In the 80's I worked for Product Engineering attached to the Model Shop (R&D) as a test technician. I was asked to check into a problem with de-cocking of our semi-auto's. Some would de-cock from the half cock position and some wouldn't. Upon investigation I found out that an engineering change had occurred with the sear release lever. They had narrowed the lower leg on the newer ones. This sometimes caused the narrow leg of the sear release lever to, sometimes, sit directly on top of the sear and not always behind it causing it to bottom out on top of the sear and not be able to push it forward and allow the hammer to fall as it should. The correction was to go back and use the orginial wide leg sear release lever.
Bob St.George

Welcome to the forum Printer!

I look forward to more of your interesting posts!

Can you tell us anything about third gen pistols that came through the "model shop" that we may not have seen enter production? Best regards, 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

At one time, in the 80's S&W was thinking of making a .45 cal -10mm conversion where you could take the slide off the Mod 4506 and replace it with the slide and barrel of a 1006 and shoot 10mm. It was the same frame. All you had to do is change the slide, barrel and magazine. We made 10 units and tested them and they worked fine but, unfortunately they decided not to do it for liability reasons.
Bob St.George

Fascinating information! Thank you!

I look forward to any and all information you might share with us! Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

Interesting info!

Welcome and thanks for the lesson.

18DAI,
I forgot about this one. 1963 (way before I worked at Smith) Smith made one prototype model A-45. It was to be a SUPER accurate (1-1.5 inches at 25yards) and made to compete with the 1911 for bullseye shooting. They only made one and I got to shoot it. What a gun! Anyway they decided not to make it because the cost of producing this super accurate gun was to expensive for production so they put it in the vault where it is today. During the 80's when they were moving R&D back over to the main plant from the academy bldg. They were throwing away all sorts of stuff and I asked what they wanted me to do with my files and they said throw them away. Well I kept the orginal working blueprints to that gun and have them to this day(for sale). A nice piece of history. Bob St. George

Amazing!! Fascinating look into history you are providing us here! Thank you again!

Did the A-45 bear any family resemblance to the later 645 or 3rd gen guns? Was it SA or TDA?

Sad they simply threw stuff away. I wonder how much history simply vanished into those trash cans...........

Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change