5900 series durability

Aukula1062 · Dec 28, 2023

Just wondering if anyone out there was issued a 5900, 4000 or 4500 series pistol. If so, how did they hold up to high round counts. A departmental armorer's perspective would be even better. Cracked frames are my major concern. I have been doing a lot of reading regarding frame cracking around the trigger pin hole. I suspect the problem may be due to not changing the recoil spring as preventive maintenance. My 5906 is not a police trade in and appears to have been shot very little. I believe the serial number puts at 1993 production. Non adjustable rear sight and round trigger guard. I do intend to keep and shoot this gun a lot. The group shown is from are from 15 yards standing, single action. This is a keeper! I'm not looking to compare it to any other firearms. I own or have owned most of them. I'm simply interested in a preventive maintenance routine that will keep it healthy. Thanks for any input that comes my way!

ispcapt · Dec 28, 2023

My dept issued the 5904. We'd been with S&W autos for 32 years before Glock outbid S&W.
I've told this on this forum before. Here's the shortened version.
When we went to the 5904 our issued rd was the 115 gr W-W JHP+P+. Another dept told our range guys the 5904 would not stand up to the +P+ rd. One of our range officers decided to see how long his 5904 would last. He documented every rd. His was stock issued. Nothing special. Same as all of the rest of the 2000+ we'd issued. Around 50,000 rds he replaced the barrel as accuracy had fallen off. Rifling worn. When he retired he'd documented 80,000 rds thru the gun. Still going.
Figure the cost of 80,000 rds of the W-W +P+. If you can afford it then the price of the gun is not a factor. Unless you're shooting competitively and almost everyday it's not likely you'll shoot 80,000. That's aoover 1500 rds a week.
Don't know if all our 5904s would go that many rds. But we know 1 stock issued gun did.
Yours is a 5906 with stainless frame. Ours were alloy.
How much +P+ do you plan/afford to shoot?

Model 15-4ever · Dec 28, 2023

In all the years that the S&W autos were issued/personally-owned in the FBI, I only saw a single one with a cracked frame, and that was a aluminium-frame 459. There may have been more, I only saw one. This was a worn-out SWAT gun with higher than normal round counts, ~2500 rounds a year for 5+ years.

Bill Vanderpool writes in Guns of The FBI (2018), that he shot a well-used 459 with cracked frame for several thousands rounds, and it functioned fine, but became inaccurate.

I never saw or heard of a stainless steel frame 4-digit series S&W auto cracking, although I saw dozens being fired regularly. The guns did have other problems, such as extractors chipping. The 4516 series had their own set of functioning problems, which wasn't really corrected until S&W beefed-up the frame and slide, turning a svelte CCW pistol into something ridiculous. The problems of the 1076 were due mostly to QC issues at the factory, and a poor design/materials selection in the trigger mechanism.

Cracked aluminium frames are nothing new in 9mm pistols (or any handgun actually). There's no predicting when or if, but it's definitely "a thing". The SIG P226/228 frames were known to develop cracks between 12,000-20,000 rounds.

The P220 .45 ACP became infamous for cracking frames AND slides with less than 10,000 rounds; I had seen several such failures in the hands of agents. SIG being SIG, after a handful became a bushelful, they got testy about replacing them. After some "negotiation", SIG relented. They also beefed-up the frame and went to a machined slide (as opposed to original stamped with pinned breechblock). SIG later got irritable again during testing of the P229 in .40, which in my lay opinion is amongst the many reasons of how the Glock 22/23 came to be adopted. The SIG pistols were very popular at the time with actual field agents, and there was much hand-wringing at the time when they finally had to be exchanged for a Glock.

Aukula1062 · Dec 28, 2023

Thank you guys! I think I'm going to change the recoil spring every year and watch the guide rod closely. I bought a literal sh#t load of Geko 124 grn ball. It's pretty stout but not really +P. I'm realistically looking at 500 rnds, give or take, a year. I will push some drills but I don't shoot competition any more. I think a panicked a bit when I read those articles. I'll stick to my Glocks for real work if the need arises. Thank you both for the information.

ACEd · Dec 28, 2023

I have seen 1 third gen cracked frame but not anywhere around trigger and not a 9mm. Not sure where you are reading about these cracks. The one I saw was a 40 - don’t remember which version and steel or aluminum frame but crack was at the rear at the top of the back of the grip area. Betting it was aluminum frame but blamed on hot 40 ammo and I think it was before the hammers were redesigned. I would not worry about a 5906 per se but anything can have a flaw or defect.

SGT ROCK 11B · Dec 28, 2023

My Department issued 59 and later the 659. Most of the issues were operator induced.

I had a personally owned 5906 that never was a problem for me. Later I went to a 4506 which I think did not have the quality of the 5906.

HOUSTON RICK · Dec 29, 2023

I collect used stock S&W shooters in those and numerous other models. No issues after 20-30 years.

Aukula1062 · Dec 29, 2023

ACEd said:
I have seen 1 third gen cracked frame but not anywhere around trigger and not a 9mm. Not sure where you are reading about these cracks.

Here in these pages plus other blogs. Like I said, I panicked a bit. I just didn't have the personal experience with Smitth 3rd gen guns. I was an armorer for my department as well as a firearms instructor for many years. We went from K frame .38s and .357s to Glocks. Glock is a very well known commodity to me. Smith revolvers are a well known commodity. I have owned several 3rd gen Smiths but just casually. I intend to shoot this one quite a bit. Like I said, I've owned and still own many double/single action style autos. From Smiths to to HKs. Great guns all but the Smiths just do it for me. I'm very familiar with firearms and I know what I know. I also know I don't know everything. That's why I reached out here. To find the experience I don't possess. Thank you for your input.

Jeppo · Dec 29, 2023

I’ve also only personally examined one. The circumstances are explained in the post linked below.

Your frame is steel, his was aluminum.

You want to shoot 500 rounds/year.

His “failed” (I believe the gun is still perfectly functional) at >20,000 rounds (i.e., 40+ years).

http://smith-wessonforum.com/139133986-post7.html

jsbethel · Dec 29, 2023

There was an interesting torture test done on an early 5906 for a publication called "Handguns '90". The pistol had 7000 rounds fired through it in 4 hours. The pistol was cleaned every 504 rounds with diesel fuel and electrical contact cleaner and 4 drops of military LSO were placed on the frame rails. Malfunctions as follows - at round 4022, 6365 and 6934, the trigger failed to go forward enough to fire. This was determined to be due to metal flakes from the barrel/frame mating surfaces possibly blocking the action. Round 5346 was a failure to extract determined to be due to a possible short-loaded round. Ten rounds were fired from a ransom rest every 1000 rounds with the last group being the tightest. Take from this what you will - the 5906 is a most durable pistol.

rwsmith · Dec 29, 2023

I'm not worried about third gens holding up.....

....but if I was going to shoot +P+ regularly, I'd get a heavier spring from the Wolff Spring folks. Simply because the guns weren't designed for +P+. Mine have aluminum frames, so I don't want to get foolish with hot loads, but any standard load, what the hey.

5900 series durability

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