original SW 639

robchar

robchar

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Nanaimo BC
A friend picked up a SW 639 during the mad rush to get pistols . It is in beautiful shape but will not feed ammo. My investigation reveled that this was a very common issue and Smith redesigned the pistol and reissued it as the 639-1,2.
I have a lot of experience with pistols but as this is probably a 30-40 yr old pistol does anyone have any knowledge of how to get it to work.
Thanks for looking.
Rob
 
Does he have the correct magazine? The original Model 39 was quite reliable with 9mm Ball ammo. The Model 39-2 likewise. The 639 was a Generation 2 Model 39 and was also quite reliable with Ball ammo. The Model 3904 series was reliable with hollowpoints and was considered the 3rd Generation of the series. There is no reason for a Model 639 to not be reliable with proper 9mm Ball ammo that I know of. There are several different magazines on the market that are made for the series but they don't always work reliably interchanged between the various generations. The magazine(s) I had with my late 1970's Model 39-2 were quite a bit different than the factory S&W Magazines I had for my Model 3904 in Mexico. I believe the 39-2 mags held only 8 rounds while I think my Model 3904 magazines were 10-rounders. The might have worked interchangeably but they may not have either. I think the Generation 3 mags were different.

My Model 39-2 was not reliable with hollowpoints but worked well with FMJ or RN Lead ammo properly loaded. My 3904 worked with anything. Pretty much, it could feed empty cases.

I suspect your friend might have a 639 with a "jobber" magazine that is not original to the gun, and this could be the problem. Or it might be something else. Very hard to say without photos of both the firearm and the magazines and knowing what ammo was being used.
 
He has two stainless and two blue magazines all like new and stamped with the SW LOGO. He was trying good quality round nose ammo. I plan to try some of my Ipsc polymer coated bullets that work in every 9mm that I and my friends own.
I suspect it is am aftermarket barrel as it protrudes 1/2 from the muzzle to make it legal. For some reason I cannot get the barrel bushing to pull out. I owned and shot a SW647 for years.
 
I think the 639 still had the smooth barrel and 1911-style barrel bushing system whereas the 3904 series has the belled barrel end that locks up solidly into the slide and has no barrel bushing. Perhaps his barrel was a barrel made for the 3rd Generation guns that was fitted into the 2nd Generation gun. I know that threaded and extended Generation 1 and 2 barrels existed because I had one for a while back during those days where everyone wanted a hush-puppy. Those would have worked perfectly on the 639. But it sounds like what your friend has might be an extended 3rd Gen barrel. Maybe? Again, it's hard to say without (disassembled) photos.

Obviously, it would be nice if he could get it working. They are neat guns. Somewhat out-dated now, but still generally quite useable.
 
Tried the pistol with five types of ammo that work in my three different 9 mm. Will not feed. Finally got the barrel bussing off the extended the smooth barrel. Only marking on the barrel was 9 parabellum . Tried all of the ammo with only 5 rounds in each mag and none would feed when the slide was released . Hand fed first round of each type and it fired but the second round jammed.
 
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