Found a 845 (45 Limited) and....

[Bruce51]

I can't find the original 845 spring stock number.

The Midway spring #227209 is for most guns. Read the listed reviews.

This is a long spring. It feels heavier than #14. It does function and drops cases close to the shooter.

I have 945 springs and these are either 24298 or 264380000

I believe that is a S&W part number. These are similar to the original spring in my 745.

Have fun! That one is a keeper.

Bruce

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Good info

The 745 I've got is nice but no comparison to my 845.
All 8 rd .45 acp S&W mags have worked, even early ones w/metal followers and floorplates.Kevin

That's pretty cool! I think I'm going to be keeping an eye out for a companion to mine too, at the next gun show (the BIG ONE, Wanenmacher is 11/9), but I doubt I'll be as lucky as with this one.

The hammer is most likely falling and simply "bounce back" to the half cock position on a empty gun. Both my 745 and 845 will do this, nothing to worry about. All the 645/745/4500 full size mags will work, early 945 mags have two mag catch notches and will work but will catch on the first(945) notch and have to be moved on in.

It's the only thing that seems logical, but honestly, I don't see it no matter how many times I repeat it.

I can't find the original 845 spring stock number. The Midway spring #227209 is for most guns.
I have 945 springs and these are either 24298 or 264380000
I believe that is a S&W part number. These are similar to the original spring in my 745.

Thanks for the info guys.

I did a quick check for mags & saw that Midway actually had the S&W mags (S&W# 23675000) for the 645/4506 family In-Stock & ordered a couple. (Ordered last night & just got an email saying they shipped it today! Good job Midway!)

If you find any other "good to know" info on the 845, please pass it on.

I pulled out all our 45 Autos to compare them but the 845 out shines them all. Sure hope it shoots as good as it feels. I plan on going to the range by Wednesday, at the latest.
I like caressing it, but now it's time to play rough with it.

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S&W 45 Autos: The old & the new

845 & 1911sc-E


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[Bruce51]

This morning I pulled the 745 from the safe to check how it could possibly end up at half cock during normal firing.

Since mine has never fallen or returned to half cock during normal firing I needed to check this out.

Now if the safety lever is completely pushed down the hammer sets to half cock and stays there when the lever is pushed back up.

The only way the hammer falls to half cock is if I release trigger pressure while lowering the hammer.

I'm wondering if there maybe some binding between the frame and the drawbar, just enough to catch the hammer notch when firing. Since it goes to half cock with the magazine in or out I would clean and check the drawbar for indications of binding. I might also consider a mainspring change.

Since I'm unfamiliar with the grips on your gun I would remove them to see if anything rubs or needs cleaning.

That's all I have. Interesting problem. I hope it works well for you.

BLM

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Curiously strange

I don't know, it's curiously strange, but since it's new to me I don't know if it always did it or it just started before I got it. In searching the web for more 845 info, I did run across this post on another forum which seems to indicate this person didn't have/notice it before on his 745. (No one replied to his post.)

I have an S&W 745 and use it for limited class pin shooting. I noticed that when dry-firing after a table is shot, before benching the gun (we must bench with the hammer down), The hammer bounces back to half-cock. It didn't do this before. The factory mainspring is 20 lbs. I have been (for months) running an 18 lb. Wolff to slightly lighten the trigger. I thought the spring may have something to do with it and put a 20 lb. back in. The hammer still bounces back to half-cock. The trigger doesn't reset, however, so I have to pull the hammer back and then pull the trigger to ease it all the way down to rest. The firing pin channel is clean and the pin moves freely. The gun runs well otherwise. I don't see light strikes on the spent primers and the hammer will go all the way down(and stay down) when I do the pencil test. I even tried a new,spare factory firing pin "just to see" but the bounce remains. Weird, huh? Any ideas? This is (to me) Smith's simplest auto-pistol which makes this even weirder to me.

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I plan on field stripping it later today & seeing what I can see, now that I've got more info on disassembly.

FYI : One thing I just realized, on this model, is that the 845, externally, looks like a 4506-1, not a 645/745, having the rounded grip frame, one piece grips, dove-tail front sight and smooth frame side between the slide & trigger. Weird why S&W didn't given it a 3rd Gen. model number variation rather than the 2nd Gen's.?

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Trigger adjustment screw & new grips

Got a couple new questions:

- I disassembled, cleaned & oiled this & noticed an adjustment screw on the trigger assembly, inside the frame. It seems like it's purpose is to adjust the play/slack out of the trigger. The screw is very easy to turn & makes we wonder if it will lose it's adjust with use/firing?
Does anybody have any experience with this?

- I noticed that if I adjust the screw (up) to eliminate the trigger play completely & I cock the hammer to half-cocked, it only takes a little pressure on the trigger for the hammer to slip out of the half-cock notch. If I adjust the screw so there's a little bit of trigger play/movement, & put the hammer in half-cock, pulling the trigger (moderate pressure) does not cause it to slip out of half-cocked. This is were I left it.
Does anybody know what the correct way to adjust this screw is?

I added some Hogue grips & I really like the change in feel. The soft rubber vs. hard plastic and the curved backstrap vs. the straight are a good improvement for me.

Off to the range tomorrow to shoot it. Will let you know how it goes.

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845 Limited


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845 Limited


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[SW CQB 45]

Me personally, go for the minimalist of overtravel.

Trigger slack/creep is only one time per mag and if you never take your finger off the trigger and only release the trigger to the point of reset....you will never experience any more slack....until you let off completely or new mag.

My two cents.

I recall mine being easy to rotate and never had an issue with the screws moving during shooting.

 

[handgunner356]

Usually set mine to the point of set/no set, then back off a quarter turn. Never had them move on me but a drop of Loctite doesn't hurt anything.

 

[colt_saa]

The Hogues are a good call. Mine came that way. I also have never had the adjustment screw move.

I prefer the look of the Limited to mine, but I bought what came along.

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Range report

Got to shoot the 845 today & it's really in it's own league, at least as far as what I've ever shot. Never even had to pickup a screwdriver to adjust the sights as it hits where I pointed it, as best I could. It's the first auto I've ever shot that feels (trigger wise) like my best revolver's. The sights are big & easy to use. The action effortlessly feeds them in & spits them out, ready for another.

I had reloaded some soft target loads with 4.6gr/Bullseye & 200gr SWC & 230gr RN cast bullets the day before just for this. Also tried some of my stiffer loads using 7.0gr/Unique with the same bullets, plus a 200gr/TMJ-SWC. Finished with some 185gr/JHP +P loads using Power Pistol. No problems whatsoever. The brass all basically went in the same area except for the hotter loads which, of course, kicked more up & out than the others, but definitely not like my 1911. The felt recoil is quit different from my 1911. Way smoother & more straight back & without any twist. Even the +Ps some how seemed like I was shooting a big 22 auto. This was at an outdoor range (usually go to the indoor one) which kind of changes the shooting sensation, but it's just a smooth shooter. My son & the range master tried it & both liked it too. I hope to go again soon & try it some more & take more time with it. (I still hate chasing/loosing brass though.)

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Reunited, again

Got a pleasant surprise this afternoon. The gun shop that I bought the 845 at called to let me know they were doing inventory & found the original box for my gun. Wow!! They had told me, twice, when I bought the gun, that it only came with the gun & one mag.

The box is a little scratched up & seems like it had been left in the heat causing the label to peel up & the foam to dry a little but it has most of the original items inside that include an unused PC mag, the (extra) target spring & a guide rod (minus the plunger/spring). It also has the owners manual, warranty cards & a PC services price list sheet, but not the PC 845 "Limited" brochure I've seem in other's pictures. I cleaned up the box & was able to remove & straighten the label after heating it up with a hair dryer first. No fired cartridge envelope, but I don't know when S&W started doing that?

The label allowed me to finally confirm when it was built, 01/09/1996, not in 1995 as I believed.

It was good of the dealer to make the effort to contact me & let know they found it. Now that my favorite gun has it's box back it doesn't feel like an orphan to me any more.

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845 Limited


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[scwv67]

Congrats on your incredible score!

I really must stop coming around here as it seems I regularly have to keep adding something to my wish list!

 

[wlp624]

Got a pleasant surprise this afternoon. The gun shop that I bought the 845 at called to let me know they were doing inventory & found the original box for my gun...it has most of the original items inside that include an unused PC mag, the (extra) target spring & a guide rod (minus the plunger/spring). It also has the owners manual, warranty cards & a PC services price list sheet...

Lucky Dog, Lucky Dog, Lucky Dog

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Lew Horton letter

Just a footnote: On a whim, I sent an email to Lew Horton, to see what else I could find out & verify on this gun, & they promptly replied back with the following. Earl from Lew Horton was good enough to answer the questions I had & also included a promo flyer on this model for me.

The exact quantity (435) produced has been batted around but this nails it down. I hadn't seen the retail price ($1470) listed anywhere either & he answered that too. That was really nice of them to take the time on this. Thanks!

Now if I could just be lucky enough to find one of the others shown in the flyer.

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[mxbob]

I have Had the hammer "bounce back" on other S&W autos. It doesn't seem to have any affect on regular function. I have an 845 and agree that it is an exceptional handgun. They could probably sell some more if they would make them.
Bob Ray 1815

 

[BLUEDOT37]

Hammer bounce back

I have Had the hammer "bounce back" on other S&W autos. It doesn't seem to have any affect on regular function.

I normally keep snap-caps in my guns but a few weeks ago I was playing with my 1076 & noticed it does it too now, without the snap-caps. Never had it do it before, but like you say, it hasn't affect operation.

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