JohnHL
Member
Pursuant to TTSH's thread re: "used and abused", I acquired a seriously cosmetically challenged Model 439.
I saw a listing on GB for the pistol noting it had a "unique rear sight" (it was just the standard S&W winged adjustable sight), no mag, free shipping, priced $309.
Needless to say, it was getting no bids.
I called selling dealer and the sales rep and I had a nice chuckle when I commented that the pistol looked like a "tackle box gun for a salt water fisherman".
We settled on $255 shipped and with the $20 FFL fee I was into it for $275.
Not a screaming deal but it's my hobby and it keeps me out of the pool halls.
When I picked it up, I couldn't help noticing some sort of thin black (spray-on?) coating flaking off of the roughly 30% that remained covered.
The breechface and chamber area was very clean although I quickly and correctly attributed that to a "spray can commando" hosing with his can of gunscrubber instead of properly maintaining the piece.
I brought it home and gave it a complete detail strip and scrub.
It was pretty doggone dirty although not from firing. It just looked like it had spent a lot of time on the job.
Let me say that this is my oldest S&W and my first single stack 9mm. The SCSW dates the s/n to circa October 1981. Coincidentally about the time of my marriage. And after 34 years of marriage, I don't look as good as I used to either.
Anyway, it cleaned up OK after I scrubbed off what was left of the flaking finish and I reassembled the typically lightly worn internal parts.
I installed a Model 3904 magazine I happened to have around (Yes, this is the first time I bought a pistol to fit a magazine but I also bought a rifle once 'cause I got a great deal on some ammo. I also subsequently got a great deal on the rifle so I just couldn't pass it up.) to discover a nicely functioning pistol with a smooth action.
But I just couldn't get past that slide!
It was all mottled rust brown and plum colored with hardly any of the original blue remaining. It wasn't pitted though and had the early, short, unpinned extractor.
Still, it made me sad to look at it. (Why anyone builds components made of carbon steel that they don't want to rust is beyond me. And where I live, carbon steel rusts!)
I fixed that by installing a spare Model 659 adjustable sight slide and barrel.
Now I have the full size, single stack 9mm S&W never built but should have: An alloy frame with a stainless slide. A much less corrosive combination. And a round trigger guard. What's not to like?
Since the dawn of the Model 59 I've felt the Model 39 to be obsolete.
So why did I do this?
Call it peer pressure.
For the last several years I've been reading the posts of forum members who wax hyperbolic about how delightful is the Model 39 grip.
One member went on to say it reminded him of shaking hands with an old friend.
I dare say the Model 5906 grip is more like shaking hands with an old friend while the Model 659 is like shaking hands with an old friend who played linebacker in college.
IMHO, the Model 39 grip is more like shaking hands with an old girlfriend, although certainly not unpleasant.
And gripping the frame of the .45 is like, well, gripping a .45.
Anyway it's single stack impractical and I'll be carrying a 9mm or .40s&w double stack when I go out in harm's way, but I just wanted to try one of these and since an all stainless frame and slide Model 3906 is as heavy as a Model 659 (and has the unattractive to me "glove-friendly" square trigger guard) and of course, carbon steel rusts, I made one of my own.
What do you think?
John
I saw a listing on GB for the pistol noting it had a "unique rear sight" (it was just the standard S&W winged adjustable sight), no mag, free shipping, priced $309.
Needless to say, it was getting no bids.
I called selling dealer and the sales rep and I had a nice chuckle when I commented that the pistol looked like a "tackle box gun for a salt water fisherman".
We settled on $255 shipped and with the $20 FFL fee I was into it for $275.
Not a screaming deal but it's my hobby and it keeps me out of the pool halls.
When I picked it up, I couldn't help noticing some sort of thin black (spray-on?) coating flaking off of the roughly 30% that remained covered.
The breechface and chamber area was very clean although I quickly and correctly attributed that to a "spray can commando" hosing with his can of gunscrubber instead of properly maintaining the piece.
I brought it home and gave it a complete detail strip and scrub.
It was pretty doggone dirty although not from firing. It just looked like it had spent a lot of time on the job.
Let me say that this is my oldest S&W and my first single stack 9mm. The SCSW dates the s/n to circa October 1981. Coincidentally about the time of my marriage. And after 34 years of marriage, I don't look as good as I used to either.
Anyway, it cleaned up OK after I scrubbed off what was left of the flaking finish and I reassembled the typically lightly worn internal parts.
I installed a Model 3904 magazine I happened to have around (Yes, this is the first time I bought a pistol to fit a magazine but I also bought a rifle once 'cause I got a great deal on some ammo. I also subsequently got a great deal on the rifle so I just couldn't pass it up.) to discover a nicely functioning pistol with a smooth action.
But I just couldn't get past that slide!
It was all mottled rust brown and plum colored with hardly any of the original blue remaining. It wasn't pitted though and had the early, short, unpinned extractor.
Still, it made me sad to look at it. (Why anyone builds components made of carbon steel that they don't want to rust is beyond me. And where I live, carbon steel rusts!)
I fixed that by installing a spare Model 659 adjustable sight slide and barrel.
Now I have the full size, single stack 9mm S&W never built but should have: An alloy frame with a stainless slide. A much less corrosive combination. And a round trigger guard. What's not to like?
Since the dawn of the Model 59 I've felt the Model 39 to be obsolete.
So why did I do this?
Call it peer pressure.
For the last several years I've been reading the posts of forum members who wax hyperbolic about how delightful is the Model 39 grip.
One member went on to say it reminded him of shaking hands with an old friend.
I dare say the Model 5906 grip is more like shaking hands with an old friend while the Model 659 is like shaking hands with an old friend who played linebacker in college.
IMHO, the Model 39 grip is more like shaking hands with an old girlfriend, although certainly not unpleasant.
And gripping the frame of the .45 is like, well, gripping a .45.
Anyway it's single stack impractical and I'll be carrying a 9mm or .40s&w double stack when I go out in harm's way, but I just wanted to try one of these and since an all stainless frame and slide Model 3906 is as heavy as a Model 659 (and has the unattractive to me "glove-friendly" square trigger guard) and of course, carbon steel rusts, I made one of my own.
What do you think?
John
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But if it needs to be rescued or restored, I'll wait. 
