How To Disassemble a Smith & Wesson 9mm 5904

The Smith & Wesson 5904 is a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. Part of the company's 59 series that ranged from the 5903 to the 5946, the 5904 was introduced in 1989. This gun is a hefty, no-frills model designed to meet specifications of domestic United States law enforcement. It was standard issue at many departments in the early 1990s, most notably the New York and Los Angeles police departments. Most used 5904 models found on the market today will be police-retired surplus. The all-stainless steel 5904 comes with a regulation blued finish and a 15-round magazine. Its barrel length is 4 inches and it weighs 2.4 pounds. The manufacturer's field-stripping procedure disassembles the 5904 into major components for routine cleaning and inspection. No tools are required.

Instructions

    • 1

      Press the magazine release and remove the magazine. Pull the slide back and lock it. Verify that no rounds of ammunition are in the chamber or the magazine well.

    • 2

      Pull the slide further back until the slide stop notch on the right side of the slide lines up with the slide stop. Grasp the slide and frame securely in one hand. With the other hand, firmly press inward on the rounded slide stop pin from the reverse side of the gun and push it out. Remove the slide stop. Relax your grip and allow the slide to move forward slowly.

    • 3

      Pull the slide all the way forward and off the frame. Keep your fingers curled around the slide as you remove it to keep the recoil spring and guide rod in place.

    • 4

      Compress the recoil spring slightly and remove the spring assembly from the small cut in the barrel lug. Lift the spring assembly out of the slide slowly to decompress the spring. Remove the recoil spring from the guide rod.

    • 5

      Lift the back end of the barrel, pull it toward the rear and remove it from the slide.