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Old 02-15-2011, 10:34 PM
snowman.45 snowman.45 is offline
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Buckeye, AZ, USA
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Default 645, 4506, 4516, 4566

When I entered LE in 1977, we had to carry revolvers. Being raised by a military father, I had an inherited love for the 1911. I tried my best to convince my Chief that we needed to move into the 20th Century and issue (or at least allow) autos. While I pressed hard for the 1911, he wouldn't go for it. He finally allowed me to look into other autos, but they had to be steel-framed, .45 ACP, double action and American made. That was about the time S&W introduced the 645. I tested one and immediately went out and bought my own. After revising the firearms policy, we were allowed to carry, and eventually issue the 645.

I began to look for a compact DA .45 for off-duty and plain-clothes use. About that time, the 4516 came along and I went out and bought one. Both the 645 and the 4516 would feed empty brass, and I never had any problems with either of them. When the 4506 came out, I sold the 645 and got one. I loved these pistols, but started having trouble with malfunctions related to some magazine issues. S&W replaced the magazines with one containing a newly designed follower. This cured the biggest part of the problem.

We decided it was time to test other pistols due to the mag problem. The Chief told me to make sure to check the Glock. I told him that it did not conform to our policy. He insisted we test it anyway. To make a long story short, they G21 shot astonishingly well and was reliable, not to mention the increased capacity. We then adopted the G21, and the S&W pistols were removed from our issued weapons inventory.

After all these years, I am still required to carry a Glock on duty. However, I got to really missing my old S&W .45's. I ended up finding a 4566, a 4516 and a 4553. I can happily report that I have found them to be everything I remembered. I particulary like the 4566 and carry it off-duty alot. These are great guns.
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Dave Frost
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