S&W 45 Looks Good...

ColCol · 03-13-2012, 19:53

What do you think-should I buy it? I've never had a short barrel S&W 45 but heard good things about the 4516-1.

PlasticGuy · 03-14-2012, 03:36

My first carry gun was a 4516. It was heavy, but carried pretty easily despite that. I always loved the way it shot. I'm sure I had a good reason for selling it, but I probably shouldn't have. I think you'll like it a lot.

bac1023 · 03-15-2012, 20:40

The third gen Smiths were great pistols.

blueyedmule · 03-25-2012, 04:51

Ooohhh. ..NICE. I have it's big-boned bro, the 4506-1. If I had bought that, or maybe the same in a .40 or 9mm I wouldn't be looking at Glocks. Probably. Maybe. Errr. . ..

gordonfactor · 03-28-2012, 00:04

+1 for the 4506-1. I picked one up a few years ago and couldn't love it more. It's always fun to pull out the stainless tank after shooting the drastic plastic. I've converted a few friends from polymer 9mm's to wanting steel 45's after shooting it.

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ColCol · 04-11-2012, 17:54

Well, I quit agonizing over purchasing it and went ahead. If came a few days back and I've been cleaning and inspecting it. Can't find a thing wrong. I'm taking it to the range this Friday and have a variety of ammo ready for it. I looked around and even found two 457 mags that will work in it as well as two new ones so, I'm ready to roll!!

gordonfactor · 04-12-2012, 02:03

Awww, it looks like my gun's mini me! Nice find. The 3rd gen smith 45's are great guns. often passed over for the latest/greatest tactical fad of the week. Shoot it in good health.

RYT 2BER · 04-12-2012, 21:17

The smiths like these always get great reviews when discussed... any idea why sw got out of the steel non1911 pistol business??

PBRLite · 04-12-2012, 21:37

I like the fact it will feed just about anything....empty cases to boot.

ColCol · 04-14-2012, 20:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by RYT 2BER

The smiths like these always get great reviews when discussed... any idea why sw got out of the steel non1911 pistol business??

Economics for one thing. there's a lot more to it and I've read about it but senility has set in and I can't recall all the specifics. I'm sure pressure from within had a lot to do with it with all the competition from companies like Glock making high capacity mags in lighter bodies. That's one of the reasons, IMO, S&W started manufacturing of the M&P and Sigma pistols.

I would be ecstatic if just once they decided to make a run of some of their 3rd Gen classics like the 4506, 4516-1, 4566, 3906, 3913 and 5906 once again. I'd be on their doorstep to place my order.

BTW-took this little gem to the range Friday and it spit out reloads, FMJ and GDHP's and begged for more. Slow fire, rapid fire, it didn't make any difference...gotta love these all steel compact 45's.

Bugler · 04-15-2012, 03:08

I have a 1066 in 10mm. Looks pretty much the same. A real tack driver.

ca survivor · 04-15-2012, 16:33

Great find, I'm sure you will like it, enjoy in good health.

fastbolt · 04-19-2012, 17:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by RYT 2BER

The smiths like these always get great reviews when discussed... any idea why sw got out of the steel non1911 pistol business??

Because people wanted to buy all-steel guns at plastic gun prices.

It takes about 30 minutes of machine time (CNC) to make a steel 3rd gen frame (according to S&W). Glock turns a new frame out of a mold every 85 seconds (according to Glock).

The 3rd gen production was moved to the Maine plant to make room for expanded M&P pistol & rifle production. The SW1911's are made on the same equipment, and the SW1911's are selling fast.

How many regular gun owners do you know who would be willing to line up and place an order for a 3rd gen pistol for $1200 (or more)? If you're going to program the equipment to make a steel frame, it might as well be a TSW as a Value Line/American Heritage, if only to recoup the time (money) invested in the machinery operation. Then, they've got to pay the production cell/assemblers to fit/check the extractors & sear release levers, which takes time, too. (And every once in a great while, a new drawbar might require some filing in order to get it to reach back under the hammer's DA notches, which takes even more time.)

How many new 3rd gen's you want at that price? They're not going to make them and then give them away for a loss, or even a break-even cost. Not good business. Not when M&P's are selling faster than they can make them.

Listening to the folks at the company over the last several years, if the consumer public had been buying the 3rd gen guns in enough numbers to make them profitable, the company would still be making them. They didn't, though ... so plastic guns and 1911's are the bread & butter guns (with revolvers a lesser part of the market).

Consumer spending spoke. The company listened.

We have only ourselves to blame.

Sigh ...