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How does the 4506 stack up against a 1911? I don't have either and have been looking for a 1911 but I was thinking about getting a 4566 or 4506 for less money. What do you think?
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Leiden
Member
I would get a 4506 or 4566...I prefer the 4506. I've carried both the 1911 and 4506 on-duty and in competition for a long time and I'd recommend the 4506 hands down. Not only is the 4506 just as accurate as the 1911, it'll work every time, all the time.
Having carried a 1911 for LE use, and being a factory Colt LE armorer for the 1911, I feel confident saying the 4506 will give you a lifetime of service and all you'll need to do is replace recoil and magazine springs. Having worked on LE 1911s for a long time, they're not nearly as forgiving to rough treatment and I believe they require a lot more maintenance.
Buying a 1911 is a gift that keeps on giving, with buying replacement parts and it takes work to keep it running (with lots of use). 4506s are just simple, accurate and they'll feed empty cases from the magazine. I've never seen a 1911 do that.
I'm sorry if I'm prejudice. I've got a pile of Colts in my safe and have carried them for years. It's just that with the 4506 the last thing I have to worry about is if my pistol is going to work...I know it will. With a 1911, I have to hope it's lubricated, the extractor is properly tensioned, the magazines have the metal dimples in the middle to keep the cartridges from free-floating during recoil, keep the rails lubricated, keep the feed ramp clean, etc....
Many gunsmiths make a living off the 1911s and create beautiful works of art. Did you ever wonder why they exist?
I like 1911s, but given a choice I think you'll get so much more for your money with a 4506.
I've carried 1911s, SIGs, HKs, Berettas and Glocks for LE use and competition. I could have saved thousands of dollars if I'd just bought one 4506 years ago. I really can't say enough great things about the platform.
Having carried a 1911 for LE use, and being a factory Colt LE armorer for the 1911, I feel confident saying the 4506 will give you a lifetime of service and all you'll need to do is replace recoil and magazine springs. Having worked on LE 1911s for a long time, they're not nearly as forgiving to rough treatment and I believe they require a lot more maintenance.
Buying a 1911 is a gift that keeps on giving, with buying replacement parts and it takes work to keep it running (with lots of use). 4506s are just simple, accurate and they'll feed empty cases from the magazine. I've never seen a 1911 do that.
I'm sorry if I'm prejudice. I've got a pile of Colts in my safe and have carried them for years. It's just that with the 4506 the last thing I have to worry about is if my pistol is going to work...I know it will. With a 1911, I have to hope it's lubricated, the extractor is properly tensioned, the magazines have the metal dimples in the middle to keep the cartridges from free-floating during recoil, keep the rails lubricated, keep the feed ramp clean, etc....
Many gunsmiths make a living off the 1911s and create beautiful works of art. Did you ever wonder why they exist?
I like 1911s, but given a choice I think you'll get so much more for your money with a 4506.
I've carried 1911s, SIGs, HKs, Berettas and Glocks for LE use and competition. I could have saved thousands of dollars if I'd just bought one 4506 years ago. I really can't say enough great things about the platform.
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handgunner356
Member
I used a 745 in USPSA for years before the hi-cap guns came into play. Always felt I could hold my own againest the 1911s' but the 745 had a much better trigger than the 645/4500 series guns. There is no doubt the 4500 series guns are a much stronger design and reliable as the day is long, but they would fall behind the 1911s' in run-and-gun competitons. Another thing is the amount of aftermarket parts and accessories available for the 1911 pistols compared to the 4500 series guns.
squidsix
Member
Leiden, careful with the high praise, you'll drive up the price!
(I agree and have chosen similarly)
(I agree and have chosen similarly)
novalty
Member
I have seen it reference so many times, and now in a Competitive Shooting forum. What does the ability to feed empty cases add to the advantage of shooting a 4506 or 4566 in competition over a 1911? Are people seriously loading empty cases in their mags for an event? I don't have anything against the 4506 and 4566 and think they are tremendously well built guns, but....I would suggest the OP get a chance to shoot a 4506 or 4566 before purchasing if possible. For me I went the 4566 route over the 1911, but the grip angle and shape was not for me, after trying 3 different style grips I couldn't not get it to group well. Sold it for a S&W 1911, and instantly out-of-the box I was getting groups. There wasn't anything wrong with the 4566 I had, it just didn't fit me.
Leiden
Member
I understand your point about feeding the empty casings. I'd suggest it be viewed in this light: If a 4506/4566 will feed empty casings it speaks to the overall better feed system design of the 45xx series. If the weapon feeds better it'll perform better in competition. The 1911 was designed for 230 gr. FMJ and it is a non-Browning-intended re-design of the feed delivery system (i.e., throat and feed ramp polishing) that allows it to function reliable with bullets of other design and overall length. The 45xx series feeds anything by design, and the fact that it'll feed an empty casing, which doesn't have a round bullet profile to assist in the feeding, chambering and locking of the action, goes to prove in my opinion the superior feed system. Whether it is competition, law enforcement or pure sport, I, and I assume many others, want the cartridges to go from the magazine to the chamber, lock, and fire without incident.
Tunachaser
US Veteran
Tracer_Bullet
Member
Isn't the standard answer around here supposed to be "get both?" 
Between my wife and I, we have six 1911s (Colt, S&W, Springfield, and a mix-master USGI), all except the USGI feed empty cases, so I'm not really sure that the ability to do so proves anything except that a non-throated 1911 barrel won't feed empties (had to try it out of curiosity after reading all the posts about it in this thread).
As far as the 3rd gen S&W vs the 1911, both are fine pistols, though the grip angle of the S&W 4506 didn't work for me (the 4006 and 3913 do work very well for me). The S&Ws are thicker and heavier, so I would choose a light weight 1911 (such as the SW1911PD) for carry, but for competition or home defense it's just a matter of which gun fits you better and which trigger you prefer. I find the third gen pistols a little easier to field strip than the 1911, but to me the 1911 is easier to detail strip. There is also a huge aftermarket for parts and accessories for the 1911 that just doesn't exist for the Smiths, and 1911 magazines are cheaper and much easier to find. So for a .45 I lean heavily towards the 1911, but YMMV as they say.
Between my wife and I, we have six 1911s (Colt, S&W, Springfield, and a mix-master USGI), all except the USGI feed empty cases, so I'm not really sure that the ability to do so proves anything except that a non-throated 1911 barrel won't feed empties (had to try it out of curiosity after reading all the posts about it in this thread).
As far as the 3rd gen S&W vs the 1911, both are fine pistols, though the grip angle of the S&W 4506 didn't work for me (the 4006 and 3913 do work very well for me). The S&Ws are thicker and heavier, so I would choose a light weight 1911 (such as the SW1911PD) for carry, but for competition or home defense it's just a matter of which gun fits you better and which trigger you prefer. I find the third gen pistols a little easier to field strip than the 1911, but to me the 1911 is easier to detail strip. There is also a huge aftermarket for parts and accessories for the 1911 that just doesn't exist for the Smiths, and 1911 magazines are cheaper and much easier to find. So for a .45 I lean heavily towards the 1911, but YMMV as they say.
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novalty
Member
Leiden your response was well written, and I do believe the view you gave does give a point towards the 4500 series having a throated barrel over a 1911. With the 4566TSW, I only experienced 1 failure-to-feed in the several hundred rounds I fired through it--where bullet jammed on feed ramp with Remington UMC factory 230gr FMJ. With my S&W 1911, I have had 2 similar failures to feed with the same ammo, however, have shot 185gr SWC as well and even mixed mags of 185gr SWC and 230gr FMJ, and haven't experience any additional feeding issues. For competition I would assume most people would be reloading their own ammo, and would work up a load that functioned, and was accurate for the gun they are using. While the function of the 4500 series and 1911 differ, I believe another significant factor is aftermarket accessories that are more plentiful for the 1911, although the 4500 series will get the job done, customizing to fit competitive purpose will be a more difficult task.
To vary slide from the topic my home-defense firearm is a S&W 5906. The grip angle and size feels like it was custom fitted to my hand, it goes bang every time, is very accurate for combat purposes, and with the addition of Crimson Trace Lasergrips--it is my favorite firearm in my safe.
To vary slide from the topic my home-defense firearm is a S&W 5906. The grip angle and size feels like it was custom fitted to my hand, it goes bang every time, is very accurate for combat purposes, and with the addition of Crimson Trace Lasergrips--it is my favorite firearm in my safe.
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Leiden
Member
I think the 1911 is probably the most adaptable pistol in the world. There are many ways to make it fit almost any hand shape or finger length. For adaptability, it'd be the way to go. The S&W 45xx is pretty much what you see is what you get. It happens to fit me and I love it. I could certainly see where it wouldn't fit everyone.
Get both and you can't go wrong. Just save your money to make the 1911 work and you'll be good.
Get both and you can't go wrong. Just save your money to make the 1911 work and you'll be good.
G-ManBart
Member
What sort of competition are you considering using it for?
In some sports, there simply isn't a place for a 45xx series gun to be even remotely competitive. Contrast that with the fact that the 1911 fits perfectly into at least one division/group in most pistol shooting sports (USPSA, IDPA, PPC, NRA Action Pistol, etc). R,
In some sports, there simply isn't a place for a 45xx series gun to be even remotely competitive. Contrast that with the fact that the 1911 fits perfectly into at least one division/group in most pistol shooting sports (USPSA, IDPA, PPC, NRA Action Pistol, etc). R,
I cast my vote for the 4566.
I have owned a half dozen 1911s. Still own two.
I've never seen a 1911 that was as reliable as a 4566 - right out of the box.
I've had varying degrees of accuracy out of both 4566s and 1911s. I'd rate that a wash.
I'm too old to want to be bothered with "tinkering" with either my competition pistols or my for serious guns.
I'm too poor to fork over more than $2K to get a 1911 that works right - the first time - right out of the box.
After having been a 1911 shooter for years I came to prefer the DA/SA for a 45 duty gun. Years later I prefer it to the exclusion of every other trigger.
Something right about the look of the 4566 too.
Regards 18DAI
I have owned a half dozen 1911s. Still own two.
I've never seen a 1911 that was as reliable as a 4566 - right out of the box.
I've had varying degrees of accuracy out of both 4566s and 1911s. I'd rate that a wash.
I'm too old to want to be bothered with "tinkering" with either my competition pistols or my for serious guns.
I'm too poor to fork over more than $2K to get a 1911 that works right - the first time - right out of the box.
After having been a 1911 shooter for years I came to prefer the DA/SA for a 45 duty gun. Years later I prefer it to the exclusion of every other trigger.
Something right about the look of the 4566 too.
Regards 18DAI
ldp4570
US Veteran
I'll take the 4566 over the 1911 anyday, and yes I own both.
squidsix
Member
^ Sane here. I have some 3rd gen S&W guns and some 1911s and a HiPower, and of all the autos I own, the go-to gun is the 4566.
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