I have both, and I like both. My 4506 is a no dash, squared trigger guard with fixed sights. My P220 is a newish model, with the E2 grips, decocker, rail and standard sights.

The P220 is a little bit more accurate in my hands than the 4506. Neither have ever exhibited failures, with any type of ammo. As much as I love my 4506, I would give the nod to the 220 as my favorite.

What's your favorite and why?

SVT28

While I have never had an occasion to shoot the 4506, and though the S&W 9mm single stack 3rd gens are my favorite pistols, I have previously owned the P220 and found it to be an outstanding pistol, extremely reliable, workmanship outstanding, and very accurate. I just personally prefer the S&W TDA pistols with a safety/decocker, but if you are okay with no manual safety, you can not go wrong with the P220, great pistol.

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DAV Life Member

I have had several Sigs and a few 3rd gens.....this is a S&W forum, but I can not help but vote for a Sig p220.

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On the Oak Savannah

I have no experience with the Model 4506 and so am unqualified to comment on it. I've had the Sig Model 220 DAK for about twelve years and even carried it off-duty for a period of time.

Many of my associates that carry/carried Sigs, do/did not care for the DAK. I preferred it because you only had to instruct or learn one type of trigger pull. The DA/SA is a tried and proven system in the S & W as well as the Sig. Speaking only from MY experience, you must practice and maintain familiarity, make that intimacy, with that type action, i.e. DA/SA. If you you don't, under exigent circumstances you may light off a second unintentional round. I know this due to the fact that I experienced it and also witnessed it numerous times on the square range. I'm not denigrating that type action, only stating what I have experienced. You must train with that action, for that manner any action or weapon system, and when you are proficient, train some more. A wise person told me once that you are no more a gunfighter because you carry a firearm, than you are a musician because you possess a guitar.

Others may know more though.

Joe

I have both and would be loathe to part with either.

A P220 full size sets bedside at night because it has a rail for the Veridian light/laser combo.

I would vote P220 because of the no safety/frame mounted decocker.

Somebody is making a kit to convert the M9 to a spring loaded decocker only. If they had one for the 4506 I would pounce on it.

I was trained on DA/SA pistols, and prefer them. We carried a 4506 on duty, and I carry a CS 45. I have a 4513 TSW by my bed. I do not like striker fired pistols. They no longer make pistols as well as the S&W generation 3 pistols.

I had a 4506 just like yours. I sold it about 10 years ago and I really miss it. The DA pull was a bit long for my hands, but other than that it was a great pistol. I've since offered the person I sold it to more than what he paid for it, but he won't budge. I like the P220 but I've never fired one.

Like the Sig, but I have a lot more experience with my 4505. It is, without a doubt, the toughest, most reliable handgun I have ever used. It will feed empty cases from the magazine. It has never had a stoppage.

I have had both. S&W is and has always been number one with me, but I sold my Model 4506 to a fellow LEO friend, and keep the P 220. The P 220 is easier to take down and clean, and is very accurate, and having the 22 conversion unit for it (despite the plastic magazines) can't be beat. I also think in the long run with S&W 3rd generation parts slowly getting scarcer, the P 220 will be easier to get parts for.

I'd rather shoot the 4506, but the P220 is a lot handier to carry.

The correct comparison would be P220 versus 4563(?), but that's another story.

Bottom line, I like both guns but I think the S&W is a better design. Both can take a lesson or two from the 1911, IMO.

For TDA I've been a Sig guy for decades. But in the case of 45 and 10mm I go S&W 4506 and 1006. They remind me of TDA 1911's and I love me some 1911 ergonomics. The fact that the S&W's are built like tanks doesn't hurt either.

for several years when I would go to the range my P220 and 4506-1 made the trip....I shoot both guns well....but....I still own the 4506-1 and the sig got traded for an AR....on a side note I also had a P245..basically a P220 compact..which in my hand I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn.......................from inside the barn...........it got traded for an HK 45c

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witty signature goes here

I currently have a no dash 4506 (hooked guard, Novak sights), and I carried a P220 for several years with the Dept. of Energy. Love them both.

Preference? The P220. I have large hands and the way I was trained to rack the slide and clear malfunctions is to put my large left hand over the slide. The 4506's slide mounted safety becomes an issue for me, as it gets in the way and in a vigorous action, the safety gets engaged.

Also, unless the 4506 was a LEO special order, it has the magazine disconnect safety, which I emphatically don't care for. I also think the Sig is a simpler firearm, design wise, so it breaking all the way down is less a headache for me than breaking a Smith 3rd Gen all the way down. I think the P220 is a bit more accurate out to 50 yards, as well. Lastly, the Smith really only has a few grip options...the slick factory Delrin grips or Hogue rubber or wooden grips, that's it. The Sig's have many, many grips options.

On the plus side for the S&W though, if you shoot really hot +P loads, the big heavy 4506 seems to keep the recoil down better, doesn't quite flip as much. It also has just a bit better 'pointability', if that makes sense.

Overall, I'd love to have one of those early 90's sharp-spur hammered P220's with the external extractor back, they were awesome. Maybe I'll snag one up one day. I know I won't sell my 4506 unless I have to do so to eat. It's a great 'for fun' range gun and as I've pointed out in other posts, it lets me get my inner Sonny Crockett on!

Just FWIW, I carried both on duty as a primary weapon at different times over the years. The 220 was an absolute tack driver and lighter of course. The 4506 not quite as accurate in my hands, but would feed anything. Never had a FTF with the 4506, had one with the 220. This was with the Clarke County GA PD when we could carry anything we could qualify with if it was larger than a .380. Never carried the eventually issued glock, i kept the Smith.

Had a 4505 (and foolishly sold it)..... have a 4566 and a couple of Sigs 220s ( one alloy frame and one all steel) along with Sig 245s.

My W German 220 will shoot cloverleafs at 50ft; but kind of big for everyday concealed carry.....which is why I have the compact 245.

The 4566 is a tank, feels good in the hand with rubber Hogue's and shoots even better...... but really heavy for everyday carry for a civilian living in the "Burbs of the Burgh".

If I'm carrying a .45 its the compact Sig 245.......4" slide and short alloy frame w/ 6 round grip frame.

If I had to carry a full size gun it would be the 220........ shooting a .45....it's hard to beat the 4566!!!!!!!!

So I'm keeping them all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have both, & they are both from the 80's. I could not choose one over the other. GARY

I have a 1993 P220 and 1997 Model 4506-1. They're both great pistols. However, it's a little bit like apples and oranges. The 4506 is an all stainless steel large frame TDA pistol with a 5" barrel. The P220 has an alloy frame, decock lever and 4.4" barrel which allows easier carry and seems to have more felt recoil. Nonetheless, I really like and intend to keep both.

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1st Signal Brigade, RVN '70

Having had both I kept the 220. Part of that was because I knew the 4506 brought more money. But the other part of it is I just found the 220 to be a better fit. Both were accurate but the 220 is still serviced, parts are still available, more magazine options and lighter to carry. The 4506 had the flat plastic grips which I hate. In truth if it was a race to the death the 4506 would probably outlast the 220 but I don't shoot or carry 45acp enough to care exactly which one is longer lasting

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

Another vote for the 4506 here. Having owned two P220s and a P245, as well as several 4506s, 4566s, 4516s and 4513s, I still have all the 3rd gens and the Sigs got sold/traded.

I find the Sig 45s to transmit an unpleasant recoil pulse to the palm of my hand, no matter what grips I use. I also found them to be no more accurate than my 4506s and not as accurate as my 4516-3.

While they are very nice pistols and the only game in town as far as metal framed hammer fired 45s go, I content myself with my collection of 3rd gen 45s. They are what works best, for me. Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

I have owned both and shoot both well, but I confess to feeling the shorter barrel and lighter weight of the P220 makes it both easier to carry (I carry AIWB, which was a challenge with the 4506-1) and - for any length of time - shoot. I think the Smiths were clearly better fitted and prettier, and I liked the ambiTDA safety better than the rightie hammer drop.

OT, but the only .45 semiauto I presently own is a P220 Elite Compact SAO. It's weird, but it works!

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Now go make God proud...

That's an excellent way of describing it, "an unpleasant recoil pulse to the palm of my hand." However, for me a nice set of Hogue grips significantly reduced the "pulse' and tamed the muzzle flip. The grips made the pistol much more comfortable and accurate to shoot. Still, I find it not as comfortable to shoot as a 4506 or 4566 because of the weight, but I ain't looking to get rid the P220 either.

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1st Signal Brigade, RVN '70

Here ya go. Careful, might not be a drop in part.
Smith & Wesson Spring Loaded Decock Assembly S&W 4506

And here's a decock only 4506-1 from the factory:

The Sig P220 still sets the bar for DA autos.

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NRA Endowment Member

I'm liking all of the responses so far. Some really great points on both sides. Here are the usual suspects.



Pros for 4506
-Attractive
-Stainless Bead Blast Finish
-Familiar controls like my other Smith Semi's
-Reliability
-Fits my medium hands really well

Cons:
- I can't shoot it well no matter how many rounds I put through it
- A little bulky and difficult for me to carry (5'11 165)
- Out of Production
- Less aftermarket and OEM parts out there
- Pretty limited on mag choice and sizes

Pros of P220
-Reliability
- In production
-Laser accuracy in my hands
-Easier to carry
-Accessories
-Easy takedown
-Mags (ACT, factory, 10 rd, 8, 7 ) I like the options
-Rail if that's useful for you

Cons
-Different trigger and firing system than the rest of my collection
-The finish shows wear quicker
- Not as sexy as Smiths in my opinion
-I've never tested Sigs warranty
-More common

I could probably add a few more points to each category..instead I'll just stick both back in the safe until I take them out this weekend to enjoy. These will stay in my collection for a long time, I love both of them.


SVT28

At the time I was making my decision, the choice was between a P220 and a 645. The 4506 would not come out for another two years.

I looked over both guns carefully. Both were high quality. The P220 had the advantage of lighter weight for carry. The 645 had the advantage of corrosion resistance and more comfortable shooting because of heavier weight.

In the end, the choice came down to ergonomics.

The 645 did not fit my hand well. It was OK, but I prefer an arched mainspring housing, and that (at least at the time) was not an option. The decocker/safety was inconveniently located for me.

The P220 fit my hand like a glove. The controls were easy to get to. It felt "right". This really was not surprising as my previous SIG was a P226. In fact I was trading the P226 in for either a P220 or a 645.

Never looked back. Have stuck with SIG ever since. That P220 has been the house gun for three decades and has accompanied me on many camping trips due to its tritium sights. The frame looks almost new. The grips are worn but serviceable. Unfortunately new replacement grips if this style are no longer made, though Hogue makes similar looking ones from aluminum. SIG offers a slide reconditioning and finishing service and I might take them up on that.

As an aside, I was interested in a S&W 745 as a companion to my 52-2. I had seen a 745s with an arched mainspring housing, but could not find one at any dealer, and it did not appear the housing (or backstrap) was aftermarket. At that point I wound up collecting N frames, got a Model 25-2, and never bothered looking anymore for a 745.

I've carried both and, for me, the fit/feel and the trigger pull of the Smith was better than the Sig. Others have a totally opposite view based upon their experiences. As others have offered, go with what's best for you.

The only negative I can see to the 4506 is the availability of parts. I have a 4566 decock only and absolutely love it. Had to replace the trigger play spring, a common issue, but other than that it has never faltered.

HA! Coincidentally I accidently came across that exact part at Midway about 15 minutes ago while searching for something else! Did a quick search & found that it is indeed a 'smith installed part. S&W PC did the mods in the past & I'll see if they still do.

Happy dancing tonight!

Tie game! No overtime. As somebody said, comparing the two is a little like apples and oranges. I love fruit-both the red and the orange kind.

I have both - and like both. SVT28 nailed it as far as pro's and con's - especially the fact that the anodizing on the P220 frame shows wear faster. That said, if I were to have the finances, I would get one of the newer P220's with the rail. I will keep both as long as I'm not filled with embalming fluid ...

+1 on that. I have an old West German model that is by far my favorite pistol in 45acp. The nearest runner up is my P220 S/S Match Elite (5" barrel). The Sigs made me give up 1911's. I like the trigger on the 1911 better, but I really prefer the DA/SA set up on the 220. Practice has helped me become proficient with it. I can't comment on any S&W product in 45acp because I've never owned or fired one (Maybe I'm missing something?), but the 220 can stand on its own merits. Shoot what you like, and like what you shoot.

I'm a Sig fan and carry this older P220 that I picked up from a pawn shop. It was a "Police trade in" and the internals were incredibly clean with hardly a hint of wear other than a yearly qualify. I brought it with me when I went to the Sig Armorers class and rebuilt it with all new springs.

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