4516 'Target' refinished and hybrided with 745 wooden grips

[Jeroenw114]

I went in love with my 4516-1 when first in my hands but am not so font on rubber grips. Since target shooting is the one thing I use it for I went changing is to my wishes. And wanted to share is now it's finished.

Changes are:
ISMI 22# flatwire spring for Glock 19
Smaller diameter DIY guide rod and bushing to fill the gap
LPA sight
Spur hammer and other trigger
Blocked DA function
Shortened 745 grips. (including relocating lower screws)
Shortened 745 alu grip insert.
Wolff #17 hammer spring and some sear tuning (breaks super, still not very light)
DIY bigger magazine release
Bed blasted

It has now the looks I like, adjustable sight and a good (enough) trigger. 

I would like to thank the members answering my questions in the past and special thanks for BMCM and JohnHL who answered more questions trough PM.

























How it was

 

[Sevens]

Now that is really beautiful! You have done fantastic work and you take really good pictures too. If you have done more... post them up!

Love it!

 

[colt_saa]

That is the finest looking 4516 I have ever seen

How does it shoot?

 

[18DAI]

Absolutely beautiful! Very fine work! Congrats!

An average 4516 shoots like a bigger pistol. I imagine with your modifications, yours is a tack driver. Thanks for sharing it with us! Regards 18DAI

 

[Jeppo]

Makes me want to send you mine.

 

[Sevens]

Okay, I don't want start a ruckus but I've got to say it somewhere and there isn't ever going to be a better subject for me to say it:

They should have made a Shorty45 with a steel frame.

I've always thought that and the 4516 in this thread re-affirms it!

 

[GaryS]

They also should have kept the 2nd Gen grip design, even for the compacts and other guns of which there were no 2nd Gen versions.

Grips are the biggest PITA in the 3rd Gens.

Okay, I don't want start a ruckus but I've got to say it somewhere and there isn't ever going to be a better subject for me to say it:

They should have made a Shorty45 with a steel frame.

I've always thought that and the 4516 in this thread re-affirms it!

 

[18DAI]

Hey BMCM, you thinking what I'm thinking? Regards 18DAI

 

[Jeroenw114]

Thanks for the kind words

That is the finest looking 4516 I have ever seen

How does it shoot?

Shoots very good, quite accurate and no jams. And now with lighter trigger I hope even better.
I had a Colt Officer's 45 before, all trouble. I use SWC in the 4516 without problems.

 

[Jeroenw114]

I agree. It hold much nicer. I recently bought a 845 with plastic grips. I don't like the feel. Will be changed over time.

They also should have kept the 2nd Gen grip design, even for the compacts and other guns of which there were no 2nd Gen versions.

Grips are the biggest PITA in the 3rd Gens.

 

[stansdds]

I really like that customized 4516. I find the straight, checkered aluminum, straight backstrap of the 645 to be quite comfortable in my hands.

 

[JohnHL]

Very fine craftsmanship.

You should be proud.

John

 

[BAM-BAM]

Hey BMCM, you thinking what I'm thinking? Regards 18DAI

That is SWEEEeeeeet.......................


on a 4566 or your PC .45 Recon!!!!!!

 

[Trooper224]

That's an awfully interesting mashup and very well executed. Well done.

 

[TercGen]

Outstanding work Jeroenw114! That looks to be very nice craftsmanship.

Those grips look fantastic on the gun and I have to say that I am very intrigued on fitting a S&W 3rd Gen with a 2nd Gen grip setup like you did. Thank you for sharing!

 

[DMcBB]

Awesome work, Jeroenw114! Can you tell us more about how you did it? What hammer and trigger did you use? How are the 2nd gen grips attached to the 3rd gen frame? Did you have to modify the back strap to fit? How did you make the small piece that holds the pin on the bottom of the back strap? I'd love to learn more!

 

[Sevens]

My vote is Model 745 hammer and trigger.

 

[Jeroenw114]

I will answer these questions soon with some pictures. Have a few days patience.

Awesome work, Jeroenw114! Can you tell us more about how you did it? What hammer and trigger did you use? How are the 2nd gen grips attached to the 3rd gen frame? Did you have to modify the back strap to fit? How did you make the small piece that holds the pin on the bottom of the back strap? I'd love to learn more!

 

[TercGen]

Sounds good Jeroenw114, would love to see how you did those grips (though I still plan on bugging JohnHL about it too )!

 

[tlawler]

I'll take it...PM sent!

Seriously though, that is one nice 4516-1! You sir are a craftsman!

 

[Ben-Kenobi]

Wow that is excellent work! You have a beauty there.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

That's just way COOL !!

I like.

.

 

[Jeroenw114]

As promised some more info
The trigger came from Numrich and is listed as 745. The hammer is from ebay and was listed as 52. But I doubt if both listings were correct, the hammer was DA/SA and the 745 triggers are much different.But it works. I took the half notch hooks of the hammer, that did not work. By blocking the forward motion of the trigger the DA function is gone. But I had to take the lower part of the firing pin safety lever otherwise the slide could not be mounted.
The firing pin safety lever is now just a shim.Blocking the trigger is done by a small plate screwed behind the trigger. Later I saw in my just bought 845 it's done there with just a screw so it is adjustable.

With the shortening of the grip insert the mounting for the mainspring was lost. I made an alu insert where in the mainspring is seated. Depth and diameter based on the mailspring plunger. It's hold in place with the original pin.
Luckily I have a small Chinese mill good enough for these work.
The frame needed a bit longer ears to nicely fit the grip insert. I welded a two pieces to it and milled back.  
The grip insert is hold in place with a separate small pin. Both pins are hold in place by the grips.
The lower screw holes of the grips I filled with a piece of wood taken of a matching K-frame grip. Turned on my (again Chinese) lathe and glued with strong wood glue.Next positioned the grips and drilled the upper holes in the frame and tapped M4 into it. The correct UNC tap and die and screws are a problem in Europe so I went for M4.M4 countersunk torx fit's real well.
After that the lower holes could be drilled and then the grips were cut to length.
The checkering I repaired with a square needle file.On the inside of the grip panels I glued a piece of wood to take the force of recoil of the screws. Again k-frame grip wood.
That's it.

 

[Sevens]

Unreal!

You are an artist!

The 745 hammer and 52 hammer are pretty similar by the appearance of the spur. Also very similar are the single action Limited PC hammers as found on the 952, 845, PPC-9, et all. But all three are slightly different and if you have them in front of you, you can pick this up by looking at them. (as installed, not pulled out from the pistols)

The Model 52 hammer has the longest spur. Not by a lot, but it's the longest. The 745 and PC hammers are closer in size, but the 745 seems to have a sharper design.

As to your hammer having a double action notch... the original Model 52 from 1961 to 1963 was indeed a DA/SA pistol, most folks had the double action setting adjusted out so that the pistol operated single action only.

In looking again at your hammer as pictured, 52 is my (new!) guess after looking at all of mine again. It's simply a longer spur than what I see on my 745's and it looks just like my 52-2's.

You should work over more S&W pistols!

 

[sevt_chevelle]

Very nice looking pistol!
Do you know what rear sight that is, looks like a LPA, you happen to have the part number?

Any chance you can take some pics showing how it fits relating to the slide from the side?

 

[4506517]

HOLY ****!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is one of the COOLEST third gen mods I have ever seen.

That is how that pistol should have been made in the first place.

Now if someone HERE that does third gen mods (no names hint hint) could offer something like that......................................

 

[Jeroenw114]

Correct, is a LPA
Model TR68SW07

 

[squidsix]

I dont really know how I missed this, but rest assured, I am impressed and paying close attention:

 

[Troystat]

Looks very nice, how does it shoot?

 

[brosky]

Beautiful work and beautiful gun. Always nice to see what real craftsmen can do when they set their mind to making something good even better.