what happened to all the 6906s?

[solomon]

A bit confused here. Just started looking into third gens. The 6906 is just a sort of compact 5906, correct? Is the frame on the 6906 alloy or steel? Any variations in sights? I have seen pics of them with the eared, Novak style adjustable rears and other pics without those.

I'm sad to say that I don't recall where I stole this from, but you may be able to google to find the original source (opinions are not necessarily mine, just part of the text I had saved off):

There are 4 basic variations of the Model 6906, in order of decreasing age and roughly increasing desirability:

1. Square trigger guard, vertical blade rear sight
2. Square trigger guard, slanted Novak Lo-Mount rear sight
3. Round trigger guard, Novak rear sight, silver-color flash chrome trigger, silver-color flash chrome solid-sided hammer (last two also used on all earlier guns)
4. Same as #3 but with black MIM trigger and black MIM "skeletonized" or "cutaway" hammer

The early vertical blade rear sight is OK but the Novak is better and has more aftermarket replacement options (slide dovetails are different sizes so they don't interchange).

The square trigger guard does not fit in all holsters and is ugly to boot.

The later MIM hammer and trigger yield a better out-of-the-box trigger pull, particularly DA, and some S&W pistol fans prefer them; yes, you read that right, this is an instance where shooters think MIM is actually better.

 

[grif684]

There are actually five versions, all those listed above plus the most common version, which is a common mistake. The most common version has a blued (black) hammer and trigger, which is not MIM. The flash chromed hammer and trigger were phased out around the same time as the square trigger guard, sometime between 1990 and 1992. The MIM versions were the last produced. You will see round trigger guard, Novak sight models with the flashed chrome hammer and trigger, but not nearly close to the number of non MIM black hammer and trigger versions.

 

[solomon]

Hmmm, my June 1993 example has silver hammer and trigger, not blued/black. I wouldn't have thought it flash-chromed, but it's definitely not blued or black in color. Sounds like you're describing a 3a (in between the #3 and #4 above)?

How does one tell the difference between a blued/black hammer&trigger and a MIM blued/black hammer&trigger?

 

[Shorty 45 MK2]

Hmmm, my June 1993 example has silver hammer and trigger, not blued/black. I wouldn't have thought it flash-chromed, but it's definitely not blued or black in color. Sounds like you're describing a 3a (in between the #3 and #4 above)?

How does one tell the difference between a blued/black hammer&trigger and a MIM blued/black hammer&trigger?

I'm not sure on the trigger but if it's like the MIM triggers on revolvers it will have a "relief" in the back of the trigger. The hammer will be smooth and not have little lines going across it.

Sorry, that's probably not the best explanation.

Here are photos of the forged hammer and trigger on my 4516-2

 

[Wreckless]

Our Department issued them until we had problems with the frames cracking. We shot with Federal 147 Hydrashoks rounds so it wasn't because of +P or +P+. Everyone loved them and many guys bought them back when they were traded in.

 

[Jaymo]

My LGS had them for sale last year for $329.
They were LE trade ins (detective's guns) and sold out quickly.
I got mine because they had a lot fewer of them than they did 5906s.
Of course, I also got a 5906 and a 5946.
They only had about 3 5946s and I bought the nicest one they had.

 

[captainbobs]

RE: 6906

Hi,

There are plenty of these around. I sold two this week Look at Gunauction and Gunbroker.

 

[younggun456]

There is one currently for sale in the classified section of the forum

 

[solomon]

Hmmm, my June 1993 example has silver hammer and trigger, not blued/black. I wouldn't have thought it flash-chromed, but it's definitely not blued or black in color.

Pulled it out the other day to check and I would go with chromed, just not shiny high-polish chromed. (June of '93 is per S&W C/S phone call with serial number.)

 

[solomon]

The hammer will be smooth and not have little lines going across it.

Here are photos of the forged hammer and trigger on my 4516-2

Thanks, that helps actually! So no machining marks? I looked at the hammer and trigger on my 5906TSW (August 2002 per S&W) and they have no obvious machining marks - but I don't know if that means MIM or just finished better before bluing? There might be a mold line on the hammer, so I wouldn't argue against MIM if someone claimed it I guess. (As above, my 6906 has what I believe to be a chromed finish, so neither blued nor MIM on mine.)

 

[Disabled1]

IAMMO has (30) 6906's in stock for sale.

https://www.iammo.com/catalog/produ...und-magazine-grade-b-posw6906-b/category/282/