Help with S&W Model 39

[Black Label]

I just inherited a S&W Model 39 from my grandfather. I took it to the shooting range yesterday and put at least a hundred rounds from it and it performed flawlessly. Afterwards, I field stripped the gun, cleaned and lubricated it.

Upon trying to reassemble it, I have run into a problem, the spring loaded ejector is being held down when I put the slide back on, thus causing the gun to not shoot. I followed the reassembly instructions to the letter but none of them say anything about how to cause the ejector to rise back up.

I have noticed on the slider that there is another spring mounted piece that goes directly over the ejector and I think this is what is causing the problem. Am I correct in assuming this and if I am, how do I fix this problem?

[BETH]

welcome to the forum i am sure someone will be along to help u cause i know i can't

[Helix_FR]

Put the magazine in and try That lever (ejector) stays down with the mag out and slide closed. Hammer won't drop w/o a mag in it. Your plunger above it should be spring loaded and easily pushed into the slide. If not, its gunked up.

[Black Label]

So I shouldn't get any action from the trigger if the gun is actually empty?

[Helix_FR]

no, if the mags not in. empty mag in the hammer will still function

[JonSE]

Black Label, here is a link which will makes available many, many manuals, including one for the model 39: http://stevespages.com/page7b.htm

This link will download a PDF file for the model 39 manual, which includes a parts list in the event you cannot identify certain parts based upon verbal nomenclature.
http://stevespages.com/pdf/s&w_39.pdf

In the slide, mounted under the rear sight, are two parts: 6013 Ejector-depressor Plunger and 6014 Ejector-depressor Plunger Spring. I believe that the Ejector Depressor Plunger presses down on the ejector when the slide is in battery. A magazine in place in the weapon pushes up on the ejector. When the ejector is up, the trigger when pulled will drop the hammer. When the ejector is down, the trigger will not drop the hammer. So, if there is no magazine seated in the pistol, the hammer will not drop. As Felix FR said, check that the Ejector-depressor Plunger and Spring are not gunked up, and also the 6015 Ejector and 6017 Ejector Spring. Again, as Felix FR noted, you must have a magazine fully seated in this pistol for it to fire.

By carefully twisting the rear sight around to (I believe, as it has been a while) the right, you can expose the Ejector-depressor Plunger and Spring. It then is easily removed, thereby disabling the magazine disconnect feature, and your gun will fire without a magazine in place. I dislike magazine disconnects and always disable them on my semi-auto pistols which have them. Others like them.

[hansom]

it operates like a Ruger p89, the mag will push up the ejector assembly back into place , dont use your finger, you can end up with a nasty cut- dont ask me how i know.