The seductive Model 39s as collectors' subculture.

[gmborkovic]

As I posted, its a neat pistol, but just to blinged and jazzed up by the factory for me. There might be some spurious activity going on, I dont know. I have no interest in it all. If it sits at $7000, with no sale, it will find its sell price. There were some bidders at the $6000 mark, so maybe that is the market price. Still wish the seller luck.

 

[DCW]

Just Wandering . . .

. . . The S&W Models 39 and 59.

I figure the people who will get the 39's "collectable ball" unstopably rolling is the generation who were born and grew up after the "Wonder Nine" years started earnestly rolling.

Disrespect is not herein aimed at those who believe the S&W revolver to be the coolest thing since flint, rifle and "Kentucky" became one - because I, too, believe S&W's revolvers totally stole the cats' "meow" from cats . . . um, er, oh, never mind.

The point is that roughly 99.99999-percent of human beings seem to fondly remember his or her first love with considerable and generally unshakable feelings.

As would a young Massad Ayoob (BTW: a member of this Forum long before its founding) and others of his journalistic ilk did report back in "The Day," the exchange by a street-beat LEO of his Model 10 for a new-fangled Model 39 just didn't excite every LEO so touched.

Indeed, found in the valleys, canyons and arroyos of your humble correspondent's brain folds is an unshakable belief that it was the LEO's lack of operational knowledge as being more the cause of the Model 39's broken long extractor than anything else - save the end result of voodoo practioners, of course.

Now that I've finally run out of mindless wandering, let's get back to boxes . . . and matching serial numbers . . . and the willingness to pay for 'em . . . but realizing the request best not be precisely conveyed here because the place for it is in "WTB" or "Want To Buy" . . . and I really do . . . but also don't wish to have the guys at the top of the Smith-WessonForum.com food chain get a tad peeved at me . . . peeved at anyone else? . . . such does not bother me . . . But me? . . . no way, José.

Later.

 

[dpast32]

NEVER have I held an semi-auto pistol that felt so good in my hand as an S&W Model 39 ! Too bad that they were soon overshadowed by the S&W 59's & the following crop of 'Wondernines'. They did enjoy a somewhat brief heyday, though in many people's minds their initial feeding issues tended to plague them throughout their life lifetime. Yes, the next 39-2 Series pretty much fixed those early issues, but they just never really developed a cult like following as did many of their contemporaries. Only lately, we now see them coming into their own as collector items, which fortunately can still serve as a great 9mm pistol. I wish had the extra cash for one, but
I've got way more 9's than I need already.

Best, dpast32

 

[DCW]

Plum Beautiful

To my surprise while at a local gun show to which I have been going to for quite awhile now about 4 times a year, for the first time I came across a 4 digit Model 39, that after some hesitation I couldn’t leave it behind. Ser #2865, I was concerned that it didn’t have those things that I thought it should have such as the short safety tang and no relief grip, i didn’t understand the rose coloring of the slide release and the frame is in a matte finish, not shiny as most seem to be(is this a valid frame finish?) still I just couldn’t leave it. It has the long safety and grip cut out, in very good shape, albeit I can’t seem to score one with its box, to me it’s still a part of history and I got it for $450 out the door, even if some things don’t seem quite right, Its either a refurb or hopefully something different, but I didn’t think I could go wrong for the money.

This Pre-39 is one of four of my early 39s - "Pre" and higher - whose slide stops have decided to go to the Plum side of The Force.

It's a bluing's maturation process. One can find such often referenced in auctions of older but very worthwhile firearms for which tens-of-thousands of dollars are exchanged.

Later.

 

[hoss@fol43]

The slide stop on my 39 SN 6365 is the same plum color, except the centerpin is still blue.

 

[gmborkovic]

I need a definition of "bluing maturation". The part was blued in 1956,
as one piece but two different parts pressed together. I have a few that do not look like the ones in the pics.

 

[mike from st pete]

My 1st S&W Semi-Auto

My 39-2 with all the packing paperwork & tools except the SAT.

 

[model3sw]

Richard Sopko (Cougar 15) ... copy paste from Post #71:

"2624 is the highest documented serial number pre-39 per Kevin Williams. DCW posted pix of 2623".

That answers your question to the best of my research and ability.

Best Regards, Sal Raimondi

 

[gmborkovic]

WOW! shared information to all of us that are now worthy. The circle of 10 is opening up. Thanks !, love, Mike

 

[model3sw]

WOW! shared information to all of us that are now worthy. The circle of 10 is opening up. Thanks !, love, Mike

Oh, Geeze Mike ... you weren't supposed to see that one !

Ttttthat's all folks !

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s21gNbCYXk[/ame]


It was either this one, or, "A Candygram for Mongo",

 

[gmborkovic]

WOW! GEE WHIZ, that was good and funny, Mike

 

[cougar015]

Pre model 39's

Richard Sopko (Cougar 15) ... copy paste from Post #71:

"2624 is the highest documented serial number pre-39 per Kevin Williams. DCW posted pix of 2623".

That answers your question to the best of my research and ability.

Best Regards, Sal Raimondi

Sal,
Once again you came through for me. As we discussed earlier, not on the forum, I am trying to track down the location and current owner of any Class 'A' factory engraved pre model 39. I am trying to match serial numbers to invoices I received from the S&WHS. I have located 5 possibly 6 as of this date.
Rich

 

[DCW]

It's Over

WOW! shared information to all of us that are now worthy. The circle of 10 is opening up. Thanks !, love, Mike

It seems only appropriate to note the irony of the above subject being broached on this get-together weekend of the world's G-20 "finance guys" that actually began as the "G-3."

The G-3 managed to write only its first meeting into the hisotry books before others - thinking a lack of their inclusion to be nothing less than a grave oversight - started the time-tested ritual of the wailing and gnashing of teeth so as to gain admittance to what then became the G-5.

Um, oops?

Other international players . . . well, it's likely the reader catches this story's drift and can figure how this MPEG (or 33 1/3 vinyl record, if you will) tune plays out from here, but please compare the number which today follows its corresponding "G" and realize it grew because self-invited countries supposed themselves as important as the first three players, incessantly whining from the point they perceived insult.

Have fun, fellows.

Later.

DC

 

[moralem]

It was shiny so I joined the club......

 

[model3sw]

It was shiny so I joined the club......

That's how it started for ALL of us ! Glad to have you aboard.

 

[DCW]

Just 109 Units

Above are two Smith & Wesson semi-automatic sidearms. The upper right is marked "2732" and "Model 39" whereas the pistol on the lower left is marked "2623" and . . . well, er, um, uh . . . just a 2-6-2-3.

Each has a striking resemblance to the other but the discrepancies are there, for sure: one's stocks (or "grips" should one prefer - the inventor and assignor to S&W, Joseph W. Norman, called 'em "grips" in his patent application, No. 2,846,925- click the patent number and it'll take you there ) have the traditional S&W medallion seated above the top grip screw, whereas 2623 doesn't have a medallion even though both exihibit grips that look remarkably alike; The "beaver tail" or "tang" or "thumb-saver" is shorter in one than the other; likewise the decocker lever; A small "bite" has been taken from one of the grips; and, well, there are still more changes to find, but they are to the subtle side. Try your observational skills.

More changes are found on the gun's inside, like a much shorter mainspring strut and its arrangement within the grip or the sear and its self-contained spring eventually morphing into a frame-mounted spring that saved bouquets of money by simplifying the entire process.

Finally, though, are the two sidearms, side by side and for all the world appearing as perhaps a set, made with the with the intent of looking like one belonged with the other.

Yet, one is a "Pre" - a name not given it by the factory and, thus, carries no name at all, the other honored with S&W's "Model 39."

The two are 109 units apart: One being capable of assuredly realizing four figures in the auction pit; the other somewhat less so.

So close . . .

Later.

DC

 

[DCW]

Uh-Oh, Should I Take Some Off The Top?

Or, in this case, perhaps either side? It's tough getting all of them in at the same time.

Ol' DC's Pre-Pile. (Now, I gotta gather the Steels, the 39s and the 39-2s - and the whole family simultaneously.)

Irrespective of Row, L-to-R: 2623, 2289, 2104, 1928, 1535, 1527, 1398, 1086

Now, a word from my sponsor:

The United States of America made this spot possible.
It let me work the way I WANTED to work.
It let me acquire and (so far) allowed me - some 32-min. from an LEO's assist - to twice defend myself, family and property.

The rest of what I feel the need to say - likewise allowed by my sponsor - will come another day.

Right now, I am proud to be an American. I don't wish to go anywhere else to do or say what I wish, even should doing so make me an arse.

I truly love this country. I am very grateful that there exists whole bunches of people who not only agree with what I may say, but will defend until their death my right to say it. And I'll do the same for them, again and again, until pried from my cold, dead hands are my firearms.

Later.

DC

 

[moralem]

​

That's how it started for ALL of us ! Glad to have you aboard.

I am a sucker for these shiny things… Thus this 39-2 that the seller asserts came from the factory with gold controls. He’s asking four hundred dollars for it. I am tempted but I am not foolish.

 

[Road Rat]

​

I am a sucker for these shiny things… Thus this 39-2 that the seller asserts came from the factory with gold controls. He’s asking four hundred dollars for it. I am tempted but I am not foolish.

You have a PM

 

[gmborkovic]

Hello DC, each one of those pres needs an individual picture. Any chance of that?