Just won one of these at auction for under $300, I was doing a great job resisting an all steel, American made auto for a dirt-cheap starting bid...until I saw that it has my initials for the serial number prefix.
What's the scoop on these? Why so cheap? Just an unwanted redheaded DAO stepchild?
I don't have an all steel .40S&W, all i've got are a sig p229 and a Steyr M40, so this should be an even softer shooter than the Sig which is currently my favorite .40S&W
Couple of questions for the 3rd gen fans of the board,
Can this be converted to 9mm? If so, what parts are needed?
What parts are needed to convert to a SA/DA?
What goodies come with the TSW version that didn't come on the standard 4046?
Gotta love the 3rd gens though, The only gun I've ever owned that even decades after production ended, brand new factory grips are only $20.
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I cant see from the small pictures, but the Brinks guns had the Brinks Shield on right side of slide.
As to the difference between the 4046 and the 4046TSW, the TSW had a heavier frame, slide, and barrel (not interchangeable with 4046) and the TSW was available with or without a riveted on accessory rail. (Most if not all of the Brinks TSW units had the rail.)
It appears Brinks initially bought the 4046 model (circa 1999), but switched to the 4046TSW in 2000. Later, or possibly regionally they also bought 5946TSW pistols.
The 4046TSW were purchased by Brinks as early as 2000 (mostly TDS prefix), again in 2002 (mostly TDU prefix often with an additional SP number on right side of frame), 2003 (VJL prefix), and as late as 2005 (BDH prefix). SKU was 148908 and I believe most had Night Sights.
Those are the most common s/n prefixes I have seen, but I have also seen multiple BAW, BAY, BDJ, BDK, VJC, VJD, VJE and an odd JRD serial number prefix (only JRD s/n prefix I have ever seen on anything), so there were a lot of the Brinks 4046TSW pistols. Be aware you can put a Brinks marked 4046TSW slide on a non-Brinks 4046TSW pistol (maybe the JRD prefix pistol - maybe it was a warranty replacement frame)
A couple of years back, there were lots of the 4046TSW, 4046 (non-TSW), and a few 5906TSW with Brinks logo which were surplused. Market was saturated. The 4046 and 4046TSW were going for around $300+/-.
(As an aside, I had a 4046 (non-TSW) Brinks with an EKZ prefix that dated by SW to 5/1999 and a 5946TSW brinks with a BDK prefix that dated by SW as 3/2006)
They were pretty dirty with beat up grips but mostly in decent condition inside. Supposedly they were issued for use on a daily basis and therefore suffered from not being cleaned regularly. I have owned 3 (could not resist at the prices back then). Mine all cleaned up pretty good and shot good.
You should immediately replace the recoil spring if it hasnt been replaced.
Used Mags are readily available for about $30 on GB, maybe other sites. Mag springs, followers, and bases as well as recoil springs and grips are readily available from the usual sources.
I have seen them cleaned up go for $500+/- but DAO and 40 cal keep them well below TDA and 9mm like 5906TSW etc. I havent seen any for $300 in a while, but any 3rd gen pistol in decent mechanical condition for $300 is a steal.
