Broken 5906 Safety

[LeftyLeadSlinger4]

While shooting last night the right side of the safety on my 5906 came off. Safety still functions but the right side is missing tab. Recovered the piece but not the pin that holds it in. If anyone knows what pin I need to buy and how to fix. Or can I just leave it as is and it'll still function fine. Thanks for your time.

 

[jsbethel]

Plunger S&W part #230150000
Spring S&W part #106020000

 

[Fastbolt]

You need the ambi lever plunger, not a body plunger.

Unfortunately, it also depends on the vintage of the ambi lever in your gun.

The older 3rd gen's had an ambi lever plunger that looked like the round headed body plunger, but which also had a small flat end (and a shoulder, resulting in a smaller diameter head).

The newer style ambi lever plunger is flat-headed and is cylindrical (no shoulder), with a wider flat end. The levers are machined to accept the correct lever plunger. The old levers won't accept the revised plungers with the wide flat heads.

Since your gun has the rounded trigger guard, I'd not be surprised if the lever is the newer style that accepts the cylindrical plunger with the wide flat end (part # 23775), but I'd still check.

This shows the standard body plunger (on the left) and the revised/new style ambi lever plunger (on the right). I don't have a pic of the older style ambi lever plunger at hand, but it looked very much like the standard body plunger, with the difference being the tip was flat instead of rounded. Easy to mistake for the body plunger at a quick glance ... which could be a problem if the old ambi lever plunger ended up in the body plunger hole (as it dragged against the inside of the slide, making for rough decocking).


There's an ambi lever "kit" S&W lists that includes the ambi lever, revised plunger and its spring, but it's sometimes not in-stock.

If you call S&W customer service and talk to a rep, he/she might just send you a new lever plunger & spring at no charge. Might be able to tell by the serial number which vintage lever & plunger probably ought to have come in the gun (presuming nobody's changed it since then, of course). Worth a try.

FWIW, it's not exactly common for the plunger-type ambi lever to just "pop off" a gun, so I'd wonder whether the wrong lever plunger might have been in the gun, or whether the plunger and/or spring might not have been damaged/broken. The revision to the lever plunger (making it cylindrical, removing the shoulder) is said to have made the plunger stronger.

 

[LeftyLeadSlinger4]

I've looked into replacement parts, and Have come up empty. Not to concerned about fixing it at this point. Is the gun still safe to shoot as a range gun? I dont carry this and it has always just been a range toy. I havent shot it since this happened, and am curious is it safe to shoot and will I damage the gun further if I shoot it in its present condtion?

 

[DCW]

"I havent shot it since this happened, and am curious is it safe to shoot and will I damage the gun further if I shoot it in its present condtion?"

Doubtfully. The ambi-lever was mostly an afterthought, S&W at first securing them with a screw. Thus, the right-side lever was an add-on from the get-go.

Furthermore, I've seen a few folks' shooting an S&W devoid of that lever (maybe the same thing happening with them as you) and apparently having no problems.

However, having said the above, should one of mine take flight, I'm fixing it before it returns to the range.

A huge number of 5906s were dumped on the market lately, PLUNGING the prices of 5906s to under $400 and, often enough, below $350. I make it my business to watch gun prices. This is a good price to buy a gun for parts. How would you get a 5906 close enough in manufacturing to your own so that the same plunger and spring be used? PErhaps by serial number and/or year of production (information for both found elsewhere within our wonderful forum).

Then, there's eBay and a full assembly. I haven't checked today's offering in that regard, but you stand a reasonable chance in getting what you need, even if buying an entire assembly.

DC

 

[armorer951]

If you can't find one, or get one from S&W, send me a PM and I'll send you one.

 

[JAREDSHS]

armorer951, it's people like you that make this forum the best on the net--can't beat a deal like that.

 

[LeftyLeadSlinger4]

I appreciate the help. Buying a parts guns isnt worth it to me. I live up in a small Alaskan town now and would have to buy the parts gun online. I have loomed at ebay and calling S&W yielded no results. How easy is are the parts to i stall? I am a certified Sig armorer but havent dealt much in tearing down the 5906.

 

[LeftyLeadSlinger4]

Struck out. PM Sent

 

[armorer951]

Parts on the way

 

[Wreckless]

This is a common ailment for the ambidextrous safeties. After some years of use we would lose a few during departmental qualifications.

 

[armorer951]

JAREDSHS.....

We can surely help extend the life of these great guns by suporting each other with OEM parts and repair/maintenance advise whenever we can. I believe that's one of the reasons Smith & Wesson has an armorers certification program. For me, it's great having the opportunity to help out another forum member.