New 4506 Owner Needs Advice!

[Dguildguy]

Greetings fellow aficionados! On my way out of the KC gun show this weekend I scooped up a 4506 in reasonably good condition. It came with two magazines. My primary question is does anyone have experience with Pro-Mag magazines for this pistol?

On a separate note, this is a basic 4506 so the sights are dovetailed but the rear is not adjustable other than drift for windage. Who makes a good adjustable sight for this pistol? For that matter who makes a good adjustable sight for a 5906? I have one of them too.

Lastly, if anyone has Zen on disabling the magazine safety on the 4506 (It's quite easy on the 5906) I would be obliged.

Thanks in advance!

[GaryS]

My experience with Pro Mags in 9mm 3rd Gen guns leads me to say don't.

Can't help you with sights.

Since all 3rd Gens use the same design basics, disabling the magazine safety should be the same as on the 5906.

[rjm6120]

I don't have first hand Pro Mag experience, but I have read enough to dissuade myself and others to use them in these pistols. For some reason these pistols just don't like them.

[quikdraw67]

Better NoMag than ProMag.

That is my experience for all sorts of brands/makes.

JMHO YMMV

[growr]

ProMags are GREAT!!!!!

For malfunction drills......

Randy

[GerSan69]

I got a couple ProMags as part of a gun deal. "Extra mags!" sounded good, but they were essentially unusable for anything. The tolerances were way off and feeding was unreliable, no matter what tweaks I tried.
I'd stick with MecGar, who make OEM mags for many companies including
Smith, or S&W logo'ed mags.
Other than that, Congrats on a good score!
Almost forgot:
LPA sights seem to work well on 3rd Gen S&W semis. Do a Google for "LPA Sights". They even have some models on Amazon. I have one that I'm going to put on my 4516-2 someday. They are good, solid, low-profile sights and the have several finishes including plain, white outline and serrated-back. I've seen them everywhere from $80 to $120.

[squidsix]

Remove the rear sight, remove spring and white plastic plunger magazine disconnect.
Return rear sight to desired position.
If you are replacing the rear sight regardless, this becomes pretty easy.
I have found many 4506 magazines in the local area gun shops in the random plastic buckets of “these here old mags”. Sometimes I have found precious gems this way. Go to your area gun shops, and if there isnt a big tub of old magazines, those folks will know where you should go.
LPA makes great adjustable sights for that gun. I believe thats what BMCM uses on his. (He is a resident here and an amazing miracle worker with S&W handguns)

[GaryS]

Are you the guy that scrounges them from the big bin at KTP before I can get up there?

Originally Posted by squidsix

Remove the rear sight, remove spring and white plastic plunger magazine disconnect.
Return rear sight to desired position.
If you are replacing the rear sight regardless, this becomes pretty easy.
I have found many 4506 magazines in the local area gun shops in the random plastic buckets of “these here old mags”. Sometimes I have found precious gems this way. Go to your area gun shops, and if there isnt a big tub of old magazines, those folks will know where you should go.
LPA makes great adjustable sights for that gun. I believe thats what BMCM uses on his. (He is a resident here and an amazing miracle worker with S&W handguns)

[squidsix]

Yup. I go every day. Walking distance from the house.

[K-22]

Originally Posted by GaryS

My experience with Pro Mags in 9mm 3rd Gen guns leads me to say don't.

Can't help you with sights.

Since all 3rd Gens use the same design basics, disabling the magazine safety should be the same as on the 5906.

MecGar makes great mags for the 5906.
Pro Mags have been running fine in my 6450, and 645, but I am not impressed with the quality.
The MecGar mags are top drawer.
Best,
Gary

[Jon651]

Unless you absolutely know what kind of mileage your new-to-you 4506 has on it, I would suggest new springs (at least a new recoil spring) before anything else. Just my two cents worth...

[GaryS]

Dang! I scored a lot of good 3rd Gen magazines there over the years.

Originally Posted by squidsix

Yup. I go every day. Walking distance from the house.

[Charlie Foxtrott]

Originally Posted by growr

ProMags are GREAT!!!!!

For malfunction drills......

Randy

Just sayin!

[CALREB]

This is the second thread I have read today about sights. Sights for the S/W 3rd gen type pistols was an obsession for me for a lot of years. Shooting these pistols for work and for competition I was always looking for adjustable sight alternative that was sturdy and still had a deep enough rear notch to make a really good sight picture. I have a bad astigmatism and for some reason I see the sights better if they are taller.

I didnt like LPA sights, notch wasnt deep enough for me and I didnt like the wide blade for a duty gun. First used Novaks Extreme duty for 5906/4506 it adjust for elevation, but you have to tap it like a fixed sight for windage. It had a very tall front sight like .275 . This worked great but still wasnt full adjustable especially at the range to compensate for different ammo etc. I dont know if they still make this sight for 3rd gen S/W .

I put some Kensight DAS sights on a couple 1911s for guys and I really liked the design and the sight picture it provided. Like a target sight but compact and built tough. Only problem-- they are not made for 3rd gen S/W. I took one and filed the base to fit S/W dovetail and also removed material at the rear of the sight to fit inside the relief cut behind the dovetail. I didnt want to modify the slides on these PC guns, on a 4506 you could do it but really trimming the sight was easier. Anyway it worked great.

I put one on all guns I was using even the 6906. Just a thought. They also work great on 1911s (with alot less work). Im sure it would be very easy for a machinist to trim the bases and the sights. I had the right files and most of the area you work on is hidden anyway. Here are some pictures.

[stansdds]

You might get lucky with ProMag magazines, or you may find them useful only for practicing clearing jams. I would certainly not rely upon them for any sort of serious uses. Since this 4506 is new to you, definitely replace the recoil spring. Also, give it a thorough cleaning and be sure to soak and flush out the extractor channel.

[clang444]

I've got a Millett rear sight on my 4506 that I really like, but I replaced a factory adjustable sight so the dovetail is much larger.

[BigMuddy]

I’m usually not lucky, but guess I have been with a couple ProMags in my 645. They have never malfunctioned.

They worked in my 4546 too, but only ran one full mag through each to test them.

Dan

[BLUEDOT37]

Originally Posted by Dguildguy

Who makes a good adjustable sight for this pistol?

I've got LPU adjustable sights on several of my 3rd Gens.

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(I have the TPU 91SW on my Shorty 40)
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[cherrypointmarine]

I totally agree with bluedot37 . I have LPA's on several of my 3rd gen's , including a 4566TSW . My last ones I put on my spare CS400 slide that guzzitaco slicked up . At the time he found someone on fleabay that had some and we got them for somewhere around $30 . Fusion Firearms has a nice selection of LPA's for our S&W's , depends on what style you like .

[HOUSTON RICK]

Pro Mags are great for teaching you how to clear handgun jams. Hold out for the factory mags, they are still available. I have better luck with Pro Nag in rifles.

[HOUSTON RICK]

CDNN periodically has S&W 40 factory mags on sale. They are also commonly available at gun shows.