S&W 4040PD?

[stickman428]

I have been doing some research on alloy framed S&W autos and came across the 4040PD which caught my attention immediately. Does anyone know how many 4040PDs were made? I have seen a few on gunbroker and they show up sometimes in the classifieds section here and on Sigforum but are they very rare?

My current CCW is a 908S that I am reluctant to load or shoot with +P 9mm so I usually carry it loaded with Speer Gold Dot 115gr. I really like the idea of going to a S&W 4040PD with 160 or 180gr gold dots which obviously pack much more punch than 115gr 9mm. To those members who own or have owned a 4040PD is it a good CCW?

 

[biggs357]

I have had the S&W 908 but haven't heard much on the 4040 pd.So i looked it up and it seems to be near about the same thing as the chiefs special .40cal,which i have handled.The chief's special was a great little gun to shoot.I carry a full size 4046 all the time.BTW the 4040pd i looked at was around $545.00.i hope this may help.Oh as for ammo for the .40 cal,i use Federal Law Enforcement Tactical HST 155gr from www.ammunitiontogo.com

 

[bad_man_ one]

Stickman428,
I have a 4040PD and love it.
It is the same size as my 3913NL (Non Lady-Smith), as they take the exact same leather and the grips are interchangeable, shown with the plastic ones.

Regards,
BM1

 

[PeterBergh2]

I have two. They work very well for CCW.

 

[M29since14]

To those members who own or have owned a 4040PD is it a good CCW?

If you can wear the gun on your belt, it is one of the best, as far as I am concerned. It's too big for me to put in a pocket.

The only objection I have to the gun is the slide stop, which protrudes a good deal, and interferes with the otherwise smooth lines of the gun (thankfully, it has no fool ambidextrous safety).

I expected recoil to be pretty heavy, but it's not bad at all. I use Winchester STHPs in mine because it is very accurate with them, and shoots nicely to point of aim. I wouldn't mind having a spare, someday.

 

[stickman428]

Anyone else out there with a 4040PD?

 

[chiefs special]

I have what appears to be a never fired NIB 4040PD, original box and 2 mags. It is the same shape an weight as my 3913NL. Couldn't bring myself to fire it as I am so happy with my 3913 (I have two). Great little gun. Am thinking of selling it as I am not much of a collector but I am a shooter.

 

[Maine Garda]

For those of us that are S&W fans the 4040pd is the best of both worlds. It's light, thin, and it's a .40. I don't know how many were made but they have been tough to find unlike the 3913, 3914, 908's. If I had one major complaint it would be that maost Good holsters have to be custom jobs as there is not a huge market

 

[guod73]

Does anyone know If I need a to buy a pin to install the 3913 grips on the 4040pd if so which one

Smith & Wesson Factory Grips Pin S&W 3953TSW, 4513TSW, 4553TSW, 4563TSW, 4566TSW, 4583TSW, 4586TSW, 1006, 1026, 1066, 1076, 1086, 3904, 3906, 3913, 3914, 3914DAO, 3944, 3946, 3953, 3954, 4054, 4505, 4

Product #: 935999

Smith & Wesson Factory Grips Pin S&W 3913, 3914, 3953, 3954Product #: 218744

 

[bad_man_ one]

Since the delrin grips for the 3913 LS & NL are the same for the 4040PD.
P/N #202650000 is the grip pin (Silver) listed for the 3913 NL & LS to go with the grey grips.
P/N #106070000 is the grip pin (Blued) listed for the black grips on the 3913
The same for using the black grips on the 4040PD.
Look at my picture back a few posts ago.
Regards,
BM1

 

[Fastbolt]

The 4040PD should already have the standard grip pin under the fqactory-supplied Hogue grip panels.

I picked up a 4040PD sometime back and ran over a thousand rounds through it. Nice little pistol. More felt recoil and muzzle whip than when shooting my 3913 loaded with 127gr +P+ (it was my issued load for 9mm pistols for a few years) or 124gr +P. Sometimes a bit more 'snap' is felt through the trigger, too.

The magazines and followers are specific to the 4040PD, although I was surprised to learn the magazine springs are the same as those used in the 3913/908/3913TSW. The same non-captured dual recoil springs used in the late production 457 and current production 4513TSW/4013TSW are used in the 4040PD (painted light blue, and the inner spring is significantly shorter than the outer spring).

My 4040PD fits in the same leather holsters as does my 3913, but I just realized I haven't tired it in the plastic holsters I have on hand for my 3913.

The 4040PD's slide is interesting in that it received the same additional machining cuts needed to accept the spring-loaded, decock-only option as the TSW pistols.

I remember when the 4040PD was newly released and I was told by the factory that they were back-ordered for several months. Demand was pretty good. Unfortunately, the cost of making the Scandium aluminum alloy frame priced the 4040PD too high to compete with the surge of interest for polymer framed pistols in the market place ... and the eventual demise of the 4040PD was somewhat predictable.

I picked mine up because I wanted it as an interesting example of what S&W could do with a metal-framed compact if it wanted to invest some time and money in a project ...

In my case, I recently ordered a M&P 40c with the thought of having it essentially replace my 4040PD, 4013TSW and G27 as an off-duty and retirement CCW. I won't be getting rid of any of them, though, just 'retiring' them to the safe.

Luck to you in your decision.

 

[bad_man_ one]

I believe the pin under the stock factory Hogues is a little shorter , mine was (.720" OAL).
It will work but the longer pin (.920") will look flush to the grip and have more contact with the hole,
.100" each side [more].
(P/N #202650000 - Silver or P/N #106070000 - Blued are both .920" long)
Please look at my picture back a few posts ago.
I left the Lady Smith pin (Silver for the Grey Grips) in the NL with the Black Grips.
and put the new longer pin (Blued) in the 4040PD with the Grey Grips.
I liked the contrast.
Regards,
BM1

 

[Fastbolt]

Good point. Since S&W decided the recoil of the 4040PD was probably going to be better experienced by folks with the Hogue grips used as 'factory' grips, it's possible they may have chosen a specific grip pin from among their varied selection of them, and one which might not exactly fit the 3913/14/908 Delrin grips as the pin used for the stock grips.

If I were going to do this switch, I'd just call and ask to speak to someone who could tell me if there was a better choice for a grip pin for cosmetic reason (length). After all, it would seem possible that at some point they were trying the stock Delrin grips during the R&D of the 4040PD. Maybe. Dunno. Wasn't there.

That's why I'd call and ask them.

One thing you can say about S&W engineers (as with Colt engineers) ... never say never. They've done some interesting things when it comes to the "I wonder what if?" category over the years, even if a lot of them never see the light of production.

 

[bad_man_ one]

Fastbolt,
I MEASURED THE PINS AND HAVE DONE THE SWITCH MYSELF:
Please look at my picture back a few posts ago.
There is no need to call S&W except to ask for a replacement pin,
which they will send @ No Charge.
Both of them if you ask.
I'm giving Stickman all the tried and true information.
This is not Rocket Science, it's just a grip pin, the leg work is already done.

Stickman428,
Call S&W @ 1-800-331-0852 then press 7 for C/S.
Tell Him or Her that you lost your 3913 Lady Smith grip pin and would they give you a replacement.
Then say I'm not sure if it was black or silver, could I get both (Smith sold them both ways).
This is what I did to get a grip pin/pins. Simple, done deal.

P/N #202650000 is the grip pin (Silver)
P/N #106070000 is the grip pin (Blued)

Regards,
BM1

 

[Fastbolt]

All I meant was that I'd call one of the folks I know and ask if there was a known grip pin which would have the best length for making the switch to Delrin grips, just in case none of the pins I have are going fit flush with the hard grips.

I'm lazy.

 

[Jon96]

I suppose bad_man_ one is the guy to ask. Will the factory grip from a 908/3913 fit the 4040pd or are the Lady Smith grips slightly different than the above mentioned ones? I tried to put my 908 grips on my 4040pd to no avail. The Hogues interchange between them however.

 

[bad_man_ one]

Sorry, I do not own a 908, so I cannot tell you what that grip fits.
I do however have my grey 3913NL grip on my 4040PD and a black one on the 3913.
My Hogue from the 4040PD fit the 3913NL also.
Regards,
BM1

 

[Jon96]

Thanks for the reply. I tried again to place the plastic grip on the 4040 and noticed that decocker makes contact as it sweeps down with the grip. I can only assume that the 3913 LS & NL have a slightly different plastic grip.

The 908 and regular 3913 share the same factory grip btw. I will call and S&W and see if they have any black NL grips available.

 

[bad_man_ one]

Originally posted by Jon96:
Thanks for the reply. I tried again to place the plastic grip on the 4040 and noticed that decocker makes contact as it sweeps down with the grip. I can only assume that the 3913 LS & NL have a slightly different plastic grip.

The 908 and regular 3913 share the same factory grip btw. I will call and S&W and see if they have any black NL grips available.

The 908 and 3913 Regular, Lady Smith and the NL do take the same grips and grip pins.
They have got to fit.
P/N 203560000 for the black one for the 908 and all the single stack 3913's.
P/N 203640000 for the grey one for the Lady Smith and the NL.
Regards,
BM1

 

[Fastbolt]

I tried again to place the plastic grip on the 4040 and noticed that decocker makes contact as it sweeps down with the grip.

When the stock grips are installed it's possible to not quite fully seat them and fail to realize it. One of the ways this can cause an issue is when the top/rear of the grips (under the grip tang) isn't fully forward under the tang.

When this happens the left side panel isn't forward enough for the safety/decocking lever to properly clear the grip cut as intended, preventing the lever from being fully lowered. Here's a couple of clickable thumbnails showing this condition - one image shows the obstructed lever and the other shows a pin punch pointing to the way the rear of the grip is out of normal position:



If the grips have been installed normally in all other aspects (like the front guides on each side aren't mistakenly left on the outside of the frame windows, which is another easy mistake to make), then the grips can often be positioned fully forward by grasping the grip in the normal manner and gripping firmly (squeezing), making them scoot forward that last little bit and snapping into place. Obviously, this must be done with an EMPTY pistol.

Here's a couple of thumbnail images showing the grips installed in the normal position - the lever has normal freedom of downward movement and the top/rear of the grip is fully forward under the grip tang as intended:



Also, notice in the first images how more of the side plate is visible at the top/front of the grip (behind the angled part of the side plate against which the slide stop lever rests), whereas in the next images (proper grip position) that 'gap' behind the side plate's angled surface is no longer present.

This is one of the easier mistakes to make when installing stock grips.

FWIW, attention and care should be taken to make sure the top/front corner of the left grip panel doesn't catch under the bottom of the side plate's angled surface. A moment's inattention, followed by excessive force trying to install the grip, can potentially exert enough pressure and improper leverage to cause damage to the bottom of the side plate, where the legs (prongs) are seated around the recessed end of the sear pin. If that happens and the side plate's bottom legs are tweaked and spread apart (or one of the legs is broken off), then the side plate may not be held firmly positioned and may have too much up & down movement up at the top, at the angled plate. This can result in annoying functioning issues caused by improper tension between the slide stop lever and the side plate.