39-2 coming home this week

[.357MagNYC]

Back in July, I bought a 39-2 over gunsamerica for my birthday. 1980 vintage (like me). Due to the ridiculous laws in my neck of the woods, I'll just now finally be able to take it home from the dealer this week.

As I want to make sure the gun lasts as long as possible, I'm thinking of ordering some new springs, since I'm not sure what the previous owner did. What do you guys recommend I change? Just the recoil spring? Or are there other maintenance issues I should take care of.

As always, thanks for your help. I'll post pics of the new addition to my S&W family later this week.

 

[bigmoose]

If it aint broke, don't fix it. You are going to love how it shoots. If there happens to be a problem then start changing springs etc. Start looking for a couple of spare mags...they are going to get harder to find and more expensive as time goes on. Good luck.

 

[W.E.G.]

Aftermarket spare mags for single-stack 39-series guns are abundant.

Original mags are overpriced.
Probably nice to have one.

All the other mags you are going to eject, and let hit the concrete.
You won't be doing that even one time with the expensive, and hard-to-get original mag.

The current-production 39-series factory mags hold an extra round, and protrude this much.

Even Pro-Mag mags work fine in the 39.
The Pro-Mag floorplate sticks out forward beyond the frame.
You can cut it back with a dremel if it bugs you.

 

[forindooruseonly]

Springs are cheap. Pick up an extra recoil spring, and if when you take it shooting it starts chucking brass into the next county, change the spring out. I don't know if this is actually a problem or if I'm just paranoid, but I don't like the idea of beating up an alloy frame with the steel slide. Of course, you'll probably be fine but consider it 12 dollar's of insurance.

 

[.357MagNYC]

Here it is!

Just gave it a thorough cleaning and put on a pair of Pachmary grips (to save my wife's hands and protect the original wood from my sweaty palms). I'm a little worried about the looks of that ejector, though--it seems a bit bent to me. Is that likely to cause problems?

I'll be taking it to the range tomorrow. Will post back to let everybody know how it goes. I have one factory mag that I plan on saving rather than using, one 9-rd. S&W mag, and one ProMag. I've had bad experiences with Promag before in my Beretta, but I've heard they work ok in the 39 (as W.E.G. mentioned above). I guess I'll find out about that tomorrow, too.

 

[Oldsoul]

Wait!! did you really have to wait that long!!??

Back in July, I bought a 39-2 over gunsamerica for my birthday. 1980 vintage (like me). Due to the ridiculous laws in my neck of the woods, I'll just now finally be able to take it home from the dealer this week.

You bought your 39-2 in July, and now in Dec., 5 months and some change months later you're getting your gun??!!

NY is crazy. Year after year they keep voting the same dopes in. AZ, Jan Brewer, and Sheriff Joe FTW!

I am glad you did at least get it.

 

[Colhogan]

Get yourself an extra recoil spring, some extra grips,and another spare Extractor.
They do tend to wear out.I believe you can use Extractors from Models- 439,639.etc.These are getting scarce,so check with Numrich for them ASAP.Don't forget a spare Extractor Pin,& Extractor Spring!

Also, A few stainless factory9-round mags will not hurt. I have had really bad luck with Pro-mags for my Model 39,so I just don't bother anymore. The $11.00 difference in price for the factory mag,plus the extra round make it a no brainer for me.

 

[cwo4uscgret]

Five months for receipt of a new pistol? Wow and I thought I had it bad in Michigan having to wait 1 day for the detective who approves purchase permits to sign my last permit. (I resent any laws that require me to either get a purchase permit, register a handgun, or jump through hoops to buy a pistol)

The second pistol I ever owned was a Model 39-2. Already owning a Colt Combat Commander I bought a 39-2. Knowing how easy a 1911 field strips I can assure you that a 39-2 doesn't - after writing S&W a letter telling them how the dummy (me) lost the safety detent on the shag carpet, they sent me a new one...gratis.

I recently bought 2 Model 39-2s; shot them both, kept the better shooting one and traded the other one for something else.

I like the 39-2; because of that I also have a nickel plated 59 and a 469; all good shooters.

I currently have put the original wood stocks back on the gun

 

[.357MagNYC]

^ Those are some nice guns, cwo4uscgret! I like the look of the Pachmayrs on blued guns a lot.

As for the waiting time, it's partially my fault, as I couldn't submit a "Purchase Authorization Request" until September (for a bunch of reasons). Once we have a permit to own handguns in our residence, for each new gun we want to buy we have to send in a request to the NYPD, wait 6 weeks to 3 months for the acceptance notice to arrive in the mail, and then head down to NYPD HQ to pick up the authorization (M-Thu 9am-12pm only). In my case, I think the 3-month wait was the result of so many cops being pulled off desk duty to baby-sit the rich suburban kids camping out downtown as part of OWS.

Then we head over to the FFL with our purchase authorization, have them do the NCIS check over the phone, and then head back to NYPD HQ between 12-2pm with the required paperwork to have the new gun "inspected" and entered on our licenses. We also have to wait 3 months between purchase requests, and once an individual license holder owns 5 guns, you need to allow the NYPD to come and conduct routine inspections of your residence to show that you're storing them all in a safe.

All that just to exercise our pre-existing rights, as affirmed in the 2nd Amendment. (Plus paying $340 to apply for the license and for renewal every 3 years, plus the process of applying in the first place--don't get me started.)

I checked Numrich and they seem to be out of the extractor pins, so I guess I'll have to wait on that. I love older guns, but the scarcity of replacement parts always makes me nervous.

Speaking of which, does anyone else notice the slight curve to the right on the ejector? Should I be worried?

I'll post back this afternoon with a range report on the gun and the mags.

 

[.357MagNYC]

Just got back from the range--wow, what a gun! All the FMJ ammo we shot (Winchester white box & Speer Lawman) fed and ejected perfectly, so I guess the ejector is fine. No problems with the Pro Mag, either.

Everyone was saying that the gun doesn't look like it was fired much at all, and is in great condition. I think my 39-2 may very well be my favorite firearm. The wife really liked it, too.

 

[Beans]

^ Those are some nice guns, cwo4uscgret! I like the look of the Pachmayrs on blued guns a lot.

As for the waiting time, it's partially my fault, as I couldn't submit a "Purchase Authorization Request" until September (for a bunch of reasons). Once we have a permit to own handguns in our residence, for each new gun we want to buy we have to send in a request to the NYPD, wait 6 weeks to 3 months for the acceptance notice to arrive in the mail, and then head down to NYPD HQ to pick up the authorization (M-Thu 9am-12pm only). In my case, I think the 3-month wait was the result of so many cops being pulled off desk duty to baby-sit the rich suburban kids camping out downtown as part of OWS.

Then we head over to the FFL with our purchase authorization, have them do the NCIS check over the phone, and then head back to NYPD HQ between 12-2pm with the required paperwork to have the new gun "inspected" and entered on our licenses. We also have to wait 3 months between purchase requests, and once an individual license holder owns 5 guns, you need to allow the NYPD to come and conduct routine inspections of your residence to show that you're storing them all in a safe.

All that just to exercise our pre-existing rights, as affirmed in the 2nd Amendment. (Plus paying $340 to apply for the license and for renewal every 3 years, plus the process of applying in the first place--don't get me started.)

I checked Numrich and they seem to be out of the extractor pins, so I guess I'll have to wait on that. I love older guns, but the scarcity of replacement parts always makes me nervous.

Speaking of which, does anyone else notice the slight curve to the right on the ejector? Should I be worried?

I'll post back this afternoon with a range report on the gun and the mags.

WOW I am so sorry for you! :-(

 

[.357MagNYC]

Just a quick question: if I buy a new recoil spring, do I need to buy a new recoil spring guide assembly, too? If not, does anyone know how to get the spring off the guide? Thanks.

 

[W.E.G.]

You do NOT need to buy a new recoil spring guide.

You just twist the old spring off the guide.

If the spring seems "stuck" on the guide, twist it in the direction which will cause the spring to "unwind" from the guide. You may still get a nice scratch down the guide if the existing spring has a burr on the end from where the spring wire was cut.

 

[kelsetco]

Howdy S&W fellows! I purchased a M39-2 in 1970 after Vietnam.

Fired only one full magazine since then.

Is it prudent to keep a full magazine at the ready for over forty years?

I looked at the black Pachmayr grips on E-bay but for some reason they don't look like a tight fit! Are there any other alternatives?

Many thanks

 

[Davef1]

Waiting sucks

You guys think you have it bad, here in Texas with a CCW permit its "cash and carry"..oh wait that's a good thing

I lived in Kalifornia 20 yrs ago, back then it was a 3 day wait and that was painful, I can't imagine waiting months!

Enjoy your Model 39, they are sweet.

Dave

 

[rrmkst56]

Move out of n.y.c.

 

[SonnyCrockett]

Move out of n.y.c.

I did,,,,,,,,ignorance at its best

 

[olwogo]

Enjoy that little jewel! For what you had to go thru, those of us who have no waiting period, are sorry you had to do that to excersize a constitutional right. The PUTZS who put you thru it, I hope they get mugged! Like the other guy said, MOVE!