My first S&W Auto: A 1006

Let me preface this by saying that I am not an auto guy. The automatics that I own are either utility (a Glock 19, HK USP 45 for shooting .45 Super out of) collectible (Elmer Keith's 1911, a Walther P88) or were gifts (my HK P7m13).

The P7 was given to me very early in my gun owning and I shoot it so well, and it functions so beautifully for me that I've not really desired another auto.

Some years back I did however buy a Bren Ten. The gun was NIB, with both 10mm/.45acp slides, and honestly when I sorted out the value of it and realized that I had paid peanuts for the going rate on gunbroker I felt it wasn't worth the risk of shooting it. So I sold it without ever doing so, which I somewhat regretted, and I promised myself that if I had the chance I would pick up either a re-wield Bren Ten, or a proper S&W 10mm (either 1006 or 1076), which ever presented it to me first (and was cheap, because I don't like dipping into my revolver budget for just any auto).

So at this last gunshow my decade long search ended with the purchase of this beast of a gun:





I honestly couldn't find good pricing on the dang things, they seem to have become pretty scarce, and I can hardly believe the price of the magazines. Fortunately the prior owner included the original (broken) grips, 3 additional new magazines (bringing the total to 4 mags), and the original springs (he replaced them with Wolff).

I figured though that $500 was a price I could live with, even if I was over paying. I'm mostly happy with that price, but I have to say I'm a little... worried, if that's the right word, regarding the slide hold open.

I wasn't able to use it all until I got under the grips and tweaked it a bit (using the head and a bit of the shaft of a nail) to force the pin that the side plate rests on out far enough that it was moved up into the proper position.

Still, the hold open on an empty magazine...doesn't. I assume that is a feature of the gun which should be functioning? Is there a way I can resolve this issue?

Everything else on the gun seems good, and as soon as I can find some 10mm I'll get a chance to shoot it. Anything I should look at or verify is good before I do that?

Congrats on corralling a 1006.

Similarly, I passed on several 1006s because my focus was strictly on revolvers. However, when I decided I wanted one, there were none to be found in stores or shows and I am reluctant to buy used guns online. Knowing a friend that had more than one I called and pestered him until he finally capitulated.

Something does not look right with the sideplate - it looks bent and seems to stick too far out not allowing the slide stop plunger to work properly. Post a pic without the grip if you can.

If the side plate is bent or damaged it's going to need replacing. It's a fairly thin and somewhat delicate spring, really the only delicate part on the entire gun.

You can check Gun Parts corp or Jack Frost for a new one. Extremely unlikely Smith has them

Hello Sixgun, nice choice for jumping into the pool of autos.
Just please dont go the Mod-39 pool, its getting crowded over here. Mike

Well done sir, great buy. Enjoy it.

jsbethel said:

Something does not look right with the sideplate - it looks bent and seems to stick too far out not allowing the slide stop plunger to work properly. Post a pic without the grip if you can.

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In that picture I had not tinkered with the pin that the side plate sits on, it should now be on that pin in these pictures. Does this still look wrong?

You got that Novak sighted Model 1006 with 3 spare mags for $500 ? Even if you have to put $50 or so into fixing the sideplate/hold open issue, you still got it on a half price sale.
I think you're going to like it.

Great find. Hope you get the kinks out. They are fun to shoot.

I just bought one -- TEP serial number, 4 mags, original grips and Hogue grips, two new spring sets for gun and mags for $1100. You probably got the better deal at $500.

Walter Rego said:

You got that Novak sighted Model 1006 with 3 spare mags for $500 ? Even if you have to put $50 or so into fixing the sideplate/hold open issue, you still got it on a half price sale.
I think you're going to like it.

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Oh, is the sight something unusual? Keep in mind I can't find my standard catalog at the moment, and I truly know nothing about these guns. I just always wanted one and thought $500 was a good price, so anything anyone can school me on the gun is appreciated.

Also, regarding the side plate I'll see about getting a picture without the grips on it as soon as I can get someone else to keep an eye on my rampaging toddler.

$500?!!!!!! With 3 spare S&W 10mm mags?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Holy cow! I don't ever remember seeing a Model 1006 for such a low price... ever!!!!

You did great!!!!!!

If the slide lock is not operating correctly with just one magazine, then it either a bad magazine spring or damaged follower. If it fails to engage the slide with all of the magazines, either Bubba modified the slide stop, filling away the portion that contacts the magazine follower, or the side plate is damaged, or there is dried oil inside the spring loaded ball in the slide stop. Could even be a combination.

Remove the slide and insert an empty magazine. Observe where the magazine follower engages the slide stop elevator. If it is not pushing it up such that it would lock back the slide, the side plate is likely needing replacing as it may be putting too much pressure on the slide stop to keep it from moving properly. Numrich has them under the 1086 sideplate which I am not certain if it is interchangeable with the 1006 sideplate. Otherwise it will be a hard find since Numrich is out of stock. You can contact S&W via their website and see if the part can be ordered from them.

Great price...even with the small issues. Congrats

SixgunStrumpet said:

Oh, is the sight something unusual?...

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The Novak is the standard sight. I personally think they look so much better than the adjustable sights (affectionately called "elephant ears")

S&W59 said:

Remove the slide and insert an empty magazine. Observe where the magazine follower engages the slide stop elevator. If it is not pushing it up such that it would lock back the slide, the side plate is likely needing replacing as it may be putting too much pressure on the slide stop to keep it from moving properly. Numrich has them under the 1086 sideplate which I am not certain if it is interchangeable with the 1006 sideplate. Otherwise it will be a hard find since Numrich is out of stock. You can contact S&W via their website and see if the part can be ordered from them.

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Thank you, this did the trick. After a bunch of cleaning it I've arrived at a solution.

The slide stop does engage with any of the 3 new magazines, but not with the well worn one.

So as far as I can see we are good! I mean, except for the one well used magazine which does appear to be visibly worn down when compared to the other 3 magazines.

You can order the new style, white plastic mag followers from Numrich at a very reasonable price. That should solve the issue:

Magazine Follower, New Factory Original | Gun Parts Corp.

I replaced the yellow followers in all of my Model 1006 mags with the white ones. Bought a couple of new plastic floorplates to replace some beat up ones too:

Magazine Buttplate, 10mm | Gun Parts Corp.

We have something in common... my first EVER Smith & Wesson semiautomatic was a 1006 also! I would say that this is quite uncommon.

A close friend bought a 1006 brand spankin' new in the summer of 1992 on my recommendation. In 1995 (or maybe it was 1996...?) he sold it to me, on the recommendation of his not-yet-but-should-have-been-fast-tracked FORMER wife.

So it was my first ever pistol and I was have been around it since it's day one, together we had put four boxes of factory ammo through it to compile enough brass so that I could start handloading ammo for it. Mine's an early gun dating to March of 1990, by serial number, yours is even a bit earlier than mine.

I had to scroll back up and check the date when I saw 500 bucks. I thought it was a zombie post from 5 years ago. Or more.

I, too, think it would run to about a grand.

Nice catch!

White mag followers and floorplates are also in stock now at Midway. Followers are a little cheaper than Numrich, floorplates a little higher. Midway does ship fast.

Followers: Smith & Wesson Mag Follower S&W 1006 1026 1066 1076 1086

Floorplates: Smith & Wesson Mag Floorplate S&W 1006 1026 1066 1076 1086

Very nice, O.P.!

Yours is the first 1006 I've seen that appears to have an earlier serial number than mine, which is also a fixed sight model (TET19XX).