Why does it seem like the only 3 people in the world who like this gun are myself, Vic Mackey from "The Shield" and Alonzo from "Traning Day"?  Aside from the 1911 it's one of the best looking full-size .45s around, plus mine has been perfectly reliable.

I have one that was from the Tulsa County Sheriff's office and two of my friends have them too.  We all like them, but we like almost anything that goes bang, so that isn't much help.

Personally, I don't like the 1911's grip safety.

Woohoo!  I just figgured out what I can do with a Beretta 92FS.  Wampum for a 4506!  

I started out my .45acp S&W auto buying with a 645 (2nd generation version of the 4506).  But, I went shooting with my father, he liked it, so I gave it to him.

Then, I went back to my dealer to get another one.  A while later, another shop had an almost new S&W M29-2 6-1/2" .44mag that they said they would trade me even for.  I just couldn't pass it up, so I traded it.  Then, I ended up giving it to my father since he used to have one that he bought when I was born.  So, in a way, he ended up with two of my S&W .45's.  Oh well, it's not like he's never given me a gun!

So, back to the origninal dealer, again, to pick up another 645.  He was out of them, but had one 4506 left.  I still have that one and I'm NOT letting it go.  Other than some people whining about the weight, I can't see what's not to like about them.  Show me a 1911 that is so reliable that it will feed empty .45 brass!

But, if you like the 4506, you just have to pick up a 1006!  Same thing, but more power, and actually less recoil, even with max loads.  I just got one and can't say enough good about it.  But, that's the way I am with all my Smiths.

I still have mine-it currently resides as one of my house guns. That means its always loaded
and beside my bed just in case. I choose it for this mission because it is so reliable
and  despite all the other defensive calibers I own the 45 ACP is the one I trust.

However,  I have to be truthfull in that  the biggest  reason I use the M4506 for this purpose
is that in case it is taken for evidence after a defensive shooting I wouldn't care if I got it
back.  I would not want to lose one of my Sigs or 1911s but if this Smith went away I wouldn't
miss it.  I guess it has little worth to me other than that. So once every couple of  months I take it along to the range and shoot out the Hydrashoks in both mags and reload another pair of mags and put it away beside the bed.

They are good pistols, I would grab a go with one.

My two favorite pistols: 4506 and 4566.

I also have a hard time understanding why people don't flock to these pistols.

You ain't alone.  Some of us do appreciate really superior designs.  Let the fad types carry those cranky old 19ll's.   I have a transition model 645, 1st gen frame, 2nd gen. slide.....utterly reliable, like the man said, show me ANY 1911 that'l feed empty cases.   The guns are real keepers.   Last duty piece I carried & always had utter confidence in it.    

By the way, it'll also outshoot any stock 1911 I've ever seen!

My only complaint is I wish mine had the adjustable sights.
It is a keeper.

I carry one on duty and like it,but would prefer the 4566 which I do want myself. My dept carries 4566.  The 4566 has a good balance.

I like my 1006...that counts right?

Close enough for me.  More power with a smaller hole!

I have both!

yup yup my 4506 is the most reliable autoloader I have ever had the pleasure to shoot.

I believe Sonny Crockett in the TV show Miami Vice use the 4506 toward the end of the series.

Great posts guys.  I in the market for a 4506.  What would be a good price?  I have found one online for $369 plus shipping.  Do you guys have a preference between the round or square trigger guard?  I'm partial to the square.  

Just looking for some input on prices.

thanks guys

Just  for comparision, I saw one in a local gun shop near me a couple of weeks ago priced
at $399 so that online price must be about right. This one was an older one with fixed sights and square guard. I didn't look close enough to check condition.  I only noticed it because I owned
one and usually pay attention to prices of guns I own just for comparision sake. None of
the newer Smith autos seem to hold their price well.

By the time you have an FFL holder receive the online gun  for you it would be about the same as this gun shop priced  M4506. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the help.  One other question, are the round or square trigger guards newer?  I know too they (s&w), made a black 4506.  How hard are they to come by?  I would love to have one.  I've only seen one and it was a long time ago.  Thanks for the help.

The early ones had the elongated trigger guard with the hook that was similiar to M4506s
precursor- the M645.  I like the newer ones that have the smaller, round trigger guard.

I don't know of any black M4506s but Smith had so many variations
going on back in the eighties and early nineties they might have had some blackened
versions or a blued  (non-stainless) version.

For a good deal on a 4506 (and a lot of other guns), check this place out.  I've dealt with Mark at Summit recently, and I really can't say enough good about him.

Summit Gun Broker-4506 page

I believe that the 06 in the name refers to the stainless finish...please correct me if I'm wrong.  I still love my 4506 and would not give it up for anything.  Mine is has the square trigger guard and adjustable sights...I think it is a hand me down from Tulsa too...I got it at the big show in tulsa a few years back.  I have never had a FTF except for one time and that was my fault for trying to shoot a reload with lead that had crumpled the side of the casing.

I have one and i love it too.........its just hard to find accessories for it....like weapons lights .........so if any one knows where i can find one please let me know

I carry a 4586 on duty which is almost the same thing just double action only.


Everybody I pointed it at seemed impressed

I was actually looking at Summit the other day for a 4506 for use as a truck/beater gun.

Quoted: I was actually looking at Summit the other day for a 4506 for use as a truck/beater gun.

I am very happy with the transaction I made with him for a 4043.  

We can't have "truck" guns here in MA.  Technically, we can leave a handgun unattended in a vehicle, as long as it's unloaded and in a locked case.  But, if it's stolen, some Chiefs deny your permit renewal, calling you an "unsuitable person", because you were irresponsible enough to leave your handgun in your truck, even though you didn't break any laws!

Anyway, Summit is a great place to buy from.

Thanks Hawgleg!

Frickin love the one my dad picked up on sale.

Did some holster work last weekend and drew down on a home made hostage targets rom a little less that 40 feet. Fired one shot in a tad more than a second and knocked the target off the stick holding it in place. Which sucked cause I didn't know for sure where I hit him. The cardboard flipoped to the right so I knew I didn't hit the hostage, but where the round had landed I was left to wonder untill the RM called cease fire.

I walked over and a big smile spread across my face. My shot landed right on the bridge of the HTs nose. Pure one shot "pwnage."

Next time I'll have a better targets holder and can hopefully see what groups it can really print.


Question, how do these things like Wolf 230 grain ammo? Don't want run something through it that might end up shortening its life.

I dont see why it couldnt handle Wolf.  It's just ammo, dirty but cheap ammo.  How would it shorten your pistols life?

My M4506 burns thru the Wolf 45 like no tomorrow.  (But then so do my SIGs and 1911s)
Its dirty but will not hurt your gun! It makes for some great cheap practice ammo.

Awesome, thanks for the info guys.

I've heard both good and bad things about Wolf, but 2 thumbs up from people using it in the same gun I use is what really counts. "

Sure it may feed well through your $2,000 1911, but I don't use one of those."

I love 3rd gen S&W fullsize pistols....

Quoted: My two favorite pistols: 4506 and 4566. I also have a hard time understanding why people don't flock to these pistols.

+1
I imagine snobbery has alot to do with it. They're not made in europe, don't cost a mint, and aren't made bya company with shitty customer service, so they can't possible be good.....

Quoted: Quoted: My two favorite pistols: 4506 and 4566. I also have a hard time understanding why people don't flock to these pistols. +1 I imagine snobbery has alot to do with it. They're not made in europe, don't cost a mint, and aren't made bya company with shitty customer service, so they can't possible be good.....

A number of real LAPD  guys (not just Vic Mackey) carry the 4506, and I believe Crockett from Miami Vice carried the 4506's daddy, the 645.

I agree that besides a custom 1911 the 4506 is the best looking .45

I have a blued 4505. It has been very reliable. The blued version is kind of rare and has a good look.

Quoted: I agree that besides a custom 1911 the 4506 is the best looking .45

Definately!

Quoted: Quoted: My two favorite pistols: 4506 and 4566. I also have a hard time understanding why people don't flock to these pistols. +1 I imagine snobbery has alot to do with it. They're not made in europe, don't cost a mint, and aren't made bya company with shitty customer service, so they can't possible be good.....

I got badluck with Sig.

So do they still make these? All I find on S&W site just the SW99, Sigma, and silly 1911.

No, no more 645's or 4506's.  But, you can get the "Value Line" version of the compact 4516 still.  It's called the 457S.  I have one, and it's every bit as reliable and accurate as the more expensive versions.  I traded for it from a guy who had the factory do a DAO conversion to it.  Although I prefer DAO on 3rd Generation guns, the newer TSW and Value Line DAO's don't cock the hammer as far as the early models.  This results in a longer trigger pull, so I swapped it back to TDA.

correct you are. Sonny started with a Sig, Made the Bren Ten famous, then a 4506. His backet up was a Colt in the ankle

I want one of these too . I almost bought one over spring break but it didn;t work out .
Now it seems like they went up about $60 .
Just my luck

I've got a 4506. Yeah it's heavy, not as "cool" as some others but it goes bang everytime. Shoots about anything made. Except for some of my crappy 'sideway' reloads.

4505s were the blued version. Very few were made during the first year of production. Tough to find and when you do it'll cost you $$$.

I have been a big fan of S&W autos for years, but they are generally unpopular on this site.



The top 2 on the right are a very early 645 and a 4586, FWIW.

Quoted:
I have been a big fan of S&W autos for years, but they are generally unpopular on this site.

They aren't  just unpopular here on this site but also on most others except the Smith and
Wesson forum.  They are also pretty unpopuar in the gun shops and gun shows in my area
and I don't really know why.  

To me the 3rd generation Smith autos are very SIG like in their feel- especially the 59 series.
They are very reliable and sturdy but I agree with a prior poster they likely just needed
a snotty Euro manfacturer with poor customer service to help popularity.

I still have 3 Smith autos. The M4506 I talked about earlier on this thread plus a M4013
(40 S&W) and a M5903 (9mm) are still in my stash.  I had several more over the years
but I sold and gave the others away. While I doubt I would ever want any more I am
happy with the ones I've got.

I need to upgrade the photo a little.  there's been a few changes since this pic was taken.  But, as you can tell, I'm a big S&W fan, too.  But, I have to admit to having two Colts, a Ruger and a Sig.

Yep... 10mm rocks... I have 2 Glock 20s.. I wish they would have made a G36 sized 10mm.. oh well...

Quoted: I have been a big fan of S&W autos for years, but they are generally unpopular on this site.

Unpopular is good.  I've got great deals on used S&W's here and on a few other sites.  If people don't want them because they aren't made by Glock or Sig, that's just better for us!

The shops around here have great deals on used S&W autos.  Where used Glocks are over $400, a 9mm S&W will bring them less than $300.  And, they are more comfortable and reliable in my experiences, too!

But, those guys sure do feel cool carrying a Glock!

Quoted: I need to upgrade the photo a little.  there's been a few changes since this pic was taken.  But, as you can tell, I'm a big S&W fan, too.  But, I have to admit to having two Colts, a Ruger and a Sig. www.cqbarms.com/photos/albums/userpics/normal_S%26W%20pic.jpg

How have your Sigmas treated you? Thinging of getting one simply because they are so cheap!

Merry Christmas to me
I bought a 4506 the other day .
SWEET SHOOTER . Kinda big for a carry gun though .
But I didn't buy it for that .
Got a good price too .

Quoted: How have your Sigmas treated you? Thinging of getting one simply because they are so cheap!

Well, my Sigma story is a long one, but here's the abreviated version.  I used to shoot Glocks.  Why?  I don't know, I guess it was "the" thing to do.  I was accurate with them, and they were as reliable as anything else I shot, so I did it.

When I first joined the PD, they issued me a 1st Generation SW40F.  I was not happy at all.  I read all the horror stories about them and was worried about staking my life on this pistol.  I grabbed 500 rounds of my cast bullet reloads and went to the range.  I shot all 500 of them that day without a single malfunction.  Between the cast bullets and Unique powder, the Sigma was DIRTY, but it kept working.  No cleaning or lubing at all, it just kept going.

After many thousands of rounds, with still no failures, I decided to pick up a newer one for my self, and traded for an SW40VE.  After that, I got an SW40V, SW40G, two SW9F's, SW9VE, SW9GVE and SW357V.  

I never had any malfunctions with them at all, except for one FTE with my duty gun.  But, one malfunction in more than 8000 rounds is acceptable to me.

Out of the others, and tens of thousands of rounds, I have yet to have a malfunction of any kind.  I'd stake my life on any of them, any day, with any ammunition.  They just work.

The only problems I've ever had with the Sigmas are cracking frames on the 1st and 2nd Generation guns.  But, S&W recognizes the problem, and replaces any old style Sigma with a brand new Enhanced Sigma if they ever crack.  With the addition of the equipment rail, there have been absolutely no Sigmas returned to S&W for cracked frames.

The triggers on them take a while to get used to.  They are fairly heavy.  But, when you master the Sigma's trigger, you will be a better shot with EVERY gun you pick up.  I never had a problem with the trigger since I grew up with S&W revolvers.  Just dry fire a lot, and practice slow, consistant trigger pulls concentrating on sight alignment, and you will find the trigger very managable.  Head shots on a silouhette are no problem at all at 50ft.  And, the trigger will be a little rough when you first get it.  They smooth out considerably after about 500 rounds/dry fires.

Pick one up.  They are a vast improvement over Glocks.  I traded all five of the Glocks I had after getting my Sigmas.  I never shot them anymore.

Guess I could post a pic of mine.

One more vote for the 4506, aka the Smith & Wesson Dragoon pistol…

I carry mine every day and have fired tens of thousands of rounds through it without a malfunction. It is substantial enough that you could strip it apart, and beat someone to death with the slide, then reassemble it and shoot them…  

Just my .02

Buck