Blast From The Past: The Smith & Wesson Model 5946
Welcome back to another edition of Blast From The Past. I recently picked up a handgun that has had a resurgence in popularity over the last couple of years. As a result, prices have begun to climb again on the third generation of Smith & Wesson handguns. I found a 5946 that I picked up from an online retailer and over the last few months, I have shot it and compared the 5946 to my 5906, so I have some good and bad to look at when it comes to these pistols. Picking up these types of handguns is always a risk, but if done correctly, they can be a great gun for the range. It's not impossible to find good deals out there, but you do have to be on the lookout harder than you had to be before. Let's take a closer look at the Smith & Wesson 5946.
Police Trade-In Guns
If you want a handgun that is typically reliable and a good deal, police trade-in handguns are some of the best options around. They won't be in perfect condition in most cases, but some people will get lucky with perfect, unissued handguns sometimes. In most cases, they just have a decent amount of holster wear with a few scratches here and there. I picked this one up from Aim Surplus since they have a regular rotation of interesting 80s and 90s handguns that are otherwise tough to find.
People often think police trade-in pistols are completely wrecked and shot out. There are certainly some of those out there, but most are genuinely in good shape when it comes to mechanical use, with some surface scuffs and scratches. It's always a good idea to look at their condition, though. Aim Surplus, for example, will break it down into two categories where the nicer options are shown in pictures with the truly beat-up and worn guns being considered their X line of police trade-ins, so you know exactly what you're getting from the start. I have bought a couple of police trade-in guns and they have been mechanically perfect with a few imperfections, which is great for the price they often go for.
5906 vs 5946
Sometimes the numbering on Smith & Wesson handguns can become confusing. The 5906 was their standard Double Action/Single Action handgun. This had a slide-mounted manual safety with the classic DA/SA trigger with either a curved or square trigger guard.
The 5946 has a double-action-only trigger with no slide-mounted safety. When looking at this gun as an LEO handgun, it takes away the extra step to take the safety off and not all departments have strict training schedules, so it gives officers a little extra safety when they have their finger on the trigger. These were extremely popular in the 1990s when departments were fully moving away from wheelguns for newer semi-automatics. They oftentimes would have training on how to shoot the handgun from double action so moving to semi-autos was an easy transition with these types of triggers.
From my research, my model 5946 was most likely an NYPD gun, but I can't be sure without a factory letter. The difference between my 5906 and the price of my 5946 was almost $400, with my 5906 being much more expensive compared to the 5946. This is a prime example of how police trade-ins can be much more affordable when various handguns become more popular.
Range Time
So far, I have roughly 550 rounds through my 5946 and this gun is certainly a learning curve with the double-action-only trigger, but once you figure it out, it's actually a really enjoyable handgun that becomes very predictable. The only downside to the 5946 from Aim Surplus is the fact that it only comes with one magazine, but I have a few for my 5906, so it wasn't a huge deal. If you buy for the first time, though, it's important to know you only get one magazine to use. The capacity of 15+1 is fairly standard today and the lack of slide-mounted safety really is a plus.
If they ever came out with a modern version, I would love to see a decocker-only function like some of the Beretta 92 models have from the factory. I didn't think I would enjoy the trigger starting out, but it's definitely a consistent 10-lb pull with a defined audible reset as well. The factory plastic grips are comfortable and not overbearing to shoot with. This model Smith comes with traditional 3-dot sights from the factory. The sights are easy to use and nothing to write home about. Overall, it's a really nice gun to shoot and picking it up for right around $250 on sale makes it even more of a deal than buying something new for the same price.
Overall Thoughts
At the end of the day, I cannot tell you how many people sleep on police trade-in firearms when they should be the first choice for someone who wants a quality product, but may be on a strict budget. I picked this gun up with tax and shipping for under $300 and it's a full metal framed handgun. That's an absolute steal and I highly recommend anyone to look at the equal Beretta, Glock or Colt variants that sometimes pop up.
Have you guys ever bought a police trade-in pistol? Let me know your experience down in the comments below. If you have questions about these handguns or firearms in general, feel free to shoot me a message @fridgeoperator. Stay safe out there and we will see you in the next article.
I'm an avid shooter and love educating whether it's at my job or in the shooting community. I'm an average joe that really loves talking with other people about firearms and other passions.I'm active on Instagram on @fridgeoperator.
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Your 5946 may in fact be an NYPD gun, but I don't think a factory letter will help you much. At the time, NYPD didn't issue handguns; every officer bought his own. When NYPD went from revolvers to autos, officers were given the choice of the Glock 19, the 5946, or the DAO P226. Most officers went with the Glock on price alone, though all three were offered at a discount that would make all us poor schlubs cry; officers who had a certain number of years on the Department could keep their revolvers. The revolvers were de-grandfathered a few years ago, and the dozen or so coppers who were still carrying them had to either buy an auto or retire. I don't know if NYPD issues pistols now or not; I've heard conflicting reports.
Anyway, the third generation S&Ws were decent guns, and you should have fun with yours.
Your 5946 may in fact be an NYPD gun, but I don't think a factory letter will help you much. At the time, NYPD didn't issue handguns; every officer bought his own. When NYPD went from revolvers to autos, officers were given the choice of the Glock 19, the 5946, or the DAO P226. Most officers went with the Glock on price alone, though all three were offered at a discount that would make all us poor schlubs cry; officers who had a certain number of years on the Department could keep their revolvers. The revolvers were de-grandfathered a few years ago, and the dozen or so coppers who were still carrying them had to either buy an auto or retire. I don't know if NYPD issues pistols now or not; I've heard conflicting reports.
Anyway, the third generation S&Ws were decent guns, and you should have fun with yours.