Can someone tell me some info on this minty 39 I just bought ???

[shooboy]

: Went to a Christmas party at my local gunstore after they offically closed for the day. I spied this in the showcase and just had to have it. Don't tell my wife. Anyway, it's mint and I thinks I did okay at $270 !!! Can anyone tell me about this gun, like what I should expect, etc. It's got a four digit serial number so I'd guess it's an early one. Sorry I'm not well versed in S&W autos and I'd appreciate your comments. Thanks, Shoo

 

[shooboy]

: Went to a Christmas party at my local gunstore after they offically closed for the day. I spied this in the showcase and just had to have it. Don't tell my wife. Anyway, it's mint and I thinks I did okay at $270 !!! Can anyone tell me about this gun, like what I should expect, etc. It's got a four digit serial number so I'd guess it's an early one. Sorry I'm not well versed in S&W autos and I'd appreciate your comments. Thanks, Shoo

 

[29aholic]

Well stating the obvious, it is a very early alloy frame gun. The very first 39's were steel framed and highly collectable. Apparently this was an instance where Smith didnt use a dash to denote a transition (steel to alloy). I had one of this vintage and had no issues other than it was a 9mm.
I seem to recall there was an instance where a LEO was killed/almost killed due to his 39 jamming. I believe the factory made some MODS that became the -1 guns. As it turned out, the LEO had been wounded in his gun arm, and the subsequent loss of strength caused him to "limp wrist" the gun while returning fire which caused the jam.
IMHO you probably got it for 1/2 or less than what it is worth.

 

[shooboy]

Thanks Curtis, I appreciate the response. It's funny that you mentioned the steel frame 39 because I went to another gunstore before my buddy's store, and they had a steel frame 39. Looked real nice, I think the price was a little over $1000 if I remember correctly. Anyway I look forward to getting this 39 and shooting it once in awhile. Thanks again, Shoo

 

[mp357]

I carried and used S&W 39's for years and had a couple of very early ones and well as others..NEVER had a single malfunction from any of them and won the first Police Practical match I ever shot with a borrowed Mod 39. And yours looks really nice, so enjoy it.

 

[n4zov]

I bought one new in 1964 and it has always been my favorite carry gun. The M39 just kind of blends into the body when carried in an IWB holster, and it has a sensuous feel in the hand. I don't think anything better has been designed in 9mm.

 

[Big45]

You did great, I hate you, (not realy) but worth an easy 4 bills or more, thats a nice find. Merry Christmas to you.....

 

[j38]

Beautiful pistol, Shoo! ...and a great price.

Merry Christmas!

Jerry

 

[capttom]

A couple - 3 years ago I sold a very nice 39-2 for $350 and he was a good friend indeed. The early 39s had a problematic spring steel broad extractor, IIRC, and it was changed to a pivoting design.
29aholic may be referring to an Illinois State Police trooper who was indeed killed after being shot. His 39 jammed and he was unable to return fire. Mas Ayoob commented on the incident at the time, back in the 70s, and opined that, besides being limpwristed, the gun was also dry. The ISP was the first big agency to go with the 39 (or indeed, any DA 9mm) and had input in it's evolution to the 2nd generation

 

[hberttmank]

shooboy, that's a nice looking pistol and you did well on the price. Congrats.

 

[rk22]

At $270. you can tell the wife, she'll say you bought good, keep it.

 

[44splfan]

I bought a used 39from a SGT in early 78, and carried it for 15 yrs as an offduty. It was a pleasure to carry and shoot. Mine was an alloy frame, and I'm sorry I let it go. A buddy on NJSP had his also and bragged so much about the gun it was the reason I bought mine.

 

[Frank53]

Beautiful pistol. Congrats on the find. According to an inquiry I made to SW years ago on an older 39 I had, the company started stamping the "39" on that model somewhere between SN 2500 and 5000 in 1957. The 39 I have now has is a 5 digit SN and was shipped in 1961..I'd estimate yours is from the late 1950s..course you can always request a letter from SW to find an exact ship date and where it was originally shipped to.

 

[shooboy]

Thanks for all the replies Guys, I'm more excited to pick it up now. Hopefully it was born in 1959 just like me, that would be cool.
Now I wish I had the money to go back and buy the Model 39 with the steel frame also !!! Can't have them all I guess..... Shoo

 

[george minze]

Wow you damned near stole it. I have paid for a NOS 450 and didn't blink.....to me they were the best of the real Smith and Wesson's world. I truly wish Smith would re-introduce them as a performance center gun. So they would cost more but there has to be some value in a historic gun MADE IN AMERICA

 

[ispcapt]

Originally posted by capttom:
29aholic may be referring to an Illinois State Police trooper who was indeed killed after being shot. His 39 jammed and he was unable to return fire. Mas Ayoob commented on the incident at the time, back in the 70s, and opined that, besides being limpwristed, the gun was also dry.

I know the incident and actually Mike wasn't killed. We were carrying the 39 in a flapped crossdraw at the time. When Mike walked up to the car the driver fired a .25 at him which hit him in the upper arm striking the main nerve. Mike drew with his off hand and fired one rd which then had a FTF. The actual reason for the FTF was due to shooting off hand with a less than ideal grip while not in a good position.

 

[cbpotel]

You did very well for yourself, I wish I could find one like that. As far as I am concerned, the Model 39 is one of the finest pistols that S&W ever produced. Yours is one of the earlier models issued. The extractor is very similar to the Mauser Claw extractor; as the breech face moves forward and strips a round from the magazine the case head rides up and the rim is cought by the extractor. That type of extractor was not designed to close over a case that is chambered. So, the old practice of droping a round into the chamber and then releasing the slide can cause a broken extractor. I think that is what gave the no dash pistols an unnecessary bad rap.

I have a Model 52 that is a no dash pistol with the same style of extractor, so the rimmed .38 spl case is more prone to cause a broken extractor if loaded by droping the round in the chamber and closing the slide over it.

Enjoy the hell out of your new pistol, they are a great pistol and shoot so well.

 

[SG-688]

Originally posted by ispcapt:

Originally posted by capttom:
29aholic may be referring to an Illinois State Police trooper who was indeed killed after being shot. His 39 jammed and he was unable to return fire. Mas Ayoob commented on the incident at the time, back in the 70s, and opined that, besides being limpwristed, the gun was also dry.

I know the incident and actually Mike wasn't killed. We were carrying the 39 in a flapped crossdraw at the time. When Mike walked up to the car the driver fired a .25 at him which hit him in the upper arm striking the main nerve. Mike drew with his off hand and fired one rd which then had a FTF. The actual reason for the FTF was due to shooting off hand with a less than ideal grip while not in a good position.

As I was told the story, the trooper is left handed. Since the left handed flap holster was strong side, forward rake, that he drew weak handed - right hand - was a notable accomplishment.

Also told that he felt he had a bad round... and that he had lubed with WD-40, which might explain why the pistol would appear dry by the time it made it back to the armorers a week later. Believe it or not, using WD-40 was common then.


FWIW, I once fired an all day class with a borrowed M-39 that appeared "bone" dry without a bobble. No, I didn't plan it that way; it was a spur of the moment thing.

 

[29aholic]

here's another example of reliable feeding. I grabbed a double handful of loose ammo out of a box one day and took mine out to our indoor range. The ammo of all different types so I expected some variance. All round went off without a hitch. When I policed my brass I discover that about 6/7 rounds had been smoe old Super Vel 380 ammo!!! Fed and fired just fine.