power. I will admit that a 5906 does not make me want to gouge my eyes out or fear turning to salt like when I look at a Glock though. They are not exactly rare and/or scarce either, S&W made like twelve or thirteen bazillion and every last one has had the right side of the grip beat/scratched all to heck by some LEO actually getting some use out of it. Even if that use was not actually shooting the thing. Still, I make room in the safe for one, not really sure why. Oh, I remember, it takes the same mags as my Marlin Camp Carbine.

Not sure if serious...

 

[BAM-BAM]

But I don't love mine.

But let me quickly add that I like it! Both of my criticisms are directly related to me and not to the gun. First, double stacks just don't "feel" right to my hand. I'm far more accurate and comfortable with the 39s.

That being said, it is an excellent and reliable shooter.

I've had mine awhile...... and felt the same way on it's feel in the hand.....hard to beat a 39.......

At some point I got a 915 with the straight backstrap....... and it felt much better than the 5906.

I like mine much better with the "915 style" straight grips.

May be worth a $20 investment....................

 

[mbliss57]

Love me some all SS 5906. Love a BHP too. But there is something very classic about a 5906, plus I can shoot lights out with it! Mine was made in 1988 so it has the side shields on it at the rear sight. I love those ugly ears.

 

[Disabled1]

Back in 2012 I was given the chance to buy a G17 from my FFL carrying cousin. But, he also showed me an add from SOG selling LE trade-ins for $275 with 2 magazines. Let's see, Tupperware that feels like a 2X4, or, maybe the last time, possibly, to own one of the best hand guns ever made. I am so glad to say that to this day the only Tupperware I own is in my kitchen pantry that I use for food purposes.

 

[Timber Wolf]

Unless I'm totally missing the intent of your post, you came here to start some.

Start something? Moi? Actually, if I intended to start anything it was an honest discussion on a gun model's value. The 5906 is a great representative of the 3rd Gen S&W autos. When the market was awash with po-po trade-ins for $275-$325 they were a good buy for the fellow that wanted one for the collection or just a good, heavy-duty 9mm.

I bought mine for low-$300-something (I forget exactly) a few years back and then picked up a few extra mags on sale from Midway. My 5906 happens to be a pretty good shooter although the shape of the grip is not a fav for somebody with small, beefy mitts like me. To sum, bought right a 5906 can make real sense. Bought at some ridiculously high price like sometimes tends to get defended on the S&W forum and other guns might make a lot more sense.

 

[mbliss57]

I bought mine for $400 a 3-4 years ago. It was a very nice example of a 1st year model. The going rate for most would be about $300. I remember CDNN having police trade ins in buckets a year or two ago for around $250.
When you compare what you get in an all SS 5906 vs a BHP it really is a bargain. I paid around $800 for my BHP a few years ago. The pistol was made in the late 1960s in excellent condition. Then I had to buy the manual and the original rug from that era to make it all right as a collectable. When I was done I had $950 into it. BHP's have been around a very long time and are excellent pistols. But a $300 5906 will give you the same stopping power, rugged SS frame and excellent shooter for about $600 less. IMO all S&W folks should have at least 1 5906!! I believe the 5906 is the only SS Pistol I own. All of my other S&W pistols 1st - 3rd gen are blued whether alloy or steel framed. (Except the 3913 I still have)
BTW I am still hunting a 3914 NL if anyone comes across one...

 

[GaryS]

I bought mine about 20 or so years ago from a then co worker. He wasn't a shooter as much as he was a collector. He'd buy a gun, maybe take it to the range a time or two, and then sell it. Sometimes he just bought it, owned it for a while, and then sold it.

Which I think was the case when I bought mine. It still had the orange chamber flag in the chamber and no sign of it having ever had a round through it outside of the factory.

I think I paid $375.00 for it. Which I now realize was the bargain of the century.

He had a lot of others that he said he'd offer to me at similar prices. Sadly, I had two young kids, a house, a wife, and a lot of bills.

A few years later he left the job, moved out west somewhere, and died at about age 40 or so.

 

[BLUEBELLYYANKEE]

So you say, "What is up with all the love for the 5906?" I say it is simply because it is so drop dead reliable and durable. Those who have shot one tens of thousands of times are the best witness to the 5906's virtues. I have shot two different 5906's a ridiculous number of times (probably 40000 to 50000 each) and no other gun I have compares to them. Not even the Browing HP. When I started reloading I mistakenly ran 2000 rounds of 147 gr loads that were loaded about 120% of published max load with no ill affects, all in the same 5906 gun. Nothing runs better when dirty in my experience either. Excellent reliability, excellent trigger, excellent balance, good accuracy and great looking to boot. Anybody who thinks there is a better 9mm gun out there just does not know what they are talking about.

 

[5906fan]

always good to read 5906 compliments. I also own a marlin camp 9 - the mags swap.
a stiffer recoil spring in both guns, the hot handloads come out of my camp 9 with a 'crack'. golden saber remmy 124 does impressive damage in stacked wet cardboard out of both guns. a few jacket separations in the carbine loads evidently after around 4" of penetration.

 

[KA5IVR]

I bought my 5906 new just after they came out. Have not shot it that much... maybe 500 rounds. It became a safe queen after I bought my first Glock. Recently, I obtained a Camp Carbine and I am really glad I kept the 5906. She gets out of the safe a little more now days!

 

[mbliss57]

Oh and another reason to have one...the 1st and 2nd season of "Hawaii Five -O." (2010 & 2011) You will see the 5906 being used by the Honolulu PD and Chin Ho Kelly. In fact his has the rear sight ears on it like mine does. AS a side note Kono also uses a SW 3913 LS in season 1 for sure.
Just in case you didn't know...