smith wesson model 39-2

[agent00]

I have the chance to get a used smith and wesson model 39-2 as collectors item and for some target/fun shooting/plinking.

The price is almost to attractive to ignore it. Getting a old smith and wesson pistol was always on my bucket list.

Before doing the purchase I want to collect some information first.

Do you guys know if the model 39-2 is senstive to hotter ammo?

I am located in Austria and I would purchase some ball ammo from the common european companies like S&B, Fioochi and Gecco.

I have read that the European ammo makers load their ammo hotter than some of the basic non plus p american ammo companies.

In case this is true I wonder if the model 39-2 would be ok with some hotter loads.

I

 

[stansdds]

I doubt the S&W Model 39-2 is as durable as a CZ-75, but they were quite robust and able to withstand many thousands of rounds of +P ammo. European 9mm ammo, unless it is a NATO load or advertised as +P, is just loaded to or very near full power standard pressure. I would advise the first thing to do would be to install a new recoil spring. Use S&W or Wolff recoil springs, the factory rating is 14 pounds. Change the recoil spring often, like every 3000 rounds, and the Model 39-2 should hold up well.

 

[Alk8944]

European CIP pressure standards are a little higher than U.S. SAAMI, but very little. There is not enough difference to be concerned about. You will be fine with any of the brands you mentioned.

I used to support more than 300 Model 39-2 pistols for my police department. The M-39-2 is a very durable pistol. In my opinion it is the best semi-automatic S&W ever built!

Buy the gun, you will love it. Be aware though that magazines are extremely difficult to find, and expensive.

 

[agent00]

European CIP pressure standards are a little higher than U.S. SAAMI, but very little. There is not enough difference to be concerned about. You will be fine with any of the brands you mentioned.

I used to support more than 300 Model 39-2 pistols for my police department. The M-39-2 is a very durable pistol. In my opinion it is the best semi-automatic S&W ever built!

Buy the gun, you will love it. Be aware though that magazines are extremely difficult to find, and expensive.

Thanks for the info. I have already figured out that magazines are difficult to find. Besides that, Model 39-2 is an interesting pistol I will get it soon.

I have compared the ballistics charts of the various loads, and you are right. The difference does not seem that big, at least not big enough to worry about.

@stansdds Thanks a lot for the advice on replacing the recoil spring. I will do that.

The ammo I can get has no plus P rating or anything else that is out of the ordinary.

There used to be some Hirtenberger 9mm loads in the wild that were supposed to be hot because they were made for submachine guns, but Hirtenberger has ceased making civilian ammo quite some time ago. So they are not obtainable anymore.

And