Melonite 4566 KJF prefix

[18DAI]

The Melonite 4566 with KJF serial prefix, as appears on page 379 of the SCSW. Doesnt somone here have one of those?

It has forward slide serrations. Does it have a Briley bushing? Is that Melonite finish or that black s&w sharpie marker finish? Thanks! Regards 18DAI

 

[vigil617]

I found this, 18, but you might know of it already since you participated in the thread....but then again, it's been five years now....and what a shame the photos are gone now....

http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...6-melonite-history.html?231665=#post136337682

I do wish very much that I was one who could answer your question with a "yes."

 

[18DAI]

Thank you vigil617! I reread that post in my search for info on this pistol.

Ive been watching for one to come up for sale, for around 18 years. The last two I bid on went out of my price range.

Due to the kindness of a member here, mine will be in my hands in another week. It differs from my RJF prefix Melonite 4566 in that it has the forward slide serrations. Looking forward to finally getting my hands on one.

With this guns, the RJF, PC 45CQB, LE 4566, 4566TSW and the early hooked trigger guard example, I only need the WVSP Integral rail Melonite 4566 to complete the line of 4566s.

Ill post pics when it gets here. Thanks again my friend! Best regards, 18DAI

 

[4506517]

I have one of the WVSP integral rail guns.

I posted it here years ago.

Really, quite a phenomenal pistol

 

[18DAI]

I believe you 4506517!

Eventually I will add one. I missed one on a gun sale board a few months back. Seller didnt want to ship it. But I will locate one eventually. Working part time in a LGS I see a lot of stuff walk in the door.

Hopefully one of the WVSP 4566s will stroll in. But for now, I am more than happy to have one of the KJF melomite 4566 salesmans samples. Regards 18DAI

 

[paddlingman]

Outstanding! Nice score and congrats, 18DAI. Looking forward to pictures.

 

[18DAI]

Thanks goes all to you paddlingman!!! Member paddlingman was kind enough to forward me a link to the sale of the Melonite 4566.

I cant thank you enough paddlingman! I hope I get a chance to return the favor! Best regards, 18DAI

 

[smith10]

Looking forward to pics. Any man who collects 4566s is tops in my book.

 

[18DAI]

Got the text from the LGS. She is here. Going to pick it up this AM. Quick clean and lube and 100 rounds to test for function.

Ill try and get pics and an abbreviated range report posted tonight or tommorow. Regards 18DAI

 

[4506517]

I absolutely cannot wait for the pictures.

 

[MattyD380]

Just curious... was this the one on Armslist for sale near Muncie Indiana? I contacted the seller on that one... apparently somebody beat me to it

But I ended up getting the 4516-2 instead. Which I just shot, actually. Did great. Will post a range report soon.

 

[SVT28]

18DAI you scurvy dog! I would love to have one of these melonite 4566's. I passed on a Colorado highway patrol melonite 4006 last year at Cabelas for $375 and I kick myself in the hind quarters all the time for not getting it.

Does yours have the older dim Trijicons or does it have Novaks? Did it come with a box?

SVT28

 

[18DAI]

Pics and range report forthcoming later today. I ran out of time yesterday and didnt make the range. Wife 2.0 said she would snap a pic for me.

But I will answer the questions posed and add one of my own. Yes, this was listed on Armslist. And thanks to my friend paddlingman I was able to secure it.

But a 4516-2 is a VERY nice consolation prize. Congrats!

SVT28 this is very similar to the other Melonite RJF prefix 4566s. The differences being no night sights, forward slide serrations and the laser etched warning about the decockers returning to the ready to fire position is tiny and on the left side of the frame rather than on the right side of the slide on this one. I like that a lot better.

The Melonite finish is better on this KJF gun too. My RJF prefix gun missing the coating on the inside of the slide.

This gun is used and has been carried and was advertised as such. That said it is in very nice shape and is going to be used and carried a whole lot more!

Now to my question. Has anyone ever seen a factory 8 round 45 mag with the indentations stamped on both sides of the feed lips like on the CS45 mags? I checked all 30 something of my 8 round mags last night. None have it.

But the 3 mags that came with this pistol do. In 27 years of being around 3rd gen 45s I have never come across 8 round mags with these stamped indentations to keep the rounds from moving forward in recoil. Strange, to me.

Interestingly I have found two theories on how the KJF guns came about. One is that these KJF Melonite 4566s were LE sales samples and only a handful were made. Between 20 and 30 being the number repeated to me.

The other theory comes from a S&W collector. Back in the late 80s and early 90s, S&W made small runs of "special" guns. These were variations of standard production guns that were aimed at large distributors to boost interest and sales. Like the half lug titanium cylinder 586. It is said the KJF gun may be one of these. Dunno.

Alls I do know is that after waiting nd searching for one for 18 years I am very glad to have it and it is everything Id hoped it would be. Thank you again paddlingman!! Regards 18DAI

 

[TTSH]

Alls I do know is that after waiting nd searching for one for 18 years I am very glad to have it and it is everything Id hoped it would be. Thank you again paddlingman!! Regards 18DAI

I'm glad that gun went to someone who can truly appreciate it.

Good thing I didn't see it first!

 

[paddlingman]

Very happy to see you get it! I was reading one of your iconic 4506-1 posts when I did my typical 3rd gen filter search on Armslist for my State. I remembered you talking about the 4566 Melonite before, so when this came up, I pm'ed 18DAI within an hour of the posting! It's been fun to watch your excitement throughout the process.

 

[MattyD380]

Looking forward to seeing and hearing about this one. And probably drooling. Congrats. Sounds like it's an awesome piece.

 

[18DAI]

As promised here are a few pics. The pic of the magazine shows the CS45 like indentations at the top. Range report to follow. Regards 18DAI

 

[18DAI]

Melonite KJF prefix 4566 range report

I had very little time to run by the range and test the Melonite 4566 for function. I managed to run 110 rounds through it in about 20 minutes. That included fighting with the 3 mags which came with it.

In 27 years of shooting 3rd gen 45s I have never had any magazine problems. Never. In thousands of rounds. In fact, 3rd gen 45 mags are one of the primary factors in the sterling reliability of these pistols. But this year, I have had problems with NIB CS45 mags and these three 8-round mags.

To start with none of the three supplied mags would load easily. VERY problematic trying to get rounds into them. I had Federal 230 ball, Speer Gold Dot 230 JHP, Winchester Ranger 230 JHP and Blazer Brass 230 ball.

NONE of the mags would load with the Speer Gold Dot. Get one round in and no more. Mag was frozen up. Winchester Ranger and Federal 230 ball would load into the mags, but then they would only feed the top two rounds, the slide closing on an empty chamber. Blazer would load but only feed the top round. Vexing!

Luckily I had two 8-round S&W 3rd gen 45 mags in my range bag. I loaded those up and my 4566M ate everything and functioned perfectly. Nice trigger and VERY accurate! Like all my other 3rd gen 45s this one liked the Winchester Ranger T 230 JHP best. It put them into sub 2 inch groups at 10 yards. (Lane pulley was screwed up and only went out to 10 yards.)

I love this pistol! Well worth the wait to get it.

The three mags that camewith it will be tried againwith my CS45. Since they are the only 8-round mags I have ever come across with the CS45 like indentions at the top, perhaps they will work in the CS45 and be used as reload or range mags. If not, I will strip them for parts as the springs and followers were in excellent condition. Regards 18DAI

 

[GaryS]

I'd call S&W CS and demand replacement magazines under warranty!

Seriously though, it's odd that the gun came with three magazines built differently than any others you've seen and those same magazines don't work well (or at all) in the gun with which they came.

I had very little time to run by the range and test the Melonite 4566 for function. I managed to run 110 rounds through it in about 20 minutes. That included fighting with the 3 mags which came with it.

In 27 years of shooting 3rd gen 45s I have never had any magazine problems. Never. In thousands of rounds. In fact, 3rd gen 45 mags are one of the primary factors in the sterling reliability of these pistols. But this year, I have had problems with NIB CS45 mags and these three 8-round mags.

To start with none of the three supplied mags would load easily. VERY problematic trying to get rounds into them. I had Federal 230 ball, Speer Gold Dot 230 JHP, Winchester Ranger 230 JHP and Blazer Brass 230 ball.

NONE of the mags would load with the Speer Gold Dot. Get one round in and no more. Mag was frozen up. Winchester Ranger and Federal 230 ball would load into the mags, but then they would only feed the top two rounds, the slide closing on an empty chamber. Blazer would load but only feed the top round. Vexing!

Luckily I had two 8-round S&W 3rd gen 45 mags in my range bag. I loaded those up and my 4566M ate everything and functioned perfectly. Nice trigger and VERY accurate! Like all my other 3rd gen 45s this one liked the Winchester Ranger T 230 JHP best. It put them into sub 2 inch groups at 10 yards. (Lane pulley was screwed up and only went out to 10 yards.)

I love this pistol! Well worth the wait to get it.

The three mags that camewith it will be tried againwith my CS45. Since they are the only 8-round mags I have ever come across with the CS45 like indentions at the top, perhaps they will work in the CS45 and be used as reload or range mags. If not, I will strip them for parts as the springs and followers were in excellent condition. Regards 18DAI

 

[18DAI]

Yeah I thought that was strange too GaryS. A "one off" pistol with magazines unlike its siblings.

Ive not yet called customer service to find out a birthdate, but would not be surprised to find it falls within the introduction of the CS45 guns. Perhaps S&W decided to try the indentions on the full size mags..........although I dont know why they would bother as the 8-round mags with the black followers were reliable.

I just checked these against two of my CS45 mags and the indentations on both sides of the 8-round mags are identical to and in the exact same location as those on the two CS45 mags.

I only checked them against two of the CS45 mags as those two are the only good CS45 mags I have at this time. The other mag problem I mentioned above involving two NIB CS45 mags I got from Midway earlier this year. I purchased them in January. In late April or May A friend Emailed me to take them out of the package and check them as his had indentions that were misaligned on the one side. Sure enough, mine were too. But the return time had already passed. So I stripped them for parts.

Anyways, I have dozens of 8-round mags in the parts bins, so I am not worried about it. The gun is perfect and functions fine. It will see regular holster time with me working at the local high end gunshop and instructing at the range.

But my 4513TSW will still spend the majority of time with me at the Magistrates office and on my own time! That gun is still my favorite 45 and favorite S&W! Regards 18DAI