I picked this up on a whim a few years ago, thought I’d share it here:

I went to my local gun store (for cleaning supplies, as it always starts…) and ran into a high school friend of mine working at the shop. We got to catching up near the used gun counter where I spotted this “used” 4506-1. He told me the store got it from a police officer, allegedly his former duty gun. I was floored.

The finish is spotless, the internals are without a spot of carbon, there isn’t a nick or scratch to be found on the grip…this thing hadn't been shot or carried, that was clear. It may have been owned by a police officer, but it was no duty gun.

I had always wanted a 4506, so I couldn’t not leave with it. My buddy ended up selling it to me over a conversation on what our next life plans were…go figure, we both became police officers.

My duty gun isn’t half as cool as this one though…

I installed the older blued hammer on it (although it has the MIM trigger and MIM sear…let’s hope that works out okay, any thoughts?) because I don’t care for the cutouts in the MIM hammer. Other than that, I don’t think there is much that can be improved on with these old workhorses.

According to S&W, this one was made in February of 1998, and according to the box it’s one of the 4506-1 “variant 03” models.

Always remember to check the used counters friends! There’s sometimes a diamond in the rough.

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The used counter is where I (and many here) spend 90% of our browsing time. The 4506 as you say is a great platform and an "old work horse". The Police trade in makes it a bit nicer. I only acquired one 4506 LEO trade in n my collecting days.

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Shouldn't be anything to worry about with MIM. The technology is well proven. Many Naval aircraft have MIM parts to their landing gear...if it can hold up to repeated landing/takeoff cycles on aircraft carriers it can hold up to usage in a firearm.

MIM is probably used in far more products than we realize...with no issues. Gun people are very much traditionalists...blue forged steel and walnut is traditional and we don't like change. Many still don't like tupperware guns but it's well accepted now and well proven.

There's good MIM and bad MIM...just like there's good forgings and bad forgings.

Nice score!!!!!!! Merry Christmas!

What was wrong with hammer the gun came with?

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Release the Kraken

I have one that has the curved back strap. I prefer the straight backstrap like yours has. I have subsequently converted mine over to 45 Super which it shoots well, and it will still shoot regular .45 ACP.

Not a thing, in fact. I just, for whatever aesthetic reason, hated the look of the lightening cutouts on it. The color or material it’s made of makes no difference to me, I just prefer the look of a solid hammer.

Of course! I should have been clearer in what I meant by that, I have nothing against MIM parts, I just was a little apprehensive mixing MIM parts (trigger and sear) and forged parts (hammer) when some past threads say that’s no bueno. No issues thus far though!

Likewise, and a Happy New Year!

That’s a beauty, looks like it saw some honest time on patrol. Some might say that makes it even cooler!

You've done nothing wrong and broken no rules, ThirdGen9623.

Combining a MIM sear with a forged hammer (or vice versa) has no effect on wear for either part.

In fact, the MIM sear is the S&W approved replacement part for all 3rd gen pistols that use that style sear.

That internet myth got started when S&W redesigned the DAO hammer and sear to MIM parts.

The original forged DAO sear was LARGER than the TDA (da/sa) sear and the new MIM sear was the same size (smaller) as the TDA sear for the sake of commonality of parts.

Newer DAO and TDA sears are MIM and are the same part number.

As a guide to their assemblers, S&W had printed on the new sears, "On DAO models, a MIM sear must be used with a MIM hammer".

This wasn't because of the difference in materials.

This was because of a difference in SIZE between the two sears.

This was misunderstood as a prohibition against mixing materials and repeated so often on the net that it was accepted as gospel.

Again, the MIM sear is a S&W direct service replacement part for all TDA and late model DAO sears.

If you like the looks of the forged hammer over the MIM hammer, enjoy it with impunity.

I will say the lighter MIM hammer has the advantage of a faster lock time, but as these are service pistols and not target pistols, that advantage is insignificant.

John

This guy and his info on the little bits, I love it!

It was probably 6 or 7 years ago, I’m honestly trying to remember but there were four of us hanging out for a minute in a local small gun store just outside of the big city and we were shooting the breeze. In walks a local deputy and I would estimate his age to be just under 30 and one of us spied his duty carry and in a rare moment, he removed it and displayed it for us — a 4506! I was honestly half shocked that in maybe 2016 or so, this deputy was carrying this old warhorse! He said it absolutely loved it and had total confidence in it.

Thanks, Brother Sevens.

I know it seems like minutiae (and it is), but a very important lesson I learned in the motorcycle business (and thankfully in time to keep anyone from being hurt or killed) and I apply it to firearms, is that little details can make the difference between life and death.

And even if no one gets hurt, the little details can go a long way in saving folks from tons of frustration.

John

This is a wonderful tidbit of info. I was looking into this (among another issue that BMCM solved for me) but didn’t make a post about it at the time. It is a relief to read! Thank you for your insight. It’s awesome we still have experts like you guys willing to weigh in!

I can definitely attest that I would trust the 4506 to save my behind purely from a reliability and accuracy standpoint! I have to admit though, in 2023 I wouldn’t use it as my duty gun (nor would I any .45 single-stack, and I love 1911s too) purely because of capacity and the lack of ability to attach a weapon-mounted light to it. It’s been shown a lot - including in one major police shootout that occurred very near my jurisdiction - that high capacity combined with quick, meaningful center-mass hits are the keys to winning a gunfight. In today’s world of active shooters with ARs and gangbangers with switch-equipped, drum-magazine fed handguns, I want as many rounds as I can get per magazine with the hope that I won’t need them! I work adjacent to a major and rather violent city though.

I personally carry a Glock 17 with a mounted light on duty, 4 spare 9mm magazines, and a .38 S&W J-Frame as a true backup (the “get off me” gun). AR is always at the ready in the squad. Different times, preparation for the worst is everything nowadays!

But it doesn’t look as cool as the 4506 does…

John is absolutely correct. NO problem mixing MIM and machined /forged parts. I have no real issue with MIM parts other than aesthetics. In fact I have a later model 64 that I got when I worked for S&W that has been turned into a PPC gun. It still has all the MIM parts in it and has been tuned to the "ninth" degree. It has thousands of rounds down range and still works like it is supposed to.

Folks don't often realize what a great pistol the 4506 really is. It is one tough reliable pistol. It has a lot of slide mass which makes it run very well and gives it a long life. It will outlast any other .45acp pistol on the market. That being said, don't fall out of a boat with one on your hip. You are going to the bottom.

There was a movie a few years back called Street Kings, with Keanu Reeves as the anti-hero. There's a good clip of him running a 4506 in the movie.


Pretty good movie if you've never seen it.

I would not mind finding a 4506 to go along with my 4006, 5906 and my other S&W handguns. The 4006 is no light gun either but that comes in handy with the recoil that the .40S&W round produces and would be handy in the 4506 handling the .45ACP round. I like boat anchors.

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NRA Pistol Instructor

I like the idea that it shows you actually have to reload after 8 rounds and revolvers only hold 6. I own a 4506-1 and it is a beast and a boat anchor, but in a USGI M12 holster it's not too bad.

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