S&W 5906 or ?????

[m-g Willy]

Who shoots the S&W autos and how do they compare to the other wounder nines?

Willy

[Snowman366]

Been shooting them since my agency switched us over to autoloaders in 1989. Had a M5903, then a M5906...then they bought us the DAO M5946 pistols. They're accurate, unbelieveably durable and (as long as I use the curved Delrin backstrap) ergonomically superb. The all-steel 5900-series guns are decried by some of the finger-suckers as being "heavy", but that slight amount of added weight is a definite bonus whenever you turn the muzzle downrange and light up the target. I've yet to shoot another semi-auto that handled so well under rapid fire, and was so tolerant of whatever ammo you stuffed in it. My current M5946 pistol will readily chamber empty casings as fast as I hand-cycle the slide. Say what you want about any lack of Hollywood "cool" factor, you're betting on your life at the end of your extended arm with any defensive handgun...and the damn thing has to run flawlessly every time you need it. With regard to the M5906 pistols, the trigger re-set in SA mode is very short and quick and lends itself to excellent accuracy when you get locked onto a target and start to firestorm it.

[chris s]

I agree with Snowman 5946 is on damn good gun. It is heavy as a carry gun -yes I have carried it alot. We used S&W, SIG, Glock and some Rugers. The S&Ws were the most reliable and had the least amount of problems

[drdougrx]

Let me chime in too if I may.  I've had a couple of 39-2's from the 1980's and when I got my 1st one, I also got a case of czeck, steel cased, sub machine gun ammo.  Not knowing that it was of higher pressure than standard 9mm, I shot it all in about a year.  The result...well...none really in the negative...bang every time and the gun has lasted for the last 20 years.  I now have a SW 3914 w night sites.  I've had it since the 90's and see no need to upgrade, and a SW 745, the IPSC custom shop variation of a single action 45 game gun.  Shoots every bit as well as my tweaked colts.

I think some SW autos are chunky though and I'm not all that enamored with double stack magazines.  I had a SW 910 in 40 SW and it was a cool, plain jane pistol, but, my LW commander carried better concealed as did my HP so I sold it.  I've owned berettas, all totally reliable and all sold.  Not much of a sig or glock fan and have never owned either.

I'm not a fan of the glock type SWs, plastic framed, striker fired versions that can be had more cheaply than the traditional platforms, but, buy one if that's your style.

Hope this helps.