At the end of last year I acquired a 4516-1. I'm well pleased
with it & I also ordered recoil springs for it as I was unsure of
round count & figured it was just cheap insurance. I put off changing the springs for a rainy day & today's the day! When I
field stripped the gun for cleaning & lubing prior to its first range
trip, it only had one recoil spring. I was under the impression
the gun used two, an inner & an outer. I'm wondering if I should
put it back the way it was(since it functioned fine at the range)
or put in the two springs that I was told its supposed to have.
Any thoughts? Any advantages or disadvantages as to single
spring or double?

Thanks!

Unless it was modified by S&W, the 4516-1 used a single recoil spring. Wolfe Gun Springs carries a replacement for it. The later 4516-2 and 4516-3 use the dual spring set up.

Some owners sent their 4516-1's to S&W for feeding problems and some were modified to the dual recoil spring set up ala 4516-2 and later.

IIRC this modification involved installing a small bushing in the spring tunnel of the slide and then the smaller diameter guide rod with the dual springs.

As the current company calling itself S&W displays little interest in doing anything with/for 3rd generation pistols, I doubt they still offer this modification. Might be worth a call though.

Don't be surprised if they tell you to just buy one of their tupperware 45's. Good luck! Hope this helps. Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Thanks for the help!

18DAI,
I really like "the current company calling itself S&W". Made me reflect.

Richard

I got a question I'd like to tack on to this:

I stopped by an area LGS that usually doesn't have too much I'm interested in & was suprised to see a 4516-1 in the case. It's in very good shape. I removed the slide (single recoil spring setup) & checked out it innerds & it shows very little use. It was made in '91 & has the orig box, & extra mag. & supposedly traded by the orig. owner.

The only thing that was "questionable" about it was the side-to-side play in the slide (rear of). I'm sure it's not from use, likely just workmanship when made. Compared to the other 3rd Gens I recently bought (4006 & 4056 with little to no play), it seems "loose", not falling off loose, just noticeable.

How is the "usual" slide play in these 4516-1s? Are they mainly tight or what? What's the procedure to tighen that up, if so desired? Everything else seemed right. Any thoughts?

I currently own two 4516's with a third example, a LNIB "no dash" in layaway.

My 4516-2 and the no dash are tight. No slide to frame play at all.

My 4516-3, an LE model which was the last of the 4516's produced by S&W has very slight play. But only when there is not a round in the chamber. That said, it is extremely accurate and reliable.

I suppose a gunsmith could tighten up the slide to frame fit in the same ways that some gunsmiths "tighten up" 1911's. But if the gun is reliable and accurate (4516's of all dash numbers are phenomenally accurate. Even the few detractors of the model admit this.) then why bother?

I would suggest you buy it and shoot it. Any 4516 for less than $500 is a very good deal. On the off chance you don't like it I'm pretty sure you could locate a buyer here in the classifieds. Good luck! Hope this helps! Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Most if not all my 3rd Gens have a little slide play or ever so slight, not much to be concerned about and my 4006 is a tack driver. I don't think there is anything unusual about it and I do not think anything can be done with tightening the slide without potentially damaging it?

My 4516-2 has the dual springs and no slide play. I love that little hefty gun.

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Still carrying my S&W 642

Eh, not especially. I think overall the dash1 guns were a little under-sprung though and often can benefit from an extra power spring. As 18DAI mentioned, that was S&W's fix for feeding issues with dash1 guns sent in under warranty. By installing the dash2 nested spring they merely upped the spring weight. However, If it runs good and there's no slide to frame battering, there's really no need to worry about it.

Of course be attentive to any battering and you'll also want to note how your gun ejects the brass. If your ejection is rather violent and the empties are landing in the next county a stronger spring might be beneficial. The stock spring weight is 16# and Wolff has a range of weights for that gun from 15# on up to 22#

Slide play really has no impact on practical accuracy. Mine has a little slack in the slide fit and it shoots like a laser. What is critical and makes for top accuracy is consistent barrel to slide lockup. Regardless of the slide to frame fit, if the barrel locks up in the exact same relation to the slide(sights) each time it goes into battery it will shoot great.

I've always subscribed to the fact that a little slack in a fighting gun is a good thing. it's more tolerant of junk getting in the mechanism that might tie up a tightly fit gun.

Cheers
Bill

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Because they don't make a .46

Thanks for the replies. I'll keep that in mind next time. Went back to buy it this morning & they said they sold it after I left yesterday afternoon. ...Oh well, I had already spent more than I should have at the gun show a couple weekends ago & that is why I didn't get it straight away. Guess I'm getting addicted to these 3rd Gens now too... just what I need, another gun vice.

This is funny... After coming home from my birthday dinner the other night, the boys handed me my present. It was kind of heavy for the size. Opened the wrapping on the end & I see a S&W pistol box. I look closer at the label & "WHOA!", it's the 4516-1 that I was looking/talking about a couple weeks ago!

As it turns out, I had called my younger son to tell him what I had found at the LGS, as we were talking guns at lunch earlier that day. I told him I thought it was in good shape & the price was good, but I wasn't sure if I should get it. After he got off work I asked him if he stopped by to look at it & he said no as he went straight home from work. I told him I had decided to go ahead & get it the next day. The next day it's gone & the LGS tells me "that one sold fast". The dealer was covering for my son as he knew he had came in the day before, after I had initially called him at work, & bought the one I was looking at, as a present. They sure fooled me! Thanks boys for the nice gift!

It looks the be in great shape & with little use. The magazines don't have the S&W logo on them so maybe they're not originals? I ordered some Hogue grips & new Wolff springs to freshen it up, just so I'll know for sure how it's sprung.

Did I see somewhere that these are sprung a little light from the factory? This one has the single recoil spring.

I never cared for the quality of most autos before, but I sure like these S&W 3rd Gens alot, now that I've "found" them. Got to get to the range to see how it shoots .

.



.



.

Sounds like you have a great son! Hope you enjoy the pistol;I sure enjoy mine. Happy Birthday!

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Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

Cool story, congrats!! I have a 4516-1 and the magazine looks right.

I don't use mine as often as I did before I got my 4566, but I never had any issues with running the original stock springs, firing 230 gr. hardball ammo.

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Conrad
SWCA #1830 SWHF #222

Awesome!!! Quite a son you have there!


Sent from my iPhone 4s using Tapatalk

Congrats! She's a beauty!

And a belated happy birthday sir! Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Thanks guys, they are good boys...I couldn't have been luckier having them. I'll let you know how it shoots later.

Just a quick post to say I got to the range today & tried out the 4516-1. Considering the service grade trigger, loose(er) than preferred slide-frame clearance, short barrel (they're called 3-3/4" bbls. but you really only get 2-3/4" of rifling), & my not as young as they used to be eyes, I was very happy with how it shot. Excluding flyers & depending on the handload used, it grouped 2-3", off-hand, at 10 yds. That works for me.

The Wolff recoil spring kit from Midway (used my birthday discount ) came yesterday, along with the Hogue grips. I decided to go with the 19# recoil spring to start. Everything from my low power Bulleye loads to my (+P) Power Pistol loads cycled fine. Ran my work-up loads for my new powder, Longshot, & 185 JHPs thru it without issue. Most moderate loads shot several inches low but the hotter ones were closer to POA. For a compact 45, it was easy to shoot & I liked it alot.

timn8er;
What did you do about your recoil spring situation? Did you stay with the single spring setup?

Bluedot, I am so inspired by the story of how you acquired your 4516-1 that I plan to show it to my son.

Enjoy that fine Third Genny!

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Ukraine -- now more than ever

Bluedot37,

Yes, I just replaced it like it was, a single spring. Its worked fine, so I didn't see the need to change it. Glad to read you enjoyed your 4516-1. A lot of people seem to think they're too heavy, but to me the weight helps control the gun. It was my first .45 & I've never regretted buying it.

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Lounge Lizard Extraordinaire

I agree, I think the weight (35oz empty, 42oz loaded) definitely aids in it being an easy shooting gun, for the size, but I also think S&W's design has to be a factor too. Next time I take it to the range I'm going to take my Colt 1911 Series 70 & shoot them back to back with the same loads. I may be wrong (oldtimers) but the Smiths just feel smoother shooting, if my memory's correct.

One feature I like on these TDAs is that you can safely load a round in the chamber, with the decocker/safety down, & you don't have to worry about an accidental discharge because the hammer's blocked, unlike a 1911, which is nice if you're inside.

Any thoughts on what weight mainspring would be the lowest dependable one to use? I ordered the mainspring pack (17, 18 & 19#) from Wolff to experiment with, in addition to a standard (20#) spring. On my 1911 I went higher on the mainspring when I was setting it up to shoot 45 Super, but of course this would be to lighten the trigger/double action feel without sacrificing dependablity or doing an action job.

I didn't get any feedback so I went ahead & installed the 17# to start with. It did lighten the DA/SA feel. Made up a batch of primer-only rounds & they all fired fine. I hope to get to the range next week & see how it goes. I'll let you know.