And I didn't know that.

I had no idea the Army was looking for a replacement for the M1911A1 back in the mid 1950s, but gave up on it after a while.  And that trial got us the S&W Model 39 pistols thereafter.  Neato Torpedo!.

I am sure that this was part of the big modernization that the Army was goin through post wars.  Sorta thing that lead to the M60 and M14 and the NATO standard rounds that was .280 then .308.  Plus other dead ends like the salvo guns.  Heck the M14 is practically a dead end.  I had read up on most of that stuff, but never remember the Model 39 mentioned. 

The 39 was NATO standard 9mm.  And a DA gun.  Nobody was ever happy with how much training it took to get good at the 1911 and, more importantly, to get safe with it.  1950s Private Joe Snuffy, conscriptee, needed something more E-3 proof, I guess.

(I found, even in more modern times...  If you double locked a Seaman First Class Schmuckitelli in a room overnight with nothing in it but him and two bowling balls, in the morning you'd find him, one bowling ball broken, and the other missing.  50/50 chance Schmuckitelli would be visibly drunk, too.  If not visibly drunk it just means he is doing a professional job maintaining his military bearing, but is still in his cups.  Hold fast, shipmate!) 

Anyway.  Like the M60, it looks like the army was interested in the German engineering of our vanquished foe, and wanted the 39 sorta based on the Walther P38.  Sheesh, did we have to steal EVERYTHING that wasn't nailed down from them Krauts?  Say what you will about the AR platform, at least it isn't based directly on a Squarehead design.

The 39 lead the 59, and then I get too deep into the weeds of 20th Century all metal Smith semi-autos.