Home
Aside from the obvious cool factor:

[Linked Image]

What else is there to like about the Smith and Wesson 645 and 4506? I don't own a double action automatic, and am looking to get one in 45 ACP, and I'm a big fan of "Miami Vice" so it looks like the 645/4506 are what I'm looking for.

Any tips or tricks for handling and shooting? Care and feeding?
Had one...sold it. Back to a 1911.
They are only cool when called a 1006. Even then only marginally so when compared to a 1911.

Wow, good thing I own a 1911! Better stop thinking about other pistols now! crazy
I've shot a good number of them, never really thought they where too special.

I seriously considered one for a 10mm carry piece but could never warm up to them sufficiently.

You don't have to stop thinking about other pistols, just think about more 1911's. smile
What I really need is a good lightweight Commander; blued steel, rampant pony.

But the reason I want the Smith is that I don't own a Smith autoloader and can't bring myself to buy Smith's version of combat Tupperware. I like celebrating diversity and hate to think that there is a class of gun out there not represented in my safe. Think of the 645/4506 as affirmative action admits to my collection grin
They aren't anything "special". They just go bang every time you pull the trigger. They are good guns. I would much rather have the 4506 than the older 645. They are big though. The Commander is much more concealable. If I was going into a gun battle where concealment didn't matter, I'd rather have the Smith.
If you truly support diversity, the 10 is the only way to go. Look at the, undeserved, minority position it holds!

Affirmative action is for the 9. It's really not good enough unless you put it in just the right light...which would be a 1911 in this case.

I will say, in support of Cole's point, that the ones I've fired did go bang repeatedly...no problem there.
Given the choice though, I'd rather have Johnson's Rolex. He is a good old Missouri boy, grown up not far from here and having attended Wichita State University.
Originally Posted by ColeYounger
They aren't anything "special". They just go bang every time you pull the trigger. They are good guns. I would much rather have the 4506 than the older 645. They are big though. The Commander is much more concealable. If I was going into a gun battle where concealment didn't matter, I'd rather have the Smith.


Thanks for the input; I would be using the 4506 mainly as a house and car gun, not for concealment. The later it is at night, and the more stress there is, a heavier gun settles down on target a bit more easily.
I had a S&W 645 for awhile. It didn't fit my hand, the geometry front to back was too long, about as bad as the AMTs in 30 US Carbine, so I sold it and am back in the 1911 pack for 38 Super and 45 ACP. The 745 target pistol felt better to me, but not as good as a 1911 NM.

I still have a couple of S&W 9mms and 40s, but much prefer the 4006 to the 39/639/645s that have come and gone or come and stayed.

Jeff
I think the 4506 is one of the best 45s ever conceived. It's an incredibly durable and reliable pistol.
Poleece around here had them, back in the eighties.
I'm a big fan of the S&W 3rd generation pistols. The ergo's of some are better than others, but all of them are very reliable and hell for stout.

The 645 is 2nd generation, the 4506 is 3rd generation. Additionally, the latter was upgraded to the "4506-01" that was beefed up in a few areas. The easy way to spot the 4506-01 is the rounded trigger guard. There are no markings on the pistol to differentiate the two.

Originally Posted by Oregon45
Any tips or tricks for handling and shooting? Care and feeding?


Don't use the same grip as Don Johnson - his hands are too low, his thumb is on the wrong side, he's using a modified Weaver, and his presentation is too low forcing him to crane his neck.

Care and feeding - I feed 3rd Gen S&W's about anything and clean them out with an air compressor.
They have a lot more muzzle flip than 1911s, too, as they sit higher in the hand. At least, the 745 I had, did. The 4506 is marginally better, since it has a scallop under the trigger guard. If you like Commanders, and want a Smith, look around for a 4566, it's 'sort of' Commander-sized, or the 4516, which is 'sort of' Officer ACP sized. They are heavy, but that soaks up recoil a bit.
Originally Posted by RufusG
I think the 4506 is one of the best 45s ever conceived. It's an incredibly durable and reliable pistol.


Absolutely right. They WILL go bang everytime. With concealment not being the issue this is the way to go.
I just picked up a 645 and a 1006 and so far I prefer the 1006 the best.

Carpe diem,
Dew
My father (retired LEO) gave me a S&W 645 that he bought new and only fired a few mags through it. I reload my own ammo and I have found the S&W 645 to be a very accurate and pleasant gun to shoot at the range. It's a heavy pistol, so there's very little felt recoil and it's well balanced (for me), although it may look too "front heavy" for some. My father really liked this pistol and I do too. It's stainless and a pain in the rear to takedown, compared to a 1911 or Sig, but it's a nice pistol to shoot and puts the bullets where you aim.
See!

You ask a question and get a variety of answers, all the way from "they suck" to "they're great!".

Jeff
That's what I was looking for grin This thread even adhered to "Internet Pistol Protocol #1" which provides that for any question the answer is "buy a 1911."
I've owned and used a 4506 since 1989 and I still have the pistol. It is an excellent handgun.
I recall shooting a 745 way back when. One of the heaviest, grittiest triggers I've ever fought. It shot one of the best groups I've ever fired with anything in any .45 ACP. Kicked myself for not buying one and having the trigger improved.
Smith makes a 945 which I've handled. Absolutely the very best trigger I've ever found on a semi auto pistol. Too bad I don't have almost $2400 sitting around as a book mark.
Anybody that thinks the 4506 doesn't handle recoil well, needs to shoot it's brother the 1006 in 10mm then shoot any 1911 in 10mm. The difference is very apparent.
And that's why I have and cherish my 1006. E
Originally Posted by 260Remguy
See!

You ask a question and get a variety of answers, all the way from "they suck" to "they're great!".

Jeff


I re-read the post, never observed an instance where anyone disparaged the pistol(s) in any way.

I guess we all perceive things differently.


Oregon, you get one yet? What do you think about it?
I had intended that my commment about the grips being too long be interpreted as a polite way of saying that the S&W 645s sucked. It was, however, the only S&W pistol in 45 ACP that I've owned, or expcet to own, since I have a couple of 1911s that fit, point, and shoot better than the S&W 645 (at least the 1 that I owned) on its best day. While I have owned dozens of S&W pistols and revolvers, I would never recommend, or purchase for myself, a S&W 645.

'Hope that clears up any ambiguity that was unintentionally built into my previous 2 posts.

Jeff
Carried a 645 on duty for several years back in the early 90's...thought a lot of it back then.Left LE work due to injury..kids needed to eat worse than I needed it. I do niss it...
See?

A variety of opinions on the subject. I wouldn't own a S&W 645 and you'd like to have 1.

Jeff
Haven't bought one yet, I'm just in looking and listening mode. In a little while I'll go to acquisition mode...
When you pick up your 1006, let me know...I've never been to Oregon. I'll bring some ammo. We can do a side by side vs. a Kimber or DW.
PM sent
Had one and a 1006 and a 1076. Went back to 1911's
I carried both of those guns back in the late 80's into the early 90's when my agency made the transition away from revolvers. As noted by some of the other posters, the newer generation 4506 had a bit better track record than the 645. We had no serious service/reliability problems with either model, though the trigger geometry was a bit better on the 3rd Gen 4506. As a side note, we also had an inventory of the compact 4516's, and they were NOT as reliable as the full-size versions.
Welcome to the Campfire, BKS.
Originally Posted by JOG
Welcome to the Campfire, BKS.


Thank You, Sir .... hope I have something to contribute from time to time.
In a pinch just make stuff up - that's what I do. smirk
That must be a close cousin to "Fake It Till You Make It".
© 24hourcampfire