NOS S&W 4596

[Dparker]

Today this NOS S&W 4596 (457 produced) arrived! The condition is awesome!

Cheers!!!
David

 

[Erocksmash]

Oh man that thing is pretty, wish I would have found one of thoes over my 4536 for some carry action....

 

[Heymatt]

That is a nice looking .45!

 

[CH4]

Cool!
Never heard of a 4596. What sets it apart from the other 45XX?

 

[Dparker]

Oh man that thing is pretty, wish I would have found one of thoes over my 4536 for some carry action....

Erocksmash

Thanks! I have a NOS S&W 4536 as well. It's hard for me to decide which one I like better!

Cheers!!
David

 

[Dparker]

Cool!
Never heard of a 4596. What sets it apart from the other 45XX?

CH4

My guess is S&W had too many parts in the 1990's and was experimenting. It's a 4506-1 frame with a 4516-1 slide.

I'm sure some of the more knowledgeable guys here can add comments.

Cheers!!!
David

 

[Sevens]

I cannot wrap my head around a 1990 S&W 3rd Gen with not only a black hammer… but black trigger, black decock lever and black slide stop?!

That is so out of the normal that I would truly love to see some other examples. Any model, any caliber. Show me some 1990 produced 3rd Gen with all black controls on a stainless frame and stainless slide.

The Performance Center wasn't even marketing guns yet in 1990. This one is perplexing.

 

[MattyD380]

That's awesome! I didn't know they actually produced those. Though, I did kind of make one of my own once by putting a 4516-2 slide on a 4566 frame. I never actually shot it that way. But it was neat.

Honestly, I think my preferred combo was the '16 frame with the '66 slide—kind of like a 3rd gen CCO.

 

[Mordy]

I bought this model back in the 90s.
I was a Pilot for the Maricopa Co. S.O flying helicopters primarily.
The need for a higher capacity big cal pistol with a shorter barrel was evident.
It was harder to find as they didnt have all the "black guns" back then and we were required to carry .357 up to .44 (no 9mm).
One of the range masters saw this in a store and recommended I take a look
It was customized by a company named Lew Horton and I understand they made around 4-500 for Smith..
Carried it till I retired as Chief Pilot back in 99.
That pistol has spent more time in the air than most i'll bet.

 

[Sevens]

Lew Horton was a distributor first & foremost, and they had exclusive contracts with S&W, but they didn't make or customize anything, to be the best of my knowledge.

 

[wingsfan]

The prices I'm finding online are off the chart. Are they really going for over $1000? Saw another at $3000. May have to think about putting mine up for sale.

 

[Frank Black]

CH4

My guess is S&W had too many parts in the 1990's and was experimenting. It's a 4506-1 frame with a 4516-1 slide. I'm sure some of the more knowledgeable guys here can add comments.

If I understand the concept correctly, essentially a 4596 is a full-size frame 45XX running S&W's equivalent of an "Officers" 3.8" slide (?).

The next logical step in down-size, I assume, from the "Commander"-size model 4566 with a 4.25" slide on a full-size frame. (Down-sized at least as to the slide).

 

[4506517]

I plan on building on soon.

I have a 4516 complete parts kit.

Looking for a 4566 frame to put it on.

 

[Jon651]

Here's my home-built one - a 4516 upper on a 4506 lower. Most comfortable to shoot 45 I own.