Looked at a nice 4566 TSW today. There was a strange button on the underside of the trigger guard. The owner stated that it was a trigger lock. There was a tool that turned the button and deployed a block to obstruct the trigger being depressed. I own several Smiths, my Dept used Smith 3rd Gens in 9, 40, 45 but I have never seen such a trigger lock. I've searched the web and can't find reference to it either. The PDF owners manual for metal autos on the Smith & Wesson doesn't show it either. What gives?

Are you sure it wasn't a trigger stop to prevent over travel?

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My sgntr is mor thn 30 chrctrs

Back in 2001-2002 when the current company purchased S&W from Tompkins, locking devices for handguns were their stock in trade. The button on the bottom of the trigger guard of that 4566TSW is a form of lock.

When the allen wrench tipped key was inserted and twisted in the buttons recess, a metal peg rose up in the inside of the trigger guard above the button and prevented rearward movement of the trigger.

On page 76 of Dean Boormans book "The history of Smith & Wesson Firearms" a picture of a 4566TSW equipped with this idiotic device appears at the bottom right side of the page. Serial number is TDP8379.

Back in 2002 S&W was still selling large numbers of TSW series pistols. When they showed these models equipped with the trigger guard lock to agencies, they did not recieve the reception they were hoping for. They were told "no thanks!" And those useless devices died a well deserved death. Not many were produced. Thank God.

So as a conversation piece, the one you are looking at might be worth having. But I would not pay a premium for it and would not use it for serious purpose. While not as bad or poorly designed as the internal locks that the lock company now known as s&w incorporated into their revolvers, ruining that line, they are still as useful as tits on a bull. Hope this helps! Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Thanks. Lightly used with box I might just try and acquire it.

...miss a day ya miss a lot...I've never seen such a lock and until now hadn't even heard of such a variant

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witty signature goes here

Ditto. Even good companies come up with idiotic ideas every once in a while.

Chevrolet Vega comes to mind.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

Never heard of that one. Don't want to hear of any more.

Never seen or even heard of this till this thread. Clearly an unwelcome idea, but an interesting bit of S&W trivia. Thanks 18DAI.

Though most of us universally loathe the internal lock and we heap a lot of (much deserved!) blame on Saf-T-Hammer, at least they saved S&W from Tompkins. S&W's worst existence was under those guys.

Fantastic post, 18DAI. I had never heard of these particular locks either.

Can anyone post a pic of this?

I currently own 28 S&W semiautomatic pistols with metal frames. I thought I was generally familiar with S&W's semis made since the end of WWII. And yet I had never encountered a pistol with this trigger lock or even mention in gun literature or blogs or gun web sites.

I would really appreciate for the owner of one of these to take and post a couple of photos.

18DAI... it's been awhile.

New one on me also.....thanks for the info.

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US Patent 6301816

Hope this helps

Attached Images

IMG_0550.jpg (150.4 KB, 391 views)

Looks like a good use for a Dremel with a small cutoff wheel.

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"I'm your huckleberry."

Wow, that is one ugly and useless "feature". I'd guess that since it's a factory "feature" and so few were made that a day will come when it's value will be greater than a regular model. I'd jump on that if the price is reasonable for future value.

Or a drop of locktite at 35 on the diagram above.

Correct. For its novelty & rarity alone it should be preserved.

Folks can say what they will about Tompkins ownership of S&W. At least when Tompkins owned it they made good looking guns with great triggers that you didnt have to rebuild with Apex parts after purchase, just to give the gun everything the factory couldnt be bothered to.

As far as Im concerned s&w went out of business in 2001. YMMV. Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

like the grip adapter from the 30s that were on some the RM's

Oh man 18DAI! Controversial S&W statement of the day!

Since I was still in my 25-year "deep sleep" at the time, I can only comment looking at it back from today... but my opinion is that someone had to save S&W from the Brits before they just shut it all down and went back home for afternoon tea!

Yes, Saf-T-Hammer came in with some pretty weird ideas and we live with that legacy today. I will never buy a S&W revolver with an IL as long as I live and you can take that to the bank... and I'm certainly no fan of the abandonment of S&W's all-metal semi-auto pistol line for plastic (I don't count the 1911's).

But someone had to do it. Someone had to come in to save the company. And my feeling is that it could have turned out a whole lot worse.

The various modern incarnations of S&W have made their mistakes and had their disappointments. All of them. There is a lot not to like. But there is a lot to like too. Perhaps the next incarnation will be better than the current one, but I probably won't be around to see it. I think that current management is going to hang on at least long enough to see me pushing up daisies.

".....But there is a lot to like too...." Really? Please name one model.

The m&p with its great accuracy? The bodyguard with its great trigger? The 1911 with its innovative floppy trigger that moves vertically as well as horizontally in the frame?

Sorry, I dont view the purchase of the company by Safety Hammer as a "save". Better it had passed into history (although I think that was unlikely) than to see junk being peddaled at scalpers prices, simply because it wears the famous tradmark. My 0.02 YMMV Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

I think the very fact that they survived (and went on to thrive financially) is an accomplishment.

Okay, I'll admit that I haven't bought a brand new S&W handgun in well over a year. The last one was a full-size M&P45... and before that a compact M&P45. While they may not be the greatest pistols ever made, I think I got my money's worth. Perhaps that's all you can hope for today.

There are two brand new S&W handguns on my 2017 Possibilities List: a Model 442-1 and a Shield .45. I'll admit that neither one is super-high priority but I hope to score one of each nonetheless.

Okay, so maybe you are right. But I still consider myself a fanboy. I am too old to change. Yes, my main focus is older Smith & Wessons now... but if they came out with a few decent, traditional-looking, non-IL revolvers they could flip me for sure.

As a part time instructor at the local indoor range, as well as working part time at the local high end gunshop, Ive shot and handled that new shield 45 extensively.

It is an improvement over the prior versions. While it does not have a very good trigger, IMO, I will say it sucks less than the previous versions.

In fact, I just told one of the other instructors this past week, that I may pick up a used example at the local shop, to use as a teaching tool and to keep the wear and tear off my REAL S&Ws.

Im currently running about 150 to 200 rounds per week through my 457 and CS9 teaching newbs how to shoot. I like those guns and care what happens to them.

I need a cheap gun that I could care less what happens to. That shield 45 fits the bill to a T. Do you know if they come with a blue Beta Tester T-shirt ? How about a return shipping label? Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

OUCH and OUCH!

The good news on the Shield .45 is that by the time it becomes legal to buy in loony moonbat Massachusetts, the beta testing will mostly be done.

Lucas Cain would be confused to death if he saw that thing near his trigger.
Jim

..that may be the best back door endorsement I've ever heard..

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While surfing the pages of SCSW I notice that there were at least 3 Models, 5906TSW, 4006TSW, and 4566TSW that had different product codes in 2002 for "Safety Trigger Variation" pg 371, 380, 385. But I have yet to see another pistol or even a another photo of a gun with this devise. I wonder just how many were sold.

I agree wholeheartedly with EVERYTHING 18DAI has said.

I had a long, in-depth post typed up, but it was guaranteed to make some fanboys get butthurt, and cause me to get dinged for being too honest about the company calling itself Smith & Wesson.

I'd get that 4566 if it's priced reasonably.
I'd sit on it for 20 years and sell it for a stupidly high price, with documentation on the trigger block.

Or, I'd remove the damned thing and shoot the snot out of the 4566.
I have one, without that abomination, and it's a fantastic pistol. Typical 3rd gen Smith. Reliable to a fault. Like a Makarov, or a Star Firestar, or a SIG P220.

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What would Jim Cirillo do?

"It is an improvement over the prior versions. While it does not have a very good trigger, IMO, I will say it sucks less than the previous versions."

Yup, I always chuckle a bit when striker fired guns and good triggers are mentioned in the same sentence.

From the 2002 catalog -

Attached Files

	lock1.pdf (1.09 MB, 191 views)
	lock2.pdf (1.07 MB, 146 views)

I would just get rid of that lock mechanism and now you've got a factory lightened trigger guard.

Hey, my first car was a '73 Chevy Vega. Bought it in 1982 for $400.00.

$399.00 above it's value.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

Or the Monza.

I'll see your Monza, and raise you a Cadillac Cimarron.

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Can open, worms everywhere.

Now that right there is ugly.

Not sure what year mine was but it was a panel wagon with only front seats and no rear side windows and it actually served me well.

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I'm gonna grow fins.

Outstanding! Thank You.

Got you guys beat. My first car was a '64 Ford Falcon. Learned a lot about car mechanics and body work on that one.

Next one was a mint Olds Omega (think Chevy Nova cousin) with a 262 V8 and about 20k miles on it. Outstanding car. I put about 150,000 more miles on it with nothing but oil changes needed. Then traded it in a brand new 1982 Chevy Cameron Berlinetta. Which in English translated to "***".

I had a customer put 200,000 miles on a Vega. But I think we rebuilt or changed every engine in the other 300 we sold that first year.

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40 yrs Millwright Machinist

Doubt I'd buy it, but if I did, it be gone before I left the parking lot!!'

OP, If that pistol has the original box coded as a lock model, I would buy it and leave it as is. It does not appear many were sold in that configuration, so it might be long term sleeper.

I have a 4006TSW that is LNIB,with the trigger lock that 18DHI so accurately described. I has a very small two prong key that turns the small button. It is kind of cool looking and much better looking that the Hillary Whole in revolvers. If I start shooting this 4006, I will do the same as I do with the Shield w/safety. I will just not engage it!

Agree with 18daI and Kuhnhausen.

When I first read the title to this thread, I thought of the safety device for the courtroom officers revolvers. I believe the officer wore a ring on his finger and when he had the gun in hand. The ring would unlock the firing mechanism. Without the ring the gun was just a club. I believe this was from the 70’s though.