So, my first experience with the 1006 was in 1990 on a rental range. My girlfriend at the time absolutely loved it. I fell in love with the round but not the pistol -- it was big, bulky, and heavy. It was a double-action/heavy first shot with a single action in which the trigger moved dramatically towards the frame. The safety was on the slide and worked the opposite of what I thought it should. It had plastic grips and a magazine disconnect. It was also very expensive. You see, I had just recently bought my first handgun (and one that I would carry for years to come) a Springfield 1911. I still have it and pics are on this site. It was chambered in 45ACP because it was $100 more for the 10mm version and the ammo was harder to come by and more expensive. I always thought I could get the 10mm linkless version later. Little did I know.

Enter 20 or so years later. I have come to appreciate some of those "negatives" I used to disdain. I have been looking for a 1006 locally for some time. I had seen a total of two. The first one I lost because I waited for the next day to buy it. The next one the buyer decided not to sell. However, I got a phone call from my local shop asking if I still was looking for one and they had got a LNIB in trade. They put it aside for me and I got it.

I couldn't be more pleased. I still love 1911's but what the heck was I thinking back then? This pistol was far ahead of its time. And it is a tank -- by far the heaviest duty 10mm that I own (ok, my other two are 1911's).

Let's start with some pics...You can click on each one for the full view. From top to bottom left to right.

1. 1006 barrel close up - maybe the former owner shot a box or two through it.
2. Box - inside was the manual, sight adjustment tool, cleaning rod and brushes.
Product code puts it at a 1990-1 manufacture.
3. Closeup - Pics don't do it justice. My wife was surprised at how big the pistol is.
4. Feed ramp close up - remember these came out in 1990!
5. Strangely, I got one yellow follower mag (probably original) and one of the newer white follower mags with the "improved" accuguide improvement to hold the rounds from moving forward from recoil.
6. Slide to frame fit - remember this is production pistol from 1990!
7. Left side
8. 9 shot mags stood up
9. Some features ahead of their time in a production pistol. From left to right: front strap serrations (still a mainstay on S&W 1911's), undercut trigger guard (something pistols even today could learn from), checkered trigger guard
10. Side shot with slide locked open
11. Guide rod tube - this is included because a lot of Colt fans seem to think/complain if the wall thickness is not completely symmetrical. If you look REALLY close it is a little off. LOL
12. Rear sight closeup - fully adjustable with huge side shields. I like them and the way they look.
13. Reassembly wackiness - So, here is one thing that seems wacky: The hammer is cocked during disassembly (because the slide is pulled back). But, to put it back together you have to press down on three levers (I attempted to take a fuzzy picture to show, but neglected to focus). Anyway, one of those levers decocks the hammer. You then have to hold the three levers down to pull the slide onto the frame. Seems odd.
14. Guide rod and recoil spring assembly - the end is actually a spring loaded buffer. Neat.
15. Right side
16. Recoil rod fits into that notch. Does it look a little small and that you should be careful and hold onto the rod/spring while dis/assembly? It is.

All in all a beautiful pistol and probably the toughest (former) full production 10mm from a major manufacturer and I am glad to have one, but sad that it took me so long to appreciate it.

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08/10/11: Pics moved off of Flikr.