4506 Goodness

cwo4uscgret · #1 08-09-2018, 12:55 PM

Stopped at a local gun shop today and the owner was taking pictures of a "big" S&W Auto; big like my 1026 big!

After I examined what is to be my next new to me firearm, I completed a 4473 only to find that NICS was down nationwide! So yesterday I went to pick up my new 4506! No box and only one magazine. Pretty clean condition; Talked them down to $600 plus tax OTD.

After picking it up I went to the range and shot 30 rounds through it. What's nice to me about a used handgun is it's broken in! Looking over this one it hasn't been fired a lot though!

Sevens · #2 08-09-2018, 01:14 PM

You got a super early 4506, it is pre-Novak and the magazine that came with it appears to be a 645/745 magazine with a plastic or rubber pad glued on to the baseplate.

Great looking pistol!

SparkyAZ · #3 08-09-2018, 01:20 PM

Most excellent acquisition, enjoy that beauty!

HOUSTON RICK · #4 08-09-2018, 01:42 PM

I believe the 4506 is one of the best 45ACP handguns made. Everyone that has tried it, likes shooting mine. congratulations on your find.

18DAI · #5 08-09-2018, 03:26 PM

Nice 4506! Congrats!

The 4506 is my favorite 5 inch 45. Accurate, bet your life reliable and looks good doing all that. Enjoy yours! Regards 18DAI

BLUEDOT37 · #6 08-10-2018, 12:45 AM

Congrats. Nice find!

Looks fresh but remember those springs might be 27 years old. Give it a re-fresh with some new recoil, XP firing pin, & mainsprings from Wolff. Then you're good for years to come.

Everybody needs at least one 4506.

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Xtreme 225gr P-TCFP w/CFE-P @ 7.3gr, off-hand, 12yds.

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BAM-BAM · #7 08-10-2018, 07:59 AM

Now; let the search begin for a 4566 and a 4505.................

18DAI · #8 08-10-2018, 08:14 AM

Nice shooting BLUEDOT37!!

I have a pawn shop rescue 4506-1 that is identical to yours. TYN serial prefix. Shoots like yours does too!

Regards 18DAI

fuzzymcnab · #9 08-20-2018, 10:52 PM

CWO,
As I recall, the early 4506's came with that mag. Metal base (like 645) and bumper pad. Should also have an orange follower.
Oh yes, GREAT GUN!
fuzzy

That One Guy · #10 08-21-2018, 12:22 AM

Nice gun! I scored a 4506 at the gun show this weekend. Will be posting it here shortly.

jughed440 · #11 08-21-2018, 06:45 AM

Nice score on that classy pistol. The 4506s are well built and super reliable.

kingrj · #12 09-05-2018, 10:29 AM

I bought my 4506-1 new almost 30 years ago and have really loved this gun. New it had many failures to feed that was the result of a very narrow feed channel on the feed ramp of the barrel. Wayne Novak fixed that for me and it will now feed empty cases! Never had a malfunction since. However it never had that crisp single action trigger pull that a tuned 1911 had. I tried stoning the sear engagement surfaces and it helped a little but the real culprit was the firing pin block which affected the trigger on the Smith even more than the Colt Series 80 firing pin locks did. Since I converted my 4506 to .45 Super to hunt with and knowing that I was NEVER going to use it for self defense I opted to remove the firing pin block piston and it was night and day on the trigger. Now the gun has a trigger that is as good or better than either of my 1911's. Enjoy the gun..it is a good 'un!

oink · #13 09-05-2018, 05:00 PM

I guess I'll be the dark cloud.

I bought a 645 when the first came out. I recall the hype then that it would feed an empty case. I bought it as a duty gun. I found it too unreliable to use as a duty weapon. Too many miss-feeds regardless of magazine. I dumped it. Then they came out with the 4506. I figured they fixed all of the issues and bought one. Same thing! Not reliable enough for a duty gun. I had (still have) a 659 and a 669 prior to either of the Smith 45s and found them bullet proof.

The 45s were fun to shoot but for a duty gun it has to be 100% reliable. Apparently some people or even agencies found that reliability. I did not. At that time, as a D/S when pay was way more pathetic than it even is now, and one at an agency that had to supply his own weapon, that experience was a hardship. That was the end of my 45acp experience for years, until the G21. My 629 worked well!

BLUEDOT37 · #14 09-05-2018, 11:24 PM

Well that's a bummer. My 4506-1 (mfd. Aug-1991), like every one of my 3rd Gens I've checked, will fed a stack of empties if hand cycled. No feeding issues with anything I handload. Way more dependable than my 1911 Colt Mk.IV, Series 70, 45acp ever was.

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