Latest Acquisition

[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.

 

[imarangemaster]

Dick was a great guy. He had been a Sonora PD Sgt. before that. Hey was sheriff after Dick Nutting.

 

[NevadaBob]

Our son is a PO for Stanislaus County and lives in Modesto. Did you know the SO chaplain Everett Beeson? We knew him and went to his church in Sonora. He passed away a few weeks back at the age of 92. I also knew Lloyd Berry who was a CHP officer. I worked for Sonora Community Hospital.

 

[imarangemaster]

Wow, Everett passed away? Sad to hear that. I did know him. When I was in detectives and went to homicides or suicides, he always cam out. He was a great guy.

 

[NevadaBob]

Let me chime in keeping with the thread title: Latest Acquisition. A couple of years ago I foolishly traded off a 669 for something "bigger & better". We've all done this. But this morning I was able to make things right as I found a 669 that caught my eye on GB. It's on its way to my FFL. My gun safe has been lonely for something "all metal". Looking forward to its arrival.
My previous latest acquisition (last week) was a Kel-Tec P17 22lr semi. If you're looking for a nice performing 22 semi, check it out. Light weight and solidly built, this is a nice shooter.

 

[imarangemaster]

I know what you mean! I sold the 6906 to fund the Glock 43X purchase, and really regretted it even though I did not use it for carry very often. I am thinking. I may keep my 469 in a locked hard case in the RV Trailer we use, with 6 mags of ammo.

We live in the tinderbox of the California Sierra Foothills, and fires and evacuations are more common than one would think. We use the trailer as our "Go Bag" for evacuations. It would make a great extra EDC or trailer defense weapon.

 

[imarangemaster]

Interesting update. I sold my 6906 to fund my Glock43X (almost unobtainable in Commiefornia). I missed the 6906, and have history with the 469, so I was happy to pick up this 469.

With that said, I found I tend to carry either my nickel 469 in a IWB sticky holster, or my Ruger LC9 in my pocket. The Glock 43X was too big for pocket carry, and almost as big as the 469, though only a total of 11 onboard as opposed to the 469's 13.

Then comes the fact that I shoot the 469 MUCH better than the Glock 43X. In rapid fire, the S&W 469 groups half the size of the Glock 43X, even with the Federal 9BPLE 115 +P+.

I found a new home for the Glock, and will stick with the 469....

 

[cherrypointmarine]

I have 2 469's , one is NIB , and 2 669's . I can't explain it , but they are very accurate . I've read it explained here before , just can't remember what was said . I have 2 of the factory 20rd mags , load them up and I can shoot for a while . I don't have a 6900 series so I can't attest to their accuracy , but the 469/669's are winners in my book .

 

[stansdds]

The 469/669's accuracy largely stems from the fixed barrel bushing as opposed to the usually very sloppy fitting barrel bushing of the first and second generation full size 9mm pistols.

 

[imarangemaster]

My 469 (and my 6906 I had) is the most accurate 9mm I have owned. The only 9mm I have owned that comes close was a Browning FN P-35 Hi-Power. The 469/6906 just points so d@mn naturally.

 

[imarangemaster]

What specifically is different in a 2nd gen as opposed to first gen? I know 3rd gen (and 469/669) had fixed bushing and beveled muzzle end of the barrel. I know 2nd gen kept the 1st gen grips.

 

[JohnHL]

What specifically is different in a 2nd gen as opposed to first gen? I know 3rd gen (and 469/669) had fixed bushing and beveled muzzle end of the barrel. I know 2nd gen kept the 1st gen grips.

1st and foremost: Firing pin safety.

2nd: Compact models (469/669)

3rd: Sight upgrades (Dovetailed fixed rear sight and the absolute best combat ready "big eared" adjustable sight ever fitted to a pistol)

4th: Stainless frame on the 659

John

 

[imarangemaster]

I really like the 6906, with its better grips, Novak sights, and rounded features. not enough, however, to replace the brushed nickel 469 I have.

Besides, as I have said, I have a history with the Model 469, since the S&W LE rep brought us a pre-production sample to test, a year or two before they came out. It was blued. When he first brought it out, I thought maybe is was a Devel or ASP.

 

[jamestx]

Very nice looking

 

[CH4]

The owner of the LGS that employs me has a STRICT policy against that. Technically the store owner was deprived his $100 commission for the gun being sold in his store. Another employee did that exact same thing when the owner was out. Got a gold 50 cal Desert Eagle for $700 from a woman who didn't know any better. Soon as the owner found out, he was gone. GARY.

The polices and compensation set by another store owner is totally irrelevant.