December 29, 2012, 10:59 PM | #1 |
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S&W 5904/5906 Questions
Are all S&W 5904/5906 pistols considered 3rd Gen? If not, is there a way to tell for sure what generation a given pistol is. I read about a square trigger housing but I don't know what the significance is.
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December 29, 2012, 11:33 PM | #2 |
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Whew! Ya gotta be fast to get in here before carguychris, but it's all folly anyhow because he can do a much better job at it. But hey, my post will bump it so it's easier for him to find it!
All the four-digit semi-auto pistols are 3rd Gen pistols. There are a couple 3-digit pistols that are also 3rd Gens, they were the "Value line" guns that S&W marketed at a lower price. They were very plain...value kinda pistols. The 908 and 915 are examples, they're a 3-digit model number but surely are 3rd Gen pistols. The 2nd Gen guns typically can be spotted by the raised rib on the left side of the frame by the top rear of the grip area. I've not had the pleasure of taking apart a 2nd Gen, so I can only assume that the visible part has something to do with the safety system or hammer/spring of the pistol. All 5904 and 5906 pistols are 3rd Gens. Same for the 4506 and it's cousins, and the 4006 and it's brethren and the 10mm pistols of course (my favorites), the 1006 and the other 10xx pistols. As for the square-ish trigger guard, the early 3rd Gens had a more squared front contour and it was rounded out a bit later in the series. It's subtle, but noticeable.
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December 30, 2012, 10:42 AM | #3 | ||
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December 30, 2012, 12:36 PM | #4 |
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Great picture in the first post in this thread:
The little piece I'm always looking for is that small piece of flat metal under the grip panel on the left side (pictured) of the pistol. Maybe it's a piece that is connected to the slide stop retainer? http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...&highlight=659 YES! It's silly that this small piece is what I look for to know instantly that it's not a 3rd Gen, especially with your comprehensive list of differences -- the grip panels being most obvious. But it's that little piece...it looks out of place, like an afterthought. Not that it's an "ugly mark" or anything, simply that it just looks like something they forgot to "clean up" between final design and production.
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Attention Brass rats and other reloaders: I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss. |
December 30, 2012, 03:06 PM | #5 |
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Thanks guys. What do you think of $325 for what appears to be a 5904 in very good condition with two 15 round mags?
http://www.migunowners.org/forum/sho...highlight=5904 |
December 30, 2012, 03:22 PM | #6 | |
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One of the more prominent differences between 2nd and 3rd generation guns is that 2nd generation guns have straight barrels and 3rd generation guns have barrels with a smaller "waist" near the end. |
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December 30, 2012, 03:30 PM | #7 | |
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The two 5906s I have (round trigger guards, non-MIM hammers/triggers) were purchased during the late 1992 - early 1993 timeframe within a few months of one another. One was a duty weapon, the other remains NIB to this day waiting for my son to inherit it when he comes of age.
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December 30, 2012, 08:08 PM | #8 | |
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December 31, 2012, 12:29 AM | #9 |
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Ha ha, you'd think I'd know my OWN GUN well enough to know that a 3rd Gen has that also. True story--I own only one 3rd Gen. (always have wanted more...will work on that, always have planned to do exactly that...)
Mine is a 1006. Back in '92 I had a buddy who wanted his first handgun, wanted my opinion. "Get a .357 Mag revolver, for sure" I said. "I want something powerful!" he said. ".357!" I said. "yeahbut, I want a pistol, not a old style revolver..." "get a .45!" I said. "I want something really powerful!" "Get a TEN MILLIMETER!" Made sense to me... my dream gun, I couldn't possibly afford to buy or feed one. Why not steer HIM toward one?! It worked. He bought a brand new 1006. Got married shortly thereafter. Didn't take long after the baby before his wife "didn't feel comfortable with THAT in the house" and he offered it to me for a cool four hundred. That was in like '95, IIRC, still big bucks for me at the time, but a no-brainer. Of course I bought it. Here's the relevant part. It wears the big rubber Hogue grip, and he bought the grip in the first week he had it and I was the one who installed that grip. I was also the guy that cleaned that gun and made the ammo for it, too, since the day he bought it. So I had seen under that big rubber Hogue grip only in that week before I put it on and it's never been off the pistol since that day, like 22 years ago. So yeah, I know my gun pretty well, but haven't seen under the grip since I was a kid.
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Attention Brass rats and other reloaders: I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss. |
December 31, 2012, 08:52 AM | #10 |
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Thanks guys. What do you think of $325 for what appears to be a 5904 in very good condition with two 15 round mags?Great gun and fair price. I'd go for it . They aint makin no more
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December 31, 2012, 10:16 AM | #11 | |
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December 31, 2012, 12:00 PM | #12 |
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Thanks for all the info guys! I am a proud new owner of S&W 5904! The one linked above. I paid $315. I offered $300, but he had another offer of $315, but they guy wasn't firm about getting there in a timely manner, so I went this morning and picked it up!
Can't wait to shoot it! |
December 31, 2012, 12:22 PM | #13 |
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A little late but I think you did good. I paid some where around 350 to 400 for my 5906 with 2 mags. It's one of those 'am i ever glad i bought that gun!' moments. I really like the 3rd gen smiths and like lunger said, they ain't makin' them no more. Get one while the getting is good. These are a must own pistol in my book.
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December 31, 2012, 05:54 PM | #14 | |
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New Owner Field-Stripping Tips:
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January 1, 2013, 10:15 AM | #15 |
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Thanks for those tips! I am sure they will come in handy!
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January 1, 2013, 03:55 PM | #16 |
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You got a good deal! Hard to find a 3rd Gen in good condition
for that kind of money. And with two fifteen round mags...the way things are going nowadays those are getting harder to find. |
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