I have tryed searching forum for dash numbers and found nothing.
Any difference besides square vs round trigger guard?

I cant answer the first part of your question, but as someone who has owned and shot both trigger styles (albeit in the 5906/4013/4014 models - I'd say:

The more squared type (really rectangular if we want to be accurate- or maybe we should say "squared off") trigger guards are easier to access with gloved fingers and let you rest your off-hand finger on the front trigger strap if you shoot in that style:

Rounded style looks slightly better overall (IMO) and of course makes for a more compact design, and slides in and out of many holsters better.

Although I like both styles a lot and think its a good idea to own a few of each if you can!

SCSW 3rd Edition, page 309 lists them as the same gun. That is good enough for me.

The other difference is that it looks like the trigger and the hammer are made out of black plastic rather than steel on the latter 4506-1's.

something that's always bothered me about the -1's

Hammer and trigger are steel on both models on the -1 they just changed from flash chrome to a black coating, some are MIM though. The frame on the 4506-1 was changed to the 1006 style without the cuts to lighten it that the 4506 has on the dust cover. Also the barrel hoods are different, the 4506 is narrower than the -1 so they will not interchange. Those are the changes I am aware of.

Thanks to all.
I used to have a chart listing all the models and
dash numbers. I put it in a safe place for safe keeping.
I just don't remember where I put it.

New to the 4506 (and the forum), just purchased one two weeks ago. Love the pistol! My question, however is why my pistol is stamped 4506-1 but has a square trigger guard. I'm not seeing things, and have googled this to the point of a migraine. Can anyone help me out? The "-1" looks a little wonky, so I'm wondering if a previous owner decided to "Mall ninja" the frame and stamp the -1 on it, or if it is in fact a "-1" with a square trigger guard.


Either way, it shoots like a dream and is built like a tank.

Thanks in advance!

S

Sharpshooter,
Can you put a pic of the whole pistol?...like to see the rest of the frame and slide.

It does seem to have the square trigger guard, but it doesn't have the lightening cut that is made on the frame from the trigger forward which was on the 4506. Changes from flash chromed parts to the black finished parts came later and isn't a "-1 design change."

So, IMO, a true 4506-1 but one of those "transitional" ones.

Changes from 4506 to 4506-1 were frame, slide, and barrel. This was to standardize these parts with the 10xx series. There was a lot more machining of the 4506 slide and frame done than the later 4506s. Those lightening cuts do make a difference.

When holding a 4506 in one hand and 4506-1 in another at the same time the weight difference is noticable to me.

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Thanks,
KPSqured

KPSqured,


Sorry about the delay. Here it is. Everything I've found points to this being a 4506. Steel v/ plastic key components, squared trigger guard, etc.

Thanks

The difference is I own a 4506-1



Can't say that about a 4506...

Sorry, couldn't resist

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Pace

Thats exactly what I carried as a Deputy in Georgia, I hated it when they shoved the G22 down our throats. I was the last one to have to turn mine in, an we couldn't even buy our old ones. Thats OK, cause I have a 4566 that shoots just as well!!

That looks like a square trigger guard 4506-1, most likely a transition model using up older frames. Need a picture of top of slide showing the barrel hood to be sure. Look at the photo of a 4506 in this post and note how the frame is stepped in front of the trigger:

Pic of my early 4506

And here are photos of the barrel hood difference notice the -1 is quite a bit wider:

Like Mack said, I think thats a 4506-1 with a square trigger guard...and I think that's pretty neat.

The slide and frame (except the trigger guard) looks like 4506-1.

Frame has lightening cuts, the slide has a pronounced rib on the top are good visual clues. Also, like Mack says, look at the barrel hood. The front of the slide, where the recoil spring tunnel is, is also different between the pistols.

4506 like Macks:

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Thanks,
KPSqured

It is common when engineering changes take place that there is a transitional period when S&W mixes and matches parts to use up supplies of older version parts... Most of the -1 changes took place in the slide, the frames of the 4506 were perfectly good, economically S&W's attitude was/is why ash can a usable frame just because the new engineering change calls for a round trigger guard?

There are even some really early transitional versions running around where 4506 model marked frames had a 4506-1 slide slapped on them.

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Conrad
SWCA #1830 SWHF #222

Seems odd that the -1 was electropenciled and not stamped. Have you called S&W? They can run the serial # and tell you exactly what model it is or should be.

Either way, you have a fine pistola.

OK, I read this thread pretty fast, so maybe I have it wrong here.

It can't be a situation of using up old 4506 no dash frames since the no dash frames are all stepped. His frame is not stepped, so it has to be the newer 4506-1 ( 1006 style frame) ,

So, it looks like a 4506-1 gun with a squared trigger guard. Could it be an early production 4506-1 that had the squared 4506 trigger guard or could it be a custom trigger guard on a 4506-1 that someone had done?

Oh, and all black triggers and hammers are MIM. The older 4506 and older 4506-1 have the flash chromed triggers and hammers, the newer 4506-1 have the black MIM triggers and hammers

The 4506-1 slides will not work in the older 4506 frames. The 4506-1 frame dustcover has grooves on the top of it that match with the front of the slide to help reduce side by side play when cycling.

My 4506 has a rub mark on the slide (on the recoil spring tunnel) similar to what you see on a lot of 1911s. This design change to the frame and slide prevented that.

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Thanks,
KPSqured

pace40 That is a beautiful pistol. I love the 40 's and 45 's also!

we had a few issues with the 4506..way back when they 1st came out ..our P.D had issues with frame (hair line ) crack do to the "step down frames"

see photos

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Scott from Canton Ohio

I realize this thread is old and under most circumstances I would not do this but this seems to be a great source for 4506/4506-1 info. So here it go's...

I have a pristine 4506 that looks exactly like sharpshooters, even the same letter prefix on the serial #. It has silver trigger, silver bobbed hammer, square TG and no lightening cuts. The hammer looks factory bobbed. It has the silver rear sight shroud.

It also has the upside-down 'T' like on KPSqured's pistol on the sam side but up higher, higher than the front serrations on the front of the trigger guard.

One more identifying feater is a 'P' stamped on the very bottom of the barrel lug.

I am unsure of what the difference in the recoil rod tunnel and/or hole os from the pictures as well as the difference in the top of the slides from the pictures still on this thread. I will take pics of the pistol later but don't have the time or patience right now, sorry.

Also, can I get the contact info and price for a history letter thos and other S&W pistols and revolvers I own. This is the only one I have that came with no box. Thanks.

Thanks! 1234564321

The big difference is that the 4506-1 used the 10mm frame, with the MUCH thicker dust cover. The original 4506 frame did not need the reinforcement as the .45 ACP operates at lower pressures and is far less punishing.

The 1006 was designed around the FBI specifications calling for a 10mm that could fire at least 40,000 rounds of FULL POWER 10mm ammo (not the reduced 10mm finally adopted by the Bureau) without any problems. The 1006 easily accomplished this goal. The FBI ended up asking S&W for a smaller 10mm with a SIG-style decocking lever (ultimately the 1076).

Thus, the 4506-1 will be more durable (far more durable), but it is also heavier, and not as "nimble" in your hands.

So I guess I need to ask what kind of abomination do I have? TEU**** serial # 4506 no lightening cut/thick dustcover, square trigger guard. I'm also confused because I thought the lightening cut and round TG came with the -1's? I've done endless image searches on google for 4506 and 4506-1 and it appears my version of thick dustcover and square TG is pretty rare or there just happen to be less pics on the internet of this version.

I'm personally very happy with it because these pistols are known to be giant beasts. My version would likely weigh more than the other versions. To me, that's a good thing. Especially for some mild 45 Super. I have upped the strength of hammer spring, recoil spring and +10% mag springs.

Being our serial # prefix's are the same and we both have 'T' stamped on the left side of the trigger guard but in different places, mine is a 4506 and his a -1....... I'm guessing the T is stamped for transition. I'm sure our pistols were made within a month or less of eachother. Maybe within a week?

I just received this 4506-1. As you can see, it's another TEU transitional pistol. I wonder how many of these were made? After many hours of digging, I've found 3, including mine. Notice the very lightly struck "-1". Also, for some reason mine has the "T" proof mark right above the mag release button instead of on the trigger guard. Also, mine has a polished slide. If it is an aftermarket polish job, they did an excellent job in not polishing the top rail of the slide. I have seen some factory 645 with polish to this level..not mirror...but a shiny satin look.

I have a few of these in 10mm, and wasn't really looking to purchase a 45 cal, but this one was just too cool. I love that square trigger guard. And, of course it can just as easily be used for a club if ammo runs out!

Attached Images

20180716_122629.jpg (84.6 KB, 101 views)

Here's a better pic of "-1" light strike.

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20180716_122449.jpg (29.0 KB, 71 views)

Your picture is positively a 4506-1. The "no dash" models have an angled step cut on the side just above the finger hole for the trigger and the slides between the 4506 and 4506-1 are NOT interchangeable. What you have is a very early run of the 4506-1 where they still used the combat style trigger guard before they decided to round it off.

Not necessarily so. That gun above appears to me to have been electro-penned with the 'dash 1' after the OEM rollmark. Other than some bench assembly numbers on a few PC guns I don't recall ever seeing anything electro-penned on a production gun coming out of Springfield. As evidence I present my NoDash 4506 which is configured exactly the same as an early Dash1 gun before the R1 & R3 revisions except for the 'first' triggerguard... serial# TEU20XX.



Cheers
Bill

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Because they don't make a .46

Hi Bill,

Not sure if you were talking about my gun, but I do not believe my "-1" was electro penciled. The lines are extremely straight. It looks to me like S&W used an old 4506 rough frame, machined it for the new slide (left out the machining for the step down), and simply hand stamped the "-1", that's why it's lighter and less pronouned. Just my $.02. Any other guesses? My pictures were posted yesterday. This is an old thread, but I thought it might be a good idea to keep these transitional pieces together.

Nope, I was referring to that gun picture up there in post #7 and #27. I can't really see the rollmarks clearly on your gun however it does look familiar... Did I not see that one listed on Gunbroker by some dealer in NM. a few weeks ago?

Cheers
Bill

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Because they don't make a .46

Yes sir, that is the same one! I ended up buying it for $550. No box, etc. Still a cool old gun!

But the squared trigger guard was not the only differentiator between the 4506 and the 4506-1. The "no dash" versions also had a machined step on the side of the receiver just above the trigger and all of the other versions (-1, -2, etc.) had a smooth side like the pistol in the original photo. I've added two pics of my 4506 (no dash) to show the step (although it has a 4516 slide mounted). While it has been stated in other threads that there have been early run -1 models of certain 3rd gen semi-autos with the combat style trigger guard, there are no "no dash" 4506 models that do not have the machined step in the side - that I know of, of course.

But naturally since this is Smith and Wesson virtually ANYTHING is possible...

Attached Images

	4506-4516 Hybrid 1.jpg (100.1 KB, 46 views)
	4506-4516 Hybrid 2.jpg (97.3 KB, 54 views)

Hi Jon,

I'll let Bill correct me of course, but it looks like his example does indeed have the newer "-1" machining to the slide which accepts the newer non-ridge top "-1" slide. That's the reason why these guns are scarce., they are transitional pieces They possess characteristics of both the "-1" and no dash models.

Tony

And a raised rib atop the slide, and no partial rails on the dust cover, and sharp milled cuts instead of a blended radii where the trigger guard meets the frame, and a barrel that is significantly wider across the camming lugs & feedramp.


Here's one

By far my absolute favorite 4506 variant right there. Took me a few years and several missed auction bids to finally score one of these transitional guns. There are also some M4566 pistols out there in like configuration with the 'first trigger guard', I'm after one of those now.

Cheers
Bill

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Because they don't make a .46

Aren't those to pictures above which show the barrel ramps mislabeled? I thought the -1 barrel/slide would be wider.

Nope, I took that picture on my desk about oh, perhaps four years ago.

From what I've read, back in the day...There were some reports of frame cracks on some 4506 nodash guns right at the step in the frame. That step is coincidentally right where the camming lugs are located which pull the barrel down and unlock the breech during recoil.

My sense of things is the dash1 engineering changes addressed this cracking issue by doing away with the frame step along with a slight narrowing of the barrels camming lugs & feedramp to permit strengthening/thickening the walls of the frame at the camming lug area.

That's merely my guess of course. If I'm offbase here hopefully someone more knowledgeable than I will chime in.

Cheers
Bill

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Because they don't make a .46

Here is another one...with a standard rear sight. TEP prefix.

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My 4506-1 R1 is identical to the one in jughed440s picture. Serial prefix is TYN.

It is my one "pawnshop rescue" pistol. I stole it too! It was a Mendotta IL police duty gun before I got it. How it made it to NC is a mystery. Although Robertsons Trading post had a lot of them, from the same department around the time I got mine.

It shoots like a laser. Today I carry it at my part-time job in the LGS. The shop is located about 100 yards from a large encampment of miscreants.

Great pistols! Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

So, does anyone have any idea how many of these transitional pieces are out there?

I have a question for Bill in reference to Post #33 of this thread. I didn't want to quote it because it is quite long, but I am only referring to the final photo where he shows his 4506 No Dash without the step in the side of the frame.

I noticed a thinner black trigger, different surface on the front of the grip (textured instead of machined grooves or checks), and possibly a different hammer (the picture doesn't show it well enough). Are these all from the factory or something that was performed after-market?

I'm learning a lot about these pistols in this and other threads, so I figured it doesn't hurt to ask questions!

Thanks for asking... That's all stuff I did. I pulled the flash chromed fire control parts out and installed the MIM parts after a bit of judicious stoning/polishing. Two reasons... Get rid of the spurred hammer & alleviate the 'spoon on cheese grater' effect in DA. Further, the MIM parts have a much better finish and yield a nicer trigger, And... due to the size of my paws I suffer from hammer bite so all of my TDA guns are equipped with spurless hammers. Besides isn't having a spurred hammer on a gun that cocks itself kinda redundant? And if needs be, I can still cock the bobbed hammer manually.

The front strap clear on up to the front underside of the trigger guard I lightly contoured and power stippled to enhance grip.

Cheers
Bill

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Because they don't make a .46