https://hushpuppyproject.com/hush-puppy-history/

The major failing here is what the seller thinks it's worth.  He is staggeringly far off in my opinion:

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1154032421

TXGunNut said
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
  

Concur. The design was really advanced for 1955 and very comfortable to shoot. I've always preferred single-stack automatics and the 39 was "right-sized."  The factory barrel could be gunsmithed by adding to the lugs and then hand-fitting or there were custom barrels. Not cheap. I never owned one of the later 4-digit models but there was one little single-stack marked "Ladysmith" that burly male investigators really liked because it was so compact and reliable. Smith finally made a version of it without the feminine  rollmark. Of course, the 10-round P365 has pretty much made all the foregoing pocket nines obsolete. 

I've never understood why I'm drawn to the neglected stepchild of the 94 family. At least I'm in good company. It's not because my dollar goes further when I "settle" for a 32WS because I was drawn to them before I noticed that. Reloaders know there is no difference performance-wise between the 30WCF and 32WS, one will do everything the other will do and vice-versa. 

I'm thinking these may have actually been mats used to protect a glass countertop or display case, I happen to have a table that needs a mat and one like that would be nice. I'll see what the Goles have to offer when we get to Cody.

Mike

TXGunNut said

steve004 said

Tony Ford said
32WS
  

Yes!
  

Steve-
I'm pretty sure you can smell a 32WS just by looking at a good photograph!
 
Mike
  

Mike - I'll admit I'm probably pretty transparent.

steve004 said

Tony Ford said
32WS
  

Yes!

Steve-

I'm pretty sure you can smell a 32WS just by looking at a good photograph!

Mike

Mike

Zebulon said
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.
  

OH gosh.  The 39 can't be sent to Ca.  But if one's already here I could buy it.  The only Smiths that I have left are a 1990's 357 and a Schofield. 

Tony Ford said
32WS
  

Yes!

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

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.