Should I get a 39 or 59?

[Stopsign32v]

Ive been interested in a double action nostalgia S&W and was looking at the 39 and 59. It will be strictly a shooter, not a ccw. Is there anything to know about them before finding and purchasing one? I dont know anything about them.

 

[ralph7]

No contest for me, I like the look and feel of the single stack grip of the 39 compared to the fatter 59.

 

[BAM-BAM]

No contest for me, I like the look and feel of the single stack grip of the 39 compared to the fatter 59.

Ditto................with your intended purpose no need for a hi-cap w/ a fat butt!!!

 

[Lee's Landing Billy]

What they said!!!

 

[petepeterson]

I prefer the look and feel of the 39. If you don't need 14 rds on tap, it's clear-cut-IMO.

 

[NYlakesider]

Ive been interested in a double action nostalgia S&W and was looking at the 39 and 59. It will be strictly a shooter, not a ccw. Is there anything to know about them before finding and purchasing one? I dont know anything about them.

Get the one that fits your hand better. There will be a noticeable difference in balance also. Of course if a good deal of either kind finds you do what is in your best interests!

 

[gmborkovic]

Hello Stop, how big is your mitt? Try them both. No harm. Best

 

[STCM(SW)]

I go with the 39.
Fat grips don't fit my hands at all.

 

[federali]

Lockstep!

I'm in agreement with everybody here. The Model 39 rivals the Browning Hi-Power and Luger P-08 for ergonomic comfort while the original 59s felt like common bricks. Sure sorry I never bought one back in the day.

 

[lhump1961]

39...39...did I say 39? Yeah, 39.

edit: you won't find a better SA trigger and re-set than one of these guns. The DA isn't anything to write about but that SA is amazing.

 

[Stopsign32v]

39 it will be!!!!!!!! Thats the way I was leaning anyways.

I see a lot of 39-2, any reason?

 

[lhump1961]

39 it will be!!!!!!!! Thats the way I was leaning anyways.

I see a lot of 39-2, any reason?

My guess would be that revolvers were still the handgun of choice in the 50's and 60's when the 39 was produced. When the 39-2 came in around 1970 the auto loader was starting to catch on. They were both produced for about the same amount of time but many more of the 39-2's. JMHO.

 

[jdh]

I was going to say both but I'm having a hard time finding a 59 myself.

 

[Amp]

They were/are both great guns.
Owned the 59 and should have kept it.
You wont be wrong with either one.

 

[mauser9]

Had both myself and agree with the above comments regarding the 39. Better overall feel compared to the 59. Foolishly let mine go and purchased a CS-9 which is a keeper. Not sure how it compares overall in quality with the 39 but plan on keeping this one. Like the concealability.

 

[Stopsign32v]

Not sure what finish I will end up with but I'm curious of one thing.

Ive seen some nickel models that have the small parts on it and the safety blued and some are nickel. Any info there?

 

[M29since14]

Of the several of each I have fired and owned over the years, I always vastly preferred the feel of the 39. I have long, thin hands and never objected to the 59, but the grip of the 39 has "character" while the 59 is almost Glock-ish in shape, though not in angle. (Well, I guess it's not THAT bad! ) Since you are not concerned about capacity I think the 39 is almost automatic for you.

 

[growr]

Shouldn't you get one of each? I thought that was the law!!

Randy

 

[one eye joe]

I HAVE SHOT BOTH, AND I MUCH PREFER THE 39, IN MY MEDIUM HANDS WITH THIN FINGERS. I HAVE NEVER OWNED EITHER, AS I AM NOT A FAN OF THE 9MM CARTRIDGE. THE FULL SIZE COLT 1911s, IN .45 ACP, HAVE MET MY SEMI-AUTO NEEDS SINCE 1968, EVEN FOR CONCEALED CARRY.......

THAT BEING SAID, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A MORE EYE PLEASING SEMI-AUTO THAN A MODEL 39, IN NICKEL, WITH FACTORY WOODEN STOCKS.

 

[Sevens]

Landslide victory for the 39 here. You'll be best served by a 39-2. The only difference is the upgraded and more modern extractor. All 39 no-dash models with the old style extractor are commonly looked at as collectible somewhat more than regular shooters. Some say the old-style extractor is "fragile" but I don't believe that is actually the case, but repairing or replacing one is certainly more difficult.

39 vs 59? Not a fair race! The 39 is an iconic gem in the landscape and the 59 is an "also ran" at best.

I often like to say that the 39-2 shares a quality with the S&W Models 10,17 and 28-2: they are -SO- darn good and so many people knew it that everyone wanted one, so S&W made tons and tons of them. The bottom line is that their "collector value" will always be kept in check because they made so many. And this makes them a MUST OWN, because you get an iconic gun, history's finest, and you get for extremely reasonable money.

It's just my opinion that if you don't own a Model 10, 17, 28-2 and 39-2... there is a good chance that you have totally missed the completely obvious. And given the value compared to cost... ignorance is the only excuse.

Ignorance is nothing whatsoever to be ashamed of simply because it's so easily corrected.