Picked up for $440, how did I do?

[RSBH44]

Here’s what you should know. You got it at a pretty decent price and once you soot it you’re gonna love it.
The 4516-2’s are excellent short barrel.45’s ! I ordered and put in a new set of springs for mine and I haven’t had so much as a hiccup with it since.

 

[sousana]

You lucky dog, I absolutely love the 4500, 1006, 5906 series. I have 12 variations of the 4500 series, 9 of the 1006, and 14 5906's. They are brutes. I was lucky enough to buy the entire magazine inventory of a gun show dealer going out of business. Ended up with hundreds of magazines Ifor each of my semi's. The others are vacuum sealed until I need em. Keep it, shoot the frijoles out of it and enjoy it. Now, I have 2 of the older 645's, one of which is nearing the 80k round mark. New spring changes 3 times, still as pristine as day one. Admittedly, not competition grade accurate, but the worse of my lot gives me 3.02" groups at 31ft, the best gives me 2.15" at 31ft. My 1006 series and 5906 series eat anything, my 4500 series seem to prefer IMI and Winchester brown box service grade the most. They WILL shoot anything, but prefer those two. The ONLY issues I ever had with any of them came when I used promag magazins I got in my dealers 1 buck bin. But then, you replace those springs and followers with quality mag rebuild kits you get good mags.

 

[Doriangray6]

Sweet deal. I have a 3rd Gen 4566 that is an awesome shooter with a great trigger in both SA and DA.
I put a set of Trijicon Bright & Tough sights on it which are much easier for my old yes to pick up, especially in low light conditions, than the factory sights but unfortunately they've discontinued many of their sights for older S&W models and no longer have them for the 4500 series.
Factory mags are available at Ebay and other places.

 

[sousana]

Keep an eye on cdnn, every so often the get 3rd gen Smith sights

 

[Conduct03]

You did great, very good price!

 

[Frank Black]

Picked up a 4516-2 yesterday at LGS, talked them down some from $500. Im usually a revolver guy, this is my first S&W semi auto. Decent price? Anything I should know about this model? Thanks!
View attachment 758627

These days, whether you got a “good” deal or a “so-so” deal on a 3rd Gen gun turns on how many mags came with it. Only one with this one?

 

[bobsguns]

I volunteer to expect average accuracy or worse.

Excepting Models 41 & 52, I've yet to find a Smith semi series that is accurate. Don't know why that is as their revolvers are certainly class leaders in accuracy.

 

[Stargater]

You might check to see if magazines for other models will work. Someone gave me a 6906 with three magazines. But when I tried my MecGar 17- and 20-round 659/5906 mags they worked great (they just stick out a bit from the bottom).


S&W 6906

I also have a 457 (2nd gen) .45 with an alloy frame. Don't know if those mags would work. It's a great gun, but I love my 645 too. Big chunk of steel, but in my view it's a much better gun than a Colt. Oh, and I have a European Sig Saur P220h, which I've never died. It has rave reviews from everyone, though.

I'm not really a fan of the .45ac.


S&W 457 looks like a 3rd gen pistol, but had a 3-digit designation. I'm guessing it's a 3rd gen anyway.


S&W 645 better than most Colts.

 

[ACEd]

The 457 (and the 410, 910, 908, etc) are Value Line (economy) versions of the 3rd generation pistols. The 457 takes the same 7rd mags (black followers) as the 4516-2, the 4513TSW 7rd, and other later 7rd 45 variants. (earlier 4516 & 4516-1 had earlier variants of the 7rd mag with orange and yellow followers and early variations in feed lip geometry). The correct SW 7rd mags with black followers are out there - if you are watchful and patient in the $50-60 range. Impatient $75-100 range.

And to the OP, you did really good - $440 is a steal in good condition, even with only 1 mag.

Some would argue the earlier 4516 7rd mags with orange and yellow followers work fine in all 4516 variants, but for me I would restrict earlier mags to range use.

By that theory, the late 4506 (black follower) 8rd mags could be used in a 457 or 4516-2 but would stick out. The earlier 4506 8rd mags with orange and yellow followers and 645 8rd mags with steel base (orange followers) may also work (see above). Stay clear of the too short 4513TSW 6rd and the CS45 6rd for your 4516-2. And in my opinion, stay clear of the aftermarket mags except for range use.