Smith and Wesson 4006 review

[Guest smithandwesson]

I recently bought a model 4006 to ad to my S&W 3rd generation collection. Its not the new TSW model but the last model made. My first impression when I picked it up was it was built like a tank. Its made of all stainless steel and has been bead blasted for a finish. The action is DA/SA and it as an ambi decocker. It has 3 dot adjustable sights that are white and glow in the dark. Extra mags were cheap and easy to get from CDNN Sports. It has a 4 inch barrel and it holds 11+1. I fired a few different rounds through it to see what it liked and it seems that no matter what you feed it, its accurate and it wont jam or misfire. The groups I fired were offhand from 25ft. They were 10 round groups and the first rounds I fired through it were 180gr. Winchester sxz training rounds and the best group was 1.9" which I didnt think was to bad for offhand 10 round group. The next round was remington umc 165gr. TMJ and the best from it was 2.1". I tried some cheap blazer brass rounds 180gr. TMJ and my best was 2.5". The best group came of course from Federal Hydra-shok 165gr. with a group of 1.4". The weight of the gun made for quick and easy follow up shots and low felt recoil. I think I should add that as soon as I got it I put a set of Hogue grips on it which felt better than the factory grips of course. The trigger is a little on the heavy side at about 4lbs. on single action. I did a little research on the history of the model and here is what I came up with. Smith and Wesson introduced this gun to the world on January 17th 1990 along with the new .40 S&W round. The 4006 was the first model of the 4000 series to be introduced. The gun was issued to several law enforcement agencies as the primary duty weapon including the California State Highway patrol, Alaska State Police, and Colorodo State Patrol which I think says a lot about the durability and reliability of the weapon. They used it all the way up till last year when they switched to the new 4006TSW model which is a more tacical style, it has an accessory rail and a few other differences. All in all I think it is a good well made reliable self defense weapon. Its probably not the best choice for concealed carry since its kind of big and heavy but if that kind of thing dont bother you you would like this gun. It would be fine to carry in the winter when you have to wear lots of clothes anyhow. I like it so much that Im thinking about getting the new TSW model.

[Guest Bronker]

Well done, and welcome!

I still have my first auto-loader, a 4506. To this day it has less than 250 rds through it. I don't shoot it much, and it might be my favorite pistol.

[Guest m&pc9]

I am going to check in to this for my next purchase.

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Well I am getting a S&W Performance Center Tactical .40 and just ordered 10 mags for it from Bud's. What I have gathered is that any holster that works for the 4506 or the 1006 will work for this pistol as well.. looking forward to playing with it in some IDPA matches.

[BigPoppa]

I'm a big fan of third generation Smith & Wesson pistols.

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Oh yeah, me too.. I have a 1076 and a 1066 as well!

[Guest Matchguy]

As a retired member of the California Highway Patrol, I really appreciate your detailed review of this fine pistol. You are correct that the gun is a tank, and then some.

I was a weapons training sergeant in a CHP office in the Sacramento Valley when we adopted the standard M4006 with adjustable sights in the Spring of 1991. I was told at the time that the State had purchased 6,500 of them with six magazines per gun, plus holsters and mag pouches.

In two range days during our transition from revolvers, our pistols, which were new and unfired, fired a total of 1,266 rounds of WW Ranger 165 grain JHP's without one failure. Nobody in my training group of 15 guys had any failures either. We would stop every 250 to 300 rounds and give them a cursory cleaning with solvent and rags, lube them up, and start shooting again. Still no failures. I probably fired another thousand or so rounds before I retired and I never saw a failure during any subsequent qualification shoots. You are also correct that the CHP has now retired its first round of 4006's and is now using the 4006TSW.

I've owned three 4006's in the past twenty years and I'm still waiting for my first stoppage. You just can't stop these guns from functioning.

For everyone's information, www.budsgunshop.com has M4006 used police-trade-in mags for $30 per pack of 5 mags, and the 5 I received today were unissued and unfired.....they were S&W AccuGuide units that had never been inserted into a pistol. The five I bought from them a month or so ago were used but excellent in every way.

CDNN was selling Police Trade-In 4006's and 5906's in excellent to like new condition a few months ago for $339 and I bought one of each.......both might have had ten rounds or so through them, but no more. You might check and see if they have any more if you're looking for one. The last MSRP on the standard M4006 was almost $800.

Again, thank you for such a good review. This is a premier pistol that is being overshadowed unjustly by the plastimatics, IMHO, and is now out of production.

MatchGuy

Retired Sergeant,

California Highway Patrol

1965-1993

Edited March 5, 2009 by Matchguy

[Guest FroggyOne2]

MatchGuy, I have to say that I am looking forward to lots of service from the one that I am getting.. truly looking forward to it. I love my tens as well!

[Guest Matchguy]

You'll get it, too, FroggyOne. If it's a used gun, check the recoil spring. Since my two new guns were made in 1991 and 1995 respectively and had been sitting for 13-17 years with compressed springs, I ordered new factory standard recoil springs from Wolff Gunsprings and both had compressed about a half inch over the years. The factory spring works well in the 4006 and I've never seen any reason to put a stronger one in it as the gun is about as hard to rack as I want it to be with the new factory spring in it. FWIW.

MG

[memphismason]

I just recently purchased a Memphis Police Trade-In 4046 TSW.

It seem as though it is one tough gun.

[Guest smithandwesson]

Thanks Matchguy, I love mine, I wanted to add that you can get a service pack to replace all springs for $14.99 from Wolff Springs. They have a website I just dont know the url right off hand.

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Thanks Matchguy, I love mine, I wanted to add that you can get a service pack to replace all springs for $14.99 from Wolff Springs. They have a website I just dont know the url right off hand.

http://www.gunsprings.com/SemiAuto/SmithWessonNF.html#Numbered

[Guest smithandwesson]

I just recently purchased a Memphis Police Trade-In 4046 TSW.

It seem as though it is one tough gun.

Is that the model with an alloy frame?

[Guest smithandwesson]

Does anyone here know what the differences are between the 4006 and the 4006TSW besides the accessory rail? Do they use the same mag? ect....

Im really thinking hard about getting one. If the TSW models are improved in any way (dont know if you can improve something thats already as good as this is) I want one.

[memphismason]

Is that the model with an alloy frame?

I would have to say yes, because it is considerably lighter.

[Guest jcramin]

I just recently purchased a Memphis Police Trade-In 4046 TSW.

It seem as though it is one tough gun.

Can I ask where you got your 4046 TSW ?

I used to have a 4013 but I traded it in for a 1911 and I really miss it and id like to get another one or similar gun.

J

[Guest FroggyOne2]

4006 and the 4006TSW. Do they use the same mag?

Yes

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Can I ask where you got your 4046 TSW ?

I used to have a 4013 but I traded it in for a 1911 and I really miss it and id like to get another one or similar gun.

J

Here is one for sale, I don't own it or have anything to do with the sale.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=123908811

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Here is a 4046TSW for sale, has some holster rash. Great price though!

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=124208233

[Guest smithandwesson]

Hers another question I got,

Where can I get a barrel for this gun?

[Guest FroggyOne2]

Bar-Sto used too.. don't know if they still do.. did a google and came up pretty short on results!

[Guest smithandwesson]

they stopped makin barrels for smith and wessons. I dont understand why tho

[Guest smithandwesson]

does anybody know what the twist rate is on the 4006? thats one thing I could not find. I think its 1-16 but not sure

[ninja128]

thank you for the review. I heard somone at my office tell me to stay away from the smith automatic. Yall have caused me to look into this further.

[Guest FroggyOne2]

I don't think that you can go wrong with one.. I believe that it all comes down to personal preference.