My handgun is obsolete? Why is that?

[BAM-BAM]

Sweet.......... I really feel that the 4566 is the best of the Third Generation .45s.

Though a 4516 with a 4566 top end would be sweet...........I absolutely love me PC SD-9 an all stainless steel 6906 with a 4.25" slide and barrel........just wish it wasn't so rare...... or I had never found out is was so rare.......d____ internet!!!!

I've mocked up a 6906 w/ a 915/5904 top end ...... been real tempted to use as a carry gun. Even a reverse two tone look......... But didn't like the 915 with a 6906 top end.

With your "like" for single stack guns ........ you ought to look for a Beretta 92 Compact,Type M: a 8+1 92 w/ a 4.25" barrel/slide.......... about the size of a Colt Commander

 

[18DAI]

You know BAM-BAM I've often thought the 4566 was one of the best pistols ever made. By anyone. But I am often torn between the 4566, the 4513TSW and the 39XX series guns. Especially the 3913.

I think the 4566 is the best laid out in terms of size and balance. I consider it the best 45 duty pistol extant. Accurate and reliable. Durable too. And back in the day you could get a miscreants anti social behaviour adjusted by judicious application of the steel slide and frame against his head. He'd still live to be stupid another day.

If they were to re-release it in a true 4 inch barrel with scandium frame and melonite finish they could probably get a slice of Sigs business. Definitely cut into their P220 sales.

I love the look of the 4566. I'm not crazy about the 4566TSW though. I like the 4566TSW's checkered front strap. I wish my 4566's had it. But I don't need or want a rail.

I think the PC 4566 45 CQB is probably the ultimate 4566. Thats why I bought one. But my "standard" 4566's........if any 4566 can be considered standard, have better triggers. Go figure. So it sits in the safe. I've often contemplated selling it. But y'all please don't PM me because it is NOT for sale.

The melonite 4566's, while scarce......maybe even rare, are particularly accurate with nice triggers. I suspect they recieved some extra attention from the factory...........prior to being left sitting in the vault for 9 years.

I have to say..........I think that the little 4513TSW, the early rail free variant, slightly edges out ALL OTHER handguns as my favorite gun. That includes my revolvers too. Yes, I am no longer a revolver guy. Haven't been for about the last 4 years. (Where do I turn in my card?) I would rather carry my 4513TSW than my model 19 Snub. It is that good. I have carried it over 98% of the time for the last year and a half. Love that little 45.

Enough from me. Lets hear more from y'all. Regards 18DAI

 

[mtrvl]

What makes your guns, and my guns, all our guns for that matter, obsolete is simply profit. Manufacturers deem these guns obsolete simply because they are no longer profitable. To keep the shareholders happy, the Board needs you to buy the new improved plastic wondercrunchentickers otherwise, boardmembers get replaced... And we can't have that now can we?

These days, manufacturing goods from high quality materials that don't break or wear out is a bad business decision. To wit: the modern automobile.

Oh, and the Garand obsolete? Maybe so but, there's several outfits currently making premium barrels. There's literally tons of NOS parts available and a healthy aftermarket industry. Can't really say the same for our 3rd gens, at least not yet. In any event, should the proverbial TEOTWAWKI occur, I certainly would'nt feel undergunned with a bag of en-blocs, a 4506 and a Garand. Plus a Garand has an added special benefit... Should the need arise to buttstroke some miscreant in the chops, you won't be snappin' the buffertube off at the castle nut on your U.S. Rifle M1

Cheers
Bill

S&W went "down the drain" before, and if they won't give us what we want, then they will be "flushed" again. It's only a matter of time.

 

[Rick_A]

It's mostly market trends. Since the polymer framed guns have taken off they've taken it by storm. It's bigger profit margins and higher sales. It's what consumers want, so it's a win/win in that respect.

These days, anytime you put an all steel or even an alloy framed gun in a new shooter's hand, the first words are always, "that's heavy!"

On the plus side, aside from the legacy models that are still in production with some manufacturers, the guns already out there will last generations.

Small polymer framed 9mm's and pocket 380's are all the rage these days.

Most of the previous generations of metal framed guns can be had on the cheap on the secondary matket. Buy and enjoy.

 

[nocents]

The 4513TSW is a handgun I really can't find fault with or say enough good things about. If it didn't exist I would have a Sig P245 in my holster. Thats the only pistol that comes close to all the original 4513TSW's attributes.

there you go again!!!!!...jonesn' for yet another out of production "obsolete" firearm.......when you gonna learn????..............................and if you find a 2 tone example of one and aren't interested.....PM me about it.......and that comment above about cleaning the "tupperware" guns in a dishwasher...

 

[timn8er]

If I had to pick a favorite from among the 3rd Gen 45's that I am lucky enough to possess, it would be difficult. I only have four & I would rate them as follows: in fourth place, my 4516-1. in third place, my 4566TSW. Yes it has that ugly rail on it, & I sure wish it didn't, but it was what I could find & I don't regret buying it at all. That leaves my 4506-1 & 4513TSW(no rail!). I can't chose between the two of them as they are both my two favorites of all my 3rd Gens. I never thought I would be that much into the 45 caliber, but that's how it turned out. I would never want to sell any of my 3rd Gens, but while I could conceive of "maybe" parting with the 4566 or the 4516, The 4513 & the 4506 are most definitely on the "never sell" list!

 

[nocents]

If I had to pick a favorite from among the 3rd Gen 45's that I am lucky enough to possess, it would be difficult. I only have four & I would rate them as follows: in fourth place, my 4516-1. in third place, my 4566TSW. Yes it has that ugly rail on it, & I sure wish it didn't, but it was what I could find & I don't regret buying it at all. That leaves my 4506-1 & 4513TSW(no rail!). I can't chose between the two of them as they are both my two favorites of all my 3rd Gens. I never thought I would be that much into the 45 caliber, but that's how it turned out. I would never want to sell any of my 3rd Gens, but while I could conceive of "maybe" parting with the 4566 or the 4516, The 4513 & the 4506 are most definitely on the "never sell" list!

I have NEVER had anyone hand back my 4506-1 that I had let them try out that they didn't have a huge grin on their face.......there is something about that model that is hard to explain to someone .....until they shoot it

 

[BAM-BAM]

I had one of the PC .45 CQB..... for a short while.....could not stand the "Billboard" on the side.......Why does the PC trash up a perfectly good gun .....(passed on a Recon for the same reason).............traded it for the PC DPA 5906........

Just glad they don't have a "Rambo" Model..........LOL

Don't get me started on PC "ported" concealed carry revolvers......

To me the ultimate for concealed carry is the 3913/14 platform.....not to big not to small..not to heavy not to light...... full finger grip even with the 7rd steel based mags...... works 100% .........and while it should not matter......

It looks cooool doing it........it is the gun that should have replaced Bond's PPK.........popularity and cost would both have gone through the roof.

 

[TheHobbyist]

I like the 3rd gens and can appreciate 'older' or 'obsolete' designs. Although, I'm more apt to buy a classic car, then a new Chevy.

@ the OP, I think the biggest issue is the costs in having so many product variants is the main cause.

From an operational standpoint, I'd hate to guess what the costs would be to maintain the tooling and production equipment for even half of the models they produced in the last 100 years.

In addition to that, the costs were presumably higher to produce the firearms in the actual production stages because of materials, quality, time, and inefficiencies (compared to current processes).

Given that they are listed as 'obsolete', and not as common as other semi's, I think it makes them special. "They don't make em' like that anymore".

 

[gunhobbit]

Great thread but yet....


But yet....


I'm having visions of a bunch of Cro Magnon sitting around and talking about how "This is my rock. Yeah, it's 4.2 billion years old and they don't make parts for it any more. If it breaks, I'm hosed. But you're not going to see me using any of that new fangled 'obsidian' that the volcanoes are coming out with these days. It might be lighter, but the stuff is just 'combat glass' and will break on you in a heartbeat. More to the point, let's be honest, that mammoth isn't even going to notice anything less than a full pound of flint through its A-Zone."

I'm apparently only a noodge older than 18DAI and remember when the 1st Gen autos were noted (rightly or wrongly) for being finicky about ammo. Bought into the 2nd Gens with a 459 and was reasonably satisfied with it, though it moved on for something else. When the 3Gs hit the shelves with early comments about how they'd taken care of a LOT of 2G issues (really, 18DAI, a whole ounce of truth in the gun mags?), I bought into 'em and have never looked back.

Though I still say that the 56XX is never going to feel as good as a CZ75, it doesn't feel BAD, and it hides reasonably well, carries a lot of flint - I mean "cartridges" - and is boringly reliable. Which is a good thing - I don't WANT my guns to be exciting.

 

[BAM-BAM]

GunHobbit

Lets not even get into the fire-hardened stick/spear vs. rock argument....... that was written up at least 3-4 times............ every full moon cycle...... on cave walls for a good 2000 years.

It was enough to make you........... want to drive a wooly mammoth over a cliff!



GunHobbit......... got any Elfin blades in the safe or do you like the cheaper "Man"-made stuff????

 

[turbo38gn]

I love my Tupperware!!!!! I have my wife run em through the dishwasher once a month... then she puts em out to dry on the Smoker table... she even does a few of our AR's... but I have to say, my "Tupperware" has been flawless and never had to be returned to the mothership...

 

[gunhobbit]

GunHobbit

Lets not even get into the fire-hardened stick/spear vs. rock argument....... that was written up at least 3-4 times............ every full moon cycle...... on cave walls for a good 2000 years.

It was enough to make you........... want to drive a wooly mammoth over a cliff!



GunHobbit......... got any Elfin blades in the safe or do you like the cheaper "Man"-made stuff????

I will maintain my stick v. rock position: Stick is made of wood, which is the same stuff as paper, and paper covers rock. Stick wins. You "bigger, slower, heavier is better" rock guys need to get over it and move on into the -200th century with the rest of humanity.

At risk of continuing the temporary thread detour, most things in the sharps locker are made by the elves at Spyderco, though there are more than a few samples from the trolls at Cold Steel.

And to bring the thread BACK on track - I'm hanging onto my obsolete steel framed stuff. 18DAI may *think* that that alloy is holding up, but it sure looks to me like alloy frames are just metal tupperware waiting to happen....

That said, your 4566 upper on a 4516 lower sounds ... intriguing.

 

[Martya]

...
I have to say..........I think that the little 4513TSW, the early rail free variant, slightly edges out ALL OTHER handguns as my favorite gun....

Watch it boys, I am carrying his brother - rail free no holes 7+1 with Trijicon sights that still light!

If they start gangin' up on you, just call me!

 

[Coaltminer]

New guns are like computers, they're obsolete the day you buy it. Why? Marketing, if you can be convinced its outdated, you'll have to have the next latest shortly.

 

[gunhobbit]

New guns are like computers, they're obsolete the day you buy it.

So an FTF is just a gun-based BSOD!

NOW I understand why "rebooting" the gun fixes it!!!

 

[TTSH]

I love my Tupperware!!!!! I have my wife run em through the dishwasher once a month... then she puts em out to dry on the Smoker table... she even does a few of our AR's... but I have to say, my "Tupperware" has been flawless and never had to be returned to the mothership...

Too much plastic!!! Too much plastic!!! Way too much plastic!!!

You should join me at my next Plastics Anonymous meeting. It has sure helped me.

Now I'm a 3rd Gen Addict! It's the only way to fly!

 

[turbo38gn]

Too much plastic!!! Too much plastic!!! Way too much plastic!!!

You should join me at my next Plastics Anonymous meeting. It has sure helped me.

Now I'm a 3rd Gen Addict! It's the only way to fly!

I got plenty of 3rd gens.... nice guns,,,,,, but love my plastic fantastic!!! more rounds toooo.. oh ya!!!! and they ain't OBSOLETE!!!!!!!

 

[45tex]

Sorry, I am a brand snob. I love my S&W's. Times are rough so I only have 4 left. A M&P 9, SD40VE, a 640 Cent. and. My beloved 4506 no dash.
I tried to buy a Glock 22, but could not pull the trigger. Got the M&P instead. Sold a Ruger to fund it.
I feel forsaken by S&W. Its OK if they crawfish on the lifetime repair policy. I will survive. But to not produce parts is a lowlife thing to do.
I want one more gun this year and it will be a Ruger.
I can do this I know I can.

 

[45tex]

Strangely enough the SD40VE is my favorite shooter.