Not what I normally look for but this 1972 Model 39-2 came to me untouched. Even the second magazine wrapper looked like it had never been unwrapped. Barrel marked 9mm ctg. One mark really has me wondering. The right side of the slide is marked PAT'S PENDING. What is that all about?

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Thanks JB for finding that ~ 7 year old thread. I didn't know if the PP stamp was peculiar to the early A prefix guns or not. Now I know.

I'd say that is truly NIB, probably in the ballpark of $1k.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

That is what I'm thinking. It came from an estate of a friend's uncle who bought several guns in the early 1970's, including the LW Commander in 38 Super I posted in the proper section. Several guns had not been fired by his uncle, including these two. What a find!

Very nice early 39-2 package,
I'm wondering if your magazine followers are the newer plastic type or older metal "figure 8" style?

The new extractor was the big new obvious 39-2 improvement but there were several features that carried over from the Model 39 to the early 39-2 like yours that changed in the next few years, some for obvious reasons and some not so much.
To list a few the hole in the hammer dissapears, the slide stop notch goes from the two dimples to a straight cut, the big butt ampersand, the barrel bushing, the magazine release button and the spacing of the safety lever which gets widened to fit the new wider frame model 59 so they could eliminate the relief cuts made in the early 59 frame to clear the safety lever.

That was my very first centerfire handgun I bought at the Tulsa Gunshow when I was 19 years old in 1978. Loved that gun and it is still one of the classiest autos of all time. Bill Jordan, Major George C. Nonte, and Colonel Charles Askins all said it would be a better US military sidearm than the Colt .45. Not saying I agree with that but I sure enjoyed mine and would like to have another.

The mag followers changed from steel X shape to the black polymer at
Sn. A200000. All the black follower mags have the 1.5" long base plate.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Our fine forum (and all gun forums) have legions of high energy, high volume posters who are absolutely dead set on the idea that all guns must be shot without exception.

I don’t agree with them, I believe their take is highly emotional and yet lacks depth and reason. It almost seems to be a very novice take, the sort of position one might have when young and inexperienced. It certainly offends people when I offer this opinion… though offending is not my intention.

I think this gorgeous pistol is a fantastic example of a pistol that I would NEVER shoot! I have three 39’s in my safe and I know that with four hundred bucks I could probably grab another at the next gun show… though it would take more hundreds to get a package like this one.

Roy tells us that more than 347,000 of these great pistols were made from the early 1950’s until 1982.

The analytical side of my brain thinks it’s just plain silly to ever shoot a piece in that condition, especially when so more are out there in fantastic used condition to be enjoyed right now.

For sure, I absolutely defend anyone’s right to do whatever they choose with guns they own. Even if that means you take an electro-pencil to it and scrawl “Boston Red Sox” on the slide. (I would hate the idea but I defend your right to do it.)

There are folks that believe this pistol too needs to be shot… like somehow this pistol has a functional brain and sits there in the box dreaming of a day where it will get to chuck hot brass and make noise.

I wouldn’t. It’s perfect just as you show it.

Seeing as how there is still a fairly good supply of shooter grade Model 39 and 39-2 pistols available, I agree, this one should be preserved and not shot. S&W stopped making the 39-2 in 1982 and they won't ever make them again, so the NIB examples that remain are the only NIB examples that ever will exist.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Yes, the magazines have the figure 8/X followers.

Im not sure I would spend $1000 for a 1972 NIB, complete blue 39-2
quite yet. But a nickel NIB might raise an eyebrow.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

I’m one of those that have the “shoot them while you got them” mindset. Hopefully most have been shot/tested at the factory anyway. Their cherry tree has been shook. (Hope that passes the “censers.”) I want to shoot what I have, at least to test drive.

Then there was the question raised again here not too long ago. Who in the eventual future might be interested in a pristine absolutely new S&W 1, 2 or 3 Gen? Oh course most of us here would be but what about the younger enthusiasts?

Jim