Thinking check - Aisle 4506

[gunhobbit]

Greetings all! Long time S&W owner, up to now all roller guns and 9mm shuffleguns. Just picked up my first pair of 45 series guns (4506 and 4566), though, and I have two questions:

Both go *bang* and feed with the same regularity that my 9s do. All well and good. However.

The 4506 has that "slide doesn't lock back" thing going. Looking through some threads here, I tried swapping the slide releases between the two, and it continues to have problems, while the 4506 slide release locks back the 4566 slide just fine. Couple bits of information to help diagnose:

1. The 4506 has been Duracoated. Looks kewl, but....?

2. The slide release is terribly difficult to remove and replace in the 4506. Either release pops easily into the 4566.

3. The slide will SOMETIMES lock back on the 4506. It seems to prefer a couple specific magazines.

4. Sometimes on the lockback, though, the release is just *barely* engaging the cutout in the slide.

So what I'm thinking, at the moment, is magazine springs. Go get the Wolff springs, replace 'em all, and see if that helps.

Thoughts?

Second issue - both of them like to occasionally flip spent brass straight back at my forehead. No serious problem at the range, what with hat and eye protection, but that *could* be a problem for CCW purposes. Is that ... normal? Doesn't seem to occur too often, and doesn't seem related to any particular ammo. Fixes?

Lookin' forward to being part of the forum!

 

[18DAI]

Welcome to the forum!

Congrats on the 4506 and 4566. Two of the finest 45 pistols made by anyone, IMO of course.

I would suspect the mag springs. Changing them out will probably correct the problem. As far as the slide stop being hard to get out, a couple of my S&W 45's are like that. No worries there IMO.

Check the extractor hooks on your guns. Look for chips or damaged hook on them. Also make sure the ejector tips aren't broken. None of my S&W 45's throw the brass strait back.

Hopefully Fastbolt or CALREB will see your post and advise you on that problem. What they have forgotten about S&W pistols I'll never even know.

Good luck and enjoy those fine 45's! Regards 18DAI

 

[gm272gs]

Never until just now, have I ever heard the terms "roller guns" and "shuffleguns".

I actually over-thought it and assumed at first that you were referring to a rolling-block or falling-block action. Darn you.

 

[gunhobbit]

I would suspect the mag springs. Changing them out will probably correct the problem. As far as the slide stop being hard to get out, a couple of my S&W 45's are like that. No worries there IMO.

The only bit, though, is that the mags seem to work just fine in the 4566, as far as the slidelock issue goes. I'm still thinking that it's worth replacing the springs, just because there *was* a time or two that the slide stop barely engaged on the 4566.

Still, it does seem that an order of Wolff springs would be, well, "in order."

 

[S&W1006]

I also think its the magazine springs. I have 2 3rd gen 10mm's and when the mag springs got weak they would not lock the slide open. I installed Wolff extra power springs in all of my mags. You can buy singles,3 pack or 10 pack.As far as the ejection both of my 10mm's eject somewhat randomly. They have never hit me in the head but the ejection pattern has never been consistent.

 

[4506517]

Check the side plate. Very easy to overlook. I have a 4053 that exhibits the same problems. It has a broken side plate.

 

[RobG5589]

Yea, the '06 and '66 are pretty decent I suppose...

 

[gunhobbit]

Check the side plate. Very easy to overlook. I have a 4053 that exhibits the same problems. It has a broken side plate.

The side plate? Isn't that something on a revolver?

 

[4506517]

Under the top of the grip on the side opposite of the ejection port. It compresses the spring loaded pin in the end of the take down lever.

 

[SMSgt]

Since they're both used with an unknown history, I'd replace the recoil springs and see if that helped the ejection problem. They're cheap thru Wolff also. My 4566 will throw all the empties into a 5-gal bucket behind my right shoulder.

 

[gunhobbit]

Under the top of the grip on the side opposite of the ejection port. It compresses the spring loaded pin in the end of the take down lever.

Ah! Thanks!

 

[Ironbark]

I had a 4506 gen 3,didnt look anything like your picture tho it had an extended trigger guard that was square at the front and had fully adjustable rear sights. I had to surrender it to the cops when they banned a lot of pistols back home in Australia.

Cheers,

IB

 

[mscampbell2734]

I had a 4506 gen 3,didnt look anything like your picture tho it had an extended trigger guard that was square at the front and had fully adjustable rear sights. I had to surrender it to the cops when they banned a lot of pistols back home in Australia.

Cheers,

IB

Yours was a "no dash" 4506. Built before Smith went to the common frame and slide for the 10mm and 45 guns.

Sorry to hear about the surrender issue. I knew Australia has some really strict gun laws but had no idea.

 

[Ironbark]

Yours was a "no dash" 4506. Built before Smith went to the common frame and slide for the 10mm and 45 guns.

Sorry to hear about the surrender issue. I knew Australia has some really strict gun laws but had no idea.

Yeah it was a sad day indeed. Now I hear they are trying to get a law passed that you have to register your ammunition. Unbelievable!

Thanks for the info on the gun, it's more than I have found out over the last 10 years poking around on the net haha.

IB

 

[gunhobbit]

The Wolff springs seem to have done the trick! Thanks!!