I don't pretend to be an expert by any means, but I did take these out this morning and did my own evaluation.
They are both equally accurate, as far as I'm concerned, but the S&W seemed so much more fun to shoot.
Lot less recoil with the 5906, I'm sure due to the added weight. Trigger seemed much smoother as well.
The G19 is probably a better carry piece for me because it's so much lighter.
I won't be sending the G19 down the road anytime soon, but if I had to pick one over the other, the 5906 is the keeper

Good post,I bought a new glock 3rd gen model 19 about a month ago(have not shot yet),I also purchased S&W 3913(shoots great)and waiting on a model 5906 that I purchased today.I am headed to the pistol range when the weather warms up and give them try.

I'll take a US made S&W 5906 any day of the week over a plastic Austrian Block Price for price, the next poly pistol I buy will be a 9mm M&P. I just want a S&W autoloader for my collection...... I have a Glock 17 and I have no love for it. It's a functional, accurate weapon, but I don't have fun shooting it so it's spent the last 3 years sitting in it's plastic case. I don't sell it because I figure some day I might need a functional 9mm that I don't really care about.

I was watching COPS the other day, I like the older episodes, and the S&W stainless autos like the 5906 have so much more cool factor in the holsters of those cops than the later episodes where they all have cookie cutter Blocks.......no wonder they have to make the Tasers with yellow grips otherwise it would be hard to tell them apart......

The days when cops carried cool sidearms is coming to a close......at least a lot of PD's use the M&P's.

Exactly right RayBan! And a great post too. I've had G19s but they tend to bite the web of my hand, so I went with a Smith 5946 to have a DAO pistol! It too is a good shooter!
Question; Which one was more accurate?

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"Long live the S&W 3rd. Gen.!"

Great post rayban. I have the lighter version of the 5906 called the 5903. Same accuracy and feel as the 5906 only lighter for carry. If I had a choice in a gun store to buy a G19 or a 5906/5903 I would not hesitate. I would take home a 5906/5903.
Here is mine.
Howard

I believe the results are about the same, HOWEVER, the Smith is easier to keep steady because of it's weight, and the trigger is smoother, the recoil feels less, it's plain easier to shoot for me.

Here's my target this morning....the black was my starting set with both guns,,,,then broke off in groups of 5 all done with the Smith.
I would send one, then aim at it with the other 4. At 10 yards.

I miss my 5906s but now for some reason Im considering either a G19C or 17C just for shooting and using as a woods/truck gun. Im sorry the Glock is lighter and I would rather tear up a plastic gun vs a 5906 if I had one. I know I wont use a Colt 1911 for that or any of my S&W revolvers which are all in great shape. Easier to replace a Block then a piece of precious S&W steel.

Blocks have a use, as utility guns, something to leave in the glovebox or even carry a 10mm as a woods gun or a backup to a rifle. If you ding or scratch them it's no big deal. I would feel no different putting some carry wear on a G19 as I would my cell phone or car keys, it's a tool of daily life. In 5 or 10 years the Blocks won't be much different than they are now, and no harder to replace. They keep updating them here and there but they stay basically the same. S&W doesn't make 5906's anymore.

If I put a ding in a 5906 it would probably ruin my day.....

That's because it would take a train wreck to put a ding in it, no??

I was in Jacksonville, FL a few years ago, eating in a restaurant on the waterfront, when a few detectives walked through. One of them had a nickel plated, pearl handled something in his holster. Definitely looked cooler than the department issue.

I had a 2nd gen G19 (no finger grooves) and I loved it. I'm not a Glock hater by any means, but they are just kind of generic...like tools. There's something about a S&W 3rd gen that just has that certain "something" to it. I wouldn't trade my 6906 for a G19 no matter how drunk I was.

__________________
"I'm your huckleberry."

I'm not a hater either, but I decided I could live without it so I sent it on down the road....

I am a big Glock fan. In fact my first pistol was a G19. I wish I had never sold it. As far as comparing it to a 5906, that is like comparing apples to oranges. The only similarity is they are both 9mm. The 5906 is heavy. So heavy IMO is could never be carried properly except on a duty belt.

Now I own a Glock 22 but I keep a .357 sig barrel in it (best auto pistol round IMO). This is overall my fav pistol and the one I'd pick to have in a fire fight any day.




I have shot many M&Ps I do not care for them. I would take a Glock or Springfield XDM (own in .45) over any model M&P.

Now I also love me some S&W. I own the 5906 TSW. This was the last version made called the "Tactical 9". I paid full price at the time was over $700 and it was worth every penny. I love shooting this gun and it is just cool as hell.

Next is the 6906 that was a LEO turn in I picked up at a gun show for like $350. I would possibly compare it to a G19 because it is light and more compact. I would not say it shoots exactly like the 5906 like someone previously but it is definitely a great piece.

Then of course I had to show off my new Model 60 Pro Series revolver. You just cannot beat a S&W revolver.

if it ain't got a hammer and a metal frame on it I don't want it.
another + for the S&W is the big stout trigger gaurd - if a fella had to pistol whip a BG that's the one to do it with. the squared ones (early models) are better for that. a real skull-buster.

No striker fired tupperware for me. Though the G19 is a fine pistol......if you like that sort of thing.

Make mine a 5906. Reliable, durable, accurate and looks good doing all that. Regards 18DAI.

There is no comparison...the 5906 is twice the gun.

How do you like your 5 shot Model 60 Pro Series revolver?
My local ffl has one for sale that I'm procrastinating whether to buy
since I just purchased three consignment guns 10 day ago.

Is $579 a good price for a like new Model 60 Pro Series revolver?
Seems fairly light. How is the recoil with magnum loads?
586L-Frame

I see that you corrected the violation of a glock occupying the same picture with a 3rd gen.

The Glock 19`s ( at least the Gen. 2 & Gen 3 versions) are the best overall Combat Handguns ever made and probably the best that ever will be made.

While not surprising that it gets no love on a S&W Forum, it is amazing that it gets no credit for functioning with the much touted reliability of the safety-less double action revolver.

Like a revolver, no switches, decockers, safeties, levers, to try and get in right sequence in a high stress situation.

The "safety" being in the trigger group, is disengaged in take-up, and the G 19 goes off..... 16 times, always...... all the time.

I love it. I would definitely recommend it at that price. IMO it is too light to shoot .357 mag loads. The recoil is insane. It is cool to be able to shoot them but not practical IMO. It is a great carry piece. Light and compact. Find some nice .38 +p loads.

If you really want to focus on .357 mag, check out the 686 SSR. It is similar looking and also Pro Series but has a 4" barrel and larger grip to better control the recoil.

.....I'll give it credit......and I'll STILL take the 5906 over it.....

I just picked up a nice used 5903. I have had a few 5906 but got rid of them due to the heft. Great guns I know but to much for carry. I have had two Glock 19's and still have one with RTF. I don't have a holster yet for the 5903 but want to carry it and compare it to packing my G19.

I'm sure the 5906 is a fine handgun, and I certainly wouldn't be dismayed to find myself carrying one. However, if I had to choose between the two for an everyday carry gun, I would definitely prefer the Glock 19.

Tim

I am not sure about this quote. It SOUNDS like you are talking about a DAO S&W, like perhaps the 5946, 4046, 4586, or the lightweight models like the 3953, 5943, 4043 and 4583. You know, the ultra-reliable guns made in America with a lifetime warranty and not just for the original purchaser...

But from the rest of your post it SEEMS like you are talking about that Austrian-made plastic gun with the little lever thingy stuck in the middle of the trigger. You know, the ones that copied the grip angle from a Ruger .22 but changed the overall shape to something like a 2x4...the ones all the cops carry because they were either free to the department or the cheaper than any other gun around...


(I am just kidding with the author of the post. if you are a Glock lover and are offended by this, I am sorry. Please get over it and consider buying a S&W, you will feel much better.)

Hey, someone has to love Glocks...

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I put a little over 6000 rounds through my used 5906 in competition and practice last year, with one FTF which I attribute to an old (black follower) magazine. I don't feel like I'm giving up a reliability edge to Glocks (am I?) and if I decide to appendix carry I can safe the thing before I holster...

I love the 3rd Gens, but a Glock 19 is very functional with it's light weight and you're not gonna worry about banging it against anything.

Mags are quite a bit cheaper plus just about every holster made today can be had in a Glock version.



That said, I'm looking out for a 5943/5944/6944/6946

__________________
I miss my 4546 the most.

I actually am not trying to sell anyone on anything. But just for comparison's sake:

Glock 19 unloaded...23.5 oz. mags 25.00 (new)

S&W 5903 unloaded...28.5 oz. mags 27.00-34.00 (new)

S&W 3913 unloaded weight 24.7 oz. mags 34.00 (new)
(yes, I know the 3913 is only 8 rounds, but that is enough for me)

Holsters ARE way more available for Glocks than the 5903. That is only natural given the number of Glocks out there and the fact the 3rd gen S&Ws are for all practical purposes discontinued.

But for the holsters I buy, it doesn't matter. The holster makers that I like make holsters for most of the guns I like.

I find the Glock grip shape uncomfortable and don't like the grip angle. I also have a preference for a gun with a hammer instead of a striker, but those are all just personal issues. I have shot Glocks, but never owned one or had one issued to me.

I have never been completely comfortable with the "safety" of a Glock. I guess I am too old-school, but I like the longer heavier trigger of a double action gun. As long as the gun is in its holster or at the range it doesn't matter, but when clearing a building or on a no knock warrant or a felony stop or when grabbing a gun off of a nightstand at 3:00 AM, I like something a little less sensitive. I know most people seem to have no issue with this.

If you ever need to carry or conceal a gun in an unconventional manner, I could not see doing so with a Glock, but a S&W...I would be willing to put it in a waistband, a pocket, a backpack, a sleeping bag or under a pillow if necessary. Not the best practice perhaps, but doable.

I don't think I am alone in this given the popularity of the heavier trigger option for the Glock and the availability of an aftermarket "thumb" safety.

If there was a S&W and a Glock lying on a table and you told me to pick one to carry as a cop or an armed citizen, I would grab the S&W.

I keep thinking I should pick up a Glock 19 one of these days, just because everyone else has one.

I looked up the term highly subjective in the dictionary and found this post:

The second definition was "existing in one's own mind strictly as a personal preference".

MLK18

+1, +P

Precisely why I bought one.....then the 5906 came into my life...then it was " sorry popular plastic pistol...but you must go now....it's not me, it's you...."

I looked long and hard for a second generation Glock 19 after shooting one, outfitted it with a Lasermax and good holster. Then one day I got a 5903 SSV that answered by needs and I got rid of the Glock, sure would love another SSV.

Brian

I have a Glock-17 and a S%W 5906. Both have been super reliable. The G-17 has an edge in accuracy at 50 ft over the S&W5906. The 59096 is certainly more heft and seems to dampen recoil more than the G-17.

A handgun should be made of metal and it should have a hammer.

This is a Universal Truth.

Fish

+1 +P

I own a SW 5906 and have fired some Glocks, including the 19. It is a great gun IMHO, yet for accuracy the SW 5906 does the job better. I think the fact it is heavier by far assists your accuracy allowing a steadier aim. IMO there is no contest, the weight (though in my hands it feels insignificant) is not that bid of deal, yet the 5906 absorbs recoil so much better IMO than the Glock 19. I have looked at them to purchase tho I would rely on my aim with my 5906 rather than the number of extra rounds in the G-19. Currenty as an older gun, I feel the price is right, too!

I own and shoot 19 3rd Gens. I also own and shoot 4 Glocks (19, 22, 21 and 31). I like the Glocks, they're very accurate, light and fast. I keep them cleaned, lubed and shoot good ammo through them. All four function perfectly. Granted, they don't have soul like a 3rd Gen, but they're excellent weapons. Of course, I also like my 1911, Beretta 8000F Cougar, Makarovs and Sigs. If I do my part, they're all pretty darn accurate. Oh heck, I just love pistols.

On a side note: From about 2001 to 2007, I was shooting my Glocks a fair amount at a small local indoor range that has since closed. I was a regular there and on many occasions I would find myself shooting near folks (including many experienced shooters) with a Glock or two. Many of these folks would be complaining how it would not group, shot way left, shot way right, shot way low or whatever.

The experienced shooters would see the very tight groups I would shoot with my Glocks and say something like, "I'm getting ready to move the sights" or "I'm going to sell this one, it just ain't shooting" and then ask if I would put a few rounds through the pistol. I would ask for 3 rounds and shoot the first round in the white of the target and use that as POA for the next two. Almost everytime, at 21 feet, the rounds would be touching. We would chat for a few minutes and I would discuss how the trigger, and in many cases the grip angle, could take some getting use to. I, myself, almost threw my first Glock under the bus in 1992. But I stuck with it.

As for the newbies (almost always with their first Glock), I would go over introduce myself, ask how they liked the Glock and, after hearing the complaints, would ask to try it with a few rounds. The gun would shoot a very tight group at 21 feet. They would say something along the line of, "Wow, I guess it ain't the gun, is it?" I would then give them some pointers and discuss the trigger. It didn't make them into instant marksmen, but their groups would usually shrink significantly and move more toward center.

Since 1992 I've shot many, many Glocks and have never had one that would not shoot a fairly nice group near POA. Of course, most all my 3rd Gens do about the same. My point is that most high quality modern pistols shoot pretty darn good right out of the box, if we put the effort forward to make it happen.

Of course, that's just me, your mileage may vary.

FWIW

I bought my 5906 last year after waiting so very long to find one at the right price. SOG had some good LE trade ins in so I jumped on a select one. And, I wasn't disappointed.
I have only owned one semi tupperware gun, an SW40VE. I did not like the trigger on it so I sold it and bought the 5906.
I will NEVER get rid of it either. That thing is a tank!

My police trade in 5906 was not for me. I don't think it was terribly inaccurate, but I endorse the point shooting method and it just didn't point well for me.

My Glock 34 does much better, again that's for me. YMMV.

You cannot beat an all steel gun. A 3rd gen 5906 was my first gun, ya gotta love it.

I can't weigh in on these two particular models, but I do know that as soon as I found a 908, I got rid of my Glock 26. I can have filet mignon or I can have hamburger . Both have the same nutritional value. Giving up the Glock, I sacrificed a few ounces and 2 rounds. The 908 is a pleasure to shoot, not that the Glock wasn't, but even for a Value Line gun, there's a lot of craftsmanship in the S&W. To continue the food analogy, were I a chef, I'd rather serve up an impeccable steak Diane than a fantastic Fuddrucker's burger.

So I recently bought a brand new Gen4 G17 (18DAI, put the rock down!), with the idea to have a modern, NEW, pistol, with a massive parts distribution outlet to back it up should something break.
So off to the range I go with the new 17 and just for the heck of it, I brought my old 5946 since it needed a workout.
The 17 did good, smooth, accurate, no BTF, and the trigger was pretty good, and the new spring set up really does calm down the "pop" of the recoil. In total I put 200 rounds thru it thus far.

Satisfied, I dug out the old 5946 and let fly: the trigger while heavier is smoother, accuracy was slightly better with the range fodder, no malfs AT ALL, but what got me was how well behaved it was in recoil. Just a little bounce or tap and right back on target! I only put 100 rounds thru it since its closing on 5,000 and needs new springs.

I shoot TDA pistols better since its what I'm used too, but these DAO are damn nice though!
Bottom line, pays your money and takes your choice, but give some good lube, a handful of spare parts, mags, and I'll take any 5900 into combat!
And the 5906 just logged 500 trouble free rounds. And the G17...he lives in his box for now. I don't mind scratches or dings on my Smiths, they are service pistols after all and meant to get used.
So while there's nothin wrong with the Glock, there is indeed somethin about these Smiths that keep me comin back to them. Be it looks, moxy, or just that 40 plus years of gettin the job done!
Dale

__________________
"Long live the S&W 3rd. Gen.!"

No rocks here Badkarma 1. The 17 is a fine pistol in its own right.......if you like that sort of thing and better than anything the current company calling itself S&W is making today.

But I am like you and shoot TDA pistols better. I also prefer a hammer fired, metal framed TDA, to a striker fired plastic gun.

And I'm not embarrased when someone sees a 3rd gen gun in my holster.

Enjoy your new Glock Badkarma 1! Best regards, 18DAI

__________________
7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

That's gonna be kinda hard since I sold it today!
Now too find a 6906!
Dale

__________________
"Long live the S&W 3rd. Gen.!"

The Smith trigger is much better than the Glock.

Glocks have HORRIBLE triggers and everyone knew it when they first hit our shores.
Gaston Glock has done a great job ob BSing shooters into thinking his guns have acceptable trigger pulls.

I feel sorry for these younger shooters who know nothing but Combat Tupperware.

I've made my son shoot all of mine.

My Ruger SR9 has a much better factory trigger than a Glock, and he still prefers my K and L frame triggers to it.

He likes the SR for the hi-cap cool factor and all that **** that made wondernines popular.
I like it. It's been a great gun. I like my Combat Masterpiece better.
More fun to shoot.

Have shot many Glock frame sizes and calibers.
The 10mm and .45 fit my hand as poorly as a ParaOrd. Felt like holding a brick.
The 9s and .40s fit much better, except for the mag release of the first 3 generations of "perfection" (LOL-perfection that requires multiple generations and recalls that are dishonestly referred to as "upgrades").

The first 3 gens have a mag release that bites my trigger finger (Southpaw).
None of them have a grip angle or trigger pull that feel right.

The XD seems to have the best OEM trigger pull.
The M&P feels the best in the hand.
Smith did their homework on the ergonomics of it.

The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gen Smith autos are classics.
There are things about them I don't care for, well one thing-slide mounted safety, but I won't pass up one for a good price.

__________________
What would Jim Cirillo do?

I too like my 5906 TSW over any Glock I've ever shot. But this IS a S&W forum so I expect bias to lean that way :-)

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"The Smith trigger is much better than the Glock."

Definitely agree

"The first 3 gens have a mag release that bites my trigger finger (Southpaw)."

If you order a 745 mag button that goes away

"There are things about them I don't care for, well one thing-slide mounted safety, but I won't pass up one for a good price."

Most don't like them, but carry it with the safety off and it's no problem :-)

I have both too and prefer the G19. I get roughly the same accuracy. The 5946 is more so but not enough to matter past competition. They hold the same amount of ammo but the G19 is lighter and easier to carry all day. But what really gets me is that I'm not a fan of thin flat grips that are on the S&Ws. I hate them. I like Hogue rubber with an arched back strap. And what I hate even more is tracking down parts. If it doesn't have what I'm looking for I don't buy.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

I used to own a 5906 and right now currently own a 5926. I don't find the steel series heavy. But then again I also carry a GLOCK 22 every day at work. Off duty I rotate between all my handguns so one day I carry a GLOCK 29 and maybe the next day it is a 64-2 and after that a Colt 1911 Combat Commander.

As for the comparison between a GLOCK 19. I find the compact perfect in the 2nd gen GLOCK series. The 3rd gen just didn't work due to finger groves. If I can find another 2nd gen GLOCK 19 I will snatch ot up. My 5926 is a great carry piece and I feel very confident with it.