5946

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I have an NYPD 5946 I bought here years ago . At first I didn't care for the DAO setup , but once I kept at it I've come to sort of like it . That's not really true seeing as I have another 9mm , a .40 and a .45 in DAO . Once you get used to it , it's not bad at all . Besides , DAO makes some great carry guns , no safety , just point and pull the trigger .
 
The S&W DAO pistols are an acquired taste, but it's easy to acquire said taste if you are well experienced with DA revolver shooting. My 6946's trigger pull length and weight is almost identical to that of my 640-1.
 
I used to not like the DAO 3rd Gen gun at all, but I picked up an NYPD 5946 a few years ago because I’m retired from that department and got on a collecting kick. I now have 2 NYPD 5946’s, and NYPD 3953 TSW, a regular 3953; and a 6946. Very smooth trigger. I used one of the 5946’s in a competition match at a club my friend belongs to and did very well with it.
 
DAO love

Hey KBM6893, the 5946 I have came from a dealer on LI a few years ago, said it was NYPD issue and gets a lot of them, maybe born on dates were close? And, I was just shooting my 6946 yesterday, pictured with my 6944.

S&W DAO, smooth triggered, sleeker snag resistant works of art. I notice that my DAO TSWs feel like even lighter triggers...I am a fan

3GF
 

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I like the 3rd Gen DAO. Like others I didn't care for the design when it was introduced some 34 years ago (!) but in the past decade or so I've come to appreciate the various DAO models. I currently own a 4586 and a 5944. Good pistols.
 
3rdgenfriend said:
Hey KBM6893, the 5946 I have came from a dealer on LI a few years ago, said it was NYPD issue and gets a lot of them, maybe born on dates were close? And, I was just shooting my 6946 yesterday, pictured with my 6944.

S&W DAO, smooth triggered, sleeker snag resistant works of art. I notice that my DAO TSWs feel like even lighter triggers...I am a fan

3GF
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What shop on Long Island? Lots of retired guns wind up there since lots of guys on the job live there. There used to be a gunshop in lower Manhattan a few blocks from 1 Police Plaza. Retired guys would go there after the walked out of 1PP for the last time and sell their duty revolvers. He had milk crates full of .38’s. Take your pick for $100. The off duty guns would go for about $150. I should have bought them all and made a killing today.
 
You guys are bad influences. I'd really prefer a 5943 because I know how heavy a 5946 is going to be.

That said the guy I previously bought my 3913LS from is now selling a 5946. The price is about the same as AIM, but of course no sales tax, no FFL needed.

I've been toying with the idea of trying steel plate match shooting, but don't want to spend a fortune for a competition gun.

Maybe, maybe, maybe.
 
I hope you're all happy now. I picked up the 5946 this morning. Seems to be a NYPD duty gun as it has some holster wear on the slide and the grips show some wear as well.

Other than that, very tight gun. The seller cleaned it after he last shot it, so it was sparkly and had no wear on the internals.

Pictures to follow. UCW89xx S/N on right side of frame.
 
GaryS said:
I hope you're all happy now. I picked up the 5946 this morning. Seems to be a NYPD duty gun as it has some holster wear on the slide and the grips show some wear as well.

Other than that, very tight gun. The seller cleaned it after he last shot it, so it was sparkly and had no wear on the internals.

Pictures to follow. UCW89xx S/N on right side of frame.
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Is the mag disconnect removed and the slide marked Will Fire With Magazine Removed?
 
NYPD 5946 were marked "Caution - Capable of Firing With Magazine Removed" on right side of slide.


3914DAO were a unique DAO with double strike capability, but no markings on slide - I dont recall if they would fire with Magazine Removed.
 

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Update: I looked at both guns. Neither has the warning on it and neither will "fire" with the magazine removed. I know that the 3914DAO was owned by a former NYPD officer because he told me that he was. He left NYPD for another agency and that agency had different requirements for off duty firearms.

Thanks. My 5946 has the S/N on the right side of the frame, just like my 3914DAO. I thought that was a NYPD feature. I'll have to check the 3914DAO , but my recollection is that it would not fire with the magazine removed.




ACEd said:
NYPD 5946 were marked "Caution - Capable of Firing With Magazine Removed" on right side of slide.


3914DAO were a unique DAO with double strike capability, but no markings on slide - I dont recall if they would fire with Magazine Removed.
Click to expand...
 
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GaryS said:
Thanks. My 5946 has the S/N on the right side of the frame, just like my 3914DAO. I thought that was a NYPD feature. I'll have to check the 3914DAO , but my recollection is that it would not fire with the magazine removed.
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The RIGHT side s/n were not unique to NYPD pistols, nor were all NYPD pistols configured with RIGHT side s/n markings.

The majority of the NYPD 5946 pistols I can identify are Product Code 108569 circa 1994-1999 in the Vxx groupings (with a few TDx c1999 and at least one KNC c1998) from Springfield, MA with conventional LEFT side s/n.

5946, 3914DAO, and 3914TSW pistols up thru UCF25xx were marked Springfield, Ma with original LEFT side s/n markings.

There were also a few conventionally marked (s/n on LEFT) 5946 pistols in the Vxx s/n prefix (VJN9xxx, VZE4xxx, etc.) marked HOULTON, ME.

I believe the S/N on RIGHT side began during the Houlton, ME produced pistols (2010-2015?). The indented s/n came about about the same time (lowest s/n I have observed with indented s/n on right were the Melonite WVSP 4566TSW UCK5xxx circa 2011 - also 5946 UCK8xxx). Also observed UCK, UCS, UCT, UCU, UCV, UCW.

The later HOULTON, Me marked pistols with INDENTED RIGHT side s/n continued thru the UCW series with at least a few UCY - but most of the UCY series seem to be 5946 with INDENTED RIGHT side s/n but now marked SPRINGFIELD, Ma circa 2015-2016.

But there were also conventionally applied (NOT INDENTED) s/n markings on the RIGHT side in the UCZ series - in fact all the UCZ pistols seem to be so marked. I have a very late 3914DAO UCZ62xx marked Springfield, Ma circa 2015-2017 with box end marked "NYPD".

And there are some odd pistols with Frame marked Springfield and Slide marked Houlton and vice-versa.

One might speculate that residual unassembled parts were transferred from Springfield to Houlton in the beginning (c2010) and from Houlton back to Springfield (c2016). One could also speculate that Houlton used a different source for frames with the indented s/n and Springfield went back to their original source when production was moved back from Houlton.
 
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Both frame and slide on the 5946 are marked "Springfield MA." Both frame and slide on the 3914DAO are marked "Houlton, ME."

Since I didn't get a box with the 5946, I'll probably reach out to Customer Service and see if I can get a born on date. If not NYPD, it's possible that a police officer somewhere carried it as it has carry wear on slide and grips.

The 3914TSW guns are a different mystery altogether. Another one of those guns that will have to show up at random and at a great price for me to purchase. As if that will happen.

ACEd said:
The RIGHT side s/n were not unique to NYPD pistols, nor were all NYPD pistols configured with RIGHT side s/n markings.

The majority of the NYPD 5946 pistols I can identify are Product Code 108569 circa 1994-1999 in the Vxx groupings (with a few TDx c1999 and at least one KNC c1998) from Springfield, MA with conventional LEFT side s/n.

5946, 3914DAO, and 3914TSW pistols up thru UCF25xx were marked Springfield, Ma with original LEFT side s/n markings.

There were also a few conventionally marked (s/n on LEFT) 5946 pistols in the Vxx s/n prefix (VJN9xxx, VZE4xxx, etc.) marked HOULTON, ME.

I believe the S/N on RIGHT side began during the Houlton, ME produced pistols (2010-2015?). The indented s/n came about about the same time (lowest s/n I have observed with indented s/n on right were the Melonite WVSP 4566TSW UCK5xxx circa 2011 - also 5946 UCK8xxx). Also observed UCK, UCS, UCT, UCU, UCV, UCW.

The later HOULTON, Me marked pistols with INDENTED RIGHT side s/n continued thru the UCW series with at least a few UCY - but most of the UCY series seem to be 5946 with INDENTED RIGHT side s/n but now marked SPRINGFIELD, Ma circa 2015-2016.

But there were also conventionally applied (NOT INDENTED) s/n markings on the RIGHT side in the UCZ series - in fact all the UCZ pistols seem to be so marked. I have a very late 3914DAO UCZ62xx marked Springfield, Ma circa 2015-2017 with box end marked "NYPD".

And there are some odd pistols with Frame marked Springfield and Slide marked Houlton and vice-versa.

One might speculate that residual unassembled parts were transferred from Springfield to Houlton in the beginning (c2010) and from Houlton back to Springfield (c2016). One could also speculate that Houlton used a different source for frames with the indented s/n and Springfield went back to their original source when production was moved back from Houlton.
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Send model and full serial number to SW at [email protected]

Suggest you ask for Manufacture Date AND 6 digit Product Code. Depending on exactly who answers you may get just year or if you are lucky you may get day, month, & year plus Product Code.

108186 is the garden variety 5946

108186U are surplus (New Old Stock?) - a large quantity of these and 108176U (5906) were sold off in last few years (think 2019-2022) - long after the last retail production.

608186 is same as 108186 but returned to SW and refurbished and resold as Used thru their distributors (generally trade ins in quantity).

108569 is the early NYPD 5946 (most common and confirmed NYPD)

149332 is probably NYPD - Most of the Holton pistols with same NYPD configuration including no Mag Safety and "Caution" note on right of slide are this Product number - It was confirmed to me by Roy as a major NY Police Dept (but not specifically NYPD)

There are a number of other Product Codes for 5946 - generally 148xxx and 149xxx are Special Orders - mostly PD.
 
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