I found a Model 639 today at my local pawn shop....I gave $350.00 for it and a Bianchi holster/mag pouch. Only one mag though so I ordered another.

Serial #TAR8705....Mid-80s or so I guess.....The pistol is very clean with no dings.

I was lucky and had saved a S&W brand Model 39 holster I picked-up years ago in a holster lot.....Why it has two sets of snaps I can't say.

Attached Images

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Nice snag for $350.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Maybe the holster also fits the fatter Model 59 and the extra snap is for that.

I did notice that whatever was in it before had left marks where it had the "eared" rear sight.

My S&W holster size chart shows the 21-39 to be for the Model 39.

Right place, right time. It would be mine if I was in front of you. Well done.

Yeah, I got lucky, the guy that sold them had just walked out as I walked in....I had to wait for the counter guy to book them in.

He brought in the 639, a Henry Golden Boy .22 lever action, and a Rossi semi-auto .22 of some flavor.

As soon as the owner showed me the 639 I had to have it. Sure it's a single stack nine but they just feel "right" in your hand.

The Model 39/639 has the best, most comfortable grip of most production pistol ever. The 59 feels like a 2”x4” in comparison.

I agree with Maxfam, I'd buy everone of 'em I came across at that price! You scored!

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Trey Gorbett, SWCA #3676

The M639/659 use the same slide, the grip is outside the holster, so 2 snaps-?
I paid $350 for my M639 NIB in 1985, you did very well.

Possibly but you can tell the extra snaps were added after the fact.

I had to repair one of the bottom ones as the female side had pulled loose due to a poor installation.

I have the snap setting tools so it was a easy repair.....Solid now.

Wow! Only $350? That is a steal!

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

About half the going market. I've got a 39-2 and 439, been on the hunt for a reasonably priced 639 for a long time.

I looked on GunPorker and did not see where any were available nor had sold where the price was still up.

I figured $450.00 or so with the gear.

That's a great purchase at $350 but be careful, I have 6 model 639's and no two are the same in that they all have different features. It's a sickness. lol

Rich, do the 6 variations pertain to the 439 and 539 also?

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Typically $700 plus with a few going for ridiculous amounts. Curiously the 439 can still be found somewhat reasonable. The 39-2 has gotten popular in recent years as well.

The 639 is a neat variation , almost as rare as the 539.

Mr Mike my bet is the 6 variances applies to 439 and 459 series as well, well the 439/ has the additional finish variation of nickel or blue.
Off the top off my head, 2 trigger guards, 2 rear sites, then there's the right side safety lever, none or there, then the screw types Allen, phillips....

Btw the 59/39 share same holsters.

Ps, nice score you stole that Model 39.
Also, many of the holsters made for the round trigger 39-2 / 59 will not fit the square trigger guard 2nd gens.
The ones cut for the square guard will obviously fit either.

Since they are long out of production, I would look for spare barrels, etc.

Mike,
The only variations besides blue or nickel finish would be the rear sights. I have only seen the round trigger guards on them

Google SW 439 and you will see many examples with all the above listed variations

Did this series appear in the A Sn. run and alpha numeric?

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Early models are 'A' prefix. Later are the Alpha numeric.

I have never seen a square trigger guard on any 439 or 539 and would love to see one. Can you provide real data or pics?

Well, it seems you can expand the collection to include the 6 variations in both Sn. runs? Get to work!.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

Around the time the 439 and 639 went to squared trigger guards, the lanyard ring disappeared from the inserts possibly creating other variations.

The backstrap insert with the hole for the lanyard is also interesting. Every one of them that I have seen is aluminum, even the steel framed Model 39's. The only exception I have found is one in my collection. It's an early steel frame with a factory nickel finish and the lanyard hole is solid.

Both of my steel frames have the open lanyard loop.

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Trey Gorbett, SWCA #3676

It used to be easy to post pics but since I turned 60 seems very difficult. If u open your search engine put In Smith 439 then go to pictures, you will see dozens.
Btw if you reread my post I never mentioned the 539 having the variations just that it was a rare variation.
Just did a quick search of the 539 , they appear to only come up with round trigger guards, the one I own is the same, the majority shpwn have the target rear sight but one shows the smaller drift adjust dovetailed sight.

On the subject of backstraps IIRC the Model 52 series had a steel backstrap with the lanyard hole solid not cutout, pretty sure mine is that way, will double check later.
My guess is if Cougar015 checks his nickel backstrap may be a steel one instead of the standard aluminum.

I think the Model 539 turned out to be an unpopular item compared to the lighter weight 439 and the corrosion resistant 639, so by the time of the introduction of the hooked trigger guard, S&W may have already decided to drop the 539 from production.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

The questions raised here need additional discussion and need a seperate thread as we hijacked this one meant for the 639.

Congratulations on the purchase. I think 639s are one of the best looking semiautos, and it would be even prettier to me at that price.

Yep - a fine deal. I have one, and it would take $6-$700 to get it away from me.

If I recall correctly, the Model 52 backstrap is steel with a solid tab. Years ago I bought one and took it to the local machine shop where the lanyard hole was milled out. I then installed it on my steel frame 39 (retaining the original aluminum one, so the modification is completely reversible).

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SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

I considered myself lucky when, several years ago, I bought my 639 off “Gone Broker” for $550. It was not intended as a collectors item since I was planning on using a couple of different slides; one to carry a set of Millett sights and a red dot on another. I refer to it as a “Franker-Smith” but it is actually becoming a sort of an Erector Set for a shooter.
Froggie

Im not a follower of this series 39. What is the major engineering
change/improvements over the old 39/39-2s?

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

The second gen pistols introduced a firing pin safety and the rear sight was changed to either a traditional dovetailed rear sight or a fully adjustable rear sight. Those are the two biggest changes.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

A goof return on an investment allowed me to buy spare slides and barrels for my M639/659, a couple from board members, others off eBay. So now each has its original slide, a fixed sight slide....

stansdds, thanks. If you took a stripped 39-2 frame and compared it to a round trigger guard 439 frame, would they be identical?

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

In building what I call my Frankennine I used an early 639 frame.

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SWCA #590
"Colligo ergo sum"

External dimensions between the 39-2 and early (round trigger guard) x39 would be the same. I think the only difference between the two is the milling for the firing pin safety lever.

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