Back in January 2013 I picked up a well used, LE trade in 4513TSW. The original model with the cut-out grip and six round mag. I picked it up off the auction boards where it was languishing with no bids. Probably due to its appearance. It had significant nicks and cuts on the slide and carry wear on the frame. Lots of finish missing on the high spots.
A funny thing about me seeing this gun on the auction board was the fact that at the time, there was a thread running here titled "Where are all the 4513TSW's?". Evidently some folks were not looking too hard for one.
This 4513TSW was also a little different from your everyday run of the mill early version. It had Novak low mount night sights AND had been modified to decock only configuration. A rare example. My duty 4566 is so equipped and my off duty carry gun at that time - also an original 4513TSW - was not. So I though about it for about 90 seconds and bid. Nobody else bothered and I won.
I have posted previously about what I did to recondition this pistol and how I went about it so I'll not bore you again with those details. Suffice it to say that the little 45 cleaned up just fine and was mechanically perfect. Significant amount of wear on the rails and camming shoulders - BUT - based on the location of the wear this gun had been fired a lot. Probably over 3000 rounds IMO. VERY well used, but not abused.
So I changed out the recoil springs and went and fired 150 problem free rounds through it. 100 WWB and 50 RA45T. The Novaks were regulated to the 4513TSW and proved to provide a sight picture where POA = POI. The decock only feature is appreciated, although my thumb still occasionally moves to swipe the paddle to this day. Old habits do die hard.
I put new Hogue 4516 grips on it, cut to fit the early variant 4513TSW by my friend Big Dog, and went and qualified with it. 98 day and 100 night IIRC. I qualified with it as an "alternate duty gun" as well as my off duty gun. This way I didn't have to qualify twice with the same pistol.
Since that day, I've carried this little 45 regularly. Seldom has it ever stayed in the safe for longer than a day. I've also shot it regularly. Over 1600 rounds last year and 100 rounds to date this year. Never a bobble. Still as accurate as the first day I shot it. The wear has not dramatically increased. I am of the opinion that the wear on these aluminum framed guns is, with a few exceptions, largely self limiting. Provided regular preventive maintenance is done.
I change the recoil springs every 3000 rounds and the carry mag springs every 3 years. My range mags I don't change till I start seeing a feeding problem. I've yet to see a problem with my 6-round range mags. I mark those mags on the baseplate so I don't inadvertantly use them for serious purpose. I also keep the 4513TSW greased with TW25b.
My favorite holster for carrying this 45 is an OWB Don Hume JIT slide. Hides the gun easily under a loose fitting outer shirt. For those times I have to carry IWB I use a Bianchi leather clip on IWB holster. Since this 4513TSW does not have a manual safety, I load it, drop the mag, top off the mag, insert the gun in the holster and place the holster IWB. THEN I reinsert the fully loaded magazine. Personal preference for IWB carry of guns that don't have a manual safety, nothing more. All my carry guns have magazine safeties intact. Again, my preference. YMMV.
The 4513TSW is a fine compact carry gun. My personal favorite and yes, I've tried all the others. The XDs was nice. Recoil was stout, but still more pleasant than the Glock 36 I tried. The Colt Defender was very nice and almost as reliable. The m&p compact was too thick and had a lousy trigger. It was ugly too and life is too short to carry an ugly gun.
The 4513TSW has replaced my other favorite carry gun, the 3913. I'm not a 45 snob and have no problems with 9mm guns. The 4513 just feels a little better and I shoot it as well as the 3913. So its my pick.
I still carry my 4566 and 4506 on duty and remain qualified on both types. I just carry the 4513TSW more. And I carry this particular early NS 6-round 4513 to the exclusion of all my other 4513's. Regards 18DAI
A funny thing about me seeing this gun on the auction board was the fact that at the time, there was a thread running here titled "Where are all the 4513TSW's?". Evidently some folks were not looking too hard for one.
This 4513TSW was also a little different from your everyday run of the mill early version. It had Novak low mount night sights AND had been modified to decock only configuration. A rare example. My duty 4566 is so equipped and my off duty carry gun at that time - also an original 4513TSW - was not. So I though about it for about 90 seconds and bid. Nobody else bothered and I won.
I have posted previously about what I did to recondition this pistol and how I went about it so I'll not bore you again with those details. Suffice it to say that the little 45 cleaned up just fine and was mechanically perfect. Significant amount of wear on the rails and camming shoulders - BUT - based on the location of the wear this gun had been fired a lot. Probably over 3000 rounds IMO. VERY well used, but not abused.
So I changed out the recoil springs and went and fired 150 problem free rounds through it. 100 WWB and 50 RA45T. The Novaks were regulated to the 4513TSW and proved to provide a sight picture where POA = POI. The decock only feature is appreciated, although my thumb still occasionally moves to swipe the paddle to this day. Old habits do die hard.
I put new Hogue 4516 grips on it, cut to fit the early variant 4513TSW by my friend Big Dog, and went and qualified with it. 98 day and 100 night IIRC. I qualified with it as an "alternate duty gun" as well as my off duty gun. This way I didn't have to qualify twice with the same pistol.
Since that day, I've carried this little 45 regularly. Seldom has it ever stayed in the safe for longer than a day. I've also shot it regularly. Over 1600 rounds last year and 100 rounds to date this year. Never a bobble. Still as accurate as the first day I shot it. The wear has not dramatically increased. I am of the opinion that the wear on these aluminum framed guns is, with a few exceptions, largely self limiting. Provided regular preventive maintenance is done.
I change the recoil springs every 3000 rounds and the carry mag springs every 3 years. My range mags I don't change till I start seeing a feeding problem. I've yet to see a problem with my 6-round range mags. I mark those mags on the baseplate so I don't inadvertantly use them for serious purpose. I also keep the 4513TSW greased with TW25b.
My favorite holster for carrying this 45 is an OWB Don Hume JIT slide. Hides the gun easily under a loose fitting outer shirt. For those times I have to carry IWB I use a Bianchi leather clip on IWB holster. Since this 4513TSW does not have a manual safety, I load it, drop the mag, top off the mag, insert the gun in the holster and place the holster IWB. THEN I reinsert the fully loaded magazine. Personal preference for IWB carry of guns that don't have a manual safety, nothing more. All my carry guns have magazine safeties intact. Again, my preference. YMMV.
The 4513TSW is a fine compact carry gun. My personal favorite and yes, I've tried all the others. The XDs was nice. Recoil was stout, but still more pleasant than the Glock 36 I tried. The Colt Defender was very nice and almost as reliable. The m&p compact was too thick and had a lousy trigger. It was ugly too and life is too short to carry an ugly gun.
The 4513TSW has replaced my other favorite carry gun, the 3913. I'm not a 45 snob and have no problems with 9mm guns. The 4513 just feels a little better and I shoot it as well as the 3913. So its my pick.
I still carry my 4566 and 4506 on duty and remain qualified on both types. I just carry the 4513TSW more. And I carry this particular early NS 6-round 4513 to the exclusion of all my other 4513's. Regards 18DAI
