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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 133
Campfire Member
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OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 133 |
Just received a model 59 9mm smith and wesson pistol. Can anyone tell me if this is a good pistol, reliable?
What type of ammo should I shoot for defense. 124 or 115 grain?
NEED OPINIONS!!!! HELP
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Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 73,096
Campfire Kahuna
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Campfire Kahuna
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 73,096 |
Good pistol if a bit bulky in the handle for me, I would use the 115's for SD. They are a bit faster and usually open up well.
George Orwell was a Prophet, not a novelist. Read 1984 and then look around you!
Old cat turd!
"Some men just need killing." ~ Clay Allison.
I am too old to fight but I can still pull a trigger. ~ Me
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Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,192
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 3,192 |
I owned a couple and they were reliable with ammo that was somewhere near the length of a ball round. Mine didn't like short 95 grain HP ammo. I would expect the 59 to work fine with any 115 gr. or heavier bullet. Most any modern JHP would be OK. Sources I respect say the CorBon DPX 115 gr. +P is the best defensive round in 9mm, but there are lots of other good loads.. However, the 59 was made prior to +P and +P+ ammo availability and if it was mine, I would use a standard pressure 115 gr. load like the new Hornady Critical Defense load or the Speer Gold Dot.
They are nice pistols but a bit more finicky about ammo than later guns.
Last edited by wildhobbybobby; 01/26/10.
Life is like a purple antelope on a field of tuna fish...
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 115
Campfire Member
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Campfire Member
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 115 |
that's a dang good old 9mm
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Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 34
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 34 |
I have a 59 and a 39. I think the 39 S&W 9MM was S&Ws first modern auto. The 59 was made for the Navy as I recall. I like the 39 better. Its smaller. They both will shoot anything I put in them. I prefer the 115.
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Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,121
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 1,121 |
I had a Model 59 back in the 70's - it shot OK. As noted previously, most of S&W's 1st Generation centerfire pistols could be a bit ammo sensitive. If you stay with standard weight loadings between 115-125 grains they were pretty reliable. Most 1st Gen pistols performed best if well lubricated, as well.
The uninitiated are always easily impressed. NRA Endowment Member
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Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 18,881
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 18,881 |
I knew several rather well. Their owners found them very nice but they would not take much really hot NATO class ammo. By today's standards that would be the +P+ stuff. Ditto with the 90 gr. ammo such as the Super-Vel stuff of that era. Some of them, anyway, wouldn't feed it reliably. If your's won't, it will show up in 20-50 rds. All this doesn't mean it's not a good gun, it just needs to have some testing. Even the modern designs sometimes are flawed. E
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 133
Campfire Member
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OP
Campfire Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 133 |
Thanks for the input! VERY helpful. Took her to the range today . The gun was already very dirty, so I left it that way just to see how it would perform. I picked up some Winchester 115gr fmj 100 pack from walmart. (white box) Out of 100, three had a very low report and failed to eject the case. When I extracted the fired case I got a handful of green powder looking stuff in my hand. I also picked up some Federal 115gr JHP's all the FMJ (except for the 3) and all the 115 gr JHP's feed flawless and I was surprized at how accurite and easy to handle this little pistol was. I was plinking at 6" steel popers and had no problems. Some of you mentioned the fat handle. I does feel alittle big in my hands until I shoot it, then it is quite comfertable.
Over all I think it will be a great little gun.
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