My First Ever 3rd Gen

TTSH

TTSH

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Witness my first ever 3rd Gen Smith & Wesson pistol... a Model 6906 DA/SA in 9mm. :)

It's not easy to find an affordable 3rd Gen behind enemy lines in the People's Republic of Taxachusetts... but I finally did it!

Thought I had found a super-bargain at first, but a little research shows that I probably paid about what it is worth out in "free" America (which is not bad for highly restricted Taxachusetts). This is apparently still a very popular pistol with a lot of folks. Must be a lot of them out there. :cool:

Helpful folks here who know my story know that I more or less slept through the 2nd Gen and 3rd Gen and SW99 iterations of the S&W semi-auto pistol through no fault of my own... and I am now trying hard to make up that lost S&W collecting time.

The serial number is VAA17xx. If anyone can give me the approximate date of manufacture (or point me in the right direction), I'd appreciate it.

Many thanks to those folks here who have helped me get to this point with 3rd Gen's and the SW99's. You know who you are. But clearly, I've still got an awful lot of lost time to make up. :)

And more good news: Another 3rd Gen acquisition is not far behind this one. :D
 

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Congrats, that is a very nice 3rd gen! :)

I kind of know how you feel, just bought my first 3rd gen two months ago, can't wait to get more and feel bad for ever having plastic.
 
Shorty 45 MK2 said:
Congrats, that is a very nice 3rd gen! :)

I kind of know how you feel, just bought my first 3rd gen two months ago, can't wait to get more and feel bad for ever having plastic.
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Thank you! :)

Just checked my records. It was exactly one year ago that I bought my last all-metal pistol (i.e., excluding revolvers), a Beretta 92FS. In the time since then, I have bought more dang plastic guns than I care to admit. I think I OD'd on plastic. :o

Felt damn good to hold an all-metal pistol in my hands again. :) Damn good! :D

The next 3rd Gen on my radar screen is all stainless steel. Heavy as a brick. :p I can't wait! :D
 
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GaryS said:
You can find them in MA, you just have to know what to look for and where. Yours looks very nice.
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Thanks Gary. :) I've been to a lot of MA shops over the last year in search of the right 3rd Gen's and am still planning to visit some others this summer. I've gotten all kinds of crazy stories ("Oh, too bad sir. A pristine 1006 with box just went out the door yesterday for $600.00"), but darn few 3rd Gen's actually sitting there in really good shape that I could afford to buy.

At this point, I've got one other one on layaway and two others that I am seriously considering. Price is an issue on both of the latter. Maybe they will come down to where I can afford them? :confused: Maybe. :rolleyes:

If you know of any that I might not know about and that you don't want for yourself, please PM me! :D
 
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pharmer said:
I've carried mine (VCK xxxx) since 1994. Utterly reliable and best all-around CC "compromise" for me. The "book" is vague about dates but I bet yours is just a little earlier. Enjoy.
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So it sounds like mine predated 1994. That's good to know because here in Taxachusetts we are only allowed to own magazines over 10 rounds if they are "pre-ban." :o

rwsmith said:
NICE!!!!! Stock up on a few spare parts that are prone to break. With them out of production parts are going to be harder to find.
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So I've been told. I've gotten some suggestions already on what spare parts I should be looking out for. Once my second 3rd Gen (the one on layaway) is in the safe, I'll start saving for and searching out those spares. :)
 
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I have one and love it.
vetaduda.jpg
 
Was supposed to meet a guy today about a 3903. Have to wait till Monday now. It's worth it tho!
 
Arizona5906 said:
If I am reading the Standard Catalog correctly your pistol was made in 1993. The chart shows 1993 starting with TZUxxx and 1994 starting with VAMxxx.
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Excellent! :) Thank you. So if original, or at least of that vintage, the 12-round magazines that came with the gun are very likely "pre-bans", as required by law here in loony Massachusetts. Dealer said they were but good to have that extra confirmation. :)

My goodness, where was I in 1993 and what was I doing instead of what I should have been doing (buying & collecting & shooting these fine S&W Gen 3 pistols!)? :D
 
timn8er said:
Congratulations on your purchase of a 3rd Gen!:D
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ditchcrussher said:
I have one and love it.
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nocents said:
congratulations!!!!!........a 6906 started many people on their 3rd. gen. journey;)
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Thanks guys! :) As I further investigate this pistol (which was a surprise find and not originally planned as this month's purchase), I am realizing how lucky I was to stumble upon it. It really is a very nice gun. :D

The 6906 is not on our hated "Approved Firearms Roster"... which means I can't just buy one on-line via Gunbroker or similar and have it transferred into Massachusetts. That option, readily available to folks in "free" America, is not generally available to us behind enemy lines. I must find one already here via private sale or at a MA FFL (with a MA registration history). :mad: Gun collecting is not an easy hobby to practice here in the People's Republic. :o
 
Congrats on the purchase. I'm a fellow citizen of the fine state of Massghanistan, and I feel your pain when it comes to searching out firearms that are not on our stupid stupid roster... just plain stupid.

All that I have in my collection at the moment is plastic, but looking at these beautiful Gen 3's is starting to tug at my heart... and wallet. I'll be keeping my eyes open for one. Shoot the heck out that thing for me.

Oh, did I mention how stupid that gun roster of ours was yet?
 
macski222 said:
Congrats on the purchase. I'm a fellow citizen of the fine state of Massghanistan, and I feel your pain when it comes to searching out firearms that are not on our stupid stupid roster... just plain stupid.

All that I have in my collection at the moment is plastic, but looking at these beautiful Gen 3's is starting to tug at my heart... and wallet. I'll be keeping my eyes open for one. Shoot the heck out that thing for me.

Oh, did I mention how stupid that gun roster of ours was yet?
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It really is something living here. Folks in "free" America have no idea. Unless you are only interested in collecting EOPS & AG approved guns, you better be prepared for a whole lot of frustration and higher prices for whatever you may find. And it's about to get a whole lot worse between H.4121 and the rabid anti-2A lunatics running for AG. This may be the last year for gun collecting as a semi-practical, semi-viable hobby here in Massachusetts. :mad:

Wife says I need to find another hobby quick before this one is completely outlawed. :( She may be right. :rolleyes:
 
TTSH said:
It really is something living here. Folks in "free" America have no idea. Unless you are only interested in collecting EOPS & AG approved guns, you better be prepared for a whole lot of frustration and higher prices for whatever you may find. And it's about to get a whole lot worse between H.4121 and the rabid anti-2A lunatics running for AG. This may be the last year for gun collecting as a semi-practical, semi-viable hobby here in Massachusetts. :mad:

Wife says I need to find another hobby quick before this one is completely outlawed. :( She may be right. :rolleyes:
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VT/NH are calling our names. Don't ditch the hobby, ditch what inhibits it!
 
macski222 said:
VT/NH are calling our names. Don't ditch the hobby, ditch what inhibits it!
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I think things could change for the worse in Vermont at any time. We could never afford to live there anyway. :o

New Hampshire is the more obvious and popular escape route. But NH's sky-high property taxes aren't exactly retirement-friendly. :( Nonetheless, if/when things become completely intolerable here, NH here we come. :o
 
Congratulations and welcome to the family! :) Word of warning, these things are like tribbles from the old Star Trek, if you leave them alone in your safe they start multiplying and one day you will wonder how they all got in there!
 
The first handgun I ever purchased was a 915. I traded it off for a Hi-Power (which I still have), but looking back, wish I would've kept it. That's one of those things you learn as you go. I've only sold or traded a handful of firearms in my life, but my safe wishes every one was still there!

I mostly carry and shoot revolvers, but when I get the hankering to carry an autoloader, or feel some additional firepower is preferable, it's a 3rd gen that rides along. At the range, it could be any of a number of autos, but for protection, a 3rd gen makes me the most comfortable.

Enjoy watching the collection grow...it happens fast. If only there weren't so many dang models and variations...
 
TTSH,

I totally understand about "sleeping through the 2nd and 3rd Gens". I did the same thing. I bought a first gen (Pre Md 39) in 1980. Then I never even glanced at the 2nd Gens. I did buy a 4516-2 in 1996 but I didn't shoot it much. Then after reading here all about the virtues of the 3rd gens, I found a 4506 no dash about a year ago. Wow, what a wonderful gun! I take it to the range just about every time I go. A few months ago a stumbled on a NIB 5906 (it's not NIB anymore). And now, I'm enjoying my 4516 for the first time and I've found myself trolling all the LGSs and pawn shops for my next 3rd Gen.

On another note. Maybe this is just dumb, but I take pride in the fact that I've never owned a plastic/polymer gun.
 
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SonnyJames said:
Congratulations and welcome to the family! :) Word of warning, these things are like tribbles from the old Star Trek, if you leave them alone in your safe they start multiplying and one day you will wonder how they all got in there!
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Thanks for the warning! :D The good news (at least from that one perspective) is that I am rather substantially budget limited... so that will tend to slow down the usual Tribble-like growth. ;)
 
petepeterson said:
The first handgun I ever purchased was a 915. I traded it off for a Hi-Power (which I still have), but looking back, wish I would've kept it. That's one of those things you learn as you go. I've only sold or traded a handful of firearms in my life, but my safe wishes every one was still there!

I mostly carry and shoot revolvers, but when I get the hankering to carry an autoloader, or feel some additional firepower is preferable, it's a 3rd gen that rides along. At the range, it could be any of a number of autos, but for protection, a 3rd gen makes me the most comfortable.

Enjoy watching the collection grow...it happens fast. If only there weren't so many dang models and variations...
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I know what you mean about guns sold out of the collection. Out of the handful of guns I've chosen or been forced to sell, I deeply regret every sale except one. :(

I have pretty much learned my lesson by now. :) Too bad I can't turn back the clock and buy back the ones I sold for what I sold them for. :D
 
loeman said:
TTSH,

I totally understand about "sleeping through the 2nd and 3rd Gens". I did the same thing. I bought a first gen (Pre Md 39) in 1980. Then I never even glanced at the 2nd Gens. I did buy a 4516-2 in 1996 but I didn't shoot it much. Then after reading here all about the virtues of the 3rd gens, I found a 4506 no dash about a year ago. Wow, what a wonderful gun! I take it to the range just about every time I go. A few months ago a stumbled on a NIB 5906 (it's not NIB anymore). And now, I'm enjoying my 4516 for the first time and I've found myself trolling all the LGSs and pawn shops for my next 3rd Gen.

On another note. Maybe this is just dumb, but I take pride in the fact that I've never owned a plastic/polymer gun.
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Oddly enough, a 4506 is on my immediate radar screen... and close to the same with a 4516 ( a "-1" in my case). If I could afford it, I'd buy both of them today. :D Too bad for me that they are both asking top dollar... much more than I can afford to pay (or want to pay for them) right now. :o With another 3rd Gen already on lay-away, these other two will have to drop in price substantially for me to be able to acquire them this year. :o So far, the owners aren't budging. :(
 
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If only there weren't so many dang models and variations...

My sentiments exactly! I get a headache trying to keep all the models and variations straight! Back when the 3rd Gens were being produced folks referred to that period as the "Gun of the Month Club".

Actually, it's kind of cool to have all these choices and options available to us, if we could only find them.
 
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