Wow can not believe how old this thread is and I've never noticed it before.

Away here it goes.

4506. Purchased new shortly after the North Hollywood shootout. An early round trigger guard model.
Totally 100% reliable. I tried the Hogue rubber grips for some time but eventually went to grip tape. To me the stock grip is too narrow but the Hogues, the only authorized nonfactory grip, is way too fat. To the people with machining issues, We had a batch of 4506s come into our Department store, shortly after I got mine and probably a special bulk order, that obviously had been made on overtime on a Saturday. You could easily see waviness in the slides. To Smith's credit they did everything to make those guns run right.

5904. A very early square trigger guard model. This gun never was 100% I bought it shortly after I turned 21 and was processing with the Orange County, CA, Sheriff's Department. They issued revolvers but let guys buy their own auto, Smith, Sig, or Beretta. Right off the bat I had to send it back because the rear sight, the bulky winged adjustable one, was not centered on the slide. Next the mag catch broke and finally I've had to have the extractor replaced 3 times in 9-10K rounds.

3913. Great and easy to carry. I've seen guys shot lights out with them but nine never grouped well. It's a 3 inch at 15 yard gun at best in my hands and I'm a DX. On the plus its always been 100% reliable.

As for the LAPD allowing guys who are issued Glocks to go to a 3rd Gen gun. Yes we do but the guns, especially 4506s, are had to find and expensive when you can find them. Mags are really expensive and holsters are few and far between. While I don't carry mine any more I'll never part with it. I carried it for years when I walked footbeat patrol in Watts and it's got a few stories to tell.