5946 on the Way ***Arrived with Pics***

[kbm6893]

Carried one as a duty gun long ago. I have another now that I shot for the first time in a while. Forgot how nice it was. Different than an M&P but the trigger is nice and smooth. Steel makes recoil non-existent.

Saw one in gunbroker from the NYPD, my old agency. $365 with three mags. Pictures look very nice. I couldn't resist. Still have my old duty belt and 50 pounds of weight loss since last summer and I'm back at my graduation from academy weight and the belt fits the way it should. Looking forward to slipping that big hunk of steel in there again. Three mags was a bonus.

 

[toddimusnimski]

Sounds like a happy reunion of sorts! Please post a pic of it and your rig when they finally get together.
Any chance you have a contact there that could play detective and tell you which officer it had been issued to? It would be great if it turned out to be a friend.

 

[TNZ71]

Good Find. I've got my old 5946, bought a BNIB one at a gun show a few years back, and recently inherited my old partner's duty 5946. Mine

 

[kbm6893]

Sounds like a happy reunion of sorts! Please post a pic of it and your rig when they finally get together.
Any chance you have a contact there that could play detective and tell you which officer it had been issued to? It would be great if it turned out to be a friend.

The dealer I'm buying it from would know but I doubt he'd tell me. And with probably 8000 or so of them issued it'd be a miracle if I knew the cop.

 

[kbm6893]

Even came with the straight factory grips which I greatly prefer. I'll order a 3 pack of magazine springs and a new recoil spring from Wolff and she'll be good for another 20 years.

 

[kbm6893]

Good Find. I've got my old 5946, bought a BNIB one at a gun show a few years back, and recently inherited my old partner's duty 5946. Mine

Wow! Three of them? I thought two was redundant. I also have a 5903 that's my house gun.

Funny thing is there was another NYPD 5946 auction going on at same time. It ended 1 hour earlier with a starting bid of $229. Only one mag and very finish worn. I couldn't have two bids going at once in case I won both. I didn't really want the cheaper one, but I did want an NYPD one. The cheaper one went for $269 I think. $100 more for a very nice one with two more factory mags was a no brainer. And the one I got did not charge the 3% credit card fee so I saved a few bucks there too.

 

[TNZ71]

Redundant? Kinda Excessive. I've also got a 5943TSW, 2-5906s, 2-5904s, 915, and 910 and that's just the full size 3rd Gen 9s.

 

[VASCAR2]

I have a 5904 just like I carried on duty and I to preferred the flat back strap grip. If I could loose the 90 pounds I have gained I could still use my Clarino duty belt and holster.


As I get older I realize those were the good old days.

 

[ColbyBruce]

I had a NYPD overrun 5946. It was my first DAO S&W semi auto pistol. Other than the weight, it was a fine pistol.

 

[S&W59]

Aside from nostalgia for those that used these as duty weapons, I haven't had a whole lot of personal affinity for vintage S&W DAO pistols. The long trigger pull made it uncertain for me at what point the pistol would fire leading to accuracy issues which enough practice would likely alleviate. I do own a police trade in 4586 from my local department that was auctioned off. It does have that inordinately long pull and no 'tick' or 'hiccup' in the pull to tell me when its about to discharge like some pistols have. Aside from nostalgia, what is the appeal of these particular line of pistols? I can see the LEO collectability aspect as I rather prefer guns with military or law enforcement gravitas. But if not for this, what is the appeal to those of you that covet them?

 

[Jaymo]

Aside from nostalgia for those that used these as duty weapons, I haven't had a whole lot of personal affinity for vintage S&W DAO pistols. The long trigger pull made it uncertain for me at what point the pistol would fire leading to accuracy issues which enough practice would likely alleviate. I do own a police trade in 4586 from my local department that was auctioned off. It does have that inordinately long pull and no 'tick' or 'hiccup' in the pull to tell me when its about to discharge like some pistols have. Aside from nostalgia, what is the appeal of these particular line of pistols? I can see the LEO collectability aspect as I rather prefer guns with military or law enforcement gravitas. But if not for this, what is the appeal to those of you that covet them?

The ones with the black MIM hammer and trigger do not have the long, DA revolver style pull.
They are precocked, like a Glock, and have a nice pull.
I can't speak to the older ones with the flash chromed hammers and triggers. I know they have the long pull, but if it is as good as a K/L/N frame or Beretta 92D, even if an action job is needed to achieve such, I don't see an issue.

I bought mine because the 5946 is a lot less common than the 5906. It was my first 3rd gen. I was looking at a bunch of LE trade in 3rd gens at the LGS. Out of a huge lot of 3rd gens, there were 3 5946 mixed in with all the 5906, 6906, and SW99 models. I went with the 5946 before getting a 5906 and a 6906.
Didn't get an SW99 (ran out of fun money) and wish I had.

 

[Jaymo]

I had a NYPD overrun 5946. It was my first DAO S&W semi auto pistol. Other than the weight, it was a fine pistol.

Absolutely. Mine's a great shooter. Not a model 52, by any stretch of the imagination, but for a SD/HD gun .

 

[kbm6893]

Aside from nostalgia for those that used these as duty weapons, I haven't had a whole lot of personal affinity for vintage S&W DAO pistols. The long trigger pull made it uncertain for me at what point the pistol would fire leading to accuracy issues which enough practice would likely alleviate. I do own a police trade in 4586 from my local department that was auctioned off. It does have that inordinately long pull and no 'tick' or 'hiccup' in the pull to tell me when its about to discharge like some pistols have. Aside from nostalgia, what is the appeal of these particular line of pistols? I can see the LEO collectability aspect as I rather prefer guns with military or law enforcement gravitas. But if not for this, what is the appeal to those of you that covet them?

I have a few striker fired guns. M&P's and Rugers. But to this day I am not as comfortable with a striker action as a hammer fired gun, particularly with reholstering. I just like to see the hammer to know the condition of the gun.

I have and still like TDA pistols. All Beretta and S&W. I shoot them well but not that often. And when I bring one out again it's always a period of refamiliarizing myself with the first shot DA then every other shot SA

So a DAO semi auto has its place. The 5946 I carried had the flash chromed hammer and trigger. The one I have now also has them. The new one coming has the black MIM hammer and trigger. People say it's better. Maybe it is. But I don't see the chromed hammer ones being bad at all. Like firing a revolver.

I might shoot better with my M&P with the lighter striker action. But I always shot expert with the 5946. The groups might be a bit tighter with a striker but the rounds go where I want them to with my 5946. I suspect the one coming next week will be the same.

 

[stansdds]

My EDC is a Model 6946. The trigger is smooth and very much like a double action S&W revolver trigger. Mine has been boringly reliable and is quite capable of keeping all shots on a 9 inch paper plate at 25 yards from a standing position.

 

[Fazer386]

In 2019, I decided to overhaul my 4586 with a spring kit from Wolff, a new grip and new Trijicon Novak sights. Plus new springs, followers and base pads for the magazines.

I zero'd it at 25 yards and shot enough rounds to make a hole the size of my fist. The trigger is as short and smooth as ever. I shot a few IDPA matches. Now my 4586 guards the den.

The DAO S&W pistols were some of the best they produced IMHO.

 

[pbramlett]

I found a BNIB 5946 last year at cabelas. I bought it. Fun gun and an excellent shooter.

 

[kbm6893]

It's here!

Got it today. Man, was it FILTHY! Cop who owned it MUST have been a boss or a detective in plainclothes, because there's very little wear on the outside, and generally bosses and detectives weren't hassled to clean their guns after a qualification. It looked like this thing has almost never been cleaned. I should have taken before pics. Even the magazines were filthy inside and out. Here are some shots of the gun and the rig I used to carry it's twin in. This time last year, I couldn't put that rig on. 50 pounds lighter and I'm back to graduating academy weight. Belt looks kind of naked without my PR24 and big Motorola radio/skull cracker. Have some new springs for gun and mags on the way. Nightsights are dated 1998, so off to Trijicon they will go for re-lamping. Gotta shoot it first, though!

 

[Craig19]

That looks almost new.

 

[sw dan]

6946

hi folks,
top row 6906, 6946
bottom row 3913, 3953
by the way, what holster is that you are wearing?
be safe....dan

 

[veeklog1]

hi folks,
top row 6906, 6946
bottom row 3913, 3953
by the way, what holster is that you are wearing?
be safe....dan

Safariland 295; when I wore a uniform eighteen years ago I wore a Safariland 070 holster because I could not find a 295. I grew to really like the 070 and could draw it as fast as a level 1 holster