S&W 5906/5926 conversion, similarities

[SolidCustom]

Something has been bugging me... For years I have wanted to take my 5906 and make it function like a 5926/1076 MINUS the frame mounted decocking lever. Is it possible to put a 5926 slide on a 5906 frame? Or would it be possible to at least take a 5906 safety and just remove the entire lever off it? Even better, would it be possible to have someone make a firing pin retainer for the 5906 that is similar to the one on the 5926? I'm really curious about this and was hoping for input. I'm debating on buying a spare 5906 safety and starting to modify it...

 

[Sevens]

Well let's break it down. The difference between a 5906 and 5926 is that you have the frame mount lever and no lever on the slide.

Functionally, as far as DA and SA, they operate the same, the only difference being HOW they manually decock.

So what you are suggesting isn't a different way to decock, but instead to completely remove your ability to manually decock the pistol.

It sounds like what you seek is the clean appearance of the slide with no levers on it. Is that correct?

A 5946 is another way to get a clean slide, but that's not a DA/SA like the 5906, that is a DAO.

I suppose I can't see any reason that you couldn't modify that unit and shave the levers off both sides. You would perhaps be the first person ever to do so, so that would be… something.

 

[jsbethel]

Even better, would it be possible to have someone make a firing pin retainer for the 5906 that is similar to the one on the 5926?

S&W part #266910000 is what you are looking for.

 

[Ten2six]

I put a 1076 upper on a 4516 lower, everything functioned properly. The lack of a decocking method did make me a little nervous though.

 

[JohnHL]

Something has been bugging me... For years I have wanted to take my 5906 and make it function like a 5926/1076 MINUS the frame mounted decocking lever. Is it possible to put a 5926 slide on a 5906 frame? Or would it be possible to at least take a 5906 safety and just remove the entire lever off it? Even better, would it be possible to have someone make a firing pin retainer for the 5906 that is similar to the one on the 5926? I'm really curious about this and was hoping for input. I'm debating on buying a spare 5906 safety and starting to modify it...

Easy, peasy!

Replace the manual safety assembly with the "firing pin retainer" shown by member jsbethel in post #3.

Only problem is that the only way to lower a cocked hammer is by pulling the trigger.

You can also slim it down by replacing the slide stop with a 5mm stainless steel pin.

Makes for a very smooth set-up.

I have done it, but I convert the action to "DAO" for safety.

Here is an example: Slenderizing the Slim. A 3914 story (with pictures)

John

 

[rosewood]

Could convert the slide safety/decocker to decock only and cut off the lever on the side you don't want it on.

I wouldn't carry a single action gun cocked without some sort of safety. Double action is a different thing altogether.

Rosewood

 

[JohnHL]

Could convert the slide safety/decocker to decock only and cut off the lever on the side you don't want it on.

Rosewood

Except the right side lever on "decock only" safeties keeps the safety body from migrating left during firing and "tying-up" the pistol.

John

 

[SolidCustom]

Well let's break it down. The difference between a 5906 and 5926 is that you have the frame mount lever and no lever on the slide.

Functionally, as far as DA and SA, they operate the same, the only difference being HOW they manually decock.

So what you are suggesting isn't a different way to decock, but instead to completely remove your ability to manually decock the pistol.

It sounds like what you seek is the clean appearance of the slide with no levers on it. Is that correct?

A 5946 is another way to get a clean slide, but that's not a DA/SA like the 5906, that is a DAO.

I suppose I can't see any reason that you couldn't modify that unit and shave the levers off both sides. You would perhaps be the first person ever to do so, so that would be… something.

You nailed it! I want the slide to be clean and slick with no decocking levers at all.

And that photo posted of the stainless plug for the slide is EXACTLY what I want, I thought I had seen those before but I could never find them, I may have been searching the wrong term. Do they consider that piece a 'safety body' or a 'firing pin retainer'? I've seen it called both. Or better yet, does anyone have a source on one of those? I would really prefer not to ruin a perfectly good part. Thank you for the responses, I feel a lot better now.

 

[guzzitaco]

I would have always thought that it wouldn't work...(maybe I was confused by the 5946 internals...my bad)

However, I don't think that having a gun with no safety and no decocker...but the ability to cock and fire, is the safest proposition.

As mention before by Rosewood, they only way to lower the hammer is either by firing or by using the thumb to lower the hammer by depressing the trigger...and there is no safety to stop that hammer...

 

[snw19_357]

However, I don't think that having a gun with no safety and no decocker...

It does have a firing pin safety that prevents the firing pin from moving forward (or back) unless the trigger is pulled. You can't decock a Glock (or most other striker fired, except for the P99, SW99, [some] Canik…)

…the only way to lower the hammer is either by firing or by using the thumb to lower the hammer by depressing the trigger...and there is no safety to stop that hammer…

I would NOT get rid of (all) the levers, I want a lever to decock it from single action but how do you decock a revolver? And, it does have a firing pin safety (that would be disengaged if your still pulling the trigger…).

Except the right side lever on "decock only" safeties keeps the safety body from migrating left during firing and "tying-up" the pistol.

I have never had that happen and carry (and practice with) a single sided decock only 59 series pistol. Firing pin is captured and blocked when decocked, whether it's a manual safety or decock only; and it has a firing pin safety. The firing pin extends through the body so how would it migrate?

Firing pin, firing pin safety and manual safety body pictured. Decock only is the same (except it has a spring and no plunger).

 

[guzzitaco]

It does have a firing pin safety that prevents the firing pin from moving forward (or back) unless the trigger is pulled. You can't decock a Glock (or most other striker fired, except for the P99, SW99, [some] Canik…)


I would NOT get rid of (all) the levers, I want a lever to decock it from single action but how do you decock a revolver? And, it does have a firing pin safety (that would be disengaged if your still pulling the trigger…).


I have never had that happen and carry (and practice with) a single sided decock only 59 series pistol. Firing pin is captured and blocked when decocked, whether it's a manual safety or decock only; and it has a firing pin safety. The firing pin extends through the body so how would it migrate?

Firing pin, firing pin safety and manual safety body pictured. Decock only is the same (except it has a spring and no plunger).

The OP is talking about removing ALL levers...

I understand you can't decock a Glock, but you can't either cock it. What I mean, is that in my opinion it isn't the safest proposition to carry a gun that can cock and hammer and has no decocker.

Yes, you are correct,I decock my revolvers using my thumb, but my revolver does't get cocked every time I load it.

To me, it is just a matter of safety otherwise why add a decocker.

If we are talking about a range toy...fine...

just my point of view

 

[snw19_357]

I agree with you. Unless it was one of the DAO models, I would not remove all the levers if it still had the cocked, single action hammer/trigger.
Wasn't disagreeing with you, was just quoting your post to help with what I was saying.
There are safeties without the manual lever (which is what make the xx2x and xx4x models still safe) but I can see (too many) people pulling the trigger to decock it and the hammer slips.

I understand you can't decock a Glock, but you can't either cock it

it's always cocked.

 

[Sevens]

Well that isn't true. If it were, you couldn't field strip it.

As for the "clean slide" look, I can see the attraction for aesthetics but in the short dance I had with the 3953 that I owned, that slide was slicker than snot on a doorknob.

This S&W guy long ago got accustomed to that grab lever assisting me in gripping the slide. The smooth 3953 the fact that I had just lubed the slide rails made it far more slippery than I liked.

 

[JohnHL]

Except the right side lever on "decock only" safeties keeps the safety body from migrating left during firing and "tying-up" the pistol.

John

I have never had that happen and carry (and practice with) a single sided decock only 59 series pistol. Firing pin is captured and blocked when decocked, whether it's a manual safety or decock only; and it has a firing pin safety. The firing pin extends through the body so how would it migrate?

During firing, when the hammer strikes the firing pin, the rear of the pin will clear the manual safety body enough to allow lateral movement of the safety body.

It might not happen every time although I've managed to duplicate it a time or two.

The engineers at S&W were sufficiently convinced of the possibility that they specified the 45 right side safety lever with a protrusion on the back side that eliminated the migration.

John