April 11, 1986 Miami, amidst the nation wide crime wave of the 80s, two murdering bank robbers were on a crime spree. If you want to see the face of evil do some research on Michael Lee Platt and William Russell Matix. The fact that people like this exist in the world is the reason most police officers are never unarmed, even off duty.
The two well armed robbers were engaged in a shootout with FBI agents who were attempting to apprehend these murderous felons. When the smoke cleared, the two felons were dead, five agents were seriously injured and two had been killed. There were a lot of gunfighting lessons learned in that gunfight, one thing had been settled outright: It was time for Law Enforcement to universally accept the semiautomatic pistol. The lack of revolver capacity and difficulty in reloads were seen as a a major contributor to injured agents that day.
Retro 2,000-Round Challenge: Smith & Wesson Model 5906. Heavy is reliable.”. The Boris the Blade quote from the movie 'Snatch' came to mind as I hefted the used 3rd Gen Smith. Joined Jul 6, 2007. #5 Jul 26, 2012. If it is marked Mod 37 and has 'Airweight' stamped on the barrel, it appears to have been produced between 1957 and 68. If it has the older thumb piece, if would be prior to 1966. Diamond insert on the grip panels would be prior to '68. Hope that helps.
Some agents had been armed with semiautomatics that day. Agent Grogan, and Agent Dove both were armed with Smith & Wesson 459 semi-auto pistols. The pair were closest to Platt during the shootout. Platt shot and killed both armed with a Mini-14 semi-auto rifle. Dove’s 459 was struck and disabled during the gunfight by a .223 bullet fired by Platt.
The Model 5967 is a Lew Horton limited edition S&W model. Only 500 of these were made as a special offering in 1990. The pistol is a 3914 carbon steel slide on a 5906 stainless steel frame, two-tone tan polymer finish with brown Hogue grips. A popular model with law enforcement and military units in the United States, the 5906 is nevertheless being replaced by lighter, polymer-framed models from Glock, Heckler & Koch, SIG Sauer as well as Smith & Wesson's own M&P line of polymer framed handguns in both 9mm and.40 calibers.
With the two semi-autos taken out of the fight as it began, the remaining agents lacked the firepower to immediately stop the two murdering bandits. As the firefight progressed Agents struggled to load single cartridges into blood covered revolvers.
Out of the Ashes…
Smith & Wesson has been arming American Lawmen for a long time. It is notable that every single agent in the Miami gunfight had been armed with at least one Smith & Wesson product.
The FBI was evaluating cartridges and wound ballistics desperately trying to learn from two dead agents, and five others wounded.
Smith And Wesson 5906 Serial Number Lookup Free
A debate had raged over autos and revolvers for decades. Smith & Wesson had been marketing both varieties. The Illinois State Police adopted the Smith & Wesson Model 39 in 1967. While autos were gaining popularity, first generation S&W 39s and double stack 59s would not feed hollow point ammunition reliably without modification.
The second generation Smith & Wesson autos were only produced from 1984-1988, these included the 459s used by agents during the shootout. These updated 59s were more reliable but aside internal modifications the guns the firearms are nearly identical.
Smith & Wesson re-designed their semiautomatics in the form of a 3rd generation of guns that would accommodate a number of calibers including 10mm which the FBI decided on for their new cartridge.
The 5906 was born, designed as a state of the art stone dependable auto, it’s heritage was clear. It bears resemblance to it’s predecessors the 59, and 459, but it is clearly a new generation of handgun.
The 59 to end all 59s.
The 5906 became Smith & Wesson’s flagship 9mm service pistol. 3rd generation Smith & Wesson’s are distinguished from previous generations by their four digit model numbers. There are a lot of other 3rd generation Smiths with different configurations, for example the 5904 with its blued carbon steel slide and aluminum frame, the 5903 is the same but with a stainless slide. The 5906 is the all stainless DA/SA with a slide mounted ambidextrous safety/decocker.
5906 handguns were used by police across the country. They were produced from 1989 to 2004 when the classic Smith & Wesson metal framed handgun line was discontinued.
The 5906 along with other 3rd generation Smiths has significant slide and frame redesigns that distinguish it from 2nd generation pistols. The barrel bushing is fixed in the slide and is not removable. The barrel has obvious taper that allows the barrel to be removed for cleaning and maintenance. The frame accommodates a wraparound grip that replaces the grip panels and dedicated mainspring housing from the previous generations.
Shooting the 5906
The 5906 is a dream to shoot. Personally I prefer single action autos carried cocked and locked. Considering this is a double action the 5906 has a good double action trigger pull. The trigger is long but smooth. The single action pull is short and crisp. Trigger reset is short.
Recoil management is a dream, and it aught to be this gun is heavy, 38 oz! At the time of this article I have not been able to conduct benched accuracy testing for the 5906 I’m testing, however the practical accuracy is excellent. If I do my part I feel like it places the bullets exactly where I want them to go.
Obtaining a 5906
The 5906 entered production 30 years ago. It is a classic pistol with plenty of history riding in a lawman’s holster fighting crime. It is overbuilt and robust, it is also out of production.
If your looking to obtain a 5906 you’re gonna have to find one on the used market. A “nice” 5906 is gonna run you north of $500 used. There are plenty of 5906 police trade-ins out their. Live-Red-E’s test gun is one of these police used guns. When we got it it had rusted sights, and the grip was marred from repeated seat-belt buckle impacts.
S&w Model 5906 Worth
It took a fair amount of scrubbing to get the pistol clean. The sighs needed some cold blue and paint, and I replaced the recoil spring, hammer spring and grip. The result is a pistol with plenty of life left in it, cause this thing is built to last. These well used 5906 pistols can be found in the $300-$350 range.
An Artifact of History.
Smith And Wesson 5906 Serial Number Lookup For Guns
Police used guns tend to have lots of holster wear, along with plenty of dings and scratches from bumping into things. Not only does the design have along history serving Law Enforcement through it’s 1st, 2nd and 3rd generations, but each police trade-in has a history.
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- Military M1917 Revolver: Smith & Wesson: Covering numbers: 5 - 175100. Please enter a serial number and click the submit button.
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- Military M1917 Revolver: Smith & Wesson: Covering numbers: 5 - 175100. Please enter a serial number and click the submit button.
Dating a K-22 by serial number: RangeRover: S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961: 92: 01:30 AM: Serial Number Dating: speed532: S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present: 2: 09:47 AM: Serial number dating please. Jeffytune: Smith & Wesson Semi-Auto Pistols: 7: 03:56 AM: Serial number dating a 15-3: tom cothran: S&W.
Used Smith And Wesson 5906 For Sale
Smith & Wesson Model 686 | |
---|---|
A Smith & Wesson Model 686, with a 100 mm (4 in) barrel. | |
Type | Revolver |
Place of origin | United States |
Service history | |
Used by | See Users |
Production history | |
Designed | 1980 |
Produced | 1981–1999, 2012–present |
Variants | |
Specifications | |
Mass | 1.25 kg (2.8 lb) |
Length | 305 mm (12.0 in) |
Barrel length |
|
Cartridge | |
Caliber | .38 |
Action | Double action and single action |
Feed system | 6-round (686) or 7-round (686 Plus) cylinder |
Smith And Wesson 59 Series Magazines
The Smith & Wesson Model 686What is the real name of mahabharata movie. is a six- or seven-shot double-actionrevolver manufactured by Smith & Wesson and chambered for the .357 Magnumcartridge; it will also chamber and fire .38 Special cartridges. Smith & Wesson introduced the Model 686 in 1981. It is the stainless steel version of the Model 586, which featured a blued steel finish. They are available ported and unported with a choice of 6- or 7-round cylinders.[1]
The Model 686 is based on S&W's L (medium) revolver frame. During the 1980s, Smith & Wesson developed its L-Frame line of .357 Magnums: the Model 581, Model 586, Model 681 and Model 686. The Models 581 and 681 have fixed sights, whereas the 586 and 686 use adjustable sights.[2]
Variants of the 686[edit]
Smith And Wesson Manufacture Year
The 686 has been available with 64, 76, 102, 127, 152, and 211 mm (2.5, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8.325 in) barrel lengths as standard models and other barrel lengths either by special order from S&W's Performance Center custom shop, or acquired from or built by after-market gunsmiths. The Performance Center made a limited number of Model 686s chambered for .38 Super cartridges for competitive shooters.[1]
The 686 features a 6-round cylinder. The 686P variant, marketed as the Model 686 Plus, has a 7-round cylinder. The 686PP variant, with PP designating PowerPort, has an integral compensator (also known as a muzzle brake).
The 686 has been made with pistol grips having a squared or rounded end (colloquially, 'square butt' or 'round butt'). The grips on the pistol can be changed, and multiple after-market options are available.
Smith And Wesson Serial Numbers Year Of Manufacture 2017
The Model 686 has an adjustable rear sight, and until 1992, the 152 and 211 mm (6 and 8.325 in) versions had the option of an adjustable front sight. They had Goncalo alveshardwood grips until 1994, when the grip was replaced by a rubber Hogue grip.[1]
Through the years, there have been several variations on the Model 686. The Model 686 Classic Hunter was introduced in 1988 and has a 150 mm (6 in) barrel and a non-fluted cylinder; the Model 686 Black Stainless was introduced in 1989 and has either a 100 or 150 mm (4 or 6 in) barrel with a black finish, with production limited to 5000; the Model 686 National Security Special was introduced in 1992 and has a 76 or 102 mm (3 or 4 in) barrel; the Model 686 Target Champion was introduced in 1992 and has a 150 mm (6 in) match-grade barrel, adjustable trigger stop, and walnut grips; the Model 686 Power Port was introduced in 1994 and has a ported 150 mm (6 in) barrel; the Model 686 Plus was introduced in 1996 and has a 64, 76, 102, or 152 mm (2.5, 3, 4, or 6 in) barrel, adjustable sights, 7-shot cylinder, and Hogue rubber grips. As with all current Smith & Wesson revolvers, the 686 Plus now has a key lock integral to the frame of the gun.[1]
Variant | Caliber | Weight | Capacity | Year | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1.30 kg (45.8 oz) | 6 rounds | 1988 | Unfluted cylinder | ||
| 1.19 kg (42 oz) | 6 rounds | 1989 | Black finish over stainless, 5000 produced | |
1.15 kg (40.5 oz) | 6 rounds | 1988 | |||
| 1.19 kg (42 oz) | 6 rounds | 1988 | ||
1.30 kg (45.8 oz) | 6 rounds | 1988 | |||
| 1.37 kg (48.3 oz) | 6 rounds | 1988 | ||
S&W 686 CS-1 | Unknown | Made for United States Customs Service | |||
| 1.17 kg (41.2 oz) | 6 rounds | 1992 | Black finish | |
1.19 kg (42 oz) | 6 rounds | 1992 | Black finish | ||
| 1.31 kg (46.2 oz) | 6 rounds | 1992 | Full lug | |
1.30 kg (46 oz) | 6 rounds | 1994 | Ported | ||
| 1.16 kg (41 oz) | 7 rounds | 1996 | Lockable with key | |
1.20 kg (42.3 oz) | 7 rounds | 1996 | Lockable with key | ||
| 1.31 kg (46.2 oz) | 7 rounds | 1996 | Lockable with key | |
1.15 kg (40.5 oz) | 7 rounds | 2004 | Half-lug barrel, HiViz front sight | ||
| 1.31 kg (46.2 oz) | 6 rounds | 2003 | Brushed gold finish with finger hardwood grips | |
1.31 kg (46.2 oz) | 6 rounds | Integral Compensator, lockable with key | |||
| 1.50 kg (52.9 oz) | 6 rounds | 2007 | Weighted barrel, Weaver/Picatinny rail on barrel, adjustable/removable weights, ball-bearing cylinder lock, forged Hhmmer and trigger, traditional old school pinned sSear, PC aluminum case or gun rug, lockable with key |
Engineering and production changes[edit]
Smith Wesson Ctg Serial Number
- 686 (no dash), 1981 Introduction model
- 686-1, 1986 radius stud package, floating hand
- 686-2, 1987 changed hammer nose, bushing and associated parts
- 686-3, 1988 new yoke retention system
- 686-4, 1993 change rear sight leaf, drill and tap frame, change extractor, Hogue grips
- 686-5, 1997 change frame design to eliminate cylinder stop stud, eliminate serrated tangs, MIM hammer and trigger, change internal lock.
- 686-6, 2001 internal lock
- 686-7, 2003 Performance Center .38 Super, 6-Shot unfluted cylinder, 4' barrel, Stainless Steel, 250 Made
Smith And Wesson 5906 Magazine
Gallery[edit]
Smith And Wesson Date Of Manufacture List
Users[edit]
- France – Used by GIGN during amphibious operations.[3]
- Norway – The 3'-barreled version with Goncalo alveshardwood-grip was used as a sidearm in the alien immigrant-branches of the Norwegian Police Service by individual plainclothes officers during the early 1990s.[citation needed]
- United States – Used by U.S. Border Patrol.[citation needed] Used by legacy U.S. Customs Service.[citation needed] Used by the legacy U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service[citation needed] Used by U.S. Navy SEALs during waterborne missions.[4] Used by some smaller police departments and by individual officers in larger departments, especially in marine environments.[5]
- Luxembourg – Used by the Luxembourg Grand Ducal Police as duty weapon from the 1980s through 2017 when it was replaced by the HK VP9.[6]
- United States - Used by the Oso Grande 4x4 Posse as an approved weapon for posse members preferring a revolver. Some twenty revolvers were acquired in the early 2000's as issue/approved weapons.
Recall[edit]
Smith Wesson Serial Number Search
In 1987, seven years after the release of the Model 686, there were reports of cylinder binding with some types of standard .357 Magnum ammunition for L-frame revolvers manufactured before August 1987. S&W put out a product warning and authorized a no-charge upgrade to make modifications to the revolver. All recalled and reworked guns were stamped with an M marking, signifying that they had been recalled and fixed; thus it is known as the M modification for all 686, 686-1, 586-1, and 586-2 revolvers.[7]
Smith And Wesson 5906 Serial Number Lookup Tool
References[edit]
- ^ abcdSupica, Jim; Richard Nahas (2007). Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson (3 ed.). F+W Media, Inc. pp. 331–363. ISBN978-0-89689-293-4.
- ^Boorman, Dean K. (2002). The History of Smith & Wesson Firearms. Globe Pequot. p. 119. ISBN978-1-58574-721-4.
- ^Jim Supica (2011). Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson 3rd. Iola, wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 343. ISBN978-1-4402-2700-4.
- ^Chalker, Denny; Dockery, Kevin (2009). One Perfect Op. New York: Harper Collins. p. 104. ISBN978-0-06-175129-5.
- ^Sweeney, Patrick (2011). The Gun Digest Book of Smith & Wesson. Iola, Wisconsin: Gun Digest Books. p. 104. ISBN978-1-4402-2714-1.
- ^'So sieht die neue Pistole der Police Grand-Ducale aus'. L'Essentiel. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 19 January 2019.
- ^Product Warning, Popular Mechanics, January 1988, p. 11.