Author Topic: OK I am Frustrated tell me about Steel Frame S&W autos (Read 1844 times)

boatboy · « **on:** August 11, 2011, 06:16:24 PM »

I am frustrated because I just typed for quite a while singing the praises of steel frame S&W autos and I lost the text EEEK. I recently became aware of these and really like them.
IE 5906,5903 ,3913 and 4566s to name a few

Your thoughts
Hank

When I think S&W I think revolvers!That is changing

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** August 11, 2011, 07:12:59 PM »

Quote

When I think S&W I think revolvers!That is changing

Yeah me too except that's not changing. I owned an M39 and an M59 and it seems like maybe an M52 once upon a really long time ago. I've had several M41s and like them OK. Their centerfire pistols I tend to shy away from.

bluedog6 · « **Reply #2 on:** August 12, 2011, 02:59:55 AM »

The 5906 is a nice pistol. I have owned several and they all performed well. There is nothing wrong with the Smith centefire pistols, but they don't trade well, mostly in the $400.00-$450.00 range. It's hard to really like their autos when compared to the revolvers. I don't feel that they are on the same level as far as fit,feel,finish and performance.

boatboy · « **Reply #3 on:** August 12, 2011, 04:21:01 AM »

Hey Boss (Bill) are you saying you dont like them? or are you saying you dont like autos?

I think one of the benefits to the 3 Gen pistols is that they are cheap. The LE trade inns are all over I think the problem is if you bought one brand new XXXyears ago the flood of trades kills the value of yours. If you are a guy like me and just found these and you want to buy them what a deal. Most seem to come with 2 mags which is signifacant because I seen retail mags are around 50.00

The 45 I bought only came with one That was a bummer.

I am not an engineer but I take these down and I cant imagine what could wear on them.

Say what you want but 9mm is really great because you can burn a bunch and take the neighborhood kids and let them shoot and not take a loan.

I hear a lot of BS about how 9mm is not an effective load usually the folks saying that have never been shot by one.

Hank

Keith L · « **Reply #4 on:** August 12, 2011, 01:11:15 PM »

I had a 4506 that my son now has. It was really reliable, but I wanted a Kimber 1911. It came with two mags, and I bought a bunch more from flea bay for very little money. I haven't looked for years so I don't know what they are going for now. My son has had it now for a couple of years and still likes it.

Mohawk · « **Reply #5 on:** August 15, 2011, 10:21:07 AM »

Smith and Wesson is the king of revolvers. When they switched to making autos, well, that is not their cup of tea. My firearm needs to work like a clock, ie: SW revolver......... Remember that Ft. Hood shooting where 13 or so folks died? The responding officer in the event had a "weapon malfunction"(unknown manufacturer) , carrying a semi-auto and could not return fire. I don't see that happening with any Smith revolver. My Smith revolvers have never let me down regarding reliability, accuracy, or versitility.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #6 on:** August 15, 2011, 10:41:17 AM »

They sell alot of autos . Revolvers are my choice most of the time but to think they can't fail could lead one into disaster. Better maybe to say revolvers can take neglect better .

boatboy · « **Reply #7 on:** August 15, 2011, 03:00:33 PM »

Quote from: Mohawk on August 15, 2011, 10:21:07 AM

Smith and Wesson is the king of revolvers. When they switched to making autos, well, that is not their cup of tea. My firearm needs to work like a clock, ie: SW revolver......... Remember that Ft. Hood shooting where 13 or so folks died? The responding officer in the event had a "weapon malfunction"(unknown manufacturer) , carrying a semi-auto and could not return fire. I don't see that happening with any Smith revolver. My Smith revolvers have never let me down regarding reliability, accuracy, or versitility.

I didnt know that there was a problem with a responders weapon.I know Revolvers are very dependable and that they are almost fool proof. But the two things I think about are
first how many militaries and LE are using autos? If the percentage of great I cant believe that they would be so much in use.
Second I cant remember that last time I had a good quality auto malfunction while I was shooting.

But to each his own I kinda like them both
Hank

Mohawk · « **Reply #8 on:** August 15, 2011, 03:56:07 PM »

I worked part time as a range master in a gun range. We ran about 75 K rounds a week, handguns and submachine guns. I lost all hope for autos....... Nothing more embarrassing than explaining why our Glock 27 jammed(weak return), since its supposedly a "reliable weapon". Folks here on the board can rationalize it but not the average folk that came to shoot the infamous "Glock" and pay $1 a shot. Our Taurus 85 revolver never jammed. Dirty as sin, but kept working. Our Smith 686 did just as well. From Browning High Power, Colt .45, and Glocks 23, 27, 17, and 19, Beretta 92, the only thing that even came close to a revolver was the Beretta 92FS. Never jammed with any kind of ammo with revolver like reliability. Nothing is 100% but I will take my chances with a revolver any day. Primarily a Smith and Wesson.

mannyrock · « **Reply #9 on:** August 15, 2011, 04:32:35 PM »

The 5900 series were reliable when working, but parts broke in them far more often than they should have. They were widely issued to police departments, which got rid of them just 6 or 7 years later for the Sigs etc..

In other words, the 5900 series were not great guns, so don't get too excited about them.

The old 39s were fairly good pieces, but I think that most of them were single stack and did not have the high capacity mags that police departments wanted..

tinman · « **Reply #10 on:** September 07, 2011, 08:10:57 PM »

you couldn't run fast enough to give me a 4006. no thats not true id take one if it was free, i could swap it for something useful like a dead cat. loved the m&p but now starting to see some problems with that. but just one gun so far.

Bigeasy · « **Reply #11 on:** September 08, 2011, 12:32:36 AM »

The third generation Smith auto's are actually well made, and reliable weapons. Police sales faltered with the introduction of the plastic frame pistols, like the Glocks, as weight on the belt matters, and the striker fire trigger is easier for new shooters to learn then a long D/A, or D/A to S/A pull. . Other departments with money to spend want the exotic, like the SIGS. My agency used them for a number of years, and they always worked well. 19 years as a LEO firearms instructor, and I can tell you most semi-auto malfunctions can be traced back to bad ammo (usually reloads), and damaged magazines, usually damaged when ejected from the gun onto the ground during combat drills, often being stepped on in the proccess. I have seen my share of revolvers fail, usually a binding cylinder do to lack of lube, or primers flowing into the firing pin hole, gunk under the ejector star, or backing out against the recoil shield.

Larry

boatboy · « **Reply #12 on:** September 11, 2011, 01:46:12 PM »

Quote from: tinman on September 07, 2011, 08:10:57 PM

you couldn't run fast enough to give me a 4006. no thats not true id take one if it was free, i could swap it for something useful like a dead cat. loved the m&p but now starting to see some problems with that. but just one gun so far.

Please PM me if you get one I will get you a live cat even HAHA
Hank

Dixiejack · « **Reply #13 on:** September 12, 2011, 11:22:05 AM »

Since opinions are flying left to right, I guess I'm in the right place to ask for an opinion(s) on the 4566 I am looking at. Double/single action model.

I bought a 439 not long ago. Beautiful gun, but has crappy trigger travel (about 3/4") in single action and hardly none in double action. Fixing to have that looked into and fixed, I hope.

Now, back to the 4566. I have read positive reviews and no negative ones. A gun ain't been made yet that is purty as a pup, accurate as a rifle, and 100% trouble free. I just want one I can rely on including a very good trigger system.

SHOOTALL · « **Reply #14 on:** September 12, 2011, 11:23:55 AM »

By todays standard they weigh alot .

boatboy · « **Reply #15 on:** September 12, 2011, 01:50:40 PM »

Quote from: SHOOTALL on September 12, 2011, 11:23:55 AM

By todays standard they weigh alot .

I agree 100% I know own 7 of these 3rd gens and the only Steel frame I own is a 4566 all the rest are alloy and it really feels different. I am happy I bought it but in the future I will stick with alloys they end in 3 (6906 is an exception)
I posted on the S&W forums "I bought a brick today" and many members laughed at my post but said I was not far off
Hank

Dixiejack · « **Reply #16 on:** September 13, 2011, 02:17:50 AM »

boatboy, what is your opinion of your 4566? I would like to read your feedback.

drdougrx · « **Reply #17 on:** September 13, 2011, 04:55:56 AM »

I've owned quite a few SW autos and the 4566 should be fine. I've had 2 39s (both nickel) and a 745 IPSC. I've sold all of these because they were tradable towards something else. I still have a 3914 in 9mm and that's not going anywhere. I've never had a reliability problem with any SW auto.

I was once given a case of rusty WWII steel jacketed czeck subgun ammo in the mid-1980s. I shot it all without burp in a 39....those were the days!

boatboy · « **Reply #18 on:** September 13, 2011, 05:01:57 PM »

Quote from: Dixiejack on September 13, 2011, 02:17:50 AM

boatboy, what is your opinion of your 4566? I would like to read your feedback.

Well I am not an expert but since you asked
The negative is the weight Its about 39 oz without ammo
the Alloy the 4563 is about 30oz
One thing about these guns they are what they are you really cant change too much

The controls are similar to a 1911 I like the thumb safety although it works reverse (important to remember) it has a decocker
The recoil on all these just seems to me to be very managable
I think the trigger is quite good
Take down and reassemble is very easy when you reassemble you dont fight much spring tension
When you look at these there is NO delicate parts each part looks like it will last a good long time
This is a single stack it fits my hand well
The stock sights work well
DA/SA I like that over DAO
I think with all the LE trades they are a good value for what you get
Its not sexy just good quality stuff

I guess I like mine it just needs to go on a diet but than so do I
Hank

boatboy · « **Reply #19 on:** September 13, 2011, 05:08:37 PM »

Quote from: drdougrx on September 13, 2011, 04:55:56 AM

I was once given a case of rusty WWII steel jacketed czeck subgun ammo in the mid-1980s. I shot it all without burp in a 39....those were the days!

Cheap ammo
AHHH what a great memory!!

Hank

Dixiejack · « **Reply #20 on:** September 14, 2011, 02:13:56 AM »

boatboy, thanks for your opinion. Looks like I am going to wind up with a 4566 instead of a third 1911.

I bought a Model 39 in 1970 and traded it off (mistake) in 1980. I recently bought a 439 and it's not the pistol the Model 39 is. I never cared for the 59 because of the thick grip.

boatboy · « **Reply #21 on:** September 23, 2011, 02:08:03 AM »

I was very fortunate I just picked up a 4516 like new. The 16 is the compact frame the only thing I wish was different is its another steel frame both my 45s are steel wish atleast one was alloy

Hank

demented · « **Reply #22 on:** September 25, 2011, 06:54:32 PM »

I think they are underrated. Were I to know I was going out my front door, knowing i'd have to defend my or someone elses life with a handgun before I came home, I'd as soon be carrying a third gen Smith as any double action pistol made, including Beretta, SIG or any other. I buy every one I can afford, am up to ten, wish I had many more.

Dixiejack · « **Reply #23 on:** September 26, 2011, 04:34:59 PM »

Picked up my 4566 today and the gun shop has a pistol range in the back of it. Put three mags. through it w/o any problems. Trigger pull is heavier than my 1911's but it was smooth shooting. Can't figure out why everyone one wants a light weight pistol. I like the weight of my 4566. In fact I prefer a heavy gun for more control. How do you lighten the weight of the trigger pull? Didn't see any adjustments. I have a 439 and the trigger has longer travel, bit lighter on the let off. Is this just something that is expected from double action S&W's? I had a Model 39 back in the early 70's and it had short trigger travel and a 3 to 4 pound pull. Came from the factory that way.