Finished project: 6906 EDC for me

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Well, as I said in my earlier thread, I was looking for a 4013, but my love of the MIni-9 2nd and 3rd Gen S&W overcame me when I had an opportunity to get this minty 6906. Made a few changes, though.

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First I had an extra stainless slide release, so I trimmed the the shelf down to the same dimensions of the original 469/669 ones. It doesn't need to stick out as far as the full size does.

Second, I replaced the Ambi stainless safty lever, with a black single side 469 safety lever. Less bulk on the left side, and no protrusions on the right side.

Third, I replaced the finger rest magazine base on one of my stainless mags with a 5906/4006 magazine polymer base. I trimmed it back so it does not protrude past the grip frame. I originally had a Model 59 steel base on it, but it stuck out, and I did not want to trim the steel one back. Besides, the polymer one trimmed to the frame gives just under 1/4" more grip.

I use several different holsters. I have a Milt Sparks "Summer Special" IWB, a DeSantie "Soft Tuck" IWB that allows the shirt to be tucked in, and a vintage Safariland 469 leather belt slide. I just leave that on my belt, and slip the 6906 out when I am at home. I have a spare magazine in the glove box of both my vehicles. I feel I am "well heeled" with this set up.
 
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All mags have new factory green magazine springs, new factory green recoil spring, and new factory hammer spring. I have spare firing pin and extractor springs, but not replacing them unless I need to.

I also test fired each of my seven 12 rounders and my two non-factory Model 59 mags with 200 rounds of assorted ammo to ensure reliability. 100% using Federal 9BPLE +P+ 115s, Speer Gold Dot 124 +P, assorted 115 & 124 FMJs, and even some awful lead reloads I had. POI was basically the same at 10 yards, rapid fire with all ammo. It seemed to favor the 115s, but since it was rapid fire (1 to 1.5 shots per second) that's probably just me and target acquisition after recoil. Next time I'll do some slow fire to check non-stressed group size.

This 6906 was shot very little based on its condition. The grips are unmarked, which if it was a carry gun, even EDC like me, would have been marked up. No holster wear on the finish to speak of. It does have the late production bobbed MIM hammer.

Size-wise, it is almost as compact as my Shield .40 with the 7 round magazine, and IIRC, only 5 ounces heavier than the Shield .40. It is much easier to carry than my Glock 19.
 
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Nice.... similar to my set up on the mag...... and Summer Special

I stippled my grips; checkered areas and S&W ribbon area. Snake scale pattern with a soldering iron. (if you try it go slow so you don't warp the grips.)

Grab yourself some +2 mag bases to let you carry a 15rd mag as a spare.
 
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I have 2 469's , one is NIB , and 2 669's . They all are extremely accurate considering what they are . Mine was at the range today with a 20rd S&W mag . At 25 yards it was consistently in the 9 ring on a B-29 target . Can't ask for much more out of a carry gun .
 
Nice work, Mr. imarangemaster!

But there was something delightfully familiar about your pictures.

It wasn't because I have performed all of the same mods (and others) to my 6906 at one time or another.

It was the pistol itself.

My personal 6906 is also one with the laser engraved "Smith & Wesson" markings on the side.

It also has a "TDS7xxx" serial number.

Mine is TDS7497. Shh. Don't tell anyone. ;)

It also has three laser engraved inventory numbers in the same locations as yours.

Yours are: A0735 and mine are A0713, just 22 digits apart!

S&W customer service told me mine was shipped in 03/2000 to the California Dept. of Corrections.

So I wouldn't be a bit surprised if both of our pistols served together at one time! :cool:

I found that fascinating. :D

John
 
I have picked up two of the 469 one sided safeties. One from Numrich and one from a 469 complete slide I picked up. The one from Numrich was something like $70 + shipping. A lot, I admit, but I REALLY like not having that lump on the right side. Between that and trimming the thumb piece on the slide, it really slimmed up the pistol.
 
Nice work, Mr. imarangemaster!

But there was something delightfully familiar about your pictures.

It wasn't because I have performed all of the same mods (and others) to my 6906 at one time or another.

It was the pistol itself.

My personal 6906 is also one with the laser engraved "Smith & Wesson" markings on the side.

It also has a "TDS7xxx" serial number.

Mine is TDS7497. Shh. Don't tell anyone. ;)

It also has three laser engraved inventory numbers in the same locations as yours.

Yours are: A0735 and mine are A0713, just 22 digits apart!

S&W customer service told me mine was shipped in 03/2000 to the California Dept. of Corrections.

So I wouldn't be a bit surprised if both of our pistols served together at one time! :cool:

I found that fascinating.

That is fascinating.

So my EDC 6906 also figures into this 'Small World' story with yours and the OP's.

While not as pristine, it carries the Dept. of Corrections armory/property # of AO701. So yours and mine are but 12 digits apart.

S&W factory serial # is: TDS 75XX. Obligatory pic attached.

Now I just need to find more 12-rd mags for it. Looking to pick up 3 or 4 more.
 

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CDC Correctional Officer are unarmed As a whole, except Guard Towers have long guns (used to be Mini-14 GB Models, but not certain now). Their escapee apprehension teams are armed, but when I occasionally worked with them in the 1990s, most had 1911s. Parole Agents, on the other hand, are CDC employees, who have full LEO authority 24/7. I believe they were issued Model 6906s until 2011 when the switched to M&P 40s.
 
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With the close proximity of the serial and inventory numbers, would it seem likely that these three pistols were in the same shipment and probably went to the same office?

I wonder if the Officers who carried them knew each other and what they thought about the pistols they were carrying on the job.

As Parole Officers, I think it would also be quite entertaining to hear about some of the more amusing and unusual situations in which they had found themselves.

"California Department of Corrections Parole Officer Model 6906"

Doesn't roll off the tongue as easy as CHP4006TSW, but I think I just invented a new collectible category! :D

John
 
Nice upgrades to your Model 6906, Imarangemaster. I did the same mods to the slide stop and a carry mag for my Model 6946. The only issue I found with the modified magazine is the lack of grip that the factory base plate offers.
 

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