Hi Everyone
I am new to this forum and new to Hand guns.
I have hunted almost all of my 70 years, but not with hand guns. i don't hunt any more, so i thought i would get a large range gun to go with my Sig Sauer P238. My question is what do think about the SW 539? Does it shoot well and dependable and how accurate is it. Don't be shy, i won't get hurt if it is not a good gun. I traded a Glock 27 that kicked like a mule and I really like the heavier all metal guns like the SW. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you Doug

Well i may have goofed on this one, i just read that this gun is noted for ejector failures. can this be fixed? Can a gun be sent back to SW if it doesn't work properly? and will they repair it at my expense?

Hussky;
Welcome to the forum. Shoot a bunch of ammo through that 539 before you panic or put too much stock in internet "S+W bashers". If you do encounter any problems with it you will be treated well by S+W customer service. If you do have any issues then, yes, S+W will fix it. There may or may not be charges to you depending on the problem. Chances are you will not need to find that out for yourself.

I own 5 S+W 9mm's (6th on the way!) and they all run like champs and eat any ammunition I feed them. Your 539 is a handsome and most likely reliable and accurate pistol. It may shoot more accurately with some ammuntion than others. Get yourself a few different brands, bullet profiles and bullet weights and have fun testing it!

i'm new here too and not aware of the 539 ejector issues but i would guess that you would probably have to fire alot more rounds through it than the average guy to get to that point. years ago i had a 539 and 459 that i used to shoot almost daily and never had a problem with either one.

The 539 is a somewhat rare 2nd generation pistol having only been made two years or so. I would love to find a nice fixed sight version myself - I've never cared for the dog ear adjustable sights and that is usually all you see. If well cared for, you should have no problems with your pistol.

Your 539 is the all carbon steel model (the 639 is made of stainless steel). My wife owns a 539 and has shot several thousand rounds through it and it is her favorite 9mm pistol. It is accurate, reliable and very ergonomic; the steel frame makes recoil easy to handle. I am fond of the 539 too. Enjoy your new pistol and shoot it often. Its one of the nicest pistols made IMO.

Charlie

__________________
SWCA # 2294

I really appreciate this info, i was starting to feel like i really screwed up. this is good news. thanks again Doug

a 539 will deliver many many years of flawless performance for you...get it quickly and enjoy the heck out of it!
Randy

When I got into LE my first Assistant Chief carried a 539. He was a shooter and went out to the range almost weekly for many years. He was very proud of that 539 and could generally out shoot all the rookies with their brand new Glock 17's. After they read off the scores (and he usually shot a perfect), he would say "American steel always trumps foreign plastic".

Thanks again: you guys made my day because i really like the look and feel of this piece. The trigger pull and slide are real Smooth, I just spayed it down with Ballistol wiped it off and blow of the excess with air pressure, it is ready for the range. Thanks again Doug

I've got a 639 and have shot alot of different brands of ammo in it, including Brown Bear steel case ammo. It's never jammed in any way for me. They are very stout, reliable guns.

I just got back from the range and old faithful shot like a champ, smooth as silk. 90 shots and not one problem. This 9mm has less recoil than my little Sig P238. The only problem is i can't keep any consistent patterns. It is probably me but i have always been a good shot at skeet, trap and rifle shooting. I am going out again next week. I was shooting at 25 yards. The target was 2 ft by 2 ft, i hit the target but not the bulls eye. After i got done i stoped at a gun shop the gun Smith said maybe i should try a new barrel, they don't cost that much. He also said that gun was in great condition and he thinks i made a good trade for what i want the gun to do (target shooting).He also said the problem could be me. Well i am very happy with my trade and this gun is a keeper. now i need a couple mags. Thanks for all the help. Doug

I thought i should put a picture of my latest freinds.

Nice looking pair you got there, congrats. You should look for grips that will match the Sig!

Thats funny you should say that, because i called the guy that made them grips for me yesterday and sad to say he doesn't make grips for that model. I wish i new someone who did, i have even been thinking about making them myself, if i could find some good looking wood?

Hussky,
Don't change the barrel yet. Start with the target at a closer range and work back out. At that distance I had a hard time fixing my shooting issues, like trigger jerk, flinching, etc etc. It is a lot easier to start at 7 yards, and you will get a lot more confidence at the longer ranges. On top of that, it is a lot easier for someone like me who needs reading glasses to align the sights and the target at 7 !
Nice looking gun, most you do see are pretty beat up it seems.

I think you are 100% right, i started out to far. I will work on this at the 7 yard distance. Thank you for your help, i really appreciate it. The 539 is in real nice condition. I will post a report next week and i hope i am improving, at 70 the eyes aren't very sharp with bifocals. Doug

I would Strongly suggest that you consider the ammunition you used and try different brands/loads. I have occassionally seen dramatic differences in groups just by changing ammo. If your initial impression was with MagTek or gunshow grab bag rounds, you owe yourself and the gun a re-do.

I own a M539 and a M639 and wouldn't part with either one. These are great pistols and will outlast anyone who purchases one. I can feed either of my pistols any kind of ammo at all and neither one hiccups a bit! Enjoy that pistol and welcome to the Forum, Doug.

I used Federal Champion 9mm 115 grain FMJ RM ammo. I have been hitting 97% of the shots to the left of the target shooting at rest. Do i move the rear adjustable sight to to right? I read in several different how to aim sites, 2 different opinions. One says move the rear sight left and the other says right. i would think i should move the sight to the right. Is the 1911 a spin off of the 539? just a thought, i know they don,t have the grip safety but they do look similar. As you can tell i am like 5 year old kid that just fond a new toy and i am 3 months from 70. Life is good. I really appreciate all the help. thanks again from cold axx Florida. Doug

I almost bought a 539 a couple of weeks ago. The shop had the 539 and a 39-2. They told me I could have either for the same price. I picked the 39-2 simply because the 539 had more finish wear on the slide, but man I was tempted.

Enjoy it!

__________________
John 3:16 .

I just read that the 1911 has been around since 1911, that's even before i was born. Is the 39-2 similar to the 539? Doug

Yes. Pretty much the same gun, but the 39-2 (as well as the 39 "no dash") has an aluminum frame, and the sights are only adjustable for windage. The 539 has a steel frame and fully adjustable sights. There may be other differences, but those are the big ones I guess.

My 39-2



This is my third -2. I've rather foolishly traded off the other two, even though it's one of my favorite handguns.

__________________
John 3:16 .

I am sorry but what is (no dash)?

I am going to try and find some of those wood grips. they look nice. nice gun you there. Thanks Doug

A "no dash" gun is just the first model. When Smith & Wesson makes an engineering change to a gun they add a "dash number" to the model. For example "39-2." The Model 39 (with no dash) was the original model. Then they made some small change to it so they added a "-1" to the number. Then another change and it became the 39-2.

The changes are usually small and for the most part unimportant to most people, other than to give you a rough idea of when it was made. A "no dash" gun would have been made before a "-2" for example.

__________________
John 3:16 .

Thank you i am slowly leaning-1

Assuming the grips for your 539 are the saqme as a 39-2, you can still buy these from Numrich Arms. I think you may have a small bit of work on the 39-2 grips to accomodate the ambi-safety on the right side of the pistol. You can check with Numrich Arms to see if they are the same?

__________________
joseph whitney

Numrich Arms show that the 539 grips are all gone but I think the 39-2 grips which they have will fit. but again maybe not. They look the same anyway.

__________________
joseph whitney

Thank you i will check with them tomorrow.

Hussky... Shooting left with the gun is not surprising. The trigger is likely your problem. The Federal ammunition should not be a problem. It is good quality. I am one of those guys who is spoiled by years of shooting S&W revolvers, and I have a terrible time with a gun with a trigger that is not so good. I had my 639 (and older 59) at the range yesterday - and shot left with both of them (offhand). Just to check, I shot both from a rest and they were fine.

I agree with the other fellows. Start closer and learn the trigger. Those 539s and 639s are really nice, sturdy guns. I like them a lot better than 59s. But, in my opinion, one does have to learn the trigger. I do not "finesse" it like one does a 1911 trigger, or a rifle trigger. I have to use a "deliberate press," making sure the press is straight to the rear. When I do that, everything settles right down and it is back to business as usual.

Good luck. You've got a great gun. Don't worry.

Thanks allot i will try to do that, I am sure the problem is me. i hope the problem is me and not the gun. i am going back to the range on tuesday, i will post the results. i can't wait to try it out again. thanks again Doug

You asked about accuracy. I do not have any way to test from a machine rest. My guns average about 2-inches at 50-feet with good handloads or factory loads like the Federals you mention.

I am reasonably sure the guns would shoot better than that if they had a better trigger and a little lighter hammer fall. It takes a really firm grip on the gun to keep the sights still when the hammer falls. I am not used to a really hard grip when shooting either 1911s or S&W revolvers, so I do not shoot S&W autos quite as well as I think the guns can do.

I have never bothered to tinker with my 539 or 639 to see if the trigger action could be improved by a hobbyist. I believe Novak's does this (or did at one time), but with the cost of shipping being so expensive, I have not bothered to send one of my guns to them for adjustment.

Thank You very much, very interesting. i never realized that the trigger pull was so important. Someone else told me to check into NUMRICH for parts. I did and what a great site, they had the 539 with all the parts and prices (i ordered wood grips). Thanks for all the help. I have to get back to the range and try this gun again at 7 yards, and see if i can get it shooting straight. I love this gun. Doug

M29
I checked my trigger pull in pounds and it measures 3.20 pounds. I don't know if this is to high or not?

25 yards is too far for casual handgun shooting with an unfamiliar gun.

The phenomenon of "shooting left" is quite common with most shooters, and across all types of handguns. Double-stack semi-autos seem to be the ones that "shoot the most leftist."

I'm betting that the reason you were shooting at 25 yards was because this was an outdoor range, that involves shooting into dirt berms, and 25 yards was the closest you were allowed to post targets. If so, you should find a different range.

With time, an determination, you can learn to shoot a handgun reasonably well at 25 yards, and longer distances. But, unless you are planning on shooting competitions, that degree of accuracy with a handgun is just an academic exercise. For my opinion, I say handguns are best fired at closer distances. After all, there have been plenty of studies of law-enforcement shootings, and the average distance is just EIGHT FEET (not seventy-five feet).

Congratulations on joining the "39-club."

Enjoy your new 539 -- and get some closer targets.
Its a HAND-gun.

__________________
WWSSD?
What would Skeeter do?

Yes, an academic exercise it may be, but the very nature of shooting handguns is largely academic - for most of us. The truth is, it is fun to be able to hit something with a pistol at distances that others cannot.

Back to the question, the weight is about right, but of course the action of the trigger is important, too. These guns usually have a gritty release that can be hard to manage for us trigger-sissies.

What happens to your sights when the hammer falls? If you do a little dry-firing at a bullseye target, you will be able to observe them for movement and you may be able to adjust your grip as needed to keep the sights as movement free as possible when the hammer falls and the cartridge explodes.

A few words about dry-firing handguns. I know you have probably heard the admonitions about always selecting a target that will not lead to a catastrophe in the event a round actually goes off. I realize this can seem a bit silly. After all, the gun is "unloaded." The truth is, I know some very good, careful gun handlers who have come to grief in dry-firing practice. Not a single one of these fellows were newcomers to handgunning. One I recall in particular was a man well known to be very careful around guns and not given to losing track of what he was doing. What has saved every instance from becoming a disaster is that the men involved deliberately selected a dry-fire target based on the requirement that IF a round should go off, a tragedy would not be at risk. Over-cautious at it may seem, please be sure to select your dry-fire target accordingly, and in no case allow even a single live cartridge in the room you are in while dry-firing.

As to the gun, it is going to be difficult to make progress with your marksmanship if the gun's hammer fall is so heavy that your follow through does not keep the sights aligned.

A real master can shoot a pistol with a terrible trigger. Most of us have seen it. I have, and it made a great impression on me. The not-so-masterly among us benefit greatly from a proper trigger and ignition set-up. That's why S&W revolvers have such a great reputation. I have never been able to shoot ordinary Ruger single-action revolvers because of their hammer fall, but I have seen some of them tuned to the place where they were quite easy to shoot.

Keep working with that 539 and you will eventually get where you want to be. Dry-firing is a great teaching tool that is often overlooked by folks who are not life-long handgunners. And as you move your range out to 25-yards and beyond, that is when you may need the help of an expert gunsmith with the mechanics of the pistol. (Note the word "expert." )

Thank You M29. I really appreciate all your help. I just got back from the range and shot 100 rounds with no issues at all, the 539 was perfect, i love this gun. i shot 3 shots at a time at rest and i got some real good groups. i adjusted the sights and now i am putting them in an 8"circle. that is allot better than i was at first. then i tried standing up and it wasn't so easy. This was all done from 7 Yards. At a standing position i am within a 12" circle, with some close to the bulls eye. I will practice dry firing and see what happens next week. is a trigger job expensive? Thanks again Doug from Florida

Good trigger work is never cheap. Unfortunately, unless you can arrange for a dealer to ship and receive your gun (he can use Parcel Post, private individuals cannot) the cost of shipping the gun by overnight service - as required by the regulations of "certain other carriers" ( ) - makes the overall cost of the work much worse.

Paying for skilled work is one thing and most of us do not object to that. The other problem is something else.

When you get to the point where you feel the trigger-ignition system of the gun is holding you back, post something in the gunsmithing section of this board asking for help. There are probably some S&W-trained armorers there who can make some suggestions of simple things you might be able to do to help a bit with your 539, but of course it will be no substitute for having an expert handle the job. For example, there may be spring kits or other gizmos on the market that could be installed without shipping the gun. Only someone familiar with the gun and the products could say if the gizmos are of any real value.

M29 I am sure you are right. i was thinking I will use this gun for awhile and if i want to really get into some serious shooting. i may be better off buying another gun that is more money but has all the improvements from the gun maker? I was just ready today that there are some new models coming out (at the big shot show in Las Vagues) that are upgraded and not in the $2500 range. I think they said that Smith and Wesson will be coming out with one but i am not sure. This is the site.
SHOT Show Sneak Peek – Media Day at the Range
Thanks Doug

SHOT can bring forth all sorts of stories.

But you're right, in my opinion. When/if the day comes that the 539 does not satisfy you, you are probably going to be looking for a true target pistol. That's the next logical step. Take a look at a S&W 952, if the 9mm caliber interests you. It's a great gun that would have the full support of the manufacturer.

Beware of wannabe target pistols. The cost difference between a wannabe and a 952 is not going to be a lot (maybe 50% at most), but a 952 is made to punch holes in paper as it comes from its box, and it will have a good trigger. So called "target model" or "target grade" 1911s, for example, may have some nice features, but may or may not be capable of true target quality accuracy, and they usually have less than satisfactory triggers.

Thank You M29. I am going to a Gun show this Saturday, but i think it is to early to be looking for better guns. The 539 is 100 times better than i am at this point. I will keep this information in mind. thank you Doug

I just got an email from Smith and Wesson, they said the 539 was built in 1981. it's kind of funny. i sent Glock an email and called them 3 times and left messages to please tell me what year my G 27 Glock was and i got no responce. So cheers to S.W. Good job. Doug from Florida

You can look up the date of your Glock at Glock Serial Number Research Project - Glock Talk

__________________
WWSSD?
What would Skeeter do?

Thank You W.E.G
I traded the Glock 27 40mm for the 539. I couldn't get rid of the Glock fast enough. For me it felt like shooting a big piece of plastic that kicked like a mule. I am glad it is in someone else's barn. Thanks anyway Doug for Florida

You bought a great gun there !!
I own a few of them....and they do require alot of trigger time to get good with....but so do most pistols !!!
I carry one as my EDC gun quite a bit.
Good solid pistol swallows recoil very well.
Find the right ammo and it will be 100% reliable too.
Mine likes Nyclad (when you can find it), Federal Classic 9PB, and even does well with the 147 grain non +P HST.

Good luck with it as it is an all-time keeper.

Thank You Mod 19
That is really nice to hear. I am using Remington 116 FMJ and the gun hasn't had one hiccup yet, out of several hundred rounds. And they are cheap $10.00 for 50 range at Walmart. I was also thinking about getting an S.W. 1911 9mm, but maybe i should just get another 539.

Nothing against the S&W 1911, but check out the 952. It will feel VERY similar in your hand to your 539, and it will probably out-shoot S&W's 9mm 1911 by a fair margin.

Unfortunately, skill you develop with the 952 will not necessarily directly transfer to the 539.

M29

I think you are saying that 952 will make me a better shot, Do you realize that you just got me wanting another gun and i suppose it is more money than the 1911. I am almost fully retired but i think i am going to go back to full time to support my new hobby. Thank You anyway i do appreciate it. Dong