Round count and signs of wear 4506

[RalphK22]

I was reading 18DAI's thread on"4516 No dash long term evaluation", and in post 13, paragraph 10, he mentions he estimates a round count by certain signs of wear. Could he or anyone else elaborate on this a little more?

I recently bought a 4506 and just to satisfy my own curiosity, what might I look for to estimate how much this pistol was used. I know this is a guess at best, and is simply for grins and giggles on my behalf. I am a revolver guy and have a fair idea of what I am looking at on them, but this is my first encounter S&W semi autos.

 

[Dandecoteau]

If it has a a lot of wear on the gun, it was shot a lot. If it had little wear, it wasn't shot very much.

I picked up a 4506 at a gun show. I didn't care for how many rounds were through it. It doesn't matter, these guns are absolute tanks and you can't hurt them. They shoot everything you feed them ( including empty shells ) and they are stupid accurate.
Don't worry about how many rounds are through it, the round count will only go up from here

 

[18DAI]

Congrats on your 4506!

The main place I have learned to look for an estimation of how much wear is on a 3rd gen gun, is above the tang, directly behind the hammer. If a gun has zero to around 500 rounds - there will be little to no mark on top of the tang.

500 tp 1000 rounds there will be a square shiny spot on top of the tang. Asthe gun gets fired more, this mark will form a square on top of the tang. At 2000 plus rounds it will be a millimeter or two deep and occasionally have the seam of the MIM hammer imprinted in it.

I have to point out that this is NOT an exact science. Just something I have observed over the last two decades and a few hundred 3rd gen pistols passing through my hands.

On the aluminum framed guns this square reaches a point and stops. In my experience at around 2000 to 3000 rounds. On the steel guns it never seems to go as deep or become as pronounced, but it is easily seen.

Two other tells are the ring around the muzzles bellmouth (it gets almost bright polishedafter 1000 rounds) and the top of the barrel hood. Shiny marks will appear on the hood at around 500 and become more pronounced as the round count goes higher. Hope this helps. Regards 18DAI

 

[Uberdog]

Congrats on your 4506!
The main place I have learned to look for an estimation of how much wear is on a 3rd gen gun, is above the tang, directly behind the hammer.Regards 18DAI

This is very useful info. Had to go dig through the safe to look a few 3rd gen guns. Great tip!

 

[loeman]

Great tip 18DAI! Gonna go back and take a look at my 4506 no dash and see what it can tell me.

I suspect there are quite a few 4506s out there that show a bunch of wear but not so much in round count due to being an often carried and rarely shot service gun. Just a hunch.

 

[RalphK22]

Thank you 18DAI for sharing your observations. I really can not detect the beginning of any of the signs you mentioned on first glance. The 4506 was nearly spotless when I field stripped it and the finish is very good, accept where some ham handed busterd appears to have made some shinny spots and a scratch with the slide stop. It seems I was blessed with a really nice example at a really good price. A great start to my search for Gen 3 S&Ws, but the proof will be in the shooting, which I have not had the time to do yet.

I have noticed what appear to be chatter marks or rings around the recoil spring rod. Any thoughts on that? Perhaps they are machining marks, I have nothing to compare it to.

 

[18DAI]

Is the rod steel or aluminum? Correct recoil spring installed?

Some of the aluminum rods can look pretty rough with regular use. The thing to watch out for is spring binding. Check out member BMCMs posts for some excellent info and photos on that topic.

If it is an aluminum rod and you are seeing scratches, no worries. Normal for the breed. Hope this helps. Regards 18DAI

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I have 4506(no-) that I bought new way back when......Round count is of no concern to me.....It will probably be still shooting when I'm gone......

 

[Charlie Foxtrott]

I can not say much about my 4506.

As I have only acquired it recently, and have not put many rounds through it. I however have a 4566 that I bought brand new when they first came out. It has in excess of 20,000 rounds through it. It has yet to display any signs of what I would consider wear. I think that it is breaking in nicely.

 

[RalphK22]

Is the rod steel or aluminum? Correct recoil spring installed?

Some of the aluminum rods can look pretty rough with regular use. The thing to watch out for is spring binding. Check out member BMCMs posts for some excellent info and photos on that topic.

If it is an aluminum rod and you are seeing scratches, no worries. Normal for the breed. Hope this helps. Regards 18DAI

As far as I know everything is original and the rod is aluminum. I will probably replace the spring shortly. Any advice on spring weight?

Thanks again

 

[RalphK22]

I have 4506(no-) that I bought new way back when......Round count is of no concern to me.....It will probably be still shooting when I'm gone......

Mine is also a no dash and I have no concern of the round count, this is all just to educate myself for future purchases and to satisfy my curiosity.

 

[RalphK22]

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

Do you have a ouija board?

 

[RalphK22]

Do you have a ouija board?

No I don't. WHOOOOSH! I am afraid that one went right over my head.
????????????????????

 

[Sevens]

Wow...
My eyes are deceiving me -OR- the picture angle is giving me fits -OR- that is not a 4506 that you show in that picture!

Which is it?

 

[RalphK22]

Wow...
My eyes are deceiving me -OR- the picture angle is giving me fits -OR- that is not a 4506 that you show in that picture!

Which is it?

Perhaps it is the angle. Here take a closer look.

Now I'm really messing with your mind.

 

[RalphK22]

It is a 4506 no dash, not the best pictures.

 

[KSDeputy]

Sorry I can't help. My 4506 was my carry pistol, issued shortly before I retired. It has had 50 rounds through it, one range session. They give it to you when you retire.

 

[petepeterson]

Sorry I can't help. My 4506 was my carry pistol, issued shortly before I retired. It has had 50 rounds through it, one range session. They give it to you when you retire.

That was pretty smart of you to retire right after getting that one!

 

[RalphK22]

anything significant about the 9198 special order code?

 

[BLUEDOT37]

That's when it was made; the 198th day (Monday, July 17th) of 1989.

.