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Those are indeed for a Smith 39.  The model was introduced in the mid-Fifties about the same time Colt’s Commander started being chambered for the 9mm Parabellum. NATO was pushing for the nine to become the standard sidearm and subgun cartridge and Smith and Colt each fielded a proposed American officer’s pistol.  The Army conducted a trial of sorts but the idea went nowhere. 

The Model 39 and its hi-cap sibling Model 59 rocked along with modest civilian sales until Vietnam. In the late Fifties and through all of the Sixties I never saw one in a store because they were in demand by troops headed for Southeast Asia. Nine millimeter was available at American bases because other NATO allies did provide some troops. I’m told it was provided in pre-loaded Browning P-35:magazines, just as 45 ball came in preloaded 1911 magazines. A friend who served as a Junior artillery officer said the P-35:was popular with gun crews, who were very busy but feared being overrun. 

I took a like-new and in-the-box Model 39 as a fee about 1970 and found it innovative, reliable, accurate, and well-made but hard to feed — it liked ball and not much else. I traded it straight across for  a brand new Browning 22 automatic (the little takedown rifle) and a Hartmann-style factory hard case to go with it. That pistol was still hard to find and the dealer wanted it. 

Deg said
Sweet – thanks for all of that good information guys – glad I mustered up the courage to ask 
  

I’ll neither confirm nor deny having a Model 39…PM if you need a duty holster or magazine pouch.

Mike

One last thing. The 39 was not drop safe; it had no firing pin block although it did have an inertial firing pin that did not rest on a live round. The 39A had a firing pin block. [For relevance, Colt’s 1911 did not incorporate a firing pin block until Series 80 and higher. A cocked and locked Series 70 Colt dropped from 4′ onto a hard floor will fire even though the sear was not forced. It wants a Titanium firing pin.]  Zebulon out.

Another problem with the 39 is that the barrel lugs apparently didn’t engage the slide in a consistent manner and vertical fliers were common. I really liked the grip and frame shape, for an alloy frame handgun it was very pleasant to shoot. 

Mike