Help me decide: S&W 5906

[toddimusnimski]

There was however one downside to this particular 5906: it keyholed like Tartarus and wouldn't shoot consequent groups.

You should probably get some sort of prize just for being the first person to use the word "Tartarus" in this Forum! I had to Google that one...

Hopefully this 5906 doesn't give you any problems like the last one you owned. Did that one also have the squared trigger guard and adjustable sight? Which do you prefer?

 

[Jaap from Holland]

Well...we're here to learn ;-).

My previous 5906 had the round triggerguard. Sights were not original. LPA/BoMar like rear sight and a steep orange front sight. I think the round triggerguard looks better.

Why was the triggerguard changed from square to round? And were the adjustable sights optional? Or did S&W stop producing guns with the adjustables? Since it's a dutygun, fixed sights are less prone to breaking.

Since we're on the subject of dutyguns and adjustable sights: a few years ago every policeofficer in The Netherlands carried the Walther P5. I believe this pistol is a somewhat rare firearm in the USA? The P5 had a windage adjustable rear sight. When on the range you could ask the instructor to change the rear sight out for a higher or lower one. The P5's were great pistols to shoot. Despite the 8 round capacity I never felt undergunned. Never had issues.

Nowadays we're issued the Walther P99QNL. Like a PPQ, but with a triggersystem which had second strike capability. That's the P99Q. The letters NL stand for some minor demands/wishes the dutch police had regarding the pistol. Great gun also...but it's black and polymer ;-).

 

[stansdds]

The S&W Model 39 was designed with a round trigger guard. The square, or hooked, trigger guard came about with the 2nd generation pistols, the x39/x59/x69. This was during a period when S&W was competing for the U.S. Army's contract for a 9x19mm, high capacity pistol to replace their M-1911-A1 and to have more commonality with NATO countries. The 459 was not selected by the army, but when S&W introduced the 3rd generation pistols, they received an even longer, hooked trigger guard for better use when wearing heavy gloves. After about 2 years, the hooked trigger guard fad was out of favor and S&W rounded the long trigger guard to create the "long round" trigger guard. That only lasted a couple of years and S&W went back to a round trigger guard that was much closer to the original Model 39/59 guard. The trigger guard changes can make finding holsters for S&W pistols a real challenge.


The fully adjustable rear sight was an option on the full size 2nd and 3rd generation pistols. The sight is well designed and the protective ears or wings, whichever you prefer to call them, do a great job of protecting the sight from damage. This sight was originally designed for Model 39's used by the U.S. Navy Seals.

 

[vipermd]

In my country one may be permitted owning firearms for sports-/targetshooting. CCW, HD, SD with firearms is prohibited.

So let me ask, If a bad guy breaks into your home, with malevolent intent, you are not allowed to engage him with a firearm??? How is that even possible? Sounds like the left wing here- call a social worker. What can you do to defend yourself from intruder/attack? Be Safe,

 

[Jaap from Holland]

The answer to your question is no. Let me explain. Because this must sound crazy for most people living in the USA.

First off: comparing our countries regarding firearms/self defense is like comparing apples to oranges. Your constitution gives you the right to keep and bear arms....even to the extent of defending people against a tyrannical government. Our constitution doesn't have anything like that.

Guns in the USA are part of the society. Over here this is not the case. Ask a random individuel about guns and the first thing they say: guns are dangerous, scary, people shouldn't be allowed to own them, should be forbidden etc. People over here now guns from the movies.

By law all firearms are forbidden. There are, however, exemptions: sportsshooting and hunting. For sportshooting you have to join a shootingclub. After 1,5 years membership one can apply for a permit. If you are a hunter you have to pass an hunting exam (mostly about environmental laws) and you must show you have a hunting ground.

The police issues the permit after research and backgroundchecks. If there is the least doubt the request for permit will be denied.
Before issuing the permit the police comes to your home: for a talk and to check if you have a decent gunsafe which must me bolted to the floor or wall. Guns and ammo must be separatly stored. So a loaded gun in the safe is forbidden. Storing guns and ammo outside the gunsafe is also prohibited. These measures are there for several reasons: to prevent misuse of the firearm by others than the permitholder, to prevent accidents, preventing theft, to prevent using it for anything other than sports/hunting. Carry of a firearm in a holster is also prohibited. When going to the range guns and ammo must be transported in a bag of case, unloaded.

The police checks this every once in a while (unannounced). The just show up and ask to come in for a check. If you refuse repeatedly...well chances are they revoke the permit.

So...back to the 'defending/engaging a violent home invader'. You are not able to with a gun; since the gun is not 'bedside table' stored. When waking from that 'bump in the night' getting to the gunsafe in the dark, loading your gun and confront the invader.

I don't know how everything is on your side of our planet. Over here people invest in good locks to discourage burglars/home invaders. Al my windows/doors are made of polymer with steel liners. When I turn a key, it locks or unlocks 3 bolts. Getting in my home without a key is very difficult. So...a burglar looking for a score will probably go for another house which has substandard locks.

I'm a LE for almost 20 years now. From my experience: if there is a burglar/home invader who makes the mistake trying to enter a home when people are present they are very young, stupid and/or unexperienced. They scare away at the first sign of trouble. When there is a true violent home invasion it's most of the time criminals going after criminals...or true 'hero's' going after the elderly.

Most home invasions occur when people are not home. Another reason for the obligation to store your guns in a safe, bolted down.

That being said: using force/violence is only allowed for police. A civilian doesn't have any right by law to use force. If you do, you can appeal a certain law. This law states, simply said, that you had to use force given the circumstances, to prevent harm to oneself, another person or goods. A judge will review the case and will pass judgement if this appeal is just or not.

To give an example: a couple of years ago there was a jewelry store being robbed. The store was owned by a married couple. They were robbed a couple of times. The couple purchased a firearm (illegally) to defend themselves. Which I can fully understand by the way. Then they were being robbed the husband was being injured (shot or stabbed, can't remember) the wife took out the gun they bought and shot and killed one of the robbers. This was an incident which dominated the news for a time. In the end they only got a fine for the possession of an illegal firearm. They were not being found guilty of manslaughter/murder.

 

[vipermd]

Thank You for the info. I could never live in a society like that. Be Safe,

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Jaap, thank you for the explanation. It seems one rule does apply on both sides of the Atlantic: Better tried by 12 (American Jury) than carried by 6 (Pall Bearers). I think many of us easily bought more than 5 guns a year. Sometimes in a month. My collection is modest by forum standards, but would land me in jail in Holland. Many folks here also only know guns from movies and fear them. Does anyone there argue that only law abiding citizens follow gun laws? With the changes brought on by immigration creating a more diverse population like the US, is there a movemenent to relax gun laws? Stay safe.

 

[jjfitch]

There are no bad 5906's! There is bad ammo, bad magazines, bad maintenance and technique!

I'm in the "fixed sight" camp for combat firearms! Mine have fixed "nite sites"! (4566, 5906 duty weapons years ago!)

Buy it! Love it! Shoot it!

Smiles,

 

[Jaap from Holland]

So...this week I went to my LGS to check the 5906 out. Turns out the gun had a lot of scratches, nicks and dings. Only 1 magazine too. Too much for my taste. I didn't buy it. First of due to the looks and secondly: if one treats his gun this way....one can only wonder what happened to it. Too bad....

 

[deanodog]

I love all the 3rd gen autos.

 

[BillBond]

I owned a 5906 back in the 90's. The two things I remember most is how heavy it was and how horrible the trigger felt when firing double action.

 

[European]

Jaap, hello from Belgium.

Although you have decided not to buy this specific 5906, you may consider buying a third generation S&W pistol at another occasion. I own a 915 and a 6904 and both are reasonably accurate, although neither of them has a target trigger pull.

In my opinion, however, the all-steel S&W pistols in 9 mm Parabellum are unnecessarily heavy. An alloy gun in this calibre is perfectly controllable and if you keep it lubricated it is also durable.

You already owned a 5906 so you are aware that the part of the grip that is just under the trigger-guard is quite rough and can be uncomfortable for some shooters. This was my case (I was developing a callous in my middle finger) so I asked my gunsmith to file it carefully.

Concerning gun laws, they are better over here than in the Netherlands, as we do not have a limitation on the number of firearms that we can own (sport / recreational shooting and hunting being the main reasons to own them). Collectors can even own fully-automatic firearms and shoot with them once a year. If when you apply for a permit you indicate that the reason to do it is self defense / home defense your application will most likely be turned down. However, the most important question in the written test that must be passed to get the permit is precisely about that topic (you may give the wrong answer to some other questions but not to that one). The right answer is basically that a home invasion constitutes an attack and the dweller is entitled to defend life (not property) using proportionate means. The law protects the dweller even more if the home invasion occurs at night as in such case there seems to be an assumption that there is attack to life (I am not a criminal lawyer though). Over here we also have to store guns unloaded but I think this question is already anticipating the possibility that a gun owner uses it as last resort for home defense, in the same way that one can have a butcher's knife at home and use it in such situation for something other than beef cutting...