I picked one up a few weeks ago. It had been on my list for a long time. The price was good, and i figured there would be a few things to fix. It is more than i expected, but over all i am happy. I will get the old gal back in to fighting trim.

It shot okay, but I found out that the rear sight and the extractor had some issues. I believe I have that sorted out right now.

What I am dealing with now is failure to extract. I have two blued replacement extractors coming, and replacement extractor springs. I need to find a stainless late version extractor.

Right now I am hounding numrich, ebay, GB and several other placed to find one. Anyone have a better idea?

I suspect that will solve my extraction issues, my next issues. This old one was in bad shape. It looked fine at the gunstore but once I got it home and cleaned I found it to be chipped.

I picked up some wolf springs for magazines, but I still need to find some used magazines. I also picked up new recoil springs and hammer springs.

12lbs
14lbs
16lbs respectively.

What rating do you all recommend I start with?

How it looked after giving it a good wipedown once i got it home.



After replacing the rear sight blade, screw (stripped), the missing nut, and the missing pin in the screw.





The damaged extractor.



I cleaned it up with a file. I know, i know, but it was broken. It now at least hooks onto the rim of the case. I have not fired it as of yet, but at least it hooks. Prior to this, it did not. Again i have two blued replacements coming.





Trying out a new pair of stocks that had to be fitted. They feel good, but not as good as the rubber pachmayr grips it had on it. That old pair is falling apart but i did get a set of replacements.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DSgrouse,

Congrats! Beautiful 659!

For a stainless extractor, try Jack First in Texas. He was a S&W repair depot, back in the day. Usually has hard to find second gen parts. You could also post a WTB over on the Smith Forum. I have had much sucess doing that too. Enjoy that fine nine! Regards 18DAI

DSgrouse,
I have an original but used factory 14 round magazine for a 659. Flush fit same as shown in your photos.
It was left over after I sold my 659.
Email me your address and I will karma it to you if you want it.

PC

Very cool, and those wood grips look great. I've never been a big fan of the aesthetic of the pachmayrs, but I've gotta admit that they sure do feel good in the hand. I have a couple of guns with them on, and they feel so good I can't bring myself to replace them. The only exception to that rule is my Model 69...for whatever reason the new manufacture grips don't fit right and even the replacement set I got have a large gap.

I don't know enough about the platform to make a recommendation about your mainspring, but I wouldn't feel bad about filing that extractor. It was broken...you've gotta do what you've gotta do. Would be cool to try it at least and see if you fixed it before you replace it. I had to do the same with my Keltec P32 last week (combined with a light chamber polish and shimming the extractor spring to add a bit of tension), and it seems to have solved my problem. IMO there's nothing wrong with filing parts, especially if they're not working. It's modifications to the frame or slide that will get you in trouble. Always file the cheaper part, so if you have to you can replace it .

The older Smith semi-autos weren't really on my radar until this past year, when I got to shoot a model 52 and a 4516. I came away really impressed with the quality that went into those guns. I still haven't stumbled across the right deal, but when I do I'll likely be bringing it home. It looks like you found a nice one, and a fun project to boot. If you're like me, the tinkering can be almost as much fun as the shooting, and it kinda makes the gun your own. I'd say you did good .

Thanks all. It is a fun and rewarding side project.


I put in the 14lb wolf recoil and firing pin spring tonight.

I will have to find their main spring sooner or later.

I sent an email with my contact info. I have a spare mag spring waiting. Thank you.

I have owned a few but sold/traded them off. Nice shooting little guns. Mine were like new so i never had any issues to speak of.

Be warned though that new factory mags had an issue. They were ambi cut for the mag release slots and the spring would catch on the slot when emptying the mags while firing and stop loading rds because of no spring tension on the remaining rds in the magazine. I forget at which rd it would stop at but i remember it being at around 5-6rds fired out of a full mag. These were the factory full capacity mags and not the 10rd restricted mags. So keep that in mind if you buy new mags. I would look for used mags with only the single mag release cut and just respring them.

Nice pistol. The old-school S&W autos are pretty cool.

You may have already checked it, but there's an old recall for the 659 that addresses the function of the half-cock notch. It's the 4th notice from the top of the linked page.

It shot and extracted about 90% of the steel-cased ammo I put through it today.

I went back after the shooting session and the chamber was pretty damn rough. I smoothed it out with a brass brush, cotton patch, and some bore brite.

I don't plan on using the steel-cased much anymore now that I am learning to reload. If I can get the steel to extract and fire I am pretty sure my reloads will do just fine.

Mustang PaPa, the single mag I have is a 15 rounder with a single side latch. so I have not had that issue pop up as of yet.

Tailhook 84, I will take a look at the recall.

Can you do something about the philips screw on the ambi safety? That looks so bad.

quote:

Originally posted by Lefty Sig:
Can you do something about the philips screw on the ambi safety? That looks so bad.

As far as I can tell the screw is stock. It is a bit mangled. and I will take a hammer and file to it and fix it up some day, but right now it works just fine.

OK. Maybe check McMaster-Carr for a stainless torx head later. Would look better.

quote:

As far as I can tell the screw is stock.

It is stock. I had a 659 years ago and it had the same phillips head screw. It come loose by looking at it to much, never mind from slide recoiling. Even with loctite, mine kept backing out.

The same here, i have a 645 that was ones of the first made, after a trip to the range i noticed the right safety lever was gone, after months of searching one popped up on Ebay, had a friend make me a tight fitting hex head screw and loctited it, when i take it out to shoot i make sure when done everything is still in place.

quote:

Originally posted by sigarms229:

quote:

As far as I can tell the screw is stock.

It is stock. I had a 659 years ago and it had the same phillips head screw. It come loose by looking at it to much, never mind from slide recoiling. Even with loctite, mine kept backing out.

A small update on the 659. I worked the chamber with a wire brush wrapped in cotton yesterday. I put on a bit of bore brite.

Prior to doing this, I could feel the ridges in the chamber with a pick. After the chamber was considerably smoother.

Today it chambered, extracted and ejected all 50 steel cased and all 50 norma brass 124grn ammo. It did have two hick-ups from me riding thumbs high slowing the slide down.

I may end up putting that 18lb spring in. That might solve my issue with the slide not going fully into the battery if I accidentally ride my left thumb high.

The Phillips head is the correct original safety screw. They had a habit of working themselves loose so Smith came out with a replacement screw with an Allen head. Those would also work loose after firing enough rounds. I was issued one back in 1984 and fired thousands of rounds through it.

Range report.

Went to GT indoor range to get it sighted in.

The rear sight still drifts around. By that I mean it can shift 1/32nd to 1/16th either direction. So, I must not have gotten it back together correctly. I'll take a look at it when I get it ready for the ultrasonic machine.

The gun needs cleaned, badly. What oil and grease that remained when I bought it have long since turned into varnish.

I'll strip it down and let the ultrasonic cleaner remove 99% of it. Then give it a good rework.

The trigger, safety, decocker, and extractor all worked fine. It still doesn't like tula steel cased, but I am moving away from that ammo.

Once I get the rear sight's issues pinned down I think it will be a very reliable and accurate gun.

As it is, it kept everything in a dollar bill sized group at 21 ft.

Finding replacement parts has been a real bitch.

I have scored two 639 ejectors, one in blue and one in stainless. I have those set aside as back ups.

I finally bit the bullet and picked up a parts kit for the pistol.



As you can see it is most of the "parts" I am not sure what I am going to do as of yet. I have another project or three in the works. It will likely be my first project once I get my Office/reloading room finished.

I still have to take out the 659 for final testing with the rebuilt rear sight, but it was lonely.

A friend had this up for sale, and I jumped on the opportunity.

Yes sir. That's a sweet ol' 45. Very nice indeed.

The 745 is nice. Now you need one of these.

https://youtu.be/imr54ZBkdpc