[Euclidean]

It is my understanding that the famous Shorty Forty was based on the efforts of Paul Liebenberg to take the model 4006 and cut it down to a compact, which later became the 4013. I may be wrong about that.

Out of academic curiousity, I was curious if anyone knew of some kind of online resource, book etc. that discusses the origins of the Shorty Forty, what they had to do to produce it, how it was made, were there different models, and how does it compare to its eventual successor if I am in fact right about what followed it up, when did it go out of production, etc.

I might be better off directing such an inquiry to the S&W Forum but I'm really not that curious... I avoid doing things like that for the same reason I avoid asking electrical engineers why the power went out. :tongue:

 

[CombatEffective]

Is the Shorty Forty a single or double stack? I'm thinking it's a double stack.

The original 4013 was a single stack with an 8 round magazine (I just got a pristine example of one). With the advent of the TSW line, the 4013TSW is produced as a double stack, and it will accept the same mags as the 4006.

 

[Euclidean]

I've always assumed it was a double stack. I've never seen one in person, but to fit 9 rounds of .40 S&W in such a compact frame, surely they had to use a double stack magazine.

I might be tottally wrong about that. Can someone enlighten us?

 

[CLASS3NH]

Euc It's a double stak mag.. in fact 669, 6906, 469 9mm 12 rounder will fit the shorty forty....(same mags)
I have a couple pics on mine.it's Mag-na-Ported and has Factory adjustabe sights..I'll post in a few min,,,
here's some good reading about the project
SHORTY FORTY

This solid little semi-automatic pistol came along a year or so after the company introduced the .40 S&W cartridge. There have been three or four runs of Shorty Forties and the one shown is the latest. It is a reliable semi-auto based on a strengthened variation of the 6900 series frame. I've had three different Shorty Forties for shooting review since the Performance Center was established. They are easily the most accurate pistols I have ever used in this The .40 S&W pistol is a steel-slide, aluminum-frame traditional doubleaction (DA, or TDA in S&W parlance) with a doublewide magazine holding eight rounds. Some guns came with 11 -round 4006 magazines fitted with special extended collars that gave the shooter a full-length butt section. Most of them have Novak sights, although the pictured specimen wears fully adjustable Italian-made LPAs.

There are several distinguishing features of the Shorty Forty. One of them is the rather startling level of accuracy. While some .40s are at best only adequate in accuracy, the Shorty Forty is good enough for serious match use. The accuracy stems from a premium barrel, which is carefully hand fitted to the slide and which uses a unique spherical Briley-type bushing. They shoot-I've had one-- hole groups under an inch at 25 yds. The trigger is also top-notch, crisp in single action (SA) and utterly smooth in DA. But above all, the little auto is appealing in the sense of its size, heft and shootability-an ideal carry gun. :biggrin:

 

[CombatEffective]

The new 4013TSWs have a 9 round double stack mags, but they will accept the 11 round 4006 mags. I would think theShorty would aas well.

 

[CLASS3NH]

The new 4013TSWs have a 9 round double stack mags, but they will accept the 11 round 4006 mags. I would think theShorty would aas well.

Yup, the 4013 TSW is a more economical model of the Shorty Forty. Both weapons take the same Magazine. I found, by accident, that the hi cap 9 mm smith mags for the 59,469, 669, 6906 series accept the 40 S&W cartridge. I've tried them out, and they work perfectly in the Shorty Forty. :biggrin:

Here are a few pics of my Shorty Forty Mk3s :biggrin:

 

[Euclidean]

Thanks for the pictures and information Class3!

Too bad they don't make 'em like that any more! :biggrin:

 

[CLASS3NH]

You're very welcome Euc!!
I picked mine up last month on a trade-in of a beretta 92F that I paid 350.00 for.and got 575.00 for it towards the Shorty (it was 565.00 marked down to 465.00) along with a Glock 26 for cheapo money as well.. :biggrin:
Strangely enough, I stumbled upon that 9mm Mag/ to 40 cal fit, by accident.....kinda fooling aroung, and had a 6906 hi cap mag out, so I tried it with 40s in it, then inserted the mag into the gun (the Shorty forty) and wow.....it fit, and fed the ammo... :biggrin: BTW.if ya see a shorty 40 for around the price I paid, snap it up pronto!.they're selling for 800.00 and up to 1000.00 in some places :biggrin:
Those rear sights in the pics were factory adjustables...windage and elevation
I believe the current price of a new 4013 TSW is around 870.00..

 

[rfurtkamp]

If you're looking for single stack .40 in a S&W autoloader, the difficult to find 4054 (if I recall the # right, there's one at the shop here) is awful small. It's also DAO.

If I could find someone to do a 357 Sig barrel for it, I'd jump on it.

 

[Rob72]

I should be getting my STI BLS pistols at the end of this week or early next. I mention that, since they make the BLS and LS (both 1911 style single stacks)in .40S&W...... Let me be the guinea pig: I'll let you know if the 9mm has any hiccups! :biggrin:
www.stiguns.com

 

[CLASS3NH]

If you're looking for single stack .40 in a S&W autoloader, the difficult to find 4054 (if I recall the # right, there's one at the shop here) is awful small. It's also DAO.

If I could find someone to do a 357 Sig barrel for it, I'd jump on it.

Exactly what you've got there RFurt.....nice single stack auto in stainless stell. One hiccup in the weapon is that it's a DAO gun, meaning that when you pull the trigger, and if you have a hard primer, you're unable to get a quick second chance trigger pull on the gun, without slightly pulling the slide back in order to engage the trigger system again. (just like the Glocks)
That's the one failing grace about it. I've seen them in NH as LEO trades going for 295.00 with night sights :biggrin:

 

[CombatEffective]

The S&W DAO triggers that I have tried have all been very nice. I screwed up and didn't buy a sweet 9mm S&W in DAO.

 

[CLASS3NH]

I've found the DAO guns to cycle on DA on the first round. If you dry fire it, the trigger/hammer doesn't rebound, therefore not being able to pull the trigger on a second dry fire cycle.. otherwise, they're a GREAT weapon.
I'd rather have the SA/DA mode like the other S&W autos..Just a personal preference :biggrin: