I sold off my my only 40 cal gun with about 500 rounds of ammo still lying around so NATURALLY I need a new handgun to shoot it all.
I'm torn between getting another 3rd gen or an M&P (maybe compact). Anybody have some suggestions, advice, generalized comments? Thanks.

I have both. but I find it hard to beat the 4006 and its weight for helping control the recoil of the 40sw round.dont get me wrong the M&P40 is a sweet shooting gun and I even have the 40c.it is great one handed I can get 2 inch groups at 15 yds. great on recoil.but there is just something about that 4006.It has a place in my heart.

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God save the SOUTH

I vote get the 4006. Superior pistol to the M&P, IMO of course.

The 4006 has a better trigger and I've found the most worn out poorly cared for 4006 to be more accurate than any M&P I've fired.

The 4006 is durable and reliable. The M&P has not been around long enough to see how durable it will be.

A nice 4006 can usually be found for less money than an M&P too. Unless you find an M&P that someone purchased based on all the hype and then discovered that they didn't like it. Those are often listed in the classifieds here for less than you will pay at the LGS.

Good luck with your decision! Regards 18DAI.

18DAI nailed it. I'd add one more thing:

You will be able to buy brand new M&P's easily for the next 5+ years at the very least so you can always buy one of those.

Of course you will always be able to buy a 4006 from someone that wants to sell one, but they are getting harder and harder to find LNIB and NIB if that is what you want. It does look like a fair amount of LE trade-ins on the market right now, but there is a finite amount of 4006's floating around.

Get a nice 4006 now- you can always buy an M&P 40 in the future. Probably for a lot less money than t hey are selling for today.

I have owned a 4006, currently have a 4003TSW, a 4013, & FS M&P40. I'm gonna' vote for the M&P40. It's so much better ergonomically, & I prefer the consistent trigger pull over the DA/SA transition of the 3rd gen pistols. I have found most 3rd gen pistols to be combat accurate, in essence not particularlly accurate. Neither are "match quality" target pistols. I shoot the M&P autos better, but that's just me, & it could be because of the nearly perfect (for me) feel of the grip.

I have a 5906, 4006, 4566TSW, and a 1006. Of the four, the 4006 is the least accurate, or maybe just the one I shoot the least accurately. That said, there are a ton of 4006's around for cheap. It may just be my individual gun.

I say vote 4006, not to dissuade you from the M&P. But i dont have a M&P but i do have a 4006TSW, and i love it, so its what i can recommend. I dont think you can go wrong with a 4006.

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Boomer Sooner

No offense to those who like the M&P, but I just couldn't warm up to it. I had the 40 compact and between the lousy trigger and the really short grips I couldn't shoot it worth a darn, and neither could my wife. It did have a soft recoil for a .40 though. I sold that gun and have never looked back.
A few months ago I found a NIB 4006TSW and there is just no comparison in my opinion. For me the 4006 fits my hand much better, the trigger is far superior, and it is much more accurate for both me and my wife. For me the 4006TSW is a keeper, and I found another NIB that I bought as a spare.
Others may find the opposite to be true, so handle each gun and shoot it before buying if possible.

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Ban lunatics and criminals

I vote for the 4006. I have one and I love it. I also have a 5906 and a 4506. I like the feel of an all steel gun in my hand. I have shot a few of the plastic guns, and I just don't care for them. The only plastic gun I own is the Kel-Tec P3AT, and it has it's niche it certain situations. My daily carry gun is the AMT Backup in 45 ACP. Again, I would opt for the 4006. You can't go wrong.

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NRA Benefactor/Cert Instructor

I should have added something to my early post, since you mentioned that you might possibly be looking for a compact model in .40 S&W

I normally shoot and carry 5906's, which are one of my all time favorite models of pistol.

I was recently looking for a compact 3rd gen S&W for CCW and had been looking for a 3913 (9mm, single stack magazine) or a 6906 (9mm, double stack). Then I started thinking that maybe I would like a .40 S&W so that opened up the search for a 4013.

I was very lucky to find a 4014, which is a blackened variant of the 4013. First trip to the range last week and I absolutely love everything about it. I put about 200 rounds through it with no FTF or any problems and it was a nice little shooter. Plus it is a lot easier to control for a compact gun in .40 S&W than anything else I've shot.

So what I'm suggesting is to look at both the 4006 (SS Frame)/4003 (Alloy Frame) guns, as well as look at the compact 40's like the 4013, 4013TSW (tactical), 4014 (pretty rare) and my favorite of all that is on my short list of wants/needs- the Shorty Forty MK III.

Finally, another great one if you want someting even smaller- The Chief's Special in .40 S&W (or "CS40".)

Good Luck!

(good friends don't let friends shoot plastic)

Thanks for the suggestion VDH!

I completely forgot about the 4013 and 4014. I have recently bought a CS45 and it is a pretty sweet gun (still haven't gotten a chance to fire it yet)

EDIT:
WOW. the 4013 and 4014 are NOT cheap. The cheapest i could find online is about 675.00. Shorty forties are going for over a grand??

sheesh

this LNIB 4014 was well under $400. Just took some patience (and maybe luck!)

yes - I've seen a lot of 4013's for $600 but I've also seen some nice ones for $400. they go quick at $350 - $400.

Also don't forget to check out the classifieds on this forum.

Attached Images

	Tim's 4014 062011.jpg (63.4 KB, 74 views)
	New 4014.jpg (72.3 KB, 69 views)

I'd trade all that .40S&W ammo for a bunch of 9mm (only because the only gun in that caliber I could ever shoot decently was a Glock 23) and get me a S&W 5906 or 6906

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"I'm your huckleberry."

The 4006 and the M&P have different trigger systems. 4006 is a 'traditional' DA/SA, while the M&P striker is more like a DAO. Pick whichever trigger suits your fancy.

Another vote for the 4006.

I was looking at glock until I shot a 3rd gen smith.I wouldnt trade my 4006 for even a new sig.

I enjoy mine,it shoots pretty darn good for a gun that been shot so many times.I was hitting 20 oz soda bottles at 30 yards with regularity, using cheap winchester white box.

Solid stainless steel,I dont think I'll ever wear them out.

4013 sounds like a good call for something a little more compact and lighter than the 4006. I found a 4013TSW locally for $530, but am not in the market for one.
I can carry the 4006TSW IWB, but it does require a sturdy belt and a decent holster. Not something I would do every day, though

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Ban lunatics and criminals

4053 -

another good choice that is often overlooked is the 4053. This is a Double Action Only version -compact .40 S&W with SS slide and alloy frame.

Thanks for the advice again.

If only I caught this special in time!
Pete's Firearms: S&W 4053 Law Enforcement trade ins

I have the M&P .40 and love it, and I 'm saving up for a 4006 as well: both great guns, the main factor is whether you want the modern polymer wondergun with 16 rounds on board or the classic lines and smooth shooting characteristics of the 3rd Generation.

For me it has a lot to do with the purpose of the pistol, I have 4 3rd gen 40s (4006, 4003, Shorty 40 gen 1, Shorty 40 gen 2). I also have a M&P40c, the M&P generally gets the utility duties like when I go walk in the morning. The 3rd gen guns normally come out when the weather turns cooler.

I like both pistols, they shoot equally well. Let's face it though we love the 3rd gen guns because they aren't plastic and they look nicer...a lot I might add. But we pay the price in weight for this line of thought.

Cheers,
Sam

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Beware the man with one gun...

I agree with Sam, both are great guns. I picked up a 4014' had it sent to the PC for a duty action job, bead blasted and re-blued. The trigger is incredible after the PC work on the gun. The gun looks brand new. I have a M&P 40c and carry a M&P 40 on duty, with a 642 backup. The trigger on both my M&P 40's are great, just different from the SA/DA on my third gen Smiths. For a CCW, I carry the 4014. I concur, they are hard to come by, especially the eight round magazines. They can be found, and I have a collection of eight now, several I found brand new still in the plastic. My M&P's are just dead accurate, almost as much as my Smith 1911.

How much was the action job on the 4014?

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M&P .40, M&P 9c & Shield 45

The M&P is a nice pistol, but the 3rd gens just have something about them the M&P line doesn't. The 4006 is a tank and will run forever. For example, when I got my 4006 used, I put some oil on the rails and fired it before taking it home. It worked perfectly. When I took it home and did a detail strip, I found the firing pin channel was filled with gunk, as it had probably never been cleaned, but it still worked. 3rd gen pistols are just plain reliable.

On a side note also look for a 4040PD in a search for a compact 3rd gen 40 cal. They can be hard to find, but are great guns, basically a 3913 in 40 cal.

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J.D. Roy

As much as I love my M&P, I like my '06 that much better. Sweet trigger (And my M&P has Apex goodies), shortest reset I have ever felt, accurate, built like a tank, and its an Alaska DPS gun so its a bit unique. I'd love to have a Shorty 40 myself but, damn, they are spendy! Maybe someday.

Heh... I haven't heard the term "spendy" since my 2 week visit to Juneau.

I have my sights on a 4043 that comes with 3 mags I found in a local classified. I plan on inspecting it on Monday to see if it's worth my while.

M&P's are certainly very nice and I wouldn't hesitate to buy one........while you are looking for a 3rd gen. Nothing feels or handles like a 3rd gen S&W.

Here's my 4014 (a blackened version of the 4013). I'd be looking for a 4013, 4013 TSW, 4014, or a CS40 if it is for CCW, since you mentioned "maybe (a) compact". And add to the list a Shorty 40/Mark III if you have the extra bucks. If you don't want a compact model definitely a 4003 or 4003 variant.

The above mentioned compacts are very concealable, but IMO handle and shoot a lot better than the polymer guns because of their ergonomics and slightly heavier weight.

Attached Images

Tim's 4014 062011.jpg (63.4 KB, 39 views)

Great looking gun. The shorties were automatically taken off my list after being thoroughly shocked by the sticker price.

The only somewhat minor cosmetic thing about the TSW series is huge engravings on the slide. It kind of gives it a toy-like appearance, imo, in fact when I first saw one I thought it was an air-soft gun.
But again, that's just me.

I finally decided to get the 4043. I ordered it from summit gun broker on Monday and it arrived at my FFL dealer on Wednesday! A full day before the projected date!
The gun is in amazing condition besides the minor holster wear and I ordered an extra two mags for ten bucks each. It's also a lot lighter than i thought it would be even with a full mag. The grand total was including the transfer fee was $369.00. Not a bad deal.
Can't wait to shoot it!

I have both the 4006 and the M&P 40. For whatever reason I shoot the M&P much better and its more accurate than my 4006. both are good guns but in this case with the 2 guns I have, I prefer the M&P, plus it holds more rounds.

I like them both, but the M&P felt too much like my Glock 22 (for me at least) and found that I shot it no better than the G22 or 4006.

Long story short: my only 40 S&W is a 4006 now.

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-Mike-