FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

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(Print or Type Responses)

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person * SANDLER DAVID   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC [MSM] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) __X__ Director _____ 10% Owner __X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) President and C.O.O. (Last) (First) (Middle) C/O MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC, 75 MAXESS RD 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year) 11/05/2004 (Street) MELVILLE, NY 11747 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line) _X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person ___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip) Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned

1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 11/05/2004   M   7,081 A $ 14.25 29,044 D   Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value 11/05/2004   M   12,903 A $ 7.75 41,947 D   Class A Common Stock, $0.001 par value               2,000 I See Footnote (5)

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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)

1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3)

2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security

3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year)

3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year)

4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8)

5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4, and 5)

6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (Month/Day/Year)

7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4)

8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5)

9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4)

10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4)

11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4)

Code

V

(A)

(D)

Date Exercisable

Expiration Date

Title

Amount or Number of Shares

Options (right to buy) (1)

$ 14.25

11/05/2004

M

7,081

(2)

10/14/2008

See Footnote (4)

7,081

$ 0

0

D

Options (right to buy) (1)

$ 7.75

11/05/2004

M

12,903

(3)

10/19/2009

See Footnote (4)

12,903

$ 0

0

D

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
SANDLER DAVID C/O MSC INDUSTRIAL DIRECT CO INC 75 MAXESS RD MELVILLE, NY 11747	X		President and C.O.O.

Signatures

/s/ David Sandler		11/09/2004
**Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Explanation of Responses:

*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1)	Options to purchase Issuer's Class A common stock, $.001 par value.
(2)	An option to purchase 200,000 shares of the Issuer's common stock, par value $.001 per share, was issued to the Reporting person under the Issuer's 1998 Stock Option Plan. One-fifth of such option became exercisable on each of October 14, 1999, October 14, 2000, October 14, 2001, October 14, 2002 and October 14, 2003.
(3)	An option to purchase 200,000 shares of the Issuer's common stock, par value $.001 per share, was issued to the Reporting person under the Issuer's 1998 Stock Option Plan. One-fifth of such option became exercisable on each of October 19, 2000, October 19, 2001, October 19,2002, October 19, 2003 and October 19, 2004.
(4)	Class A Common Stock, $.001 par value.
(5)	Held in trust for the benefit of the Reporting Person's children.

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