S&W 4506

[GonnePhishin]

Can anyone give me any information on the S&W 4506 .45 acp pistol?
Any information (good or bad) or knowledge related to this model pistol would be appreciated. How would it compare to the 1911?
Thanks,
UB

[RIHMFIRE]

very heavy.....but very accurate
stainless...double action....ambidextrous safety....5" barrel
8 in the mag ..one in the pipe
factory grips not that great....change them to Hogue
rear sight has windage and elevation....
fluted front grip....1" of grooves on the slide right in front of the safety
to help pull back the slide....excellent gun but very heavy....

[7.62 Precision]

Not a very good design. The later pistols were better, but they never got a really reliable, durable design. Those older S&W auto pistols changed from pistol to pistol.

I won't work on them anymore.

There are much better pistols out there, so I don't recommend them.

[wecsoger]

What rihmfire said, and I concur.

To me a big gun, and I qualify as a knuckledragger. Loooooong trigger pull on the first round.

One I looked at seemed well built.

If you're throwing serious money down I don't know if I would recommend one unless you have your heart set on it. It's an older firearm, with all that entails.

If you can get it for a good price, think about it and may be go ahead.

So saying, the only big frame SA/DA .45 I can seriously recommend is the Ruger P90 series.

[ethang]

I am going to disagree with those who say not to get one. I had a 4506 no dash when they first came out and have spent years looking to replace it. I now have a -1 with the rounded trigger guard. In my experience, and in nearly everybody I know who has shot them, they are wonderfully reliable. Both of mine have never jammed, my newest really will feed empty cases without skipping a beat. They are large, a bit thicker then a 1911 and a bit heavier, but very solid. Yes they are an older design and the double action trigger is not like a 1911, but you can master it. If my dept regs would allow it, I would seriously consider carrying it now over the plastic pistol they make me.

If you want more info go over to the S&W forum. There is a sub forum dedicated to 3rd Gen Smiths.

And prices for good condition example are going through the roof.

[wm]

All the third Generation S&W auto pistols I've run across and used have been reliable and accurate. They are antecedents of the S&W 39 which was a hybrid of the Walther P38 lower (DA) and the Colt 1911 upper. As the design progressed from the early 50's into the 80's they went through 3 generations, countless sub variants, and numerous models and calibers. I still count on a S&W 3906 as a CCW occasionally and my favorite of all time was a 6906 that I should never have traded off.

I would not hesitate to buy a 4506 if the price were right. They were heavy as others have pointed out but as house gun or range darling they are terrific. Carrying concealed......meh......I'd probably opt for one of the Glock or Springfield XD products over it. Naturally ymmv.

[GonnePhishin]

Thanks for the information fellas. I've been scouring the forums and websites for various opinions both pro and con on 'em. From what I've read and everyone's comment except for 7.62's, have been very positive. I have a chance to get one at a really good price.
Thanks

[BobM]

I had one for years. I had to send it back early one but after that it was pretty good. It was a bit on the heavy side and a bit bulkier than a 1911. After about 17 years the slide stop hole wore out and it wasn't repairable so S&W replaced it with a new one.

[1894c]

very heavy.....but very accurate
stainless...double action....ambidextrous safety....5" barrel
8 in the mag ..one in the pipe
factory grips not that great....change them to Hogue
rear sight has windage and elevation....
fluted front grip....1" of grooves on the slide right in front of the safety
to help pull back the slide....excellent gun but very heavy....

Syracuse PD and a few others back east carried them for about 8-10 years...these autos gave them good service (I briefly owned one, accurate, reliable, I like it, but traded it for my 1st Glock 23 in .40S&W)..SPD now carries the S&W M&P in .45acp... :)

[Ridgerunner]

I glomed on to one while working in a pawn/gun shop. I installed Trijicon night sights and never looked back. Yes, it is big, solid and heavy, but I personally will take it over any plastic Smith out there, and the Sigmas are disgustingly rough with horrible triggers. It is accurate and reliable enough that it's a keeper for me, IHMO....

[Paladin]

The department I retired from caries them currently after having problems with 4006's. Most of the guys like them more and the round works well.

[horsesoldier03]

I dont have the 4506, but I do have a 3rd GEN Smith. I love it, mine has the alloy receiver with the steel slide and comes in around 27 oz. I love it as a carry gun. IMO, the S&W 4506 is right up there with any quality 1911!

[MrMurphy]

Due to the design, they tend to have more muzzle flip than a 1911, Glock .45, etc.

If properly maintained, they are good shooters if you like DA/SA guns.

I don't particularly like DA/SA guns but shot the various 3rd Gen S&Ws fairly well. I carry a .45 as a duty weapon and have no issues with the caliber, but unless I absolutely positively HAD to have a DA .45 that was American made and capacity was not an issue.......personally, I wouldn't buy one. There's better guns out there in the same caliber which weigh less, hold more, shoot more accurately, etc. Even in DA/SA (the .45 H&K USP being one, with the added option of cocked and locked).

[JB]

It seems like most guns, there's a wide range of opinions on these. I always found the 4506's and most other third generation S&W's to be very reliable, but not the most accurate designs by a long shot.

[AJMD429]

If you like double action pistols, and 1911's, you can't beat the Para Ordnance LDA. Other than a Contender, it is the best handgun trigger I have ever felt. They are extremely well made, accurate, and as they say, "you have to feel it to believe it".....

They come in pretty much all of the same barrel length and weight configurations as regular 1911's, including single and double stack, I believe.

Here's the Para LDA site - http://para-usa.com/2013/firearms/lda/ldaOfficer_CT.php


Edit: I don't see the double-stack ones any more; I used to have an LDA that used the 14 round magazines same as the single action ones. Problem for me was that I just don't like double-action pistols, plus that was when the Marlin 1894css run came out a few years ago so I sold the LDA and got a 1894css.

[GonnePhishin]

Again, I appreciate everyone's comments. Question for you Doc, are the Para's grips really wide, because I don't have real large hands?
I had a Colt Double Eagle once and besides being a big piece of junk the grips were really too wide to be comfortable (even though it was single stack).

[AJMD429]

Again, I appreciate everyone's comments. Question for you Doc, are the Para's grips really wide, because I don't have real large hands?

I have large but skinny hands, so to me the double-stack grips feel more 'normal', but the Alumagrips they sell make the double-stack frame just a tad smaller than the factory ones, and that actually takes some getting used to for me. The diameter is 5-7/8" if that helps.

[MrMurphy]

Para's aren't too wide, but their QC has taken a serious hit since Ted died. I wouldn't recommend a new one for carry without testing it thoroughly.