S&W 4506 First Run Question.

[Yournamehere]

I was watching the movie Fight Club a few days ago, and noticed that the S&W 4506 that the characters used at the end of the film had serrations running along the top of the slide from the front sight to the rear. The 4506 in the film was an early no-dash model with the frame tapering, squared trigger guard, and fixed sights. Every 4506 I've seen online and in person, including the first run fixed sight models like the one in the film, had a flat top strap. Moreover, the Standard Catalog says nothing about a top strap change in production. Does anyone have any evidence to suggest that S&W produced the 4506 with a serrated top strap at any time?

 

[18DAI]

I've not seen that movie or the gun in question. I do know that there are several prop (fake, made of heavy duty vinyl/rubber) 4506's out in the movie/TV industry that bare little more than a passing resemblance to the real 4506.

I am currently watching a boxed set of the television show "The Shield". The lead character is a corrupt Detective who carries a 4506-1. Having lived many years with a real 4506-1 I have noticed, several times, that the gun in the actors hand is fake. A prop gun.

Little things like the trigger being "S" shaped. Or the lack of a barrel bushing in the head on shots. Or the solid frame under the slide stop when viewed from the left. Or the Delrin grips that don't have the Smith & Wesson imprint at the top on them. Yes, I'm a detail oriented type.

So, while I have been around 3rd gen 45's long enough to never say never I think what you saw was likely a movie prop gun and not a real 4506. I can say that I have never seen serrations on the top of the slide on either the 4506 no dash, or its model 645 predecessor. Nor any of the later variants. Hope this helps! Regards 18DAI

 

[photoman]

Fight Club - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games

 

[18DAI]

Ah! Thanks Photoman44!!

I don't see serrations on the top of that 4506 in Photoman44's link. I just see the standard rib that ran along the top of the slide on the 4506 no dash.

That movie gun appears to be an early production 4506 no dash with standard fixed sights. Unless its a prop gun...... Regards 18DAI

 

[gen3guy]

Does the 4506 have a barrel bushing(like the 1911)? I used to have one and I don't remember that.

 

[Yournamehere]

In the opening of the film, there's a computer animated sequence where the camera rides along the ribs in the top of the slide. While the sequence was CGI, one of the scenes in the same place show the top strap of the gun relatively clearly:

While a bit blurry, there's clearly a dark strip along the top that's distinguished from the sides of the rib, which I believe to be serrations that coincide with the CGI beginning. It's possible that this gun is a prop too, but in the scene, the gun has a metallic luster that I don't think a rubber prop would have. In also being very detail oriented, I didn't see anything that indicated the gun to be a prop either.

I think these amount to evidence that they had a 4506 with top slide serrations. I've just never seen one, and wouldn't put it past S&W to have made one that way for the shortest early production run. I was just wondering if anyone could confirm that. If not, then it is a mystery, and I don't think I'll ever want to buy a first run 4506, for fear that it's not the same one in this movie, hehe.

 

[warbird]

Does the 4506 have a barrel bushing(like the 1911)? I used to have one and I don't remember that.

My 4506 does not have a barrel bushing either.

 

[handgunner356]

S&W uses a pressed in bushing unlike the ones used in 1911s'.

 

[ShelbyV8]

I have a 4506 no dash that has the rib down the top of the slide. It must have been a very early transition production. The slide looks like a 645 slide with dovetail sights the rear sight is a Novak. My frame has the holes drilled for the grip screw bushings that are not threaded, but has wrap around grips. I can't say that all no dash models are same as mine. I think it is a much better looking weapon than the later slab sided 4506's. It is also a little lighter. The reason for the change was production costs, the same forgings were used for the 45 and 10mm. The 10mm needed the extra strength of the stronger slide and frame.

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[Yournamehere]

I have a 4506 no dash that has the rib down the top of the slide. It must have been a very early transition production. The slide looks like a 645 slide with dovetail sights the rear sight is a Novak. My frame has the holes drilled for the grip screw bushings that are not threaded, but has wrap around grips. I can't say that all no dash models are same as mine. I think it is a much better looking weapon than the later slab sided 4506's. It is also a little lighter. The reason for the change was production costs, the same forgings were used for the 45 and 10mm. The 10mm needed the extra strength of the stronger slide and frame.

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Interesting. I looked around for detailed pictures of 645 transitional models, as I know they bear a huge resemblance to the 4506, but I haven't found any. The gun in the movie also uses an earlier metal bottom magazine, but then again, mags are easily switched out.