S&W 645: .45 ACP

[Redacted]

Well today went very well indeed. I sold my Stoeger 8040 for $350 cash at Wal-Mart, then headed straight to Austin Gun Liquidators to have a second look at the used S&W 645 I have been writing about. I showed up with cash in hand and I told the guy it was a second generation pistol, and that the best I could do on it was $350 plus tax. He went and talked to his boss about it, and presto he said "yes, sell it!" Its a beautiful pistol, American made, its a .45 ACP, and very fine craftsmanship here. They even gave me a nice carry case for it for free, and I got fifty rounds of Federal Brass 230 grain for $20. So total for everything it was only $400 out-the-door. My wife even approved of the purchase and said "you need to hold on to that one." I couldn't agree more with her its just a great looking pistol and its very light weight for a pistol this size even fully loaded. It has a de-cocker also which is neat. I'll post the range report up here soon.

 

[lackejd]

Great price on a great gun. Looks like it is in great shape. I would buy them in that condition, for that price, all day long. You will really enjoy it.

 

[Engine49guy]

The 645 was all the rage back in the late 90's and at one point most of our City PD officers were carrying one before it fell out of favour and the H&K fell in.
I remember hunting for one until I found a deal on a Model 745 (which I sold off years ago).

IMO they were like a 45 version of the Model 39 but kinda fell by the wayside as the next generation of smaller 45's came out .
Used to be if you wanted a 1911 in .45 you thought Colt,
Seems now everyone and his brother makes a new improved version of the old 1911, Les Bayer, Kimber, Para, S&W, Ruger, Remington etc etc.

The 645 is now becoming a classic and clean ones dont pop up too often.
I think you did great at $400 OTD.
I saw one recently for $400 plus tax and was very close to buying it.

Mind you they are big guns, very big for a single stack 45 and more modern designs are available but to the purist that wants the mid 90's DA original S&W 45 SS auto they are really cool in their own right.

Thanks for sharing it and Enjoy !

 

[gtoppcop]

Redacted,

Good on you! I bought one about 4 months ago and can't be happier. The 645 reminds me of a DA Gov't Model. in fact, it's the gun that Colt should've built instead of the Double Eagle.

Although it's a 'Dragoon', it seems to me somewhat thinner than the 4566s I own. I like its heft and balance.

Even though it shares the three-digit 2nd Gen naming convention, its more of a 3rd Gen than people think.

Something about the polished flats of the slide and the sharp edges. They don't make 'em like that anymore.

CONGRATS!

 

[amazingflapjack]

Beautiful pistol!

 

[Chefjon]

Congratulations on what may possibly be the best gun purchase you'll ever make!

If I could find them for $400 OTD, I'd buy them until I ran out of cash or they ran out of 645s.

I can't wait for the range report. Mine's a tack-driver....ENJOY!

 

[jstanfield103]

Like you I just bought a 645, I wanted a gun in a 1911 style but I wanted it double action. I have had several Ruger P90's and they were really good guns. But this gun just feels better in my hand. Yours looks fantastic! I just ordered a barrel for mine, when I received it the rifling was almost gone. The gun is smooth and not worn at all except rifling. I paid a heck of a lot more for mine than you did. Congratulations on that fine handgun. I will post picks of mine when I get the thing right. Mine also has the adjustable rear sights, I ordered a fixed rear sight for it also. Mine was also Magna Ported which will have to be done to the new barrel. But I am not sure as of yet I will have that done to the new barrel, depends how it shoots. The Magna Porting sure gets the inside of the slide dirty.

 

[Birds Away]

I have been looking for an affordable 645 for quite awhile. I am not sure I could have bought that one as I think I might have passed out when I saw the price. You can't touch one around here for under $500 and even that price is considered a find.

 

[sniper47]

Nice score! 400 bucks for what appears to be a pristine example. I'd love to find one in that condition and price too. Awesome.

 

[Catshooter]

Very nice score.

If you want to pop your eyes out, put an empty case in the middle of a loaded mag, insert into weapon and shoot until it stops. Chances are very high the case will be fully chambered, slide fully forward and the hammer down. Not may autos will do that (never seen a Glock that could) but lots of Smiths will.

I wish they had made a 645 version of the Shorty Forty Five. That'd've been just too sweet.


Cat

 

[gtoppcop]

All,

Many folks don't realize HOW GOOD the 645 truly is. They were made from 1985 thru 1988. Mine in a 1988-vintage gun with German and Belgian proofs. I think it was a pistol sold at one of the Army or Air Force exchanges overseas.

I sent it off to Karl Sokol at Chestnut Mountain Sports. Karl will 'modernize' the piece (not too much mind you) by the following mods:

--Trigger and Hammer changes to the .312" and 6906 bobbed hammer, respectively
--Install a Novak Trijicon front sight via dovetail
--Install the nylon grips (ROBAR-ized like my 4566s)
--Action job with trigger overtravel screw
--Gentle bead blast
--De-Horn
--Make the installed Ed Brown safety as smooth as silk
--Chamfer the muzzle and do a 'reliability package' to the barrel (like it needs it!?)
--General smooth-up

 

[fcusn1]

That is a beautiful gun. I have owned mine for several years and carried it faithfully for at least two of them. Great find.

 

[TSQUARED]

The 645 kis a great gun - totaly reiable with a wide variety of lead and jacketed bullets.

Watch out for that Phillips head screw which secures the safety lever on the right side - it loosens and falls out. I secured mine with a drop of blue Loctite.

 

[Chefjon]

Very nice score.

If you want to pop your eyes out, put an empty case in the middle of a loaded mag, insert into weapon and shoot until it stops. Chances are very high the case will be fully chambered, slide fully forward and the hammer down. Not may autos will do that (never seen a Glock that could) but lots of Smiths will.

I wish they had made a 645 version of the Shorty Forty Five. That'd've been just too sweet.


Cat

Even better...go to the range with your favorite 1911 "snob" (The more expensive the 1911 the better lol)...pick up his/her *spent* brass and load it into your mag...*hand-cycle* ALL 8 rounds...watch them die just a little inside LOL.

 

[Derosa]

Marvelous buy on a wonderful pistol. You will enjoy. Please psot a follow or wit range reports and a picture or two. We all need a good drool.

 

[Catshooter]

Oh Chefjon, that's just child abuse that is.

Funny as hell too, but still child abuse.

Can't wait 'til I get the chance to do just that. Thanks.


Cat

 

[Redacted]

The 645 kis a great gun - totaly reiable with a wide variety of lead and jacketed bullets.

Watch out for that Phillips head screw which secures the safety lever on the right side - it loosens and falls out. I secured mine with a drop of blue Loctite.

Thanks for the heads up about the screw, I knew about before hand but I decided to chance it anyways...anyone can see this was to good of a deal to pass up. What I think I'll do is go to an indoor range, put about 100 rounds through it. If the screw is still there and tight I will leave it alone. Otherwise ill put some of the blue loctite on it.

 

[Redacted]

Nice score! 400 bucks for what appears to be a pristine example. I'd love to find one in that condition and price too. Awesome.

Thanks, does anyone know where I can find information on my serial number?

 

[PALADIN85020]

I bought this one new in January, 1987 - they were state of the art back then. It's still in excellent condition, complete with the box and papers. Totally reliable; will even feed empty cases from the magazine.

John

 

[Redacted]

I bought this one new in January, 1987 - they were state of the art back then. It's still in excellent condition, complete with the box and papers. Totally reliable; will even feed empty cases from the magazine.

I was only five years old in 1987. I was looking in the used case at the new Gun Liquidator here and it caught my eye. I asked to look at it and I was very impressed, price tag was nice also. I didn't want a 1911 and this was the next best thing for .45 ACP.