Odd markings on new to me 5906

[epj]

Recently acquired this 5906 to round out my 3rd gen accumulation. It was represented to be a police trade in, but has no agency markings that I can find. Very nice shape except fot the light handling marks all these matte finished guns seem to have. There is a strange mark done in electro pencil on the frame just below the slide. the same number is on the lip of the magwell. Can anyone decipher this?

 

[mlk18]

It could very well be a case number and a police officer's initials. Lots of departments do this on confiscated weapons (read as evidence). Or it could be the way a PD marks their department guns. It could also be from a CCW permit holder. I have seen people engrave their permit number and initials on guns before as well. Either way I bet the gun has some history. Nice 5906 just the same.

 

[Arizona Commander]

I would guess a case #, AF being the department, 03 the year, 0592 the sequential case number and HCO the initials of the officer who collected it.

 

[Big Lou]

Agreed! ......

 

[epj]

So the concensus is that my gun has a jaded past? Does it have a criminal record? Do you suppose it has done time? I sort of wondered if that might not be a property number or evidence number of some sort. Any idea what agency might be AF?

As soon as I get some glass beads for the sandblaster, I'm gonna make the number "go away". Sort of like expunging a conviction.

 

[sniper47]

So the concensus is that my gun has a jaded past? Does it have a criminal record? Do you suppose it has done time? I sort of wondered if that might not be a property number or evidence number of some sort. Any idea what agency might be AF?

As soon as I get some glass beads for the sandblaster, I'm gonna make the number "go away". Sort of like expunging a conviction.

Before going the blasting route, try some Flitz or other kind of stainless steel polishing material. Also try 3M green pads. You may find that you can remove those markings with a lot less work. Nice pistol, btw. My very first gun was a 5906 and I still own it. Won't sell that one. Post pics when you get her cleaned up.

 

[rock doc]

+1 with the green 3M pads. I bought a sheet at the local NAPA store. I removed an idiot scratch and years of holster wear on my new-to-me 5906 (holster wear by others, idiot scratch by me ) These are fantastic pistols & yours appears to be in great shape.

AF = Air Force? I can't think of any city with initials AF off hand. But then if it was Air Force, then the Base's initials would be used.

 

[Mack]

Only AF I can think of is American Fork, Utah but there may be others.

 

[epj]

If you use the Scotch brite, will you not basically remove the matte finish? I used red (more agressive than green) scotc-brite on an old stainless Ruger. The result looked a lot better, but it was nothing like the factory finish on my 5906. The old Ruger had a lot of deep scratches and anything I did was going to be an improvement. I also have a 1006 that needs to be freshened up a bit. Again no deep scratches, just light handling marks. It just has more of them.

 

[rock doc]

Yes, the matte finish will be removed, but it beats the alternative.

 

[epj]

I picked up some green pads and I'll give it a try. If I don't like the results, I'll get some glass beads and recreate the matte finish. I'll try to post a photo of the results if it looks half decent. I also have some factory straight back grips on order from Midway. That ought to get the old gun looking all freshened up.

 

[sean79]

I also have some factory straight back grips on order from Midway.

Did it come with straight back grips, or do you just prefer them?

 

[BUFF]

If the same number is on the lip of the magwell, I doubt it is a police case number or evidence mark. No need to mark the frame twice. I think one of the other explanations is more plausible.

Those 5906's are fun guns to shoot.

 

[epj]

It came with the arched grip. I have a 4006 with the straight grip and it seems to feel better in my hand. I think I like the straight grip better, but the fact doesn't escape me that I shoot the 5906 a lot better than I do the 4006. My 4566 and 1006 both have straight grips, so that will get all my gen3 guns more or less alike.

 

[epj]

Here's a photo of her with the wart removed from her nose:

I also went over the whole gun lightly and removed the light handling marks. I was able to sort of retain the matte finish by using a circular motion with the pad after I had removed the "pimples" with a straight line motion.

I'll probably glass bead the gun one of these days, along with my 1006 and maybe the 4006.
I also found the ID number under one of the slide rails. I think it was probably so marked to keep parts together. Maybe a mark by an armory for some organization. Might have been a property number for a security firm of some sort.

 

[S. Kelly]

Nice job! It looks great.

 

[epj]

Thanks. I'm pretty pleased. The "wart" was beginning to bother me.