A couple of weeks ago, I picked up a 4566 from a buddy of mine. I like it.

Lo and behold, today, the same guy, calls me and says he has a 1st production (he's guessing) model 645. He described it as having the original plastic grip panels, the large, squared trigger guard and the big ol' boxed in adjustable rear sight.

The model 645 holds a very dear place in my heart. It was the very first semi-auto I ever carried on duty and probably my very favorite pistol.

However...

This 4566 has been on my hip for the last three days in a Gould & Goodrich Yaqui Slide holster and I am lovin' it! I just wonder if the added heft of the 645 along with that big ol' rear sight is gonna be a burden. I mean, this 4566 is considerably lighter (not by much) and the Novak sight is sure more attractive than that big ol' honkin' rear on the 645.

He's offered to trade me gun for gun. What do I do?

I'm in hell.

Easy solution. Buy them both.

I would vote for the 4566 as I think the weight difference will become more significant over time if you are carrying the guns on a daily basis.

Good Luck with your decision,

Jerry

I think you need to keep the 4566. It's an awesome gun that you obviously love. I have a 4586 (same as your 4566 but DAO) and it's definitely easier to carry than my full size .45acp Smith. Then you need to save up and start hunting down a 4506-1 to go with it. The 645 is a fine handgun, no doubt, but the 4506-1 is the true full size brother to your 4566.

go insane say to H*** with it all and buy a les baer 1911! lol I would keep the 4566

I wish I could afford both.

In all honesty, I think I like the grip of the 645 better. Two reasons actually.

First...the grip width of the 645, IMHO, fits the hand better. I took the factory straight back grip off the 4566 and replaced it with a rubber Hogue. It feels "ok" but still a little fat for me and a little too sticky as well.

Second...I really like the simplicity of the screw on grip panels of the 645 over the pin/plug mounting system of the 4566. Call me crazy.

However...

Yes, the weight thing may be an issue. That 645 is a boat anchor. The rear sight thing is kinda bothersome to me too. I think that big ol' shrouded rear sight is kinda overkill. Is it possible to install a Novak rear on a 645?

I don't have my SCSW handy, but IIRC there is less than an ounce difference between the empty 645 and an empty 4566.

I seem to remember that a fixed sight 645 weighs in at 36.5 ounces and a 4566 weighs in at 36 ounces. I could be wrong, and probably am. The 645....."feels" slimmer and slightly lighter, to me.

If it were me, owning both a 645 and several 4566's......i'd get the nice 645. The 4566's are around in greater abundance and you will be able to get another nice one easier......and cheaper than a nice 645.

You seem to have a fondness for the 645 as well. Get it, shoot it, love it. Regards 18DAI.

I'm an old Miami Vice fan. Especially the 3rd and 4th seasons.

I seem to be one of the few people who appreciate the concept of the shrouded sight, if not being totally enamored by the aesthetics of it. To me, the protective "ears" lend a sense of purpose and utility to the pistol; making the old adage, "form follows function" applicable.

True, the "ears" are absolutely utilitarian and virtually lock in your adjustment of the rear sight. They are just so HUGE!

It's a good thing the Smith & Wesson 45 series of pistols are so dead nuts reliable. Could you imagine doing a "tap-rack-bang" malfunction drill with that big ol aperature?! It would rip your hand right open.

Anyway, he and I are suppossed to meet later this afternoon. I'll let y'all know which one I decide on then.

AN UPDATE:

Well, I went ahead and traded the 4566 to him for this 645. The minute I held it, I was swept back to 1989 when I was first introduced to the 645. I remember using it during my first semi-auto transition course in Drumright, Oklahoma. My high score at that 2 day class was 96%. The 645 I was using then practically shot itself. Looking back, I kinda chuckle at the guys who were totin' 1911s and clearing jams left and right with them. Even during the malfunction drills, my 645 wouldn't jam...it would just feed an empty hull and instead of going "BOOM!" it would go "click."

This one is truly in outstanding condition! The prior owner obviously kept this one in a safe because the only wear on it that I can see are a few handling marks and one little ding on the top of the left side of the rear sight blade.

It came with one ORIGINAL steel bottom magazine and the ORIGINAL black plastic grip panels which are in damn near showroom condition. No scratches, checkering nice and sharp. The checkering on the front and backstraps is nice and sharp as well. Giving it lots to bite ahold of during the grip.

This was one of the best trades I've ever made in my life, IMHO. I can hardly wait to hit the range with it. I feel like a virgin on prom night.

If somebody has an SCSW there handy, could you tell me an approximate birthday on this ol' iron?

Serial number is TBK60xx.

Thanks!

Looks like towards the end of 1987.

Bill

I fully expect you to ask the mods to change your username to "645 'em down".

I was thinking mid 80's. When did the 645 "rule" anyway? Meaning, what was their production era/lifespan?

That would be cool, huh?

According to the Standard Catalog they were produced 1985 - 1988.

One of the best times of my life.

I remember it like yesterday.

I graduated high school in the summer of 1986, and got married the fall of that same year. Worked here and there and finally, in the summer of 1989, I donned a navy blue uniform, a tin shield and a Smith & Wesson revolver. I started out with a borrowed 3 inch model 13 (my uncle's), then I bought a 4 inch model 681 and finally finished up my revolver days with a 4 inch 629.

Everybody around us was switching to bottom feeders, but my staunchy old chief wouldn't let us. He said we could carry any caliber we wanted if we could qualify with it...and as long as it was a Smith & Wesson, Colt or Ruger revolver.

I was carrying .44 Specials in the 629 and even told the rangemaster that a week before qualification day. He went to Oklahoma City to pick up everybody's ammo. He had a list of what caliber of ammo everybody needed and what weapon they had. He picked up 100 rounds of .44 Magnum for me, claiming he couldn't find a single box of .44 Special in all of OKC.

Liar.

Anyway, he didn't think I could qualify with those full house magnum loads, and, tongue in cheek, he thought it would be comical to see me struggle and fail.

I showed him...shot a 90%.

But damn were my forearms sore the next day!

Finally in the spring of 1990, our chief said we could go to autos under TWO conditions. The gun had to be American made and it had to be .45 caliber. A local deputy I knew had a 645 and sold it, the duty holster, double mag pouch and 4 magazines to me for $400.

I took it to a transition school in Drumright, shot it for two days straight, ended up with a best score of 96% and carried it on duty for another year, until I got bitten by the plastic bug, like everybody else.

Never again.

Oh sure, I'll hafta tote that plastic gun when my boss is around, but when he's gone (like this week) I'll carry this lovely stainless steel beauty.


Damn. Where has the years went? This November, my oldest daughter will be having her first child. Grandpa? Me? HA!

As much as I loved the mid 80's, I wouldn't go back to being a kid for a million bucks!

But I do miss the 80's.

Sorry for the novella.

Very interesting tale. Seems you have about 4 years on me, but out lives followed a similar path with 2 exceptions; my first duty gun was a semi-auto (S&W 915) and if my oldest daughter has any babies in the next 4 years I am going to end up in prison.

I think about that 915 all the time and often contemplate picking another one up. So I understand your longing for that 645.

What's sad is that I had a 2nd 645 about 2 or 3 years ago. But, like a doofus, I sold it in a moment of weakness.

So yeah, I was thrilled to get this little guy today. Maybe I'll hang onto this one. You know what they say: The third times a charm!

The only other gun I really regret getting rid of was probably that 4 inch 629 years and years ago, and just recently, in another "bold move" I got rid of my daily companion, my model 38 Airweight Bodyguard from 1985. I miss that little guy like the deserts miss the rain.

Luckily, I picked up a 642-1 no lock to fill it's EDC/BUG place in the pocket.

I don't have a pic of my "new" 645, for I am photographically challenged, but here's it's twin from the internets.

Good for you!! I can tell by your post that the 645 is the one you NEED! Something that fits your hand like they built it just for you,
you can't go wrong there.
Congratulations! TACC1

It seems the 645 is getting hard to find these days. I saw one with wood grips at a gun show two weeks ago and the guy wanted $875 for it!
I was hoping you could swing both. The 4566 is a sweet gun. I have mine on my duty rig right now. But I totally understand that your deep heart feeling for a 645 again. They are a sweet gun as well. A former Sheriff I worked for packed one every day. I have a 4506-1 that was a ND Highway Patrol gun and won't part with it.

Yeah, I wish I could have too, but on a flatfoot's salary, I just can't afford it. Besides...my local toy store has a 4 inch model 66-1 that I'm going ga-ga over!

Also, Mrs GED and I just bought a house, so my play money is gonna be gone until I get her Jeep paid off...in 4 years.

Oh well...we are getting back $8K of stimulus money, maybe I can talk her out of about a grand of that. With a thousand bucks, I can fund that model 66-1 as well as a duty rig for both and some ammo.

We'll see.