Need advice for a 5906 decocking and magazine safety function.
- Thread starter RalphMP9FS
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RalphMP9FS
Member
Bet you could get $1k for it down in the hood
Polished an trimmed out in it's current condition, this gun is worth $700 easily. The other poster that said he wouldn't take it for free must have never gotten a trigger job or did any kind of modification to a handgun. Everything works just fine except the decocker was disabled and can easily be put back in action (it's not broken). The Magazine disconnect does not mean anything IMO. My FFL wants it, and he knows firearms. He is not concerned with the current condition, that speaks volumes.
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I wouldn't carry it or put it in to a defensive role, but I like the safety modification, I would set to work shooting the wheels off and "testing" the durability and mechanics of this conversion work.
However, I don't like the finish, and if I could get all my money out of that with no penalty for shipping/FFL, I'd cut ties with it.
Aside from my opinion of the finish which should have no bearing whatsoever about whether or not you enjoy the finish, I'm extremely wary of any high polish finish for it's durability. It seems that when folks use a polish and go great gonzo with a mirror finish, the end result is quite eye-popping but it also cannot handle... basically anything. However.. (somewhat) easily rectified again by polishing it more more more constantly.
I like the mechanics! I have enough S&W 1-2-3rd Gen DA/SA pistols that I think it might be a fun and rewarding exercise to try the same conversion on one of lower-end examples.
However, I don't like the finish, and if I could get all my money out of that with no penalty for shipping/FFL, I'd cut ties with it.
Aside from my opinion of the finish which should have no bearing whatsoever about whether or not you enjoy the finish, I'm extremely wary of any high polish finish for it's durability. It seems that when folks use a polish and go great gonzo with a mirror finish, the end result is quite eye-popping but it also cannot handle... basically anything. However.. (somewhat) easily rectified again by polishing it more more more constantly.
I like the mechanics! I have enough S&W 1-2-3rd Gen DA/SA pistols that I think it might be a fun and rewarding exercise to try the same conversion on one of lower-end examples.
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RalphMP9FS
Member
I have a special interest in high polished stainless handguns. They are fairly easy to maintain IMO. A few CZ's I have:
Those are gorgeous! I wouldn't chase one but the pictures are NIIICE!
I would think a pistol shipped from the factory with such a finish would be more durable than something such as the 5906 that was shipped with a finish nothing whatsoever like that... and was then hit for hours with a cotton rag and Mother's Mag polish.
I much prefer black hammer, trigger, small bits against the polished finish, but anything but gold. Again, doesn't matter for anyone else, just my taste.
Given the picture of your CZ's, I don't know why you would even ponder either of your return options. It seems to me that you got exactly what you want!
I would think a pistol shipped from the factory with such a finish would be more durable than something such as the 5906 that was shipped with a finish nothing whatsoever like that... and was then hit for hours with a cotton rag and Mother's Mag polish.
I much prefer black hammer, trigger, small bits against the polished finish, but anything but gold. Again, doesn't matter for anyone else, just my taste.
Given the picture of your CZ's, I don't know why you would even ponder either of your return options. It seems to me that you got exactly what you want!
A polish finished is less likely to corrode than a rough finish. A rough finish has more surface area for O2 to grab on to to start oxidation. And yes, even stainless oxidizes, it just resist much more than other steels.
Although the polished finish does show finger marks more readily and is easier to pull finger prints off of.
Rosewood
Although the polished finish does show finger marks more readily and is easier to pull finger prints off of.
Rosewood
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RalphMP9FS
Member
Oh, I forgot my stainless Ruger 9mm revolver that I polished:
JohnHL
Member
It doesn't look bad and the gold accents are a nice touch.
There are plenty of 5906 pistols around so the collectability is hardly an issue.
Like I said earlier, someone didn't like magazine safeties and also wanted to carry "cocked and locked".
If you decide to keep it and would like to understand how the insides work and the mods were performed, I'm just across the Mississippi River from you in suburban St. Louis, MO.
Just don't become one of those internet ninnies who have no understanding of the inner workings of, well, practically anything, and any modification frightens them.
John
There are plenty of 5906 pistols around so the collectability is hardly an issue.
Like I said earlier, someone didn't like magazine safeties and also wanted to carry "cocked and locked".
If you decide to keep it and would like to understand how the insides work and the mods were performed, I'm just across the Mississippi River from you in suburban St. Louis, MO.
Just don't become one of those internet ninnies who have no understanding of the inner workings of, well, practically anything, and any modification frightens them.
John
Totally agree! And it isn’t only on the internet.Just don't become one of those internet ninnies who have no understanding of the inner workings of, well, practically anything, and any modification frightens them.
4506517
Member
This really puzzles me. A stock 5906 with the safety on shows 3/4" trigger movement measured at the tip in double action, 3/8" in single action. I have to wonder if/what other internal mods have been done. Doesn't puzzle me enough to start doing parts swapping.
It's your money and choice. In your place, if you wanted the cocked & locked option and no mag safey, I'd be inclined to swap the current piece for one that hadn't been "improved". Then, you could remove the magazine safety plunger spring, slightly modify the angled lower leg of the sear release lever (or buy a replacement and modify that, saving the one that works correctly) and you'd have what you want with no mystery mods.
To the gent who commented about getting a signed acknowledgement of the modifications: proper, quality trigger jobs don't alter the operation of safeties from factory specification. THAT'S why the buyers agreement that he's been informed of those particular modifications is a best practice. But, it's your retirement fund, future earnings, cars and house.
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RalphMP9FS
Member
I'm going to take this 5906 to the range tomorrow and run 250rds through her. I'll update when I get back home. If everything goes well tomorrow, I'll run another 250 through it Friday or Saturday. I'm an old guy and 250rds makes my eyes see extra dots on the front sight
At one time in the past, I thought any mods done to a firearm were taboo, but that wears off after you do a few mods yourself and learn thoroughly how each weapon operates. This is my first steel S&W, so I'm learning about it fairly quickly. Thanks for the ideas and solutions.
At one time in the past, I thought any mods done to a firearm were taboo, but that wears off after you do a few mods yourself and learn thoroughly how each weapon operates. This is my first steel S&W, so I'm learning about it fairly quickly. Thanks for the ideas and solutions.
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RalphMP9FS
Member
Ok, in DA, with the safety lever down/engaged, there's about 3/4" of trigger movement till it stops. There's zero hammer drop or movement. In SA, lever down, there's a good 1/4" of movement till it stops, no hammer movement or hammer drop. I thought it was an 1/8" before, but that was wrong, sorry.
OK, my concern really wasn't that your piece was altered. The way you initially described how the trigger worked had me wondering just what in the heck could have been done to achieve that. When I ran a shop I had several cases where people brought me altered guns where my advice was to sell the gun back to the shop/"gunsmith" that committed/sold the atrocity and buy a new one. Cost of proper repair would have been prohibitive.
It's likely that the only things that were done was altering the sear release lever and removing that itty-bitty spring. No way to be certain without a detail strip of the frame. Picking up a new sear release lever just to have on hand would be cheap now in case you decide you need one in the future.
Hope you like it.
It's likely that the only things that were done was altering the sear release lever and removing that itty-bitty spring. No way to be certain without a detail strip of the frame. Picking up a new sear release lever just to have on hand would be cheap now in case you decide you need one in the future.
Hope you like it.
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RalphMP9FS
Member
I just got back from the range. The 5906 ran 250rds of Blazer Brass 115gr and 124gr flawlessly. The SA trigger pull feels like 5-6lbs, crisp and no creep. The DA is smooth and feels about 10lbs with no stacking.
After doing a little more research on the mods made to it, I'm really not concerned that they compromised anything else with this handgun. The Sear decocking lever was reshaped a few thousandths, and the magazine disconnect spring was probably reduced in length, nothing else was done. Both mods do not impair or degrade the safe operation of this handgun and are easily rectified if you want them back.
One of the target pics from today at ~7yds. I have to get used to the heavier trigger on this 5906.
After doing a little more research on the mods made to it, I'm really not concerned that they compromised anything else with this handgun. The Sear decocking lever was reshaped a few thousandths, and the magazine disconnect spring was probably reduced in length, nothing else was done. Both mods do not impair or degrade the safe operation of this handgun and are easily rectified if you want them back.
One of the target pics from today at ~7yds. I have to get used to the heavier trigger on this 5906.
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RalphMP9FS
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Based on the condition of the sear release lever that is visible in your photos, that alteration was not done by the factory. In the scenario you describe, if they were to intentionally alter the function/design of the lever at the request of a consumer, (municipality or police department) they would make the lever serve as a spacer only, and it would no longer have a top where it could interface with the manual safety, or beveled edge at the bottom, where it could interact with the sear. I believe your sear release lever was altered after leaving the factory, but this is pure opinion on my part, based on the appearance of the lever in the photo you provided.
This is the shape and contour of an unaltered sear release lever. Notice how the top profile is flat, and differs from the one in your frame, which has a rounded profile on top....
I agree, the sear lever was rounded on the top to allow it to engage the safety but not the decocker. I just ordered a new stainless sear lever and magazine disconnect plunger spring, but that is for future use when it moves on to a new destination. I prefer not to have the decocking or magazine disconnect function. Here's a pic of the lever I ordered:
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RalphMP9FS
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RalphMP9FS
Member
Took it out again today and ran another 150rds for a total of 600 now. Not to jinx it, but it's been 100% reliable so far with nothing compromised. I have another mag coming this week, so additional shooting will have to wait till I receive that new magazine. No pics this time.
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