Smith & Wesson Single And Double Action Pistol Instructions Manual

11
•Use only commercially manufactured ammunition with
internal ballistic pressures which are in strict accordance 
with the specifications of the Sporting Arms and 
Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute (SAAMI).
•Be certain all ammunition you use complies with the 
SAAMI specifications. If you are uncertain, contact your 
ammunition supplier for verification.
C.
MISFIRES
•If your firearm fails to fire when the trigger is pulled 
(misfires), keep the firearm pointed in a safe direction, 
remove your finger...

12
AMMUNITION  CONT’D.
E.AMMUNITION WARNINGS
•“Plus-P” (+P) ammunition generates pressures in excess of 
the pressures associated with standard ammunition. Such 
pressures may affect the wear characteristics or exceed the 
margin of safety built into some revolvers and could 
therefore be DANGEROUS.
•“Plus-P” ammunition should not be used in medium
(K frame) revolvers manufactured prior to 1958. Such
pre-1958 medium (K-frame) revolvers can be identified by 
the absence of a model number stamped inside...

13
MODEL NUMBER
IDENTIFICATION
The serial number and the model number appear here on your
pistol.
FIGURE 1
FIGURE 2
Equipment Rail
Trigger Guard
Trigger
Grip
Magazine
Magazine
Release
Front Sight
Rear Sight
Hammer
Frame
SlideSlide Stop
Notch
Decocking
Safety LeverEjection
Port
Slide Stop 
Extractor
Slide
Stop Pin
Barrel
Front Sight
Barrel
Bushing
Recoil Spring
Guide Rod 

14
INSPECTING YOUR
PISTOL
When you inspect your pistol, you should first check for yourself
to insure that it is unloaded. To do this, grasp the pistol with your
finger off the trigger and outside the tr
igger guard, point the
muzzle in a safe direction, rotate the decocking lever fully down
into the safe position as shown in Figure 4, depress the 
magazine release, and remove the magazine.
With the muzzle still pointing in a safe direction, grasp the
serrated sides of the slide from the rear with the...

The Smith & Wesson “double action only” pistol does not have a
decocking lever or manual safety. It does not require such a
mechanism because the hammer does not remain in the single
action (or fully-cocked) position when the slide is released after
loading and because the hammer does not remain in the
single action position after each shot.
The hammer of this pistol cannot be manually cocked before 
firing. The hammer is manufactured without a single action 
notch so that it cannot be placed manually...

Once the magazine is removed from the pistol and the 
trigger is fully released, subsequent cycling of the trigger
will not fire the pistol until the magazine is fully reinserted.
(This may not apply to certain pistols that have been
marked “CAUTION - CAPABLE OF FIRING WITHOUT
MAGAZINE”)
WARNING: Some Smith & Wesson centerfire pistols
are designed to disengage the trigger linkage, and
thereby prevent the trigger from firing the pistol
when the magazine is removed from the pistol. Be certain
to fully...

The pistol can now be fired by pulling the trigger to the 
rear.
FOR TRADITIONAL DA/SA 
•Rotate the decocking safety lever to the down (safe) position 
and leave it in that position.
•If you wish to restore the magazine in your pistol to its full
capacity, depress the magazine release and remove the 
magazine from the pistol. Remember that there is a round in 
the chamber; therefore, the weapon should be holstered or 
safely secured during this process. Load one cartridge into 
the magazine to replace...

18
WARNING:
ALL Traditional SA/DA pistols with model
designations called out by 3 or more digits,
i.e. 410, 411, 5906, 4506TSW, etc. are manufactured
with an automatic firing pin block. The automatic firing pin
block prevents the firing pin from moving forward and firing
a chambered cartridge unless the trigger is held fully
rearward. Loaded Smith & Wesson Pistols, Model 39, 52, 59,
Super 9, 4006 S/A, 5906 S/A, 745 and some 945’s have iner-
tial firing pins without an automatic firing safety plungers....

MANUAL COCKING
•On a pistol with an exposed hammer spur, the first shot may be 
fired in the single action mode when so desired. You can prepare 
your pistol for single action firing by pointing the muzzle in a safe 
direction, removing your finger from the trigger, rotating the 
decocking safety lever fully up into the fire position, and pulling 
the hammer rearward until it locks into the fully-cocked position.
DECOCKING
•If you decide not to fire after you have manually cocked the hammer 
or if you...

PRODUCT WARNING
All Smith & Wesson Handguns Capable of Double Action
Firing
•It has come to our attention that some users of 
Smith & Wesson handguns capable of firing in double action 
mode may stage the trigger in anticipation of firing a shot in 
the double action mode. Staging is the act of pulling the
trigger rearward toward — but just short of — the point 
where the hammer falls and the handgun fires. Such 
manipulation of the trigger can reduce the user’s control of 
the handgun and can result in...