Model 6454, 1 of 10 (UPDATE 8/2/2015) Now 2 of 10

[SoCalDep]

I think it's bad ***, and for several years prior to a law enforcement career, I bought and sold guns all day long for one of the largest gun dealers in California which had (if I remember correctly) 13 stores and now has 18.

This isn't a car. It's a gun.

This thread is cool, and your gun is interesting. Some think better of themselves than they should.

I love the 4506 and I miss the one I stupidly sold. That said, I picked up a 645 and I'm super happy because the 645 fits my hand better than either the flat or arched 4506 grip did. Have you been able to determine what the differences are between the three RSR versions?

 

[P33v3]

Those are a pair of beauties. I bought my Model 645 back in 87 or 88 and it has been trouble free ever since. I've put thousands of rounds through it. Never had a misfeed or stove pipe. I only replaced the springs about a year ago. It's the definite keeper in my collection.I carried it for more than a decade so it was the one I trusted my life with.

 

[handejector]

Hey it's a nice gun, but to someone who buys & sells guns all day long for the largest dealer in Florida, you're right. It has no extra value. But it's a nice gun, so enjoy it. GARY

Well, there ya go.
We've all been enlightened. A gun salesman has spoken.
They're all the same.
We can throw away our books on the old guns.
We can delete the subforums for the older guns.
They're all the same.......

Some folks just don't get the collector drive.
That's cool.
But don't expect others to adopt your opinion.
There's a Glock forum you might enjoy.

 

[solomon]

Hey it's a nice gun, but to someone who buys & sells guns all day long for the largest dealer in Florida, you're right. It has no extra value.

Mass-market value vs collector-value. This is why there are so many "Found an amazing item at the LGS" stories. Sure, the average Joe cares nothing for the rarity of an oddball, so there is no "mass-market" value to it. To the right buyer, there clearly *IS* value - just as I might see a rusted-out carbureted points-eating pile of junk and someone else might see a collector muscle car waiting to be released. Or in gun terms why a Model XX-1 sells in an LGS for less than the same Model XX-15 which is 30yrs newer....

 

[torizus]

Haven't hit the pressure curve yet on my caffeine intake this morning so my eyes probably wouldn't focus on my SCSW just yet but I'm wondering.

In the attached letter,, Mr Jinks explains the semi auto transition model numbers as the 645 being the first and then S&W went to four digit numbers after that and is now considered "3rd gen". Where did the 2nd gen go?

Any how I don't have to be fully awake to see that it is a great looking and designed gun. You done good Mr. Coontz

 

[Sevens]

While the 645 was S&W's first attempt at a .45cal semiautomatic pistol, it was a 2nd Gen pistol and not a 1st. I suppose it is classified as a 2nd Gem because of WHEN it was manufactured and marketed and also due to it's 3-digit model name, but it is worth noting that the two 2nd Gen .45's (645/745) are the only 2nd Gens in the line to have the pressed-in (non-removable) barrel bushing that became the norm in the 3rd Gens.

The only 1st Gens are the 39's, 59's and 52's, and the scarce rare ones like pre-39, 147A, 44, etc.

 

[Shorty 45 MK2]

Congrats on your twins!

I'd take those over a set of snake eye Pythons any day.

 

[wlp624]

Well, there ya go.
We've all been enlightened. A gun salesman has spoken.
They're all the same.
We can throw away our books on the old guns.
We can delete the subforums for the older guns.
They're all the same.......

Some folks just don't get the collector drive.
That's cool.
But don't expect others to adopt your opinion.
There's a Glock forum you might enjoy.

As 'Grampa Pettibon' of Naval Aviation News fame used to say, "'Nuff Said!"

 

[black1970]

Oh it's just another 45. Oh it's just another CS-1. Oh it's just another 3 inch 66. Oh it's just another 60-4. Oh it's just another 651 2 inch. Try and gather these few up and oh it's just another several thousand dollars. And oh it's just where the rubber meets the road.

 

[black1970]

Gun salesman = car salesman. No disrespect intended. People appreciate different things at different times in their lives. I should know.

 

[N4KVE]

Oh it's just another 45. Oh it's just another CS-1. Oh it's just another 3 inch 66. Oh it's just another 60-4. Oh it's just another 651 2 inch. Try and gather these few up and oh it's just another several thousand dollars. And oh it's just where the rubber meets the road.

You know, I appreciate your comments, & I used to feel that way too. But after being in the business for a while, I lost all emotional attachment to guns. Now, no matter what they are, they're just inventory to me, like a bag of chips, or a Coke, or cheeseburger. That's what happens after selling them day after day after day. So I didn't mean to be mean, but to me, they're just inventory to sell. Nothing more. GARY

 

[Sevens]

Certainly seems possible... perhaps even logical.
Gets a little odd however, to then spend your free time hanging out in gun enthusiast forums? And specifically appearing in the middle of a discussion on an extremely rare pistol with provenance?

Surely the rancor isn't a complete surprise...?

To the subject pistol, as I have said elsewhere, pistols like this one are fantastic for other folks to own, I wouldn't want to put a bunch of wear on it myself, but it is wholly entertaining for me to see the glossy pictures, see the factory letter, and read the passion in the posts of the enthusiasts.

 

[handejector]

I found a roll of 1909 SVDB pennies in the safe.
WHY would I have kept a roll of pennies?
Can't remember.
Pennies are hardly worth cluttering your pocket with, much less the safe.
Had to run some errands, so I stuck em in my pocket and bought the granddaughter some candy at the gas station with em.
Was shocked to learn 50 cents won't even buy some candy bars any more.

 

[solomon]

I found a roll of 1909 SVDB pennies in the safe.
<snip>
Had to run some errands, so I stuck em in my pocket and bought the granddaughter some candy at the gas station with em.

LOL, but here's a true story - I picked up a 1920's silver dollar about 20 years ago at Safeway. I noticed the cashier had it balanced precariously in her drawer having received it in payment. "Gee, a dollar coin? I haven't seen one of those in a while." I said, "#$!@ thing keeps hanging up my drawer" she replied. "Here, let me give you a paper dollar instead" I offered. "Wow, thanks!" she gushed in reply.

Both parties went home happy

 

[Jaymo]

Only ten made. Hand fitted. Only ten made. Special model number.
Only ten made. Serialized for and sold through a huge distributor.
Only ten made. You own nearly one third of the entire production run.
Only ten made.

Just another gun?
Is a 1971 Hemicuda convertible just another car?
Is a Vincent Black Shadow just another motorcycle?
Is Sofia Vergara just another woman?
Is Kobe beef just another hunk of meat?
Is the Kawasaki H2 just another crotch rocket?
Is the steel framed model 39 just another 9mm?
Is the Korth just another revolver?

I happen to believe that your 6454s are much more than just another gun.
Compared to them, my 52-1 is just another gun, but I wouldn't trade it for 50 brand new Glocks.

Nearly one third of the production run.

I'd have been on those like stink on poop.

 

[dacoontz]

I appreciate all the responses supporting the value of these pistols. They may not be as sought after as some of the older transitional revolvers but with time things like this tend to mature in a positive way.

So I had a question about differences. I inspected both guns, in and out, and the only major difference I saw, besides one having the red "fire" dot, was on the way the serial number and model number were engraved/stamped. See if you can tell the difference. Here's a few pictures and a family shot with my 6451.

Here's the older 6454 that I picked up a few years back:


And here's the I picked up just recently:


And a family picture:

 

[magicmanmb]

Man I was just happy to find the 4506 & 4506-1 issued to me. Made us return our weapons when they made us go to glocks so we could get 3 more rounds for $500 less sorry the polymers may be great but S&W Gen 3 pistols will still be running when the G21 is recycled into a dashboard. My 4506 no dash has at least 10k rounds fired.Only reason it's in the safe is on 4006 cycle this quarter for rotation, Wife is using her SW99 IN 9mm

 

[Jaymo]

Random thought time.
I LIKE the square TG.

I have a transitional Tanfoglio TZ-75 that I bought, unfired, for $250.
Someone traded it in on a Glock (puked in my mouth a little).
It has been 100% reliable and is more accurate than me.
There weren't that many made/imported, but it's too good a shooter to languish in a safe.

IMO, there is no better looking bottom feeder than a 3rd gen Smith with square TG.

 

[Jhp147]

Interesting to me, any of these mixtures of of 3rd and 2nd gen guns are, or the very early 3rd gen guns. Maybe it is the light angle, but is the tang shaped a bit different, and the slide cut curving to the dust cover different? The slide serrations may not be positioned exactly the same place or cut the exact same...but I'm not sure.

 

[NiteGoat]

Haters gonna hate...

Nice .45! It reminds me of the S&W .45ACP I had back in 1987. I can't remember the exact model number, but it looked very similar to yours. I was 15-almost 16 at the time.

My mom, who is a retired Detroit cop, bought it for me to keep the house safe while I was home alone. Our house had been broken into two years prior while we were both home, sleeping. The burglars actually came into my bedroom and woke me up. They're lucky they didn't wake up my mom, who was asleep in our upstairs bedroom. It would not have turned out so well for them.