To celebrate Veterans Day and finding a job for when I get out of the military next year, I decided to go buy a Smith. I'm a revolver guy, I didn't even own a S&W semi-auto handgun before today. I've wanted to jump into the 40 S&W cartridge for a while now, mainly to wring it out on the handloading bench. I had trouble finding a pistol I liked though. I'm moving away from plastic, and sadly that limits your reasonably priced options these days. I saw this 4006 at a local store a couple weeks ago and it piqued my interest. The gun shows exceptional craftsmanship, I mean you can tell a fine revolver maker produced these handguns. Trigger is nice, but everything feels dry. The gun is dripping Remoil onto a mat right now, but I snapped a pic before making a mess.



I think I'll brave the cold tomorrow morning and go make some brass at the range.

I hope everyone had a great Veterans Day. Remember our troops overseas, I have lots of friends over there still and I hope they all get home safe, and soon.

Dan

First off, nice score. NTM, you take a very beautiful picture. My main CCW is a S&W SW99-40. Fantastic weapon. I love the .40 S&W ctg.

Wow, that looks really clean. Congrats!

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NRA Certified Instructor

That makes two of us. I just re-joined the S&W club (my last was a 686 about 15 years ago) yesterday with a 4006 of my own. I've seen them for pretty cheap online, but none in as good a condition as yours and mine. I tried a couple of polymer .40s over the past few weeks, but none were acceptable to me. Either the grip was horrible or the recoil sensation caused discomfort. By contrast, shooting the .40 in a heavy steel-framed auto like a 4006 is like riding in a Cadillac. You're going to like yours and shoot it often.

Now, does anyone have production info? #TFH4xxx is close to the OP's but I can't find a serial number table anywhere.

Beautiful gun Dragon. Welcome to the 4006 club. Have had mine since 1991 or so and she is still beautiful.

And thank you for your service.

That is a nice looking 4006 there. This is a purchase you won't regret. Enjoy your new gun.

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J.D. Roy

Congrats, what a way to celebrate the day. It is a beautiful weapon (yes only a "girl" can call a weapon beautiful, and get away with it) My ex boyfriend has one and uses it as his duty weapon, and loves it.

Let me please also tell you, thank you, for your service, as the mother of an Active Duty FEMALE Marine, our armed forces is never far from my mind. My daughter's unit is currently deployed, they have lost 2 members of the unit due to a shooting in a mess hall 6 months ago.

The catalog jumps around a little in that serial range, but it looks like your gun shipped in 1989 or 1990.

Very nice, congrats!

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5903TSW 5904 5906 6906 4006

Nice. I need to get out and shoot mine.

Very nice example you got yourself there! I hope to join the 4006 owners club in 2012, I like plastic guns as well but I want to own the gun the .40 was made for.

Thanks, but since the 4006 model didn't start shipping until 1990 I'd say that would have to be the year. I agree with the last poster about the "allure" of the 4006. Polymer guns are fine, but they evoke little pride of ownership. There's nothing like 39 ounces of solid machined stainless steel to get your juices flowing. That extra "13th round" can come in pretty handy as well.

13th round??

Yeah, ain't no baker's dozen in the 06
Have another meaning? Like a back up 4013?

I think he means...one round in the chamber, 11 in the magazine, and then if that didn't do the job you club 'em with the pistol. I wouldn't want to get hit by this thing, that's for sure.

Nice snag Dragon88. It is definitely heavy enough to wallop someone with if the need arises. Also, thank you for your service.

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Ban lunatics and criminals

Yup, he figured it out!

So I take it Smith semi-autos are highly addictive? After shooting the 4006 today (it shot great) I stopped by my LGS. They have five used 2nd and 3rd gens on the shelf which I previously didn't pay any attention to. Now I have the models and prices jotted down for further research.

To be honest I never paid much attention to them either over the years, probably from having drunk too much 1911 and Glock Kool-Aid. But now that I've discovered what good guns they are it feels a shame that S&W discontinued their entire line of all-metal semi-autos a few years ago. I can understand the reasons from a business perspective, but the market lost a lot of good guns. People can pick on the 4006 for being a dinosaur, but in a home defense gun a durable, heavy steel handgun capable of firing the hottest defense ammo available is no handicap.

Actually my first gun was a third gen (4596). Over 16 years I had a couple of broken sideplates (one broken by our PD armorer who was giving it an overhaul for me and the other broke while I was shooting it, so I may have had a bad part) and it developed some feed issues from having old, worn out magazines. In a fit of stupidity, I traded it in on a plastic gun because I couldn't find mags for it anywhere and I have kicked myself for that decision ever since. After a few years without a third gen I managed to snap up a pair of NIB 4006TSWs, a NIB 410, and a pair of lightly used 3913s over the last year, and I am keeping an eye out for a nice 4566 or 4516, so yeah, I would say they are mildly addictive . Oh, and the plastic gun was traded in on the first 4006TSW, so my universe is back in balance again.

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Ban lunatics and criminals

Gotcha! Thats the truth but it sure makes for a smooth shooter.

The gun might be a dinosaur, but S&W really got it right with this one. Nice smooth feeding, I can't make it choke chambering a round even if I ride the slide forward. It doesn't chew up the brass, no ding on the side from ejection, and it doesn't spray cases all over the range and at my face.

Yup, shooting one is like riding in a Cadillac. The last time I fired a centerfire handgun that felt like this it was a SIG P226. BTW here's mine:

Like others, I love the 3rd gens myself. My first semi auto was an early 3rd gen 9mm many years ago that I let go. Then a couple years ago I came across a 4506 LE trade in I had to have. Which led to the 4006, also an ex LE gun. I've been eyeing a 4513tsw that is 4+ hours away from me. Four, 4+ hour trips would be required on my part, which I am considering, thats how much I like the 3rd gens
Heres my '06

So I did encounter an issue shooting the gun today. A few times the slide locked back prematurely. Mostly it was on the last round, but once it locked back with three rounds left in the magazine. Is this usually just shooter-induced on 3rd gens? The slide stop plunger has tension and the side plate seems fine. Looking at my grip after I got home (typical thumbs forward 1911 style), I could see how it might be the issue. The slide stop certainly has a large underside compared to a 1911 for your finger to contact.

Could be your thumb pushing up on the slide release/stop. Next time concentrate on keeping your thumb down and see what happens. I'm sure one of the Smith experts here will chime in if this has been an issue with the '06.

Yes, if I grip the gun and bring it back as if under recoil, the base of my left thumb contacts the slide stop. Is there a smaller slide stop available for the 4006? It's a nice big stop, I'm sure it works great for some, but I do not use it to drop the slide on a new magazine so it's unnecessarily big for me.

I will fire several partially loaded magazines one handed next range trip to verify it's shooter induced.

I just grabbed a 4566 and 4026 without trying to think of grip, just letting muscle memory take over, and my right thumb is bent down, and the left thumb is bent down covering the right thumb, at last a half-inch away from the slide stop lever.

I don't shoot 1911s, but I can't see myself with thumbs stuck straight out and close enough to interfere with the lever.

Not that I'm aware of, but if I were you I'd try to locate a spare slide stop, then trim it down until it isn't as obtrusive. If you screw up you'll still have your original slide stop.

some 4006 porn...

Nice find. I believe you will really like that gun.

Dragon88,

I usually shoot with straight thumbs too due to a lot of trigger time on 1911s. I rest my right thumb on the top edge of the 4006's grip panel, kind of like I am riding the safety of a 1911, and have no problems with my thumb hitting the slide stop.

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Ban lunatics and criminals

I'm not good but I'm slow. I agree . The '13th' round certainly would do some damage.

Congratulations. Nice score on a great gun.
Thank you for your service to our country.
I acquired quite a bit of ammo about four years ago due to a friend passing away.
I had guns for all the calibers except for the 2,000 rounds of 40S&W ammo.
Needless to say, I had to get a gun to go with all that ammo just sitting there.
The obvious choice for me was the 4006 which I purchased two years ago.
It is an awesome shooter.
You are going to love yours.

Stu

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NRA Benefactor/Cert Instructor

Well, the lock back issue wasn't really an issue at all. I just relaxed my left thumb today instead of shooting it straight out, and it stays away from the slide stop now. The gun shoots great.

Shown here are various DA to SA controlled pairs. Targets were stapled to a pair of E-types at 7 and 8 yards. The smaller holes are from my Colt Vest Pocket, which got some action today as the BUG. I plan to cook up some loads to try next range trip at 25 yards for groups.

Great shooting. My purchase of a 4006TSW led to me purchasing a 4003TSW. The 3rd generation autos are SO addicting. Don't say we didn't warn ya! :-)

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Un-Reconstructed Southerner

+1
I took my new to me 4013tsw to an indoor range today and had a ball. Zombies beware!

I'm going to be on the lookout for DAO model. I love the DA trigger surprisingly, a DAO would be like having a magazine fed revolver.