.40 3rd gen S&Ws

smith46wesson

smith46wesson

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I recently acquired a pistol chambered in .40 S&W. Naturally that pistol wanted a little brother, so I ordered one. The .40 is a bit snappier and slightly more expensive to shoot than 9mm, but life is about variety, right?

Anyway, if I was looking to get a 3rd gen S&W in .40 what model numbers should I look for? I'm aware of the 4006, 4013, and 411. What others would I be looking for? Which are your favorites and why?

I find the topic of "the .40 is dead" interesting because I'm an example of someone new to the .40.
 
I've owned a mod.411, I've shot a friends 4006. I currently own a 3rd gen model 4053TSW and in my opinion it's one of the best shooting S&W .40 single stack 3rd gens out there
 
4006

I've posted about this 4006 before. I read an article about this new .40 S&W cartridge in Guns & Ammo in early 1990 and shortly there after went to my dealer and ordered this 4006. I waited several months to get it. All I can say is that it's built like a tank. I have no idea how many rounds I've put through it but suffice to say, several thousand. I still shoot it regularly and have been handloading for it since I got it. You can buy them fairly cheaply down there, for a fraction of what I paid in 1990. A robust H-D pistol that saw it's way into numerous P.D. holsters.
 

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Own 3 3rd gen .40's a 4043, 4013 Pre rail TSW and a mk3 PC Shorty .40.
All shoot well but carry the 4013 TSW the most.
Prefer the alloy frames to carry due to weight and would stick to the real 3rd gens and avoid the Value series 400 guns with the current low prices on these pistols.
 
I fully agree with 824tsv, I have a 4006 and it is built to last and shoots great. I also have a 4013TSW that is in my carry rotation.
 
I was issued a 4046 when I was a rookie LEO. It was a nice gun but was quite heavy. Not sure if the 4046 is a 3rd Gen but that's the only one I have handled.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Depends on what you want it for. I'm a DAO guy so that's all I've got in .40. I like it as a house gun and the 4046 is perfect for that. It's all stainless service sized and makes the .40 a pleasure to shoot. Nothing snappy about an all steel .40. I've also got a 4043 which is the same gun in alloy frame but I prefer the 4046. They're also very common police trade-ins so if you just want an extra .40 to have around they can be found for under $300. A lot of pistol for the money. The 4043 will probably run a hundred more.

I've also got a couple of carry .40's(plus spares),......4053 and 4053TSW. The 4053 is built on the compact alloy .45ACP single-stack frame and the 4053TSW is built on the compact alloy 9mm double-stack frame. Don't really care for the strong recoil springs and tiny grip of the 4053. The TSW is a very comfortable gun to handle.

All in all, I like the steel frame for a .40 and my carry guns are 9mm alloy frames so I guess the 4046 is my favorite .40.
 
smith46wesson said:
Anyway, if I was looking to get a 3rd gen S&W in .40 what model numbers should I look for?
Click to expand...

Kind of a vague question. What do you want to use/have it for? Lots of variety.

Checking the chart of 3rd Gen production 40 S&W models/variations, there are (28) different ones, & that doesn't include Performance Center models.

Here's the list to browse from:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/350215-complete-3rd-gen-model-list.html
.

Here's a couple of my favorites:

4013 (on the large frame)
SampW4013-01a_zps422256e8.jpg


.

4013TSW & 4056TSW (pre-rails, medium frame)
SampW4013TSWamp4056TSW-01a_zps3dbfc75e.jpg


.
 
I made a lowball "placeholder" bid on a 4043 on GunBroker and be darned if I didn't win it. It was a Memphis TN sheriffs department gun. If you like the DAO trigger and 40 cal you can get a lot of gun for the money these days.

I picked up a beautiful Beretta PX4 compact in 40 for $299 this week. The shop I bought it from proclaimed "40 is a dead caliber" so if you don't mind that, there are some real bargains. Same with 357 Sig. Bud's sold me a H&K USP compact in 357 with night sights and 3 mags for $450. The same gun in 9mm would probably have been $200 more.
 
Elkins45 said:
I made a lowball "placeholder" bid on a 4043 on GunBroker and be darned if I didn't win it. It was a Memphis TN sheriffs department gun. If you like the DAO trigger and 40 cal you can get a lot of gun for the money these days.

I picked up a beautiful Beretta PX4 compact in 40 for $299 this week. The shop I bought it from proclaimed "40 is a dead caliber" so if you don't mind that, there are some real bargains. Same with 357 Sig. Bud's sold me a H&K USP compact in 357 with night sights and 3 mags for $450. The same gun in 9mm would probably have been $200 more.
Click to expand...


there claiming dead cause the 9mm round is the cheapest to produce and shoot. I like the 40 caliber but you also have a lot of homers here would spout off the 10mm for everything. Do not think there are many in between rounds when it comes to price per shell. The 9mm will always be the cheapest to shoot and maintain due to the constant flow of the rounds and all the ammo deals out there.
 
The Performance Center .40 Limited is, in my opinion... the very finest .40 S&W chambered handgun that Smith & Wesson ever made. I would also go out on a limb and say that this pistol is the finest .40cal pistol that Smith & Wesson will -EVER- make for the entire rest of time of man's existence on this planet.

I don't know how many they managed to produce but it's been my experience that they at least seem to be even more difficult to find than the 845 Limited. And the 845 is harder to find than the PPC-9 and the 952.

I'm starting to think that I'll never get a chance to own the .40 Limited.
 
Sevens said:
The Performance Center .40 Limited is, in my opinion... the very finest .40 S&W chambered handgun that Smith & Wesson ever made. I would also go out on a limb and say that this pistol is the finest .40cal pistol that Smith & Wesson will -EVER- make for the entire rest of time of man's existence on this planet.

I don't know how many they managed to produce but it's been my experience that they at least seem to be even more difficult to find than the 845 Limited. And the 845 is harder to find than the PPC-9 and the 952.

I'm starting to think that I'll never get a chance to own the .40 Limited.
Click to expand...


I don't know what you are calling the limited. I have a Lew Horton PC Shorty 40 in black and it is just a phenomenal piece. One handed, and I like to shoot with both hands on the firearm to control placement and ensure low recoil. It is just a running machine, so smooth and accurate. Bullet after bullet feels like it is on a rail at 10-20 yards and they follow a precise path within inches of one another. I have never seen another 40 caliber do it, heck my XDM 40 with laser sights is not as easy nor as accurate for repeated testing.

To me a 9mm will always be a Hi Power
a 40 cal will always be a Smith and Wesson and
Colt will always be the 45 ACP

just the way it is.
 
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