no love for 459's

[walter o]

recently picked up a S&W 459 had to do some work on it to get it running . Could not find much i8n the way of comments or reviews on this model. Was it good bad or so so ?
Any one that can steer me in the right direction on this model

 

[mbliss57]

Just an early 5904... nice gun if I recall. I used to have one. The 559 all steel was nice too. i always like the 1st and 2nd Gens because the grips were easy to change to other brands. Pachmeyer or custom. But the rear sights sucked on them compared to the Novak sights they put on most 3rd Gen pistols. Although some early 3rd gens had the small fixed rear sight too. As far as accuracy and dependability I never had any problems with one. 459 was made for 8 years per SCSW. 1979-1987. 5904 came out in 1988.

 

[jsbethel]

The 459 does figure rather prominently in the 1986 FBI shootout as the issued sidearm of the two agents slain during the incident.

 

[TTSH]

Just an early 5904... nice gun if I recall. I used to have one. The 559 all steel was nice too. i always like the 1st and 2nd Gens because the grips were easy to change to other brands. Pachmeyer or custom. But the rear sights sucked on them compared to the Novak sights they put on most 3rd Gen pistols. Although some early 3rd gens had the small fixed rear sight too. As far as accuracy and dependability I never had any problems with one. 459 was made for 8 years per SCSW. 1979-1987. 5904 came out in 1988.

Came across one (a Model 459 with adjustable sights) in a rather distant gun shop the other day. Looked to be in awfully nice condition (nicer than I find most used 2nd Gens around here). Came with two "pre-ban" hi-caps (very important in Taxachusetts) but no box. Tagged price was $400.00 (+tax).

Being a 3rd Gen guy, and one a little short of cash these days, I usually don't pay that much attention to 2nd Gens, especially blued ones. But something about this one really attracted me. It both looked and felt good in the hand.

The shop in question is not known for dealing. If you can get $20-25 off, you are doing well. So I figured maybe $400 out-the-door, give or take. On the plus side, they have an excellent "no-risks" lay-away plan.

I didn't jump, but I've been thinking hard about maybe calling back and putting it on lay-away in the hope of a better late-spring/early summer financial situation. We'll see.

Only one small flaw kind of bothered me. In the stamping of the caliber on the barrel, there seemed to be a pit or burn mark or corrosion spot. It didn't look like grease or soot, but it could have been. Now, sitting at home, I'm kicking myself in the butt for not having them try to take that spot off, whatever it was. I'm sitting here wondering now if that flaw went deeper.

++++++++

Edit 2/12/2016: That Model 459 sold before I could get back to the shop that had it. Oh well. Another one lost...

 

[triaxle]

I have the 459 dull finish FBI gun I dont shoot it but I love that thing they keep going up in price and you dont see the older ones anymore. I always look for them when I go on a gun shop run

 

[federali]

9MM Brick

With the exception of the S&W Model 39, early generation Smith autos did not fit the hand very well and I recall not being able to maintain a consistent grip during a string of fire. You can readily feel the difference in ergonomics if you handle the earlier Smiths while also handling a SIG or Browning HP.

Smith attempted to fix this issue by offering greater relief behind the trigger guard on subsequent models so that the gun would sit slightly lower in the hand.

 

[ispcapt]

One of our issued weapons was the 439. Those of us on SWAT could carry the 459 if we bought our own. I carried this 459 for several years. I replaced the flat back strap with an arched one which really improved the feel.

 

[Stargater]

Being a 3rd Gen guy, and one a little short of cash these days, I usually don't pay that much attention to 2nd Gens, especially blued ones. But something about this one really attracted me. It both looked and felt good in the hand.

In my view, not paying attention to second-gen guns is a huge mistake. S&W, painfully aware of its failure with its first-gen autos, put in a great deal of work to ensure the flawless functioning of its second-gen. I was very much intrigued with the Model 59, a beautiful nickel-plated 9mm that could crank out fifteen rounds...if it functioned correctly. Sadly, the word was, at the time, that the Smith autos were best avoided. Great revolvers, but it's autos needed work. Not only did they experience frequent failure-to-feeds, but would fire if dropped on the hammer or muzzle.

So when I could afford a Beretta 92, I bought it instead. Then, later, I bought a S&W 659, and that's when I became a huge fan of the second-gen pistols. They're equally as reliable, about as accurate and have solid safeties. I love the third-gen pistols, too, but the first of the second-gen pistols are, in my opinion, far better made and attractive than the last of the third-gen pistols.

 

[TTSH]

In my view, not paying attention to second-gen guns is a huge mistake. S&W, painfully aware of its failure with its first-gen autos, put in a great deal of work to ensure the flawless functioning of its second-gen. I was very much intrigued with the Model 59, a beautiful nickel-plated 9mm that could crank out fifteen rounds...if it functioned correctly. Sadly, the word was, at the time, that the Smith autos were best avoided. Great revolvers, but it's autos needed work. Not only did they experience frequent failure-to-feeds, but would fire if dropped on the hammer or muzzle.

So when I could afford a Beretta 92, I bought it instead. Then, later, I bought a S&W 659, and that's when I became a huge fan of the second-gen pistols. They're equally as reliable, about as accurate and have solid safeties. I love the third-gen pistols, too, but the first of the second-gen pistols are, in my opinion, far better made and attractive than the last of the third-gen pistols.

Stainless steel & stainless-aluminum 3rd Gens will always be my first love (in terms of S&W semi-autos). But with my 3rd Gen collection fast approaching a logical slowing down/stopping point, I'm starting to look around at what to focus on next. It isn't so much that I have been ignoring 2nd Gens. Rather, it's more a situation where 2nd Gens in top condition in my area (by state law, I can't import any of them) are not very easy to find. And as anyone here can tell you, I am a big "top cosmetic condition" kind of guy.

In regard to the Model 59, I bought one of the very last Model 59's ever made brand new in box way back when. Supposedly, by the time I bought mine, all the bugs had been worked out... or at least that was the story fed to me at the time. While I have shot a different Model 59, I have never shot mine... so I can't say for sure how well it runs. Instead, I preferred to keep it as an "unfired NIB" safe queen.