This afternoon while on my way home from the range, I decided to stop by a couple of the pawnshops on the route and found this.

A Smith & Wesson 4566.


I don't go into this shop often as it's a bit of a hole in the wall with the usual stereotypes behind the counter. Example: when I asked if i could examine the gun, the young man behind the counter replied, "Copy that sir." I thought, "Great, we're heading into tactard time." Fortunately that was the extent of the operatorfu. Most of their offerings sported the typical overly optimistic pawnshop price tags. Like the rashed up Colt Python for 3k, because ya know "They're a Colt and hard to find."

Consequently, I was pleased to see a price of $450. Overall the gun seemed pretty solid. A few scuffs and buffs from holster wear but otherwise in pretty good condition. There are a few small pits on the ejection port side of the slide that look like the remains of some light corrosion. A previous owner had taken some steel wool or abrasive paper of some kind and went to town on it, rubbing in all directions. Fortunately, the worthy didn't manage to round down any edges so a few minutes with a grey scothbrite pad and some Ballistol fixed that right up. The Hoque grips were included so that was a plus. I find rubber grips as aethetically pleasing as a Baboon's backside, but they are necessary on these pistols. Otherwise, my big mits can't get a good purchase on the narrow frame.

The proprietor was kind enough to lay out a mat on the counter so I could disassemble if desired. I didn't ask for that and was pleasantly surprised when it was offered. I obliged and found the internals to be in good shape. I'm sure it's an old cops gun, so it was likely carried more than shot. The internal condition seems to confirm that. The trigger is better than expected, with a nice smooth DA pull and a pretty light SA break. The trigger on my 4506 is pretty decent, this one is better. The sights are aftermarket express style affairs that I've never cared for on a handgun. If I'm creeping through the brush on the dark continent after Cape Buffalo they're good on a rifle, not so much on a pistol.



I'll give them a try, but I foresee changing them to more conventional sights. We agreed on a price of $400.00 and I couldn't leave it lay. After a strategic reconnaissance, in the form of a text message to Mrs. Awesome, I was the new owner of what the proprietor called a "vintage" pistol. I remember when these were the new hotness, so I guess that makes me vintage as well. These old Smiths seem to be a love hate affair. I happen to be in the former camp, at least with the 45XX and 10XX series guns. Yes, they're obsolete in the respect that they're massive, heavy and low capacity. On the other hand, I find them to be very reliable and accurate. They're also pretty soft shooting for a half ninety bored gun and they appeal to me on a very visceral level. Every time I pick one up I'm reminded of days long gone, when I was much younger and far less jaded. When I have one of these massive steel pistols in hand, somewhere in my mind a voice tells me, "That's a real fightin' gun boy." It's hardly logical, sensible or practical, but it's there none the less. They're also some of the most under valued handguns currently on the market.

I think a pattern may be forming.



My current status as a man of leisure may get pretty expensive.

You had one of those in the right place at the right time moments.

Great pistol at a great price. Congrats! Looking forward to your range report. Regards 18DAI

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7 +1 Rounds of hope & change

The older Smith auto guns keep going up, I have a few and never have had any problems over the years and still have some of the older gun magazines when they came out . From time to time I would see a few police or park Rangers carry them .

IMO the best of the Smith 3rd Gen .45's..... not too big, not too small, not too light, not too heavy..... just right for a duty .45

Everyone has at least one gun they regret letting go, for me it was a 4566 I let a fellow shooter talk me out of. I hope he gets foot fungus. Congrats on your new find.

Mine was a 4505 anib in the late 90s....... just too nice to carry so it got traded for a Sig 226 which got flipped for my 4566.

So all's well that ends well....... almost.

Very nice. I would have taken it home as well.
Those XS Dot sights are growing on me. I installed a set of the standard dot version on my 3914. Not exactly target sights but they are a bit faster for me.

The Tactards are the ones running the gun and pawnshops you frequent to find the things to feed your hobby. Be more tolerant and appreciative of them since I guarantee you won't find a flower hugging hippy at a gun counter.

Sticking to hand held delights, some of my favorite handguns are the ones that I consider to be "fighting handguns". I have plinkers and mouse guns and I carry smallish handguns like J frames, 2" K frames, or compact 9mms. But when I pick up a service sized handgun, or even a somewhat smaller gun with a 4" barrel, well, I just feel warm and SAFE all over.

NICE GUN AMIGO!!!!

Rather than wasting his time just running my mouth and taking up space at the counter, I made a purchase and helped keep his business open. I'd say that's pretty tolerant.

Glad that you posted this here. I couldn't "like" it at "the other place". Gave you my comments on the XS sights there as well, but let me repeat this: Give them a try, you might like them.

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Only a cold warrior

I've never thought about that subject the way you explained it and you may be on to something there. I keep feeling drawn to a fat stack SIG, the Beretta, even the 59XX series Smith. Dare I admit to lust for a Colt Guv'mint? What would I do with it? How big a gun do I need for my nightstand? When driving out to West Texas to see me daughter, am I any safer with that big lug?
Yet despite what the head says, the heart has a pang.

Very Nice Handgun indeed at a great purchase price as well. Good for you.

I have owned in the past a Beretta FS92 with Wood grips, trick trigger, Hammer, spring set and Fully adjustable LPA Target sights on it. In a weak moment I stupidly sold it to a fellow shooter. I love my S@W toys but the FS92 is-was the nicest 9MM I have ever owned. I will own another. If it will fit your hand I would rate it a full 10 for you.

Huge 3rd generation fan here, but my favorite part of your narrative is that you call your wife Mrs Awesome.........speaks volumes about who you are.

Sent from my LGMP260 using Tapatalk

I just completed a two hundred round session and observed the following:

Function was 100%. Nothing to report here. Ammunition was a handload consisting of a 200 grain SWC propelled by five grains of Bullseye.

Mechanical accuracy seemed to be good, as much as I could tell. (reference below)

The XS Big Dot sights STINK. Every shot I fired, from seven yards to twenty five, was accurate enough to get the job done. It's just that i know the gun is capable of better. Slow fire from seven to fifteen yards produced a twenty four round, one hole group. When I extended the range to twenty five yards things opened up a bit, yielding results that were still serviceable but hardly exciting. Minute of meat sack accuracy out to twenty five yards, but not within my personal standards. The real difference arose when I brought the target back to seven yards and started doing speed drills. Then, things began to open up considerably. I found the lack of a front post/rear notch combo to be a big hindrance. Not having the ability to track the former back down into the latter during recoil caused my grouping to open up considerably. I conduct most of my speed drills from seven to ten yards. The goal is to keep all rounds within a six inch circle (roughly the size of a B8 center) regardless of the drill. Some drills, such as the Garcia and Dot Torture drills are conducted closer in, but seven to ten is the average distance. The absence of a clearly defined sight picture produced results within the eight inch range. I can see the use for such a sight at near contact distance, or for use by a shooter with vision impairment. However, this express style sighting system on a handgun nearly eliminates the ability to align the sights in a definitive orientation, from side to side, top to bottom, etc. It makes accuracy less repeatable and introduces more luck into the equation than I'm comfortable with. I'm sure I could master it if I put the work in, but the juice isn't worth the squeeze. They'll be replaced.

I was bidding on a pristine 4566 TSW and let it go to win a bid on another gun. keep refreshing my search and the only thing that shows up is pro mags and slide stops

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Mostly Gen 3s

Much better.

If it runs outta bullets, you can always frap the bad guy over the head with it.

Not so much with M&P 2.0.

My 4043 I carried in a Sam Brown harness. Yes, I was a harness bull.
LOVED IT.
Only for uniform carry. Why? The weight and xtra mags.
Very accurate. Great police weapon at the time.