I saw a 745 yesterday at our bowling pin shoot. I did not get the opportunity to handle it but what a pretty pistol. (I was offered the opportunity to shoot it but declined). I think I need to find one to call my own. I'm a 1911 guy so it will be a departure from the norm. I'd love your learned opinion on the 745. Thanks. bob

I had the IPSC commemorative version years ago but foolishly sold it.

SS frame, blue slide, single action version of the 645 with larger mag release, larger safety lever and Novak style rear site IIRC,
came with wood stocks (no medallions) instead of 645 plastic which fit but have to be modified to clear the 745 safety.

I have posted this before, but here's a bit of information about
745 production numbers. It is not perfect, and I did get a
clarification from Roy, (which was also posted.)
745's are wonderful pistols, and the one I have shoots great.

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I'm sure that there have been many 745 threads as I have been a contributor in several over the years.

I have had a love and hate thing for mine due to issues which have been unique to my 745.

Anyway that is all in the past and I currently cannot resist taking mine to the range as it is a lot of fun to shoot.

My only advice is to buy spare parts when you find them. You just never know when you may need them and they may be getting harder to find.

Check here for some info.

Model 745 armorer help



745 FTF Hammer at half cock

Just some helpful threads with some good information.

Bruce

If you like the single action only 745 you'd like a 845 even more. They're a Performance Center version of the 745 in 3rd Gen form. And if you're a 1911 guy the 945 is basically a 845 slide on a 1911 type frame/action. A few more tempting choices for you.

.

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Waiting for the break of day

Thank you for the comments. One more question if I may;

What about magazine interchangeability....or am I "stuck" finding 745 specific mags? Could be a deal breaker for me if so. I'm still contemplating, although there are a few on GB right now.

A magazine interchangeability guide would be nice. Is there such a thing?

bob

645, (745,) and 4506 all work. My 745 shipped from factory
with black follower 4506 mags!!! In 1998 though

Take your time. You CAN find any model you want. Fixed,
adjustable, commemorative and non, for a reasonable price.

Closest thing to a "guide" is simply us afficianados that post about them!

745 originally came with the same magazines as the 645. Metal floorplate 8-rd single stack magazine. When the 3rd Gen 4506 came out, the magazine changed a bit in that the old-school metal floorplate became a plastic one.

Simplest answer: 645, 745, 845 and 4506 (as well as many of the lesser known 3rd Gen .45 cal models are -ALL- interchangeable.

The older 645/745 magazines have the metal floorplate but all work across all the full-grip length models.

(Extra note: 945 magazine has the exact same magazine body and plastic floorplate, but the catch is cut slightly higher in the body of the magazine)

I am a new owner of a 745. Here's my thread from a few weeks ago. It contains some great info, especially from Sevens. Check it out.

I'm embarrassed to say that I have not shot mine yet. I have lots of excuses, but what I will say is the Md 745 has to be one of the most beautiful semi-autos S&W ever made.

I Never Saw One Before...So I Bought It!

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I'm gonna grow fins.

Loeman: Thanks for the post. I did do a search function prior to creating this thread....but your thread did not pop up. Nice pistol and nice photos.

And thanks guys. You convinced me the mag situation is by no means a show stopper. Now the search is on to find a nice 745. bob

Post-script. I won a GB bid for a 745 with 4 mags....so much for worrying about compatibility. Hope it likes living next to my beloved 41. We will find out after jumping through the Maryland idiot government hoops. I'll report back in about 2 weeks.

There are a number of them that have been sitting and waiting on Gunbroker. The market for the 745 seems to be an odd one-- I personally believe that they are undervalued. The ones I see on Gunbroker have opening bids or buy-it-now that aren't all too far from what 645's and 4506's sometimes bring.

I believe that prices on them are low and will rise. I think it is a good time to be a 745 buyer.

Had one for a while.
Tried it as a bullseye gun.
Either me, the gun, or the loads tried, but never found the accuracy I expected.
Went back to Colt Gold Cup.

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-jwk-
US Army '72-'95

Me too. I was just shooting paper with it but my 4506-1 shot better so the 745 went to another home.

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USS ZELLARS
DD-777

I've had several 745's and I can't say any were real "Tack Drivers" so to speak. But the trigger will spoil about anyone for sure. I've got one of the all stainless/adj. sight, DVC guns that was later fitted with a Bar-Sto barrel that helped with the accuracy. They still under priced for their quality.

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I hear what you guys are saying with regards to accuracy, but it occurs to me that -many- of us see accuracy a bit differently or maybe I should say that it can be difficult for any of us to truly capture what we want or "expect" with regards to accuracy.

Me? I am no Bullseye shooter. I stand completely in awe of the level of accuracy those guys strive for. I feel like on a good day, in fantastic conditions, when I am seeing and executing, I can nearly approach what an average Bullseye level shooter does but at one-sixth the distance!

On the other hand, when informally comparing the level I shoot at all the time with 95% of what I witness on any/every public access range... I'm doing well for sure.

Of my two 745's, both are accurate but one tosses flyers at least one per magazine. The other puts together a very nice group. I have a small handful of 5" PC target guns and some 52's, so I definitely know what an accurate handgun has the potential to do.

It's been my experience that a good 745 can and will outshoot production 2nd and 3rd Gen pistols, typically, all else being equal. And this is where and how I believe that 745's are currently a sleeper in the used S&W 1-2-3rd Gen market.

Foolish to expect PC level ability from a 745, but I believe you should demand small group accuracy that easily meets or exceeds high volume production duty/service type pistols.

I have had two for many years. One has over 25,000 rounds through it with just an extractor change (free by S&W). The other has <4000 rounds. Triggers are superb and the Millett sights on both are delightful. The last guns that I will give up (except for an early 645, two 52's, one 41 and a breathed on Model 14). Dave_n

One more question if I may.
Has anyone mounted a scope rail on a 745? Will a slide mount Clark Custom rail fit and function? Other ideas for mounting an Ultra Dot on the slide? Thanks again in advance. bob

Let us bring this full circle. I got my 745 out of MD quarantine yesterday and have now run about 300 rounds through her. I am rapidly coming to the conclusion that this is a much better....to me anyway....pistol than any 1911 I own or have owned. I dearly love the trigger and it runs flawlessly with both hard ball and swc ammo. I did have to adjust the rear sight a bit by drifting....it was shooting 2 inches left of center.

I'm a happy camper with my 745. I will contemplate putting a match dot on it somehow but in no hurry just now. bob

I am horrified by the idea of an optical sight on any semiauto pistol but also admit that while my eyes are definitely NOT getting better, I'm sure that not everyone can see as well as they wish they could so I do understand why some end up using optical sights. I think it makes sense to acknowledge that using an optical sight definitely CHANGES the game-- part of the allure of shooting a handgun extremely well and accurately is one's ability to do all that is required and an optical sight absolutely changes what is required.

Hitting targets with a handgun with sights requires lining up 3 different things, holding that steady all the while squeezing a trigger and following through. Anyone who has done it (all of us here) knows that doing this extremely well is anything but easy.

Taking a front and rear sight out of this process changes the game radically.