My first S&W Auto: A 1006

[03hemi]

Congrats on a great price on a great useful gun. Looks in immaculate condition too! Interesting, that's the same price I paid for my 1076 with extra mags! I'd love to know how much you sold the Bren for? However, if I wanted a Bren, I'd just buy the CZ it was modeled after in 10mm and have all the mags I wanted at hand. Too bad the Bren's were rushed into production so fast and subsequently plaqued, but I have recently bought the EAA Witness (CZ clone) in 10mm though.
Obligatory family shot of my 3rd gen collection so far.

 

[03hemi]

Let me preface this by saying that I am not an auto guy. The automatics that I own are either utility (a Glock 19, HK USP 45 for shooting .45 Super out of) collectible (Elmer Keith's 1911, a Walther P88) or were gifts (my HK P7m13).

The P7 was given to me very early in my gun owning and I shoot it so well, and it functions so beautifully for me that I've not really desired another auto.

Some years back I did however buy a Bren Ten. The gun was NIB, with both 10mm/.45acp slides, and honestly when I sorted out the value of it and realized that I had paid peanuts for the going rate on gunbroker I felt it wasn't worth the risk of shooting it. So I sold it without ever doing so, which I somewhat regretted, and I promised myself that if I had the chance I would pick up either a re-wield Bren Ten, or a proper S&W 10mm (either 1006 or 1076), which ever presented it to me first (and was cheap, because I don't like dipping into my revolver budget for just any auto).

So at this last gunshow my decade long search ended with the purchase of this beast of a gun:

I honestly couldn't find good pricing on the dang things, they seem to have become pretty scarce, and I can hardly believe the price of the magazines. Fortunately the prior owner included the original (broken) grips, 3 additional new magazines (bringing the total to 4 mags), and the original springs (he replaced them with Wolff).

I figured though that $500 was a price I could live with, even if I was over paying. I'm mostly happy with that price, but I have to say I'm a little... worried, if that's the right word, regarding the slide hold open.

I wasn't able to use it all until I got under the grips and tweaked it a bit (using the head and a bit of the shaft of a nail) to force the pin that the side plate rests on out far enough that it was moved up into the proper position.

Still, the hold open on an empty magazine...doesn't. I assume that is a feature of the gun which should be functioning? Is there a way I can resolve this issue?

Everything else on the gun seems good, and as soon as I can find some 10mm I'll get a chance to shoot it. Anything I should look at or verify is good before I do that?

P.S.
I have a spare set of stock plastic grips if you want them, they have a little abrasion on them, but relatively in great shape?

 

[Modified]

P.S.
I have a spare set of stock plastic grips if you want them, they have a little abrasion on them, but relatively in great shape?

I should be good, I like the hogues. Thanks though!

If I ever change out the grips it will be to put some wood on there.

You can order the new style, white plastic mag followers from Numrich at a very reasonable price. That should solve the issue:

Magazine Follower, New Factory Original | Gun Parts Corp.

I replaced the yellow followers in all of my Model 1006 mags with the white ones. Bought a couple of new plastic floorplates to replace some beat up ones too:

Magazine Buttplate, 10mm | Gun Parts Corp.

Excellent, I have ordered one.

Congrats on a great price on a great useful gun. Looks in immaculate condition too! Interesting, that's the same price I paid for my 1076 with extra mags! I'd love to know how much you sold the Bren for? However, if I wanted a Bren, I'd just buy the CZ it was modeled after in 10mm and have all the mags I wanted at hand. Too bad the Bren's were rushed into production so fast and subsequently plaqued, but I have recently bought the EAA Witness (CZ clone) in 10mm though.
Obligatory family shot of my 3rd gen collection so far.

I had to...dig.

This was back in 2012, but it looks like I sold it for $4,100.

is the only picture I could find of it. I should have more around somewhere.

Anyway, the thing was as I said, brand new. I don't think it had ever been shot. It had the original box and such, plus the second slide for .45acp, and a milt sparks holster set.

Truth is it was just not something I was willing to shoot and damage at that price. I don't regret selling it.

 

[stansdds]

The Bren Ten was a strikingly handsome pistol and a ground breaker for large bore semi-autos, but the original Norma ammo was hard on them and the company that made the magazines could not fulfill the orders. I have read that some Brens came without a magazine, but had a note in the box indicating that the magazine would be delivered at a later date. There have been a couple of attempts to revive the Bren, but so far, any attempt has failed.

 

[kraynky]

Congratulations on the tremendous deal you got on that 1006. I am yet another who's first S&W auto was a 1006, and I really liked it. Then a ran across a 1076 (they share the same magazine), and I really fell in love with it. I had them both at the same tie, but could only keep one so I took them out for a shoot off.

The 1076 just seems to balance better for me, and I shot it better, even using the same variations of 10mm ammo. I wasn't crazy about the heavy winged sights my 1006 came with either. So, I'm keeping the 1076 until my hands no longer let me enjoy it. I tried some wood Hogues on it, and they were too fat and slippery for me, I stuck with Hogue rubber stocks.

 

[1911haulic]

I have a 1006, but just don't like the grips. I like the ergonomics of the 1911 style Bruin much better. But, I'll keep the S&W for a back up.

 

[Walter Rego]

When I bought my used Model 1006 3 years ago, it had the ubiquitous Hogue rubber grips. I generally dislike rubber grips so I bought one each of the S&W factory one piece grips, one with the straight backstrap and one with the arched. Tried them both, kept the arched and sold the other one.

I really like the looks of the Hogue checkered wood grips but have been a bit apprehensive about spending nearly $100 for them. I think the S&W factory grips were around $30 and seem like pretty tough material. Not sure if they are Xenoy or Delrin but I believe the first type material were soon replaced with the other which proved to be less shatter prone if dropped.

 

[hammy5150]

When I bought my used Model 1006 3 years ago, it had the ubiquitous Hogue rubber grips. I generally dislike rubber grips so I bought one each of the S&W factory one piece grips, one with the straight backstrap and one with the arched. Tried them both, kept the arched and sold the other one.

I really like the looks of the Hogue checkered wood grips but have been a bit apprehensive about spending nearly $100 for them. I think the S&W factory grips were around $30 and seem like pretty tough material. Not sure if they are Xenoy or Delrin but I believe the first type material were soon replaced with the other which proved to be less shatter prone if dropped.

The Hogue checkered grips do look really nice and I grabbed a pair of Pau Ferro ones to throw on my own 1006 but my issue with them is that they're almost too thick, I actually prefer shooting with either the factory grips or the rubber grips despite the general tackiness of the latter. I mostly wish Hogue had decided to make G10 grips for the 3rd Gen guns.