Hi All:
been lurking for a while & i have a question about the 4006tsw.
i've read some reviews & not all are favorable. most complain about the gun's weight & the grip.

i searched it on policelink.monster.com & several comments were from LEO with depts. that issued it as an on-duty weapon.

i don't care about that because it's only going to be a range gun.

i also read some of the comments on this site & most are favorable.

i'll be looking for a used version on gunbroker & wondered if any one here has one of the Atlanta Pd trade-ins.

thanx in advance,
trailblazer

Trailblazer,

I've got three 40xx-series pistols and can tell you that, yes, the all steel versions are heavy. They're all steel, ya' know! :-)

Don't let that discourage you, though. They are great guns, rugged and dependable to a fault. I would not want to carry one concealed (particularly IWB), but as a range gun or a home defense gun they are first rate. Most available on the used market today are police trade-ins. My experience is that by-and-large these pistols have been carried a lot but shot a little. They will show considerable holster wear but will be in very good shape internally.

Another tidbit when shopping for one of these used - don't pay extra for night sights! Most of the tritium sights on police trade-ins have burned out long ago and are virtually useless. I have purchased perhaps half a dozen used police pistols of different makes that the seller tried to up the price on because they had tritium sights. I got burned once, but not ever again and refuse to pay extra unless they were installed within a year of my purchasing the pistol.

As for the Atlanta PD trade-ins, I have not seen any 4006 trade-ins but there are plenty of good Atlanta PD 4003TSWs popping up (there are a lot of them showing up in the gun shops around Atlanta). I picked up a nice one a few weeks ago with almost no frame wear (a real concern on the alloy frame models) and I love it!

thank you, bwh.

Two points:

I, too, have several S&W third generation police trade-ins with dim night sights. A call to Trijicon (assuming they are Trijicon sights, not all are) reveals they will recharge/replace the inserts for $18/per insert. That's $54 vice over $100 for new sights. (I haven't shipped any slides to them yet; still trying to figure out what tos end.)

I spent several hours at the Atlanta airport this weekend and spoke with a couple of Atlanta officers. Asked why they dumped their 4003TSWs for M&Ps: a few didn't know, a few said, "Cracked frames." I couldn't pin down a "number of rounds fired" before the cracks began appearing. The older guys appeared to be happy with their 4003s (but were carrying the issue M&P).

Recall the FBI pistol tests of 1988 or thereabouts. They reported frame cracks in EVERY aluminum-frame gun they tested by (IIRC) the 6,000 round point. This was ALL aluminum framed pistols, not just one manufacturer. Important for a range gun, less so for a carry gun.

I recently purchased one of the APD 4003TSWs. No visible wear on the frame, no burnishing of the barrel over the chamber (from slide travel) indicating lots of shooting, etc. I suspect the 4003 will outlast me.

hoplophile:

can you tell me how the factory warranty applies to the second & subsequent owners?

Generally, it doesn't. There are 3rd Gen owners on this board who have reported sending old, used to S&W for repairs. Some report not being charged, other report getting a bill. Doesn't seem to be any consistency.

But the good news it that S&W will service a pistol that was made a decade or more ago!

You can't go wrong with a 4006 for a range gun. They are very reliable and the weight helps absorb recoil for long sessions. As for the grips, I like them, but that is one of those personal choices. There are options out there, such as a Hogue slip on grip or hogue rubber grips if those suit you better.

__________________
J.D. Roy

thank you all for posting....can any of you give me a range of values for the 40** series?

i realize it's all based on the condition of each gun. box/no box, scratches, holster wear, model etc.

i just need a range, or if you can tell where to find suggested values on-line i would appreciate it.

also, what does the designation "TSW" mean?..i'm sure there are subtle differences between the two guns.

i really like the looks of the TSW, but if i need to spend more for a TSW i'd like to know what the differences are.

i did notice some of the TSWs come with more mag. capacity. if that's the case, i prefer a single stack as opposed to double...(i'm a little concerned about grip size).


if it helps, i have a Bersa Pro 9mmHC (17+1) mag the fits my hand perfectly.

i've tried searching Google but just can't seem to find a comprehensive site that offers all the info. i'm looking for.


thank you all,
trailblazer

i just clicked on another thread in this forum & found a wealth of information from KURTC that i can use.

it was concise & perfectly timed to some of my non-knowledge.

thanx again.

Trailblazer, here is an old description of what the TSW pistols have that the std. 4006 does not. I own a 4006TSW that I enjoy shooting quite a bit. It was the only caliber ammo I could find over the last 6 mos at WalMart so this is why I shot it more. Soft recoil(for a 40), accurate enough to let you know you missed the mark, not the gun, and feeds all ammo reliable. The CHP(Cal. highay patrol) still carries this model as their handgun(have not heard any different in a while) and there has to be a reason they still use such a heavy weapon as compared to the Glocks, M&p's, etc. Here is the article...zorro49 Smith & Wesson Tactical Pistols | American Handgunner | Find Articles at BNET

ok folks...i think i'm settling on a 4013. however, can anyone tell me the difference between a 4013 & a 4053?

4053 is double action only, slick-sided slide (no safety protruding). 4013 is conventional DA/SA with ambi safety.

now i just need to find a decent 4013.

thank you all.

there a a couple of 4013s on GB now...however i don't see a hammer.

if a 4013 is DA/SA, why is there no hammer?

sorry if this is a silly question, but, i'm just trying to understand the subtleties of the S&Ws.

Trailblazer,

DA/SA S&W pistols with bobber hammers are not uncommon. Many law enforcement agencies ordered them in that configuration to prevent their officers from cocking the pistol for the first shot. I have an Atlanta PD 4003TSW in my collection with a bobbed hammer. Seems Atlanta ordered all of their 40xx pistols in that configuration.

The variety of configurations that S&W cranked out is what keeps collectors busy, and happy!

does any one know of a website where i can figure out how to decipher the model codes...3903, 4013, 4553 etc? not just these three, but all models.
i have some info from a couple of members in this post, but, i hate to keep asking until i figure it out myself.

http://world.guns****/handguns/hg01-e.htm

They cover most of the available models.

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J.D. Roy

FBV8:
i appreciate the help. however, when i click on this link it takes me to a search engine with a bunch of choices.

i tried it on IE & AOL.

are you sure it's correct?
thanx again.

Sorry, I fixed the link. I apparently added an extra letter in there. Note this covers the majority of the 3rd gen system. It does miss a few models. The biggest thing they forgot was the xxx4 designation. The xxx4 means that it is a carbon steel slide & alloy frame. I believe, if it is still on the forum, there was a thread that listed the models as well.

__________________
J.D. Roy

firebirdv8:

Awesome...Thank You, Thank You, Thank You.

trailblazer