I bought a M59...School me

MelvinWalker · Jun 21, 2026

I have been wanting one of these for awhile...They always seem too expensive to me, but yesterday I happened on one in an auction in Montana. I don't think I had too many bidders bidding against me, so if I total everything up with sales price, all fees and transfer, I will have this in my hand in Florida for about $335 out the door.

It is a Model 59 Serial A372339, which should put it late 1976/early 1977 or so according to da'book...Bluing on slide and anodizing on frame look good, although I can't deal with the ugly synthetic grips, so I have some on the way from Turkey that look really nice for about $50 shipped.

It looks like the mag is missing, but I understand the Mec-Gars actually function really well and are inexpensive at around $20... I have large hands, so the double stack guns fit me well, although I have never owned one of these models. I know that some of these came in recently from Israel, but this one doesn't have the standard Century import marks that they usually have. I think it was a domestic sale because it had several older Colts, etc in the auction from the same estate.

Thoughts and opinions on this? Here's three pics of the gun and one of the grips I ordered.

Imissedagain · Jun 21, 2026

Great gun.
Bought one new around '80.
Still carried when necessary.
Removed the Mag disconnect.
Wish it was all steel.

First gun my boy carried, then a week later, he got Glocked, at least it was a 45.
Our main fishing gun, on bridges and boats.

stansdds · Jun 22, 2026

For $335, even without a magazine, you did well. Mec-Gar magazines for the 59/x59/59xx pistols do work well. Mec-Gar may have been the OEM supplier for S&W. The Model 59 is part of S&W's first generation of metal frame 9mm pistols. As such, the double action trigger is likely to be heavy and gritty, the single action is likely to be very crisp. Accuracy ranges from excellent to barely combat acceptable. I doubt yours is a former Israeli pistol as it lacks an import stamp and appears to be in excellent condition.

jimmyj · Jun 22, 2026

I have a blued 5904 which has a HEAVY DA/SA trigger. Is there any method available to lighten the trigger ?

stansdds · Jun 22, 2026

jimmyj said:
I have a blued 5904 which has a HEAVY DA/SA trigger. Is there any method available to lighten the trigger ?

A lighter main spring will reduce the trigger pull, but can also lead to reliability issues. Having someone like BMCM perform a trigger job can make the pull smoother and retain reliability.

BLACKHAWKNJ · Jun 22, 2026

Iron rule of changing springs is you keep the original, buy several replacements, see what works. Recall one of the gun writers wrote that he
found very careful application of jeweler's rouge slicked up his bolt action rifles. Then there's Ye Old Standby of lots of shooting.
Bought an M59, didn't like that aluminum frame, sold it, bought an M659, still have it.

AC Man · Jun 24, 2026

I have XXL hands too and it isn't remotely large in my hands like I hear all the time. That's a good price. Congrats on the purchase.

I have this demented interest in buying old guns in as new unfired condition, box, papers,tools. Bought one last month and shot it the first day. Like it a lot.

Goony · Jun 24, 2026

I also opted for Model 39-ish grips for one of my 59's.

Doriangray6 · Jun 24, 2026

I picked up a model 59 about five years ago and have been real happy with it.
Feeds and fires everything I've run through it with no problems including my handloads, it's more more accurate than my old eyes and arthritic hands are, and fits perfectly in a S&W model 39 holster I happened on.

Found a deal on a spare NOS barrel and rear sight assembly for too. Not that I think I'll need them but nice to have.

ACEd · Jun 24, 2026

Cant say for sure on the 1st generation 59, but with respect to accuracy, my 3rd generation 9mm seem to prefer the 124gr or even 147gr to the more common 115gr ammo. No problem with feed - the 3rd gens anyway. But suggest you try all varieties as well as different brands to see which you like.

stansdds · Jun 24, 2026

ACEd said:
Cant say for sure on the 1st generation 59, but with respect to accuracy, my 3rd generation 9mm seem to prefer the 124gr or even 147gr to the more common 115gr ammo. No problem with feed - the 3rd gens anyway. But suggest you try all varieties as well as different brands to see which you like.

When it comes to 9mm ammo, I have not had really good results with 115 grain FMJ in several 9mm pistols from several manufacturers. 115 grain JHP seems to do much better as does any bullet design with a mass of 124 grains or more.

oberon · Jul 8, 2026

Ya done good on that one.
This thing wasn't as good a deal, but fair, and had 5 magazines with it, $500 maybe 5 yrs. ago.

I put Hogue paro faro grip panels on it.

S-W4EVER · Jul 8, 2026

You didn’t do too bad on that deal, I gave ~ $237.50 for my M59 new back in 1977 (which would be ~ $1,300 in today’s dollars). I was in college studying LE at the time and I bought it because it was the state of the art, but never carried it, instead it was S&W revolvers for the next dozen years.

I never had any reliability issues with it, although it went back to the factory a couple times for recalls (and not any issues I experienced with it).

I still have that M59, it’s one of the few handguns I never felt to need to change grips on. IMHO, S&W auto pistols have never gotten the credit they deserve.

Venom6 · Jul 8, 2026

Bought one in 1976 for an off-duty gun. It was about the only high-capacity DA auto truly available. It functioned fine, but I found the DA pull pretty heavy and the SA was gritty. When first introduced in the early 70's they were very difficult to source. One of the gun magazines of the time had an article about a mid-sized California PD that had adopted them. I wrote to the agency asking if they could spare just one for this rookie officer. Never heard back from them.

I bought a M59...School me

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