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12-10-2019, 04:51 PM
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MODEL 39-2, Nkl, New, Beautiful ...
Nickel S&W model 39-2, SERNO: A5863XX {six digit with an 'A' prefix}.
New in the box just as it was when I purchased it from my LGS in May of 1980. {$250.00 + tax}.
I'm the first and only private owner.
It is un-fired by anyone except the factory, and likely to stay that way as long as I'm the owner/caretaker.
Being a S&W REVOLVER man and being unfamiliar with the 'íns-and-outs' of semi-automatic pistols, I'll
welcome learning anything more about this beauty that y-all can teach me, such as date of manufacture,
approx value, possible features that this one has that other 39-2's don't have and vica-verca. {If any}.
Thank you.
Regards- Donald.
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4T5GUY, adwjc, Beauetienne, CajunBass, damienph, Ed Fowler, federali, g-dad, H Richard, HOUSTON RICK, huthike, jimbo728, jmace57, kennethg, kobsw, kraynky, krsmith58, ladder13, mauser9, mbliss57, MidWesternBoy, model3sw, MyDads38, nocents, oberon, ontheroad20, PJO1425, retnavyshooter, REVCHARLIE, RobertJ., Sevens, Shootgood, stansdds, tom 45, trinorbsa |
12-10-2019, 06:26 PM
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1979 seems a likely date. S&W came up with this pistol around 1955 and we have MANY fantastic threads and discussions of it’s early days, such that I would embarrass myself if I tried to tell the tale of the Model 39.
Fast forward to about 1970, S&W redesigned the extractor and the pistol became the Model 39-2. As it was such a phenomenal design, the buying public loved them and S&W answered by building some 347,000 of the Model 39!
These were in production to as late as 1982 or 1983. The 39’s, 59’s and 52’s are all lovingly referred to as “1st Gens” and this model was superceded by the 2nd Gen Model 439.
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12-10-2019, 06:33 PM
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Hello Donald. wild guess really late 1979. With that shape and two mags with correct box, near $900 with goodies.
Take the left grip panel off and see if there is an "N" stamped on the frame flat. post pic, pls. Mike
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12-10-2019, 10:05 PM
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Yes for sure you have a beautiful nickel 39-2. So nice. Great pictures too.
Also yes, please do carefully take off the left grip panel and see if it does have a N stamped on the frame. Let us know.
I’m curious because mine is not stamped, and Roy said, (when you could still talk to him on the phone,) no nickeled 39-2 ever left the factory without the N stamp. (Mine did.) He also said the nickeled controls on mine were not factory. (They are.)
Thanks to one of our members here, who was on the pistol line back then confirmed all this AND said the bobbed hammer was something that they were doing too. He did support Roy’s opinion but said Roy was on the revolver line then and probably didn’t know what was going on with the pistol side.
Jim
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12-11-2019, 10:00 AM
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... looking for the elucive 'N' ...
Hello Donald-
Take the left grip panel off and see if there is an "N" stamped on the frame flat. post pic, pls. Mike[/QUOTE]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...Okay Mike and Jim, here's both sides:
{No 'N' in sight}.
-Donald
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12-11-2019, 10:27 AM
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Wow, no N stamped
Thank you for going the extra in doing that. I appreciate it much.
By the way, my nickel 59 from the same time as my 39-2 does NOT have a N stamp either. Hmmm
Jim
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12-18-2019, 10:41 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 4T5GUY
Yes for sure you have a beautiful nickel 39-2. So nice. Great pictures too.
Thanks to one of our members here, who was on the pistol line back then confirmed all this AND said the bobbed hammer was something that they were doing too. He did support Roy’s opinion but said Roy was on the revolver line then and probably didn’t know what was going on with the pistol side.
Jim
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4T5GUY, what was the members name who was on the pistol line? I was fitting the Model 52's from 1979 to 1986 and spent the next few years on the 9mm 45's and Model 41 line.
Thanks, Don K
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12-18-2019, 12:56 PM
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OK, no N stamped on frame flat. Is this a possible scenario?
Need one or two nickel guns for a big order going out. Grab a few blue 39s
and make them nickel 39s, Bingo, order filled and invoice sent. The guy doing the stamping was in the mens room.
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12-18-2019, 01:31 PM
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I personally don't see anything odd with N marked vs no N, as Mike said anything is possible. I think we sometimes forget companies that are in the business of making products, and getting them out the door in the shortest time possible aren't going to sweat over a stamp such as this, because once it left the factory was really had no other purpose. Since the OP bought his gun new there is little doubt about it being original. It is a beautiful gun, and Donald must have more will power than me I would have had to shoot it
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12-18-2019, 02:27 PM
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Hey Don, forgot to ask, do you have the original factory labeled silver box?
Might be time for a letter.
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12-18-2019, 11:00 PM
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No N on my 39-2 shipped (per Roy) March 77. S/N A320xxx.
Here's a couple sorry pics.
I have a ANIB nickel 59 I can also check if it is of any value to anyone.
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Ps 96 SWCA 2930 SWHF 524
Last edited by g-dad; 12-18-2019 at 11:12 PM.
Reason: can't spel
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12-19-2019, 01:51 PM
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I’d shoot that and enjoy it; it won’t be worth a dime less as long as you take care of it.
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12-19-2019, 02:16 PM
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In have two nickel 39-2's neither has a N stamp.
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12-19-2019, 02:55 PM
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Would like to see a pic of a nickel 39-2 with the N stamp.
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Mike 2796
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12-20-2019, 09:21 AM
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Perhaps S&W did not use the N stamp on their nickel plated semi-auto pistols.
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12-20-2019, 04:23 PM
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MODEL 39-2, Nkl, New, Beautiful ...
Last edited by moralem; 12-20-2019 at 04:25 PM.
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12-21-2019, 01:28 PM
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I remember seeing "N" on revolver frames but don't recall seeing an N on a 39 or 59.
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12-21-2019, 02:34 PM
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donk, where have you been? You worked the 39 line, didnt you? Mike
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Mike 2796
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12-21-2019, 02:59 PM
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I also have a nickle 39-2 with no N stamp.
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12-21-2019, 04:55 PM
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Mike, I started building the 41's and 39-59's around 1985-86 when they began to phase out the Model 52. Not a lot of nickle guns as I remember, mostly blue.
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12-23-2019, 02:00 AM
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This Is The "N," My Only Friend The "N"
The first go 'round on this subject earlier last week saw an SD card to a 1+ gb dump into Never, Never Land. Months and months of work, flushed faster than an '83 American Low-Flush model.
C'est la guerre.
"Until approximate;y 1975, most factory nickel Model 39s and early 39-2s were marked with the letter 'N' on the bottom of the frame under the left grip <i>('stock')</i>. During this same period, guns returned to the factory for refinishing usually were marked 'R-N' for nickel and 'R-B" for blue. In addition to these markings, refinished guns during this time period can be found with the complete serial number along with or with out (sic) a small five pointed star stamped under the rear sight. Occasionally a 'R-S' stamping will be found under the left grip, in the same format as the 'R-B' and 'R-N' stamping. The 'S' denotes the factory Service Department and the stamping may indicate other reworks besides refinishing." - Excerpted from Section 5.3, "The Smith & Wesson Model 39, Its Variations and Modifications," A Monograph By Richard A McMillan, ©2005
In the accompanying images one can find the 'N' stamping at the lower right of the exposed model 39 grip.
At present, the nearby "2" definition eludes yours truly but it seems reasonable 4T5Guy or DonK52 can accurately chime in on that aspect.
Later.
P.S. And, yes, the S&W factory box carries the M39 (barely) when it isn't out and about.
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12-23-2019, 09:24 AM
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So S&W stamped the Models 39 and 39-2 similar to the way they did revolvers until somewhere around 1975. Good information!
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12-23-2019, 11:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by donk52
4T5GUY, what was the members name who was on the pistol line? I was fitting the Model 52's from 1979 to 1986 and spent the next few years on the 9mm 45's and Model 41 line.
Thanks, Don K
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It took me a while to find the copy I made, and since it’s from Feb 2016 it’s getting real faded.
It was member Alk8944 who helped me with my concerns that were raised by Roy. I was incorrect in that he was a Police Armorer being trained on the semi-auto pistol line, (1974,) not a S&W employee. He was able to confirm things that he personally saw and had knowledge of from being there.
Thanks to him again.
Jim
Last edited by 4T5GUY; 12-23-2019 at 11:06 PM.
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12-23-2019, 11:20 PM
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I’d like to add a couple pictures that I took off an auction site. That’s why they’re not clear.
I took them years ago to make me feel better because mine didn’t come with a box but I paid accordingly. Looks like, (some,) nickeled 39-2’s did indeed have nickeled controls.
Jim
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12-24-2019, 06:14 PM
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Just got a nic. 39 with Nic. controls like the gun above. Box label looks correct. So all nickel and some nickel controls were made in the 1970s
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12-25-2019, 12:54 AM
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Very interesting thread. I have a Nickel 39-2. I will have to check it as well it's LNIB. S/N A4387xx (late 1970s I believe) It has black controls. I did not think any came with nickel controls... Wrong again. This is an interesting thread as I was just thinking about all the pre 39 to early 39 variants and was thinking that once the 39-2 came out they were all cookie cutter the same. Wrong again!!
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12-25-2019, 01:30 AM
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Very true that this IS a most excellent thread.
I’ve been waiting years for something like this. I’m glad to get more info and real facts and to be involved.
I really need to put the spurless hammer back in mine which is also nickeled. Probably not a “normal” production feature but it was original to the pistol as I got it. It also had those J Scott fake ivory grip panels.
It was a Sheriff’s, (not Deputy’s,) personal pistol in Texas from the early ‘70’s and looked like it but is still in very excellent condition.
Another thing that I’ve found out is Numrich offered nickeled parts back then for the 39-2 which adds to some more confusion too.
Jim
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12-28-2019, 07:26 PM
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I have 2 nickel 39-2's. One is 1974 with all nickel controls. The other is 1979 with blue controls. Neither has the "N" stamp on the frame. I'll have to respectfully disagree with RJ that the 39-2's with all nickel controls aren't factory! I think they went to blue controls later in production to save a few bucks.
edit: I'm kind of proud to have the blued 39-2 in the first pic and the nickel 39-2 in the second pic pictured in the SCSW 4th edition page 343 to represent this model.
Last edited by lhump1961; 12-28-2019 at 07:35 PM.
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12-28-2019, 08:14 PM
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Hello lhump, nice pair of nic. 39s. Im finding that the earlier 39-2 in nic
have all nic controls. The later ones have blue. Have not nailed a time period or Sn. range down yet, still working on it. Also, some in labeled blue boxes and some silver. S&W never wasted anything and the bottom line was paramount. There might be a directive on the blue controls?
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12-28-2019, 09:02 PM
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Very nice acquisition. Someday maybe I will get one. Its main attribute to many (other than the beautiful finish in this example) is what keeps it out of my collection for now - the lower capacity magazine. If I stay healthy long enough, I may get one when I grow up. I wish you many years of safe shooting and/or admiring as the case may be.
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12-29-2019, 08:05 AM
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I have a 3rd variant of the nickle 39-2, nickle controls with a black plate. I also have the Connecticut State Police commemorative two tone.
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12-29-2019, 12:39 PM
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Hey, batman, clear you PM box, its full. Mike
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12-31-2019, 05:16 PM
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Love those nickel 39s. Just got a new one, to me. All nickel controls,
Sn A225062, shipped Apr.1974. No stamps under the grips on either flat. With a matching period blue Bangor box and label.
Seems to be just a run of the mill nic. 39-2, but! There is no P stamp on the trigger guard flat. It is stamped on the mag. well flat. Also the number "4" is stamped, like a fitters number. Any thoughts?
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01-01-2020, 08:55 AM
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The bottom of all 9mm and 45's have a fitters stamp at the bottom around the mag well, Model 41's are under the trigger guard when open. Mine was a C or 0 I can't remember which I used last.
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01-06-2020, 07:53 PM
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I looked at a nickel 39-2 today, with box, papers, cleaning kit. Looks like a new pistol to me. Very clean and nice finish.
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