Tubbsy
Member
I've got an opportunity to pick up a 459 in decent shape, would love to hear any experiences with these guns, as I dont know much about them.
Thoughts on the 459
- Thread starter Tubbsy
- Start date
The first question I have is, is this a blued steel or nickel finish 459? Next, have you done a safety decock, magazine safety, and last round hold open check on it? If it all checks out, congratulations on your 459, you have a true classic 9mm automatic. You may time to time be tempted to sell it to get something else, reconsider if you have these thoughts as these pistols are harder to come by each day. If its in good working order and shape, keep it oiled and feed it any flavor of 9mm you like. Its a robustly built 9mm but avoid 9mm +P+ as this is an alloy frame and too much shot power could crack it at the slide hold open pin. If it hits what you shoot at, banish any ideas of trading it for something else, you have a keeper.
They are great guns... I've had one for 30+ years, a Nickel 459.
Nothing has ever broken (knock on wood), recoil spring has been replaced once. Don't know how many thousands of 115 gr. FMJ's have gone through it.
I replaced the straight frame back strap with a curved one that was sold by S&W as an accessory. Also replaced the hard plastic factory grip panels with Uncle Mike's rubber grips that are a little thinner and feels great in the hand.
Uncle Mike's grips 59 series grips can still be found on eBay.
Nothing has ever broken (knock on wood), recoil spring has been replaced once. Don't know how many thousands of 115 gr. FMJ's have gone through it.
I replaced the straight frame back strap with a curved one that was sold by S&W as an accessory. Also replaced the hard plastic factory grip panels with Uncle Mike's rubber grips that are a little thinner and feels great in the hand.
Uncle Mike's grips 59 series grips can still be found on eBay.
Attachments
Last edited:
When my dept was issuing the 439 those of us on SWAT were allowed to carry a personally owned 459 if we wanted. I bought this one pictured, had our range guys do a tune up, installed the arched backstrap and I carried it for several years until we went to the 5904/6904. At the time plain clothes agents were issued the 469. When I went into plain clothes I continued carrying my 459 because it shot so much better than my issued 469.
I have no idea how many thousands of rds I've run thru this, mostly Federal 115 gr BPLE and W-W 115 +P+. Being on SWAT we shot the heck out of our guns with our duty ammo. I've had zero problems with it and don't recall even having a fail to feed or eject. It just keeps working. I still grab it sometimes today when I'm out and about on the farm.
I have no idea how many thousands of rds I've run thru this, mostly Federal 115 gr BPLE and W-W 115 +P+. Being on SWAT we shot the heck out of our guns with our duty ammo. I've had zero problems with it and don't recall even having a fail to feed or eject. It just keeps working. I still grab it sometimes today when I'm out and about on the farm.
Attachments
RufusG
Member
I have a pawn shop 459 (< $200 out the door) that looks like it was run over by a truck several times but gulps up ammo that will choke my other guns. The reset on the trigger is so short I can just sit there and amuse myself playing with it. Second on the Uncle Mike's grips, they make a very nice addition.
S&W's DA/SA trigger design created a SA reset that is only slightly longer than that of a M1911. Although the early production Model 59's had a reputation for not being reliable feeders with some hollow point ammo, that issue was worked out during production of the Model 59. The second gen pistols (459/559/659) had no issues with reliability. The third gen pistols are the best, but I would not turn my nose up at a good condition second gen pistol with the right price tag.
jmace57
SWCA Member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2012
- Messages
- 2,340
- Reaction score
- 3,783
I was lucky enough to pick this one up last year. It is ANIB. The box is original, but worn. Not a mark on the pistol. Looks to be never shot. I seriously lucked out and won it for $264 in an auction (plus shipping and transfer fee)..
That was a helluva good buy, wow.
Let me just add my +4 or wherever we are now for the out of production Uncle Mike’s rubber grip panels as a replacement so darn good that I would personally recommend ANYONE reading this go to FleaBay and buy a pair right now, even if they don’t (yet) own a pistol for them. The OEM “stocks” are cheap, chincy, they show wear quickly, they are not at all grippy or grabby. The only thing likable about the OEM stock panels is that do have a molded-in S&W logo.
The Uncle Mike’s rubber stocks look good, resist wear and actually give some grip to the pistol and are not fat, blocky and they don’t have a palm swell.
They fit the 59, 459, 559, and 659 pistols.
Let me just add my +4 or wherever we are now for the out of production Uncle Mike’s rubber grip panels as a replacement so darn good that I would personally recommend ANYONE reading this go to FleaBay and buy a pair right now, even if they don’t (yet) own a pistol for them. The OEM “stocks” are cheap, chincy, they show wear quickly, they are not at all grippy or grabby. The only thing likable about the OEM stock panels is that do have a molded-in S&W logo.
The Uncle Mike’s rubber stocks look good, resist wear and actually give some grip to the pistol and are not fat, blocky and they don’t have a palm swell.
They fit the 59, 459, 559, and 659 pistols.
TNZ71
Member
Nice. Keep those original grips for posterity. I’ve got the trifecta
459
559
659
459
559
659
Ohhhhh, that's a nice Model 459. Definitely keep the original stocks, you never know, you might want to part with that pistol one day and original stocks help with value. Interested in reading a range report.
Ozark Marine
US Veteran
Congrats Tubbsy on buying that great looking gun
Reading this thread I got my 459 out of the safe.
Mine doesn't have the winged rear sight.
The bluing is beautiful and I bought the S&W factory arched back strap off a retired ILL State policeman.
The gun just feels right.
If anyone is cataloging 459's mine is serial # A8295XX
Reading this thread I got my 459 out of the safe.
Mine doesn't have the winged rear sight.
The bluing is beautiful and I bought the S&W factory arched back strap off a retired ILL State policeman.
The gun just feels right.
If anyone is cataloging 459's mine is serial # A8295XX
Engine49guy
Member
Very nice, your gun also has the rather uncommon short fat extractor.
IIRC it was beefed up to meet a potential govt contract, not sure if that happened but it changed back to the older style fairly quickly.
I had a 39-2 and bought an early 459 back in 1984 ish, the 2nd gens have a firing pin trigger disconnect safety system designed to prevent inertia drop firing, this gives it a different feel from the 1st gen guns although neither are stellar.
IIRC it was beefed up to meet a potential govt contract, not sure if that happened but it changed back to the older style fairly quickly.
I had a 39-2 and bought an early 459 back in 1984 ish, the 2nd gens have a firing pin trigger disconnect safety system designed to prevent inertia drop firing, this gives it a different feel from the 1st gen guns although neither are stellar.
My experience with a 39-2, a 439, a 6906, a 6946, and a couple of 645's over the years is that they are boringly reliable. I do recommend a fresh recoil spring somewhere around 4000-5000 rounds for pistols with a barrel of 4 inches or more in length, 2000-2500 rounds for the shorter pistols. That might be a little overkill, but recoil springs are cheap.
