Latest Acquisition

[imarangemaster]

I have had a couple blued 469s, two 669s, and even a couple 6906s. The 6906s shot better and have a better grip, but the 469 has a retro cool factor, as well as memories of shooting the original 40 years ago (when I was young and had hair!)

 

[imarangemaster]

I was rummaging around in my ammo closet and for about 20 rounds of 1990 vintage Speer Lawman 100 grain JHP (truncated cone shaped hollow point), that I used to carry as duty ammo and in my first 469 I used for off-duty wear. It was pretty zippy stuff at over 1300 FPS, IIRC. It was a really great load, and our 1st gen Smiths really liked it.

I may load a 469 mag full, and carry this for concealed occasionally, just for old times sake. The memories.

 

[mikeruns]

I always liked those 1st and 2nd gen guns…had a couple similar but 3rd gen dao in the 6946 which was amazingly accurate and had an incredible double action pull…and then another called the 4053 in single stack alloy frame though-it was really a chopped large frame like the 1006 or 4506 cut down to compact…that one is a popular model that folks sometimes convert to 10mm successfully and safely…..me, I just buy a dedicated 10 mm lol…anyways, congrats on a fine looking and interesting piece of Americana-thanks for sharing

 

[imarangemaster]

I have had a soft spot in my heart for S&W automatics since I first fire a Salinas PD officer's Model 59 at the POST Academy in 1975. I bought my own in about 1976/77, and then carried it as a duty weapon until the late 1980s. It was around 1982 while working as an officer and Range Master at a PD in the Seattle area (where we carried Model 59s), that I got to shoot a pre-production sample of the 469 that the S&W LE rep brought us to try.

I bought one as soon as they became generally available. Out of these last 40 years, probably the better part of 2/3s of that time I have had a 469, 669, or 6906. This nickel 469 is one that escaped me until now!

 

[toddimusnimski]

Hi, noticed you prefix TAD and out of curiosity checked SCSW 4th edition. Appendix B says that prefix reported shipped in 1984. The section regarding the 669 says it was introduced in late 1985 with TAK original prefix. It later says introduced in 1985 at SN TAE 0001. Either way, you got them beat! Curious what the factory will give as the shipping date.

Added: ok, looks like I'm confusing the 669 with your 469. Book says the 469 was discontinued in April 1989 with 97,261 produced. Some were satin nickel plated for Ashland Shooting Supplies in summer 1984 with SN prefix TAB.

 

[imarangemaster]

Factory gave me 1990 for shipping date! Thats a year or two after the 6906 was introduced.... My understanding is that they ceased the nickel finished 469s like mine once they started producing the the 669. Also, the early pebble finish grips would be correct for 1985, where a later 469 would have had the later grips with chequering insets.

 

[toddimusnimski]

Interesting! How about this: Member DCW posted this pic of his 669 TAE 0001 in a 2019 discussion about this model (PLEASE let me know sir if I'm out of line reposting one of your pics). I know, I know, S&W didnt always assign SN's in alphabetical order. Still...

 

[imarangemaster]

I wonder if maybe it was issued in 1985, but ended up back at the factory, (maybe warranty?) and was reshipped in 1990? Maybe I should go through the process and get a factory letter.

 

[imarangemaster]

My 10 day Commiefornia jail ends today, so Wednesday when I go to work, I'll pick it up. Just for grins, I grabbed my IWB holster for it, and loaded a mag with the 100 JHP Speer Lawmans, to use it for my carry piece for a few days, for old time's sake....

 

[Grey675]

It's a lovely gun. The nickel is fancier than stainless.

I am really fond of the blue (black) 469 that I bought new in the mid '80s. I still carry and shoot it sometimes. A fine gun to use or just own.

 

[imarangemaster]

I was also in a special plain clothes unit cal C.R.U. (Crime Reduction Unit) while I was there. We were like the old LAPD plain clothes "Frank" cars (Felony) of the 70s and 80s. We worked trouble spots, serial crimes, and surveillance of bad guys for the Detective Division.

At times, I would carry my 469 in a Rogers shoulder holster, that had a double magazine pouch and handcuff case on the off-side. I also had a Roy's Pancake holster for it.

Rogers was big into Law Enforcement holsters. They developed the Level III retention duty holster. Safariland bought out Rogers in the late 80s or early 90s, just to obtain the patent and production rights to the level III holster.

One of my jobs as a Rangemaster and Firearms instructor was to evaluate new guns and equipment. I got one of the Level III holsters to try for the 59s we carried. It was drastically different presentation than the Border Patrol rigs we had been using.

I practice 500 presentations to create muscle memory. That went out the window one day when I was on patrol and dispatch put out a BOLO for a stolen vehicle. It was the car in front of me driving down NE 8th street! The crook saw me checking him out in his rear view mirror, slammed on the brakes, and jumped out abandoning the car and taking leg bail.

I jumped out, adrenaline flowing, and tried to draw my Model 59. My mind went back to border patrol, but it was stuck in my Level III! I yanked so hard, I pulled the holster (with pistol in it) off the belt loop part of it, and stood there like a dummy holding my service useless pistol encased in it holster cocoon!

 

[imarangemaster]

Got it out of 10 day Commiefornia Jail, and picked it up from the shop. I still have half a dozen mags (3 blued 469 and 3 stainless 6906). I loaded a couple mags up with Federal 9BPLE 115 +P+, and noticed two of the mags had really soft springs. Ordered 6 new OEM S&W mag springs from Midway, as well as a new OEM S&W recoil spring.

I also have in my stuff a new extractor spring and mainspring. I'll see how it does, though, before I change them out. My last 669 and the 6906 I had after it both preferred the 9BPLE over either Federal HST or Speer Gold Dot 124 +P.

 

[imarangemaster]

OK, I want to have a vote: Which is "Cooler"?

Top is my new 469 (which has the cool factor of being the same gun I the pre-production sample I shot in 1982, and carried when I was in C.R.U.).

The bottom is the 6906 I had, that I sold to fund my Glock 43X purchase (a gun that is almost impossible to find in Commiefornia since it is not on the approved roster of neutered pistols!)

I will grant that the 6906 has a better grip than the 469, though I shoot 469s equally well as the 6906.

Interestingly enough, the 469 fits perfectly in the high-rise OWB holster that was custom designed for my Glock 43X 9mm. While the 469 is a couple ounces heavier, with aluminum frame and 2 more rounds, it feels and carries the same as the 43X in this holster.

 

[toddimusnimski]

A vote for the 469. Your nickel version doesn't show up every day! The grip might be more comfy with a 15 round mag and a Grip Plus 2 adapter. My 669 seems to like it.

 

[ToLiveAndDieInLA]

Tough one. Prefer the look of the rounded trigger guard over the hooked. But that nickel coating looks sharp.

Glad to see another Cali Smith-semi fan.

 

[GT_80]

Still working part time at the local gunshop. The owner is gone on vacation for a week, so I am running it for him.

An older guy (which is funny for me to say, as I am turning 70 in two months!) comes in and wants to consign a nickel 469 in 98% shape. He wants to buy a .38 revolver to replace it. Even if he sold for $500, after his 20% commission, he would only net $400, and would have to wait until it sold, etc.

Well, I liked it, so I offered him more than he would have made if he consigned it, even if it sold for $500. A deal was struck, and he put that towards a revolver. The 469 is now in Commiefornia's 10 day jail, so I can pick it up on the 15th. Now we are both happy!

As I have said before, I have a soft spot for the 469s, since I shot a pre-production sample in the early 1980s, that the S&W LE rep brought to the PD where I was a rangemaster in the 1980s. (We carried S&W Model 59s then). I have since owned two blued 469s, and several stainless 669 and 6906s, but this is my first nickel 469!

The 469 is nickel plated, and has the early pebble-grain grips, so its fairly rare, I think, since the vast majority of early ones were blued. I emailed S&W customer support to get a born on date, and confirm it was nickel when it left the factory.

I am really happy with it. I may leave it locked up in my RV trailer for a travel gun.

Not the nicest looking lettering on that guy, but I would be happy to own it as well

 

[imarangemaster]

Got my new factory mag springs and recoil spring. All the mag springs were much softer than the new ones. I was amazed how degraded the recoil spring was! The used one was over 3/4" shorter than the new one, and felt much softer than the spring I took out. I am planning a range day in a couple weeks, so I will see how it does.

 

[DUSTYDOGDAN]

Scored a 1076 to the safe a few weeks ago.

Added to my 10mm collection a few weeks ago. I now have 1006, 1086 , 1026 and a 1076.

 

[imarangemaster]

Cool! I like the 10mm.

 

[NevadaBob]

imarangemaster...Love your two S&W's...but more than that love your Tuolumne County badge! We lived there from 1985 to 1997 (Jamestown on Black Bart Drive). I remember Dick Rogers was the sheriff for a period of time. It was a good place/time to raise a family. We've been in Reno since 1997.