Is my 4006 weird or what?

[R1_Demon]

Hey all...

I'm almost starting to wonder if my 4006 has a weird setup or something. LOL

Almost any time I look at/for pictures of other 4006's, almost none of them have a bobbed hammer like mine. As far as I know, I don't have any special version of the model or anything. I mean, I used to carry it on duty, but it wasn't purchased by the department or anything. It was a private purchase originally.

Would this be a special order kind of thing or just an option that most people didn't order/buy? I didn't buy the firearm new, but the guy I bought it from years ago only put like 50-100 rounds through it and didn't like it and wanted a Glock, so I traded him my G22 for it at the time because I wanted something different than the G22 & wanted a stainless gun at the time.

So, I was just wondering if someone here knew something that I didn't know about it. Just seems like my "version" of the firearm is an oddity. Not that it's a bad thing I guess and I doubt that it will add anything to the resale value of it, but I was just kind of curious about it.

Would love to hear if anyone had any info about it.

Thanks for reading!
Mat

 

[novalty]

Pictures please. Don't recall any special bobbed hammers. Owner's have been known to do their own "bob job."

 

[XTrooper]

I can't tell whether you're surprised that it has a bobbed hammer or if you're saying that it has some kind of "special" bobbed hammer. In case it's the former, here's the explanation of why you don't see as many with bobbed hammer. If it's the latter, a photo would be a big help.

Except for certain police contract pistols (like the CHP pistols), the bobbed hammer option was discontinued in 1991 so examples with bobbed hammers are not nearly as common as those examples with spur hammers.

Here's mine from 1990.

 

[R1_Demon]

Steve - That would do it then...Mine is definitely an early model then. I guess he must have had it longer than he told me because I didn't get it until 1994 if I remember correctly. Either that or he just didn't shoot it much initially after he purchased it in 1990-1991 until I bought it off of him in 1994.

I'm not really surprised that it has a bobbed hammer. I'm just surprised I don't see more of them with a bobbed hammer is all, so I was wondering if it was a limited production of them or what.

Here are a few pics of mine. Looks just like yours from what I see. My serial also starts with TFE, just like yours does. I really don't think it was a "homemade bob job".

 

[novalty]

Looks like a factory bobbed hammer too me.

 

[XTrooper]

Nope, that's not a homemade job.

Great-looking too! It appears to be in really nice condition!

 

[novalty]

Here is one from an auction.

 

[CL21376]

Interesting thread...I have a similar 4006 and kinda wondered the same thing.

How can you tell the hammer was DIY and not factory? I have only ever seen this variety, and the ones with black trigger/spurred hammer.

Below is my 4006, TFF serial # range. Fresh back from Trijicon with re-lamped night-sights

 

[XTrooper]

I've never seen a DIY hammer on a 3rd Gen pistol. However, if one exists, it won't have the serrations if made from a bobbed spur hammer.

 

[CL21376]

i suppose that makes sense...my hammer looks exactly the same as R1s

 

[tgwillard]

I have a CHP 4006 and it has the bobbed hammer the same as yours.

 

[XTrooper]

i suppose that makes sense...my hammer looks exactly the same as R1s

Smith & Wesson used the same hammer on all the 3rd Gen bobbed hammer models. The serrations are there so that the hammer can be cocked for the first shot on models that allow this option like the frame-mounted decocker models.

Here are two photos of my 1026 and 1076. You can see that on these models the hammer sits at a half-cock position allowing the hammer to be cocked for the first shot. Because of the lack of a spur, the serrations are there to aid the shooter in cocking the hammer.

 

[R1_Demon]

Steve - Thanks for the compliment on my pistol. I do try my best to take care of my pistols. Unfortunately on the rear shots you can see a bit of gun oil residue. I didn't notice that until looking at the picture now. I should have cleaned it up a bit before taking the pics, but I was tired after my shift, so I just wanted to get the pics done to post. LOL

Also, appreciate the info on the hammer. However, I don't think I'd want to try and cock that thing with those serrated edges! My luck it would slip off my thumb and bang! LOL

But the good thing is, that bobbed hammer doesn't get caught up on anything when you're carrying it CC and have to draw it, so that is definitely one big plus of it.

But I'm glad to see that others have it as well and it's not some kind of freak show that I own. LOL!

Mat

 

[XTrooper]

The DA/SA models like the 4006 were never intended to be cocked by hand as there is no half cock position on them. However, on the models like my 1076 where the hammer can be manually cocked, if the hammer did slip while you were cocking it, the firing pin safety, which is engaged until the trigger is pulled, would prevent the firing pin from moving forward and striking the cartridge primer. No danger of the pistol firing!

 

[R1_Demon]

Sorry, I understood what you meant, but I didn't word my reply very well. I wouldn't try it with mine because I know it's not designed to be cocked by the hammer, but I don't even know if I'd want to do it on one that is designed to do it (such as the 1076 you mentioned).

Although it does make sense that the firing pin would be blocked while cocking it, so that would be a good thing.

 

[finesse_r]

Smith & Wesson used the same hammer on all the 3rd Gen bobbed hammer models. The serrations are there so that the hammer can be cocked for the first shot on models that allow this option like the frame-mounted decocker models.

Here are two photos of my 1026 and 1076. You can see that on these models the hammer sits at a half-cock position allowing the hammer to be cocked for the first shot. Because of the lack of a spur, the serrations are there to aid the shooter in cocking the hammer.

Most 4006/4003 came with a hammer spur from the factory. Smith & Wesson made some with bobbed hammers like yours which has a bobbed hammer that extends out of the rear a small amount and might almost be useable to cock the gun. Others were made with the hammers bobbed flush with the gun like the double action only models. Most of them can be switched out from one gun to another. Some police departments ordered special runs with the hammers bobbed for political reasons.

So the bobbed hammer could well have been changed out after market by ordering a bobbed hammer and installing it or someone may have switched it out with one of their guns that came with a bobbed hammer, or it may have come from the factory bobbed like that. If it is a police trade in it was probably from a special run.

The Atlanta Police had a special run of 4003's with bobbed hammers, that have been flooding the auction sites for months. There are some listed on Gun Broker right now. The hammers on them are flush and cannot be used at all to cock the pistol.

I would like to have a hammer spur on my 4013 and I might trade one out with a 4006 or most likely I may just order a new 4006 hammer with a hammer spur for the 4013. So the type hammer you have is unusual for a 4006, but not unheard of and it could be a replacement hammer or it may have been made that way. I don't know if S&W can provide info on how it was made or not.