Help me make a decision between 2 guns (and an experiement)

[FordTrax]

I posted this question on another gun forum. I got a lot of responses, one of which suggested I should post the questions here to see if the results were different. The poster believed that the 3rd generation S&W may not have been getting a fair shake on that general gun forum since more people have 1911s. I thought that made some sense and that thought was very interesting. So I thought I would post the exact same question here to see if the responses were different or pretty much similar. The question I posted on the other forum follows verbatim - let us see if the other forums responses were biased or will be proven here.


"Okay here is the deal. I am looking at 2 guns. I have been thinking about it for a few days and just keep going back and forth - if I keep this up they will both be bought and I won't have to worry. I figure I have till Saturday at best. So confused, I even asked the wife and she just said get the one you like better. Did not give a cr*p.

Background: I have no 45 caliber guns but I have a few others. Primary purpose or this gun would be range shooting. Perhaps I would try a little practical pistol just for fun and games - no way am I good enough (or could be) for seriously competing and not sure I would want to even if I had the time. Guns are just a fun distraction thing that I love; I enjoy putting new grips on them and researching/minor tweaking.

So here are the choices:

Gun #1: S&W 4566 SS .45 cal. in very nice shape maybe 97%+. Two mags and the blue smith case. I have a a couple 3rd generations (9mm and 10mm) and really, really like them. I love the look and I think they are great quality. They feel great in my hands and I like the weight. I believe okay accuracy in these guns (not great) but reliable and durable second to none. Not many customization options here - if I liked her as a shooter I could send here to a gunsmith and get her tuned up but that is about it. Of course maybe that is a good thing since I could buy more guns instead of spending money on one. Seriously, the big factor here is that there are no more being made = all plastic guns now from S&W. I believe that finding these in this condition will just get more difficult. The $495 an okay price not great. (Since this is commander sized I could take her as a woods carry gun till I find me a Redhawk 41 mag 4".)

Gun #2: S&W 1911 SS .45 cal with black grips and 1 mag with smith case. Basically NIB or so close it does not matter to me since all my guns are shooters. Fit and finish I thought was excellent compared side to side to a Taurus 1911 and thought Smith was noticeably better (No offense to Taurus). The only 1911 I like better than the S&W is the Sig 1911 and those are about $300 more - but if the price was equal I would easily take the Sig 1911. The great thing about the 1911 is there is a lot of options in after-market grips, triggers, sights, to really customize it over time and I feel confident that this S&W 1911 as a base gun is a very good foundation for some reasonable customization. Of course that is more money on this gun that could buying more guns instead. Better deal of the two price wise here at $610 I think.

My wife has no issue with me getting 1 gun at a reasonable price; e.g. $500. No way I can get two - as Dr. Smith said on Lost in Space - Oh the pain.

Seriously, give me some independent objective advice here."

 

[Nframe357]

I'd take the 4566 myself, like the post said they are not made anymore while Smiths 1911's are. I prefer the 3rd gen Smiths to 1911's myself, as for needing a tuneup I've never had a 3rd gen Smith that needed one they all have ran perfect for me. I love 1911's too but I shoot my 4506's better.

 

[Rick-F]

#1 -- save $115 toward the Redhawk

If that is not sounding like sound advice, get #2

 

[ajpelz]

Are you sure you can not get both??

Seriously, I have a 4566 and absolutely love everything about it. It is accurate enough, and a dream to shot. Never had one malfunction. It even loads empty brass like it was FMJ. I cannot say enough good things about this gun. I prefer to carry this over any 1911.

The 1911 is a great gun. A hundred year old design that is getting pumped out at an enormous rate still today. As you say, the customization options are almost limitless, and I do not think that you could ever get a trigger on a 4566 as nice as you can on a 1911. Just the nature of a SA gun vs. a TDA gun. That being said, the downside of the 1911 is that you cannot shoot DA in anyway. This means you are either carrying cocked and locked, a position that not everyone is comfortable with, or with an empty chamber, a condition almost no one is comfortable with. The 4566 allows you to carry with safety on, or safety off decocked, both of which IMHO are better than anything the 1911 can do as far as carrying condition. Also my 1911 has jammed countless times, always with JHP, and as said before my 4566 has been 100% reliable.

The prices are good for both. I think your rationale is sound in that NO MORE 4566s will be made. The same cannot be said about 1911s. You might want to handle both and make sure you are comfortable with the 4566 grip. It does seem bigger and not as ergonomic to me as a 1911. All that being said, my 4566 gets way more action than my 1911.

Honestly, I do not think you can go wrong no matter what you decide.

 

[Gunhacker]

Both are excellent pistols... since you have a couple of 3rd gens, you already know that the pistols built on the 10xx/45xx platform are tanks.

For me, I go for the 3rd gens first (for .45acp I have a 4506-1 and 4516-1) because whenever I want one, I can ALWAYS find and buy something built on the 1911.

I like having pistols that set themselves apart from the unwashed masses of 1911/SIG/Glock-a-holics.

Lack of customization options for the 3rd gens? Well, yeah... compared to a pistol whose design is almost 100 years old, there's bound to be a lot more room for improvement (add-ons) with those than one with the benefits of being a "contemporary" design, with the improvements that John Browning came up with after he designed the 1911, already incorporated into it.

 

[FirebirdV8]

For me it would come down to the question of trigger type preference. I like the TDA trigger system, so I would go with the 4566. I have a 1066 and it is one of my favorites and has never let me down. On the other hand if you prefer SA trigger systems, the choice is clear, get the 1911. The price difference is a potential decision point, but what is a hundred dollars if it means you get a gun you want? The point about 3rd gens not being made is a good one. The prices are only going to go up and the only way a 1911 won't be around is if we have a nuclear war and everyone is dead.

 

[Center Villian]

All three

I just happen to have all three. The 4566, S&W 1911,and the Sig 1911. I carry the 4566 because I shoot it better than the others. I also like to carry the 1066 (9 rds vs 8 rds) and 10mm power. Good luck with your decision.

 

[Pisgah]

I dearly love the 1911, and the S&W is a nice one. But 1911's are as thick as acorns on the ground around here this year. There are heaps, virtual drifts, of them available, in a wide range of prices.

The 4566 is a fine arm, designed and made only by S&W and no longer in production. Guess which one I'd pick?

 

[18DAI]

Get the 4566. You will be glad you did. Regards 18DAI.

 

[Joni_Lynn]

Buy one and put the other on layaway or whatever might be available.
Failing that, I recommend getting whichever one feels the best in your hands.
If it's still a toss up my choice would be the 1911 as I have quite a 1911 addiction.

 

[38-44HD45]

Not sure how serious you are about shooting practical pistol, or whether you are talking about IPSC or IDPA. Back when I shot lots of IPSC, I watched a few people trying to be competitive with S&W autos. Not a pretty sight; the high boreline makes muzzle flip much worse than with 1911-types, so shot-to-shot splits are much longer. If you are talking about casual target shooting and plinking, I'd just go with what looked and felt best in my hand. If you are serious about practical pistol, especially IPSC/USPSA, 1911, all the way, if you want to avoid frustration. If you want to compete in SSP division in IDPA, then you don't want a .45 of any kind.

(Now, at this point, someone who has had problems with 1911 reliability and doesn't know how to fix his gun should chime in and flame me. I have a safe full of them, and they all run smoothly.)

 

[Cruiser RN]

I would get the 4566 as it is a beatifully reliable gun that needs little to no customization and is not made any longer.The 1911 is so you could always get one latter if the mood struck you but I think you would be so happy with the 4566 you wouldn't......Just my humble opinion.....God Bless.....Mike

 

[JSR III]

I would go with the 4566 first as others have said, the 1911's can be found anytime. I also like Joni's suggestion, buy the 4566 and put the 1911 on lay a way. Having bought one, the seller should be willing to sell the second one over a short period like 60 or 90 days.

Then you can shoot both and see which one you like better. Should you decide that you don't want to keep both, you could always post it here and get your money back in short order.

 

[C/O]

Another vote for the 4566, But I am not a big 1911 fan.

 

[1006smith]

I am the one that suggested you poll this site. I did not vote on the other site so here goes. I belive the 3rd generation is the gun to get. As stated before and generally known by everyone, you can pick up a 1911 at any time. They will always be around. The 4566 is no longer made. Buy it while you can and, if you don't like it, sell it and get a 1911. I will never sell my 1006; never.

 

[mamasfatty]

get the 4566,everyone has a 1911,almost boring to look at anymore!

 

[Oddball]

I love my 4566 and I just picked up a nice 4006. Don't own a 1911.

 

[dennis40x]

Find an S&W 4506 or 4506-1 in good condition. This is the one and only pistol that out Glocks the Glock in reliability. I have and like 1911 pistols but if I were to have only one pistol in 45ACP it would be the 4506.

 

[Waldo]

I don't know what your long range gun buying plans are. If you are going to buy another gun in a month or two, I would get the S&W. Like the others have said, They don't make them anymore. If this is going to be the last gun you buy for a while I would get the 1911. Everybody should own at least one 1911. You already have a couple of S&Ws, but no 1911's. I would remedy that ASAP. Just my opinion. Waldo

 

[sniper47]

If the gun is strictly going to be used as a range gun, go with the 1911. You can customize it anyway you want. If you think it might be used for self defense, get the 4566 as you are already familiar with the operation of the gun.