Found a Model 4526 Hanging Out at My LGS . . .

[Denver Dick]

Back in November last year, I found a pristine Model 4586 DAO at an excellent price at my LGS in Simi Valley, CA. I saw it when it first came up on their website and sprinted over and bought it.

Fast forward to this past Tuesday late afternoon when I was in the same LGS and spotted a Model 4526 frame decocker. I was pretty sure that S&W did not make many of them (since I had never seen one up until then), but I usually like my 3rd Gen autos in 99%+ condition. This one looked, at best, to be around 95%. I left and checked their website the next day and found they had not yet posted it. I checked and found that only 1,365 units were produced and that it was cataloged for one year, 1991. Since the price was right I decided on Thursday night that I would go in first thing Friday morning, field strip it, examine it with my 4x magnifying glass and 10x loupe and, if the internals look good, buy it. Well, everything looked good, and I thought it would fit well with my other S&W big boy .45 autos, 4506-1, 4566, 4576 and 4586, so I bought it.

It still has to clear the 30 day hold on consignments here in California, so I won't pick it up until the 29th of this month. I'm looking forward to getting hold of it, after all there are only 1,365 of them and I'm pretty sure they ain't making any more of 'em.

[18DAI]

Congrats on landing a very scarce bird!! Regards 18DAI

[squidsix]

I have only ever seen one of those. Good for you!

[Aegis]

Very rare gun in Ca.. I have only seen one, mine.. I would like to find a 4546 DAO..

[Denver Dick]

Originally Posted by 18DAI

Congrats on landing a very scarce bird!! Regards 18DAI

Originally Posted by squidsix

I have only ever seen one of those. Good for you!

Originally Posted by Aegis

Very rare gun in Ca.. I have only seen one, mine.. I would like to find a 4546 DAO..

Yep, I doubt it would have been there for me to buy Friday morning if they had put it up on their website right away. In fact, it had been in the counter a few days before I first it saw on Tuesday afternoon.

[Sevens]

I would say it's rare to find a gun shop that will let you field strip a handgun that you don't own. Certainly I would guess that YOU and many/most of the hardcore S&W fanatics in these forums are well qualified to field strip and re-assemble a 3rd Gen but I can GUARANTEE that countless fudds and ham-fisted goobers are NOT qualified.

As I have mentioned in the past, look at the bottom edge of the rear of one of your S&W 1-2-3rd Gens to see where one of those guys above has smacked the slide in to the ejector and THEN rammed the slide in to the firing pin lock actuating lever upon a ham-fisted and struggling reaasembly. And goodness knows how many times they have dropped a cocked hammer, full force, in to the frame with no slide atop the pistol.

In fact... I have found those marks to be one reason that a 99% pistol is now a 95% pistol.

[Denver Dick]

Originally Posted by Sevens

I would say it's rare to find a gun shop that will let you field strip a handgun that you don't own. Certainly I would guess that YOU and many/most of the hardcore S&W fanatics in these forums are well qualified to field strip and re-assemble a 3rd Gen but I can GUARANTEE that countless fudds and ham-fisted goobers are NOT qualified.

As I have mentioned in the past, look at the bottom edge of the rear of one of your S&W 1-2-3rd Gens to see where one of those guys above has smacked the slide in to the ejector and THEN rammed the slide in to the firing pin lock actuating lever upon a ham-fisted and struggling reaasembly. And goodness knows how many times they have dropped a cocked hammer, full force, in to the frame with no slide atop the pistol.

In fact... I have found those marks to be one reason that a 99% pistol is now a 95% pistol.

Okay, you got me, I've been going to the LGS for many years and bought more than a 1/2 dozen S&W 3rd Gen autos from them over the past 9 years. The fellows working there know I'm a 3rd Gen guy. In fact, the younger clerks will come over to watch me field strip a 3rd Gen when I'm looking. Since they take the time to watch (and learn), I take the time note the points I'm checking and why. Now that I think of it, the last three 3rd Gens that I've purchased (4586, 915 and this 4526) were on consignment at this LGS. In each case, I was lucky enough to happen on them within a few days of being put out in the counter. It seems to me that many of the 3rd Gens they get in never make it to their website.


FWIW, I would think most of the "fudds and ham-fisted goobers" nowadays aren't scoping out the 3rd Gens in the used firearm counter of the store, and if they did, they probably wouldn't think to ask to field strip the pistol to examine the internals. They might say something more like, "Hey, can I take this gun apart and look at it?" That question would not fill the clerk with confidence. Or, worse they just start doing it without asking.

[Sevens]

Okay, pretty sure we are basically on the same page. However, just for clarity, imagine your buddy walks in and find a sweet 3rd Gen in fantastic shape and he has no interest but he knows that you do, so he gives you a heads-up. However, it'll be 3 days before you can get down there to see it.

Now imagine the gun store will let anyone strip and re-assemble at will with any of their used handguns.

Meh, I've said enough.

[Denver Dick]

Originally Posted by Sevens

. . . However, it'll be 3 days before you can get down there to see it. . .

I see what you mean. But then again, out here in Southern California the pistol would probably be gone by the time I got there. That would be especially true if it happened to be pristine. Surf's Up!

[GaryS]

About 18 months ago, I came across a nice 3953 at a LGS. With some trepidation, I asked the young guy at the counter if I could remove the slide to look at the frame rails. He said yes and watched me remove and replace the slide. I think he watched me more to learn than anything else.

I ended up buying the gun and that shop is on my list for future purchases if any other 3rd Gens show up.

Originally Posted by Sevens

Okay, pretty sure we are basically on the same page. However, just for clarity, imagine your buddy walks in and find a sweet 3rd Gen in fantastic shape and he has no interest but he knows that you do, so he gives you a heads-up. However, it'll be 3 days before you can get down there to see it.

Now imagine the gun store will let anyone strip and re-assemble at will with any of their used handguns.

Meh, I've said enough.