4046

[Mfreem08]

Found a 4046 today & it got in the car with me to come home. Hmm.
Anyway, gun has some minor rubs on the muzzle end otherwise like new. Doesn't seem to have been fired much & good possibility it was local LEO. Gun came with 2 11 round & 1 10 round magazine. Original box & single magazine holster. $390 otd. I was pretty happy price wise. My only/single hesitation is the HEAVY DAO trigger. Wolf springs help this?? I have a 910s but that's DA/SA so completely different animal.

 

[Mfreem08]

Obligatory pic

 

[quikdraw67]

S&W "DAO" trigger is different from a regular DAO trigger in that it is partially pre-cocked, and doesn't have a 2nd strike capability.

I have a 4043, same gun as yours except an alloy frame, and the trigger on mine is pretty good.

Someone with more knowledge about the springs will be along, but I'd say you did well on the price, congrats.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Found a 4046 today...
My only/single hesitation is the HEAVY DAO trigger. Wolf springs help this??

The first thing I do on any "new-to-me" 3rd Gen, after giving them a good cleaning & lube, is replace the recoil, firing, hammer & magazine springs.

No idea exactly what spring(s) they have installed nor how much use they have.

I frequently put various weight lighter hammer/mainsprings in them. Many people poo-poo this practice but I've never had any FTF with them & all my handloads use CCI primers.

That said, most of mine are not used for SD & any one that will be used for SD gets thorough dependability testing with the carry ammo.

I've never used lighter than a Wolff 17# hammer spring in any of them. Wolff does not make a 19#, only 18#-16# lighter springs for this model.

I would expect about a 1-1.5# lighter trigger pull with a 17# installed, assuming the installed hammer spring is a 20# spring & there's no other issues affecting trigger pull.

I don't have my 4043 anymore to measure & give you a reading from & all my other DAOs are in different frames/configurations.

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PS: a lighter hammer spring also effectively increases the load/force that the recoil spring receives during the slide's initial movement.

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[KPSqured]

I had a 4586 which I put a 17 pound mainspring and a 3 pound trigger return spring in and it was great. The trigger return spring change was the most notable change to me.

 

[Mfreem08]

@bluedot37. Thanks. I'll have to try that. I thought about just buying Wolff's recalibration pack & a 3 pack of magazine springs. Probably wait until I at least shoot it to see how it's functioning before making any changes.

 

[Redcoat3340]

I had my Brinks surplus 4046 to the range yesterday and shot it okay; not great, but okay at 10 yards. But it was clear to me I'm gonna need a bunch more trigger time to get decent+ with it. (Of course I was shooting with five different guns yesterday -- the 4046, a 6906, a SW99compact in .40, and a big 'ole 625-8 in .45 and my heavens are all those trigger different. Gotta take fewer guns and shoot more though each one as I get easily confused as the triggers change. [At least that's my story for a mediocre day and I'm stick'n to it.])

And congrats on your pickup. You scored good with that price.

And thanks to BlueDot for the tip on changing springs. I'll be ordering some new ones tomorrow. (Question: Do you change the weight of the recoil spring when you put in the lighter hammer spring? If you do, what do you use?)

(Note: I liked the DAO so much on the 4046, I am purchasing a 3953 from another member here, and I'll be keeping it stock, not like the 5946TSW BCMC converted to DA/SA.)

 

[stansdds]

I have a 6946, which has the same design DAO as the 4046 pictured above. Mine is very smooth and about 8 pounds, feels almost exactly like the trigger in my 640-1 revolver.

 

[3rdgenfriend]

Agreed, I love my 6946 ( got last year for $450.00) while the DAO trigger pull is heavier, it is a really great shooter and accurate (Novak sites) and feels good in the hand (hogue grips) . Thinking of using it for IDPA as I have 6 Mags for it, 4 12 rounders (uses 469 mags also and vise versa) and 2 15 rounders (can use my 5904 mags with the 6946) Great find and great price, congratulations !! Enjoy !!

 

[stansdds]

I picked up my 6946 for $300 OTD. Of course, that was about a dozen years ago.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

(Question: Do you change the weight of the recoil spring when you put in the lighter hammer spring? If you do, what do you use?)

I'd say what you normally shoot in it would be relevant.

Light factory loads? Probably not matter much.

Full handloads? I'd go up a few pounds on the recoil spring if you go to a 17# mainspring.

Wolff #46917 is their standard weight (17#) recoil spring. Then they go up to 18#, 20# & 22# weights.

I previously documented a spring test on my 3914DAO that's a different pistol but still relatable in what was changed & the results.

The standard factory mainspring & recoil were replaced with a lighter mainspring but heavier recoil spring.

The mainspring exerts it's most force on the slide's rearward motion about the time the barrel unlocks & drops down.

The increase in the recoil spring's weight (+3#) negates the loss from the lighter (-3#) mainspring at unlocking and adds to the fully rearward slide's compressed recoil spring's force (16# to 19# = +3#)

Just depends on what you're trying to achieve.

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[stansdds]

But, there is a trade off when trying to rely upon a heavy recoil spring to compensate for a lighter main spring. The heavier recoil spring will send the slide forward with a lot more momentum. That increased force will be absorbed by the slide stop pin when the barrel goes into lockup. The pin transmits the force to the receiver via the pin holes. Steel frames will usually not be damaged, but aluminum alloy frames can allow the pin hole to deform, slowly wallowing out the hole.

 

[kraynky]

I stuck with the factory springs in my 4046, and just shot a few hundred rounds through it. Either it got better or I got adjusted to the trigger.

The first pull is a bit stiffer, but (with an empty magazine and chamber) if you keep the trigger pulled to the rear and recycle the slide, then only let the trigger up until it resets, the next pull is a bit smoother/lighter.

At least mine is. I liked it so much I also bought a 5946 when I ran across it later. Operation is the same. I'm sticking to factory specs when replacing springs.

I hope to find some other DAO 3rd gens to go with these. . My 45 collection needs one for sure.

 

[Redcoat3340]

Wooo Hooo! Changed the springs myself!

I know, most everbody can do it and it ain't a big job. The hammer spring and recoil spring are nothing, but I was a little concerned changing the firing pin spring, just 'cause I've never done it before. But thanks to a member's post from 11 years ago (KPSqured from 7/29/2011) I took it step by step and bingo, a new firing pin spring to go along with an 18#recoil spring and 17#hammer spring.
Can't say the trigger is all that much lighter (now at a constant 8#s) but it feels smoother and I know those three springs ain't gonna be a problem for a whole bunch of bullets from now.
Family superbowl party tomorrow, but to the range on Tuesday to give it another try.

 

[rjm6120]

I am in the market for a 3rd gen, decent condition .40 and there is a local FFL who has an ArmsList ad for a VG condition 4046 with 1 mag (I believe) for $350 OTD. Granted, I would rather have a traditional DA/SA, but I think this is a good deal for a 3rd gen .40.

I keep trying to talk myself out of doing this, as I have to start paying off a 3" Colt Python that I just picked up last weekend. These deals always come along at the darndest times.

 

[ACEd]

Good price - Best buys are if you can see / handle / check condition - if you like it, grab it. Plan on putting recoil spring in it as a minimum if you dont know its history - about $10 as I recall. And last I saw you could still get magazines in the $25-30 range (may be more expensive now?)

You can buy Brinks surplus 4046 with 1 mag on major auction site, but by the time you pay tax and shipping, you are at $350 plus paying your FFL to receive / transfer.

Some of the Brinks guns are pretty good condition but some of the Brinks 4046 currently on auction are pretty well used and very dirty - robust, but will take some effort to bring to good condition.

If you are too late on the one you saw, PM me.