My continuing search for a CHP 4006TSW has again missed the mark but come up with the next best thing, a Fresno Sheriff's Office 4566TSW. It was definitely carried and fired some, there's some holster wear on the slide, a hammer indent on the grip tang, the internals had a fair amount of grimy carbon and gun oil, the front sight is just slightly off center to the left but otherwise it seems like a pretty clean gun. Does anyone know when Fresno County went over from 4506s to these? It feels quite smooth and well-balanced and I definitely see why FSO wanted to stay with the .45 3rd platform as long as they could. My gun also has a '150 year anniversary edition' engraving on it, and looking through the site archives the only other Fresno 4566 I've seen also has it. Are these guns special editions and the only ones to make it out into the wild?

I have a couple of Fresno 4506's and one 4566. They were issued in June of 2007 and retired in 2014 . When they went to the MP45 these were offered for sale to the individual deputies. They ordered approx 800 guns. Yours is only the second 4566 I have seen. My 4506 was assigned to a court bailiff and the 4566 a patrol deputy, both shot the minimum required. Serial #0001 went to the Sheriff, 0002 Under Sheriff etc. My serial is in the high 300's.

For my money, I would rather have that than one of the CHP 4006TSWs.

That is an awesome pistol.

I find it interesting that the rail on that model is different than the rail on the WVSP 4566TSW. There are some slight differences between the two. Not sure which one was produced first.

Goes to show that S & W rarely does the same thing the same way twice.

Thanks for sharing.

Now you're gonna make me add one more "gotta have" to my list.

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Un-Reconstructed Southerner

I have a couple of those also, very nice guns. I like the 40 platform. The re seller on GB has raised the price considerably the last couple of months.

I bought 2 of the CHP pistols for something like $350 each from Summit Gunbroker. Class act guy. When I bought mine, he emailed me and said he only had a few left. Offered to pick me two of the best from the next lot he had coming in. Took him up on his offer and the two he sent are awesome!

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Un-Reconstructed Southerner

I'm with 4506517. I don't consider the integral rail 4566TSW the next best thing when compared to the 4006TSW. I'd rather have it.

Congrats! That is a beautiful 45! Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

I too bought my CHP from Summit , along with a couple of others . It looks like he finally sold his business , too bad he was one of the good guys .

I have a 4566TSW , but not a Fresno . It's a great S&W , but then I'm partial to 45's . I took it one step farther and had BMCM put an adjustable rear sight on it , getting old stinks . I don't think I would have wanted to be a Deputy hauling one of them around all day though , they are not exactly light . But having a 3rd gen S&W 45 that you have confidence in to put down a bad guy sort of negates that weight .

Great looking gun!! They didn't scrimp on the engraving.

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Marty 4513TSW 13-1 642 60-10

Yes for sure that is a special one. I don’t have a 4566TSW for only one reason. I just can’t get on board with a riveted rail. The Railed Non-Railed ones are out there but I haven’t had any luck getting one.

For whatever reason I am happy with the integral rail examples but that’s just me. I haven’t been lucky enough to find/get many though.

That was a great find and I’m guessing even greater since it was “on the Cal Roster”. I don’t know much about that but what I do know seems incredibly strange and prohibited.

Thanks for posting. Great pictures too.

Jim

The WVSP pistols made in Houlton IIRC at the very tail end of 3rd Gen production so they're probably newer. They seem beefier, like the area around their frame rails and the front of the frame in general is reinforced with extra material. I wonder if S&W was noticing issues with the frame rail on the Fresno ones or if they were just overbuilding the WVSP guns.
I was keeping an eye out for 4566TSWs, not a fan of the riveted rail (which also doesn't fit any actual accessories that aren't made specifically for it) but I'd have taken one anyway, I was not at all expecting to find an integral rail 4566. This was a very lucky find for sure. Despite the hoops of getting 'off-roster' guns in CA it doesn't seem like many have made it into private hands outside of CA.
It is a very well-balanced gun, I feel like the 5906TSW I have feels heavier even if it actually isn't. Probably isn't comfortable to carry all day for sure but some officers even now still lug around 1911s so I'd think it's more than doable.

Oh man somebody got another one ! I would like to find one to pair with my WVSP4566TSW, probably my favorite 45 you'll enjoy that gun for sure!

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This is the way....

You know, there IS big hollowed-out hole in that 4566TSW barrel, way bigger than that wee 5906TSW, makes the gun [feel] much lighter...

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Marty 4513TSW 13-1 642 60-10

Yup, a Frenso 4566 is on my list.

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GOA FL Dir. & Nat. Spokesman

He was a hell of a guy, I remember calling one day to ask a simple question and it became a two hour conversation about policing and guns. Glad he sold it. He probably got out of thr industry at the best moment.

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GOA FL Dir. & Nat. Spokesman