5946 DAO
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bigchuck83
Member
3rd gens are some good looking pistols.
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Nice grab. I was tempted once by a DAO, but was worried about traveling down another rabbit hole...
I am not saying the other choices were wrong, but I am saying the 5946 was right!
The S&W 3rd GEN DAO system was (and is) one of the smoothest hammer fired DAO's ever made. It took Sig, Beretta and H&K years longer to come up with DAO systems that are still not as smooth or short as S&W did back in the day. They wanted it to feel like a light DA revolver, and they nailed it.
The S&W 3rd GEN DAO system was (and is) one of the smoothest hammer fired DAO's ever made. It took Sig, Beretta and H&K years longer to come up with DAO systems that are still not as smooth or short as S&W did back in the day. They wanted it to feel like a light DA revolver, and they nailed it.
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Wolff reduced power hammer spring. They come in calibration packs of 16, 17 & 18lbs. My 5946 has been ultra reliable with the 17lb spring with a trigger around 7.5-8lbs. I haven't even tried the 16lb spring yet which supposedly gets it down to 6.5-7lbs.
I once handled a 5943 where the owner (a gunsmith) had polished the internals, put in a Wolff reduced power hammer spring and a reduced power trigger spring (3.5lbs IIRC). That thing was not only as smooth as glass, I would have estimated it at 6lbs. He could shoot it VERY well too.
The "bad rap" is just a personal preference thing and has nothing to do with reliability. For some of us who began our careers with revolvers as a main duty weapon and were allowed to transition to semi auto, the last thing we wanted was a DAO pistol. Others were very comfortable with revolvers, some carrying DAO revolvers, so they stayed with the DAO platform.
If you like it, that's all that matters. Enjoy!
If you like it, that's all that matters. Enjoy!
$449 IIRC, with 3 mags and in really good condition.
Congrats on the new purchase. I think you will like it. It's also one of my favorite 3rd generation as well. Mine is one of the newer ones made for the NYPD and it's very well made. Good consistent trigger,accurate and reliable. It's got a little weight to it compared to the newer plastic stuff but IMHO it's classier and more fun to shoot!
Ascension
Member
Just brought home this 5943 last week myself. I owned a 4043 at one time and still have the Wolff reduced power hammer spring kit.
About the same weight as a Glock 19. This one is a dream daily carry piece for me!!
CONGRATS!!
About the same weight as a Glock 19. This one is a dream daily carry piece for me!!
CONGRATS!!
Me too....
I have a 5943 which is the same gun as the 5946 except with an alloy frame. It will eat any kind of ammo I put in it. The trigger is easy once you get used to it. It's very reliable. I fell in love with this one and it looks great, too!
Just brought home this 5943 last week myself. I owned a 4043 at one time and still have the Wolff reduced power hammer spring kit.
About the same weight as a Glock 19. This one is a dream daily carry piece for me!!
CONGRATS!!
I have a 5943 which is the same gun as the 5946 except with an alloy frame. It will eat any kind of ammo I put in it. The trigger is easy once you get used to it. It's very reliable. I fell in love with this one and it looks great, too!
dawggunner
Member
Congrats, again! I picked up a 5946 last summer that was a NJ police trade-in. The DAO trigger is no problem for me, just shooting a revolver in DA. ENJOY!!
I used to dismiss DAO pistols, had no interest at all, but in the last couple years, I've found that I actually shoot noticably more accurately in double-action. This has been with numerous pistols: several gen3 Smiths, Walther P99AS, CZ75BD, etc.
I first noticed this during the testing phase after scoring a used pistol I got on my local Armslist scene. But then, if i was having a bad day at the range, just to mix things up, I'd use the decocker and go to DA for a few shots, and my groups would tighten the hell up !! These haven't been aberations, this has held up consistently for a good while now.
So, lately, I've been keeping an eye out for a nice DAO gen3 Smith in my local used market. Fingers crossed !!
I first noticed this during the testing phase after scoring a used pistol I got on my local Armslist scene. But then, if i was having a bad day at the range, just to mix things up, I'd use the decocker and go to DA for a few shots, and my groups would tighten the hell up !! These haven't been aberations, this has held up consistently for a good while now.
So, lately, I've been keeping an eye out for a nice DAO gen3 Smith in my local used market. Fingers crossed !!
Savvy
Member
Yep. Me and Mike made the same choice, for the same reasons
Im also retired NYPD, still enjoying this fine pistol. I was cleaning it this weekend and just discovered that Midway had replacement grips for sale. They are on the way
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Kadonny
Member
Good luck with it, great guns. I have a 5943 TSW that I love.
S&W revolvers and semis DAO...
All of my S&Ws have very smooth triggers in DAO. Pressure and length of travel are the only considerations. No roughness, consistent all the way through. Just squeeze and take great pictures.
All of my S&Ws have very smooth triggers in DAO. Pressure and length of travel are the only considerations. No roughness, consistent all the way through. Just squeeze and take great pictures.
Savvy
Member
No sir, its a 5946, untouched as it was issued to me.
Most do seem to have a mag disconnect feature, but apparently NYPD did not go for the feature. In hindsight, Im quite surprised they didnt. At the time, I was just giddy to have a high capacity 9 after years of having a 6 shot model 10 while the bad guys had everything from MAC-10s to Uzis! I worked in Harlem from 84-89.
