Just acquired a 639 which came with an 8-round magazine. would like to compliment with a few more mags but can only find them in 9-round capacity. And those were still in the original S&W packaging. When did the switch to 9 rounds happen. My pistol was made in 1987 and the 8 round mag says Smith and Wesson on the floor plate.
Model 639 magazines
- Thread starter bradbow55
- Start date
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squidsix
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I have only found them in the random magazine bucket at gun shops. Find your oldest closest gun shop that deals in used guns, and ask them where the bin full of magazines is. I have been 10 for 10 locally on S&W mags I had guns for.
The 639 magazine is basically the same as the last version of 39-2 magazine they were offering... but as a stainless gun, the 639 magazines were silver in color.
When the 3rd Gen pistols came on to the scene in 1988, the equivalent model to the 639 was the 3906. (and the 3904 was the equivalent of the 439) These magazines now came with a plastic floor plate but actually... they were still 8-round capacity! It wasn't long at all that they quickly became 9-round capacity, I believe maybe the follower inside the magazine was updated or perhaps the spring was redesigned.
In any case, S&W didn't make the Model 3906 for very long, but they did make a lot more of the 3904 and the later Value Line 909 pistol, and then the Performance Center 952/952-1/952-2 all use the standard 9-round 3906 magazine as original equipment.
For your 639: If you want mags that look proper and correct in your pistol, just find yourself some Model 39 magazines. Only the S&W marked magazines on the metal floorplate, none of the junk from Triple-K or Pro-Mag. These will fit properly and look correct, though they will not be silver colored.
However, the 9-round 3906 magazines are far, far easier to find. And they are newer. S&W was producing them very very recently and possibly still are. You also get the added round. And they lock in properly and work 100% of the time. They do look a little odd, there is a slight gap at the bottom of the pistol and the plastic floor plate isn't fitting with the look of the all-stainless 639.
But functionally, they work perfectly well and are very easy to source.
When the 3rd Gen pistols came on to the scene in 1988, the equivalent model to the 639 was the 3906. (and the 3904 was the equivalent of the 439) These magazines now came with a plastic floor plate but actually... they were still 8-round capacity! It wasn't long at all that they quickly became 9-round capacity, I believe maybe the follower inside the magazine was updated or perhaps the spring was redesigned.
In any case, S&W didn't make the Model 3906 for very long, but they did make a lot more of the 3904 and the later Value Line 909 pistol, and then the Performance Center 952/952-1/952-2 all use the standard 9-round 3906 magazine as original equipment.
For your 639: If you want mags that look proper and correct in your pistol, just find yourself some Model 39 magazines. Only the S&W marked magazines on the metal floorplate, none of the junk from Triple-K or Pro-Mag. These will fit properly and look correct, though they will not be silver colored.
However, the 9-round 3906 magazines are far, far easier to find. And they are newer. S&W was producing them very very recently and possibly still are. You also get the added round. And they lock in properly and work 100% of the time. They do look a little odd, there is a slight gap at the bottom of the pistol and the plastic floor plate isn't fitting with the look of the all-stainless 639.
But functionally, they work perfectly well and are very easy to source.
I thought I'd add a couple of pictures to the discussion. This time I made sure magazines were locked in. 
Over the years I've gotten many original magazines for the various 1st, 2nd and of course 3rd Gen pistols I have. I've had very good luck finding the early ones on Gunbroker and gotten great deals plus made friends with some of the people that are offering them. Sometimes I got three as new ones for not much more than the single one price.
Even though 3rd Gen mags work great I just like to have a "few" original mags for my 1st and 2nd Gen pistols.
Jim
Over the years I've gotten many original magazines for the various 1st, 2nd and of course 3rd Gen pistols I have. I've had very good luck finding the early ones on Gunbroker and gotten great deals plus made friends with some of the people that are offering them. Sometimes I got three as new ones for not much more than the single one price.
Even though 3rd Gen mags work great I just like to have a "few" original mags for my 1st and 2nd Gen pistols.
Jim
