New to me S&W 59... how'd I do?

[tomshilling]

Was planning to purchase a Glock 19 today...but couldn't make myself go thru with it once I spotted this very nice M59 sitting all alone.

It is serialed A469928, has the safety only on the left side, and has to be in 90% or better condition. It has 2 magazines, but neither is marked S&W, and no factory box. Apparently the mags are 14 rounds each.

It looks nearly new! Any idea of the Mfg date?

Also, I haggled on the price, and got it for $290 out the door.

I am picking up a spare mag or two off one of the auction sites, and was wondering what, if any, options exist for replacing the factory sites with Novak or night sights... the rear sight seems to have a long tongue that extends from the site base almost to the ejection port...which seems kind of strange.

Seemed like a must-have for the price, and hope I have secured a nice range gun, and if I can work some magic on the sights, maybe a great carry piece.

[824tsv]

Looks like 1978 is the approx D.O.B. That was quite a buy at $290. Wish I could score on some deals like that. I've owned a 59 in the past and I remember that it didn't like non factory mags, so be careful on what you buy. I'm sure someone else can chime in on that issue.

[panther]

I was in a shop today and saw about 10 different 59 series mags, from 15 rd mags up to 30rds. I've always been told to find factory, or MecGar mags, and stay away from ProMag.

[t-bird]

Great gun at a great price. Be sure to post what clips work and which ones don't. Best of luck and enjoy your new toy.

[carbuncle]

Very nice, you bought a working piece of art there. The G19 will always be there, good call on going for the 59.

Posted from my car phone.

[Cyrano]

The 'tongue' on the rear sight is a flat spring that holds the sight in place. You'll note there's a little notch that enables you to get something under it and pry it up until it clears the slide. Then you rotate it 90º and lift the sight off. The magazine safety and its spring may come too, so lift off carefully. This unusual arrangement for securing the sight is the reason it's hard to find aftermarket sights for the 39-59.

[red_12]

I think u did real good, that's a sweet purchase, and a good price. Tell us how u like her at the range. : )

Red

[SW_shooter]

Congrats on the pickup, and you can call me jealous. I've been looking for one but keep running into the "yes but it's better than others and so it's worth more" sellers. Do let us know how it fares at the range.

[goldenlight]

It's hard to tell from the pics, but it looks like the magazine(s) in the pictures are stamped with the Meg-Gar name(?)

Mec-Gar makes the 'factory' magazines for many of the S&W semiautomatic, for Beretta, Sig, and some others.

If those are Mec-Gar magazines, they should work just fine in your Model 59.

Mec-Gar makes flush fit 17 round magazines for the 59 series that have always worked perfectly for me.

The nice thing about the S&W 9mm semiautos is that the first, second, and third generation 59 series (59, 459, 659, 5906, 5904, etc) all used the same magazines, so ther are a lot of them around.

I put 5906 (orange plastic) followers, and new springs in a couple of old Model 59 magazines, and they now hold 15 rounds, and work perfectly in my 5906.

[W.E.G.]

Learn to love the factory sights on your 59.

Originally Posted by grif684

None. Not for the model 59. The sights you are talking about fit the third gen 59 series, in other words models that start with the 59 prefix. The 59 uses the same rear as the first gen model 39 and 39-2, and there are no night sights available for them.

Before you fall too deeply in love with it as a carry-piece, find out whether it will reliably feed modern defensive ammo - which pretty much means spending as much on ammo, as you have invested in the complete gun.

[AzRedleg]

Nice piece at a great price. I have a 559 that I enjoy shooting a great deal. I'm sure you will enjoy the 59 just as much. I do believe there was an aftermarket fully adjustable sight for the 59 but as other people have noted, it is not being produced any more. It looks similiar to the standard sight but allows for vertical alignment as well.

[squekydad]

My serial number close to yours, bought mine barely used in 1979, still a family favorite. Mec-Gar mags rule for 59's, and about 1/2 price of S&W. Large but carries well in my classic Bianchi shoulder rig. Touch of bright red on the non-replaceable front sight added recently to help old eyes. No issue with aggressive hollow points feeding with mine. Glocks are everywhere, prefer the classics myself. Enjoy it, feed it often

[sniper47]

Originally Posted by Cyrano

The 'tongue' on the rear sight is a flat spring that holds the sight in place. You'll note there's a little notch that enables you to get something under it and pry it up until it clears the slide. Then you rotate it 90º and lift the sight off. The magazine safety and its spring may come too, so lift off carefully. This unusual arrangement for securing the sight is the reason it's hard to find aftermarket sights for the 39-59.

Ok, I took off my gun's rear sight, now how do I replace the blade? I have a two dot replacement blade I want to install. Is it doable?

[tomshilling]

The (2) MecGar mags that came with the gun work fine, and I picked up some original S&W 14-rounders as well. The higher capacity 15-rounders will extend beyond the bottom of the grip, right? Not a big deal, but the MecGars and the S&Ws work great: no issues at all, but all I shot was ball ammo. The sights are what they are: it's a great range gun, but it won't be getting any carry time in place of my 3953 or 4053... the Novak's are just SOOO much better for quick target acquisition. But she is pretty, shoots straight, packs 14+1, and can't find any negatives...except for the sights!

[JWS3]

A fine looking specimen of a classic first generation S&W! Years ago - back in the late 70's - I had a Model 59. It didn't care for hollow point ammunition but plain old 115 gr FMJ it swallowed like candy.

Congratulations on your finding that 59 and the sweet price you paid for it!

-Jim

[colt3374]

Nice!! Tough to find $300 pistols these days. Good Job!