Trooper224
Member
Freeze, Miami Vice! Yes, I'll admit it. Back in the day I was an unabashed fan of Miami Vice. If we're honest with ourselves, anyone interested in becoming a cop during that era was influenced by the show on some level. It was so indicative of the '80s: lots of speed and flash, big hair, big shoulder pads. Big guns with big bores were also the order of the day. This was also the era of the infamous Miami Shootout involving the FBI and two armed felons. In the aftermath, the 9mm was found to be inadequate (it really wasn't but that's another story) so big bore modern semi-autos became the flavor of the moment. The 1911 was maintaining some traction within law enforcement circles, but the whole cocked and locked thing gave the desk jockies the heebie jeebies. Enter the 4506 by Smith and Wesson.
As one of Smith and Wessons entries in their, then new, 3rd Generation line, the 4506 was really nothing more than an ergonomic improvement of the 2nd Generation 645. Like its predecessor, the 4506 was big, heavy and built like a bank vault.
At the time I was drinking the Jeff Cooper KoolAid in the 44 ounce size, so I was a .45acp, 1911 man all the way. In the words of the old Master Chief, "I'd rather carry a bucket full of long necked Budweiser bottles than a damned 9mm." And those "Crunch n' Ticker" double action autos as El Padrone called them? Well, that was just an answer looking for a question. If you couldn't handle Gods Gun, go set at the kids table. Still, I had to admit, those shiny stainless autos thrown around by Sonny Crockett on a weekly basis sure looked sexy. That Bren Ten was cool (until I actually shot one, what a clunker), so was the 645 and then the 4506 appeared.
Despite my opinions on Gods Gun and double action autos, I had to admit that big stainless beast really stirred my juices and it quickly became one of the tactical hotnesses of the latter part of the decade. Unfortunately, I was a poor sailor with babies to feed. Consequently, I was a one gun man back then. To get a new one I had to sell what I had. Sell Gods Gun? My God, would Moses pawn the Ten Commandments? So sadly, I never did acquire one. A shipmate did though. Whether based upon my recommendation, or just to rub my nose in it my ego cannot say. He let me shoot it and it was cool. I then moved on to other things and the big Smith faded into history along with MC Hammer pants and the Mullet.
Then, earlier this week I walked into my local range and there it was in the display case.
In a flood of nostalgia it all came back to me. I could smell the salt in the air, the Cadillac in the parking lot started to look a lot like a Ferrari and I swear I could hear In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins playing in the distance.
Yes, yes, I know. Before the Interwebz Movie Police pull me over, I realize this isn't the exact variant used in the show. But please, don't harsh my pastel mellow.
I'd recently lost out on acquiring a cherry Colt Python and I had a sad on about that, so I made the snap decision to carpe diem the s**t out of this one.
For a thirty year old gun, it's in great shape with just a few handling marks here and there. The trigger is what you'd expect from an unaltered double action auto from the 80s: not bad, but not outstanding. It's long and smooth on the DA if a bit heavy, with a not too shabby SA pull and a crazy short reset. Certainly not terrible and nothing that will be an impediment to good shooting. The price was reasonable and the package included four magazines, so I didn't hesitate.
Today, I happily carry a 9mm and a double action semi-auto to boot. Gods Gun is now a part time fun gun, so my attitudes have changed quite a bit over the years. As I get older, more of my decisions are based upon nostalgia for the past and I freely admit, this is one of them. I don't have the long hair anymore and I long ago outgrew the white linen blazer, but now I have the gun.
As one of Smith and Wessons entries in their, then new, 3rd Generation line, the 4506 was really nothing more than an ergonomic improvement of the 2nd Generation 645. Like its predecessor, the 4506 was big, heavy and built like a bank vault.
At the time I was drinking the Jeff Cooper KoolAid in the 44 ounce size, so I was a .45acp, 1911 man all the way. In the words of the old Master Chief, "I'd rather carry a bucket full of long necked Budweiser bottles than a damned 9mm." And those "Crunch n' Ticker" double action autos as El Padrone called them? Well, that was just an answer looking for a question. If you couldn't handle Gods Gun, go set at the kids table. Still, I had to admit, those shiny stainless autos thrown around by Sonny Crockett on a weekly basis sure looked sexy. That Bren Ten was cool (until I actually shot one, what a clunker), so was the 645 and then the 4506 appeared.
Despite my opinions on Gods Gun and double action autos, I had to admit that big stainless beast really stirred my juices and it quickly became one of the tactical hotnesses of the latter part of the decade. Unfortunately, I was a poor sailor with babies to feed. Consequently, I was a one gun man back then. To get a new one I had to sell what I had. Sell Gods Gun? My God, would Moses pawn the Ten Commandments? So sadly, I never did acquire one. A shipmate did though. Whether based upon my recommendation, or just to rub my nose in it my ego cannot say. He let me shoot it and it was cool. I then moved on to other things and the big Smith faded into history along with MC Hammer pants and the Mullet.
Then, earlier this week I walked into my local range and there it was in the display case.
In a flood of nostalgia it all came back to me. I could smell the salt in the air, the Cadillac in the parking lot started to look a lot like a Ferrari and I swear I could hear In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins playing in the distance.
Yes, yes, I know. Before the Interwebz Movie Police pull me over, I realize this isn't the exact variant used in the show. But please, don't harsh my pastel mellow.
I'd recently lost out on acquiring a cherry Colt Python and I had a sad on about that, so I made the snap decision to carpe diem the s**t out of this one.
For a thirty year old gun, it's in great shape with just a few handling marks here and there. The trigger is what you'd expect from an unaltered double action auto from the 80s: not bad, but not outstanding. It's long and smooth on the DA if a bit heavy, with a not too shabby SA pull and a crazy short reset. Certainly not terrible and nothing that will be an impediment to good shooting. The price was reasonable and the package included four magazines, so I didn't hesitate.
Today, I happily carry a 9mm and a double action semi-auto to boot. Gods Gun is now a part time fun gun, so my attitudes have changed quite a bit over the years. As I get older, more of my decisions are based upon nostalgia for the past and I freely admit, this is one of them. I don't have the long hair anymore and I long ago outgrew the white linen blazer, but now I have the gun.
