Anyone else remember the early 90s? (And those Big ol S&W Autos?)

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January 10, 2018, 08:04 PM

stylophiles

Anyone else remember the early 90s? (And those Big ol S&W Autos?)

Yeah, I'm old enough to remember when having a Smith 45 was "the" duty gun. The days of basketweave leather and Crown Vics.

Nowadays? Heck, I think I blew out a disc just looking at this thing!

But there was never any chance I was going to pass up getting my hands on not just a 4506, but the "uncommon" blued steel version, the 4505. I even found a few rounds of the (for the day) super cool CorBon 200 GR HP that used to prove you were an "expert gun guy".

Love it, and I can tell it's going to be a great shooter. But I can't believe I used to haul something this big around all day every day!

Bill R

January 10, 2018, 08:20 PM

swage

I have no experience with that particular handgun but I did just make it my screen saver.

Awesome picture!

January 10, 2018, 08:29 PM

9mmdude

I carried one for 18 months and at the time it seemed normal. Now I look at it like carrying a chunk of cement.

January 10, 2018, 08:39 PM

arfmel

First blue one I have ever seen.

January 10, 2018, 08:44 PM

sybo

That is a cool pic and I’ve never seen anything but stainless!

January 10, 2018, 08:49 PM

Jelly

Never seen a blue 4505 myself, pic nicely done. Had a 4506 but let it go when I got my 845 PC.

January 10, 2018, 08:56 PM

P-220

I had a 4506. It was a big gun for sure.

Your pic is fantastic.

January 10, 2018, 09:03 PM

David Lee

I have to ask if the 2 Members who carried the 4505 were Customs Agents ? It is my understanding, all 1,200 of these pistols were carried by Customs. I bought a adjustable sight model when Customs upgraded I believe to Glocks. This was 16 years after the 4505s were givin to Customs. If either of you carried them daily as your Duty weapon, you were Customs ?

January 10, 2018, 09:11 PM

David Lee

quote:
Originally posted by stylophiles:
Yeah, I'm old enough to remember when having a Smith 45 was "the" duty gun. The days of basketweave leather and Crown Vics.

Nowadays? Heck, I think I blew out a disc just looking at this thing!

But there was never any chance I was going to pass up getting my hands on not just a 4506, but the "uncommon" blued steel version, the 4505. I even found a few rounds of the (for the day) super cool CorBon 200 GR HP that used to prove you were an "expert gun guy".

Love it, and I can tell it's going to be a great shooter. But I can't believe I used to haul something this big around all day every day! Sinse you posted its serial, mine was TSF3135.

Bill R

January 10, 2018, 09:13 PM

stylophiles

quote:
Originally posted by David Lee:
I have to ask if the 2 Members who carried the 4505 were Customs Agents ? It is my understanding, all 1,200 of these pistols were carried by Customs. I bought a adjustable sight model when Customs upgraded I believe to Glocks. This was 16 years after the 4505s were givin to Customs. If either of you carried them daily as your Duty weapon, you were Customs ?

I'd be curious as well... this one has a number stamp on the right side frame that looks like an issue number. It would be cool to know if it was an original issue pistol.

Bill R

January 10, 2018, 09:14 PM

David Lee

There were only 1,200 and all went to US Customs.

January 10, 2018, 09:16 PM

4859

I have a 4506 that the North Dakota Highway Patrol used. My Father used a 4566 for a number of years. I carried it for a few and that was a brick. All are great guns.

January 10, 2018, 09:20 PM

Sgt 127

I remember a couple of the stainless ones being carried by guys I worked with. I’ve never seen a blue one. The .45 was the caliber all the cool kids carried. I started with a Colt Goverment Model and two years later had Wilson build me a Master Grade that I carried until we were, sadly, issued Glocks.

I considered a Smith .45 but, as I recall, it was even heavier than a 1911.

That’s really an outstanding phot.

January 10, 2018, 09:27 PM

divil

The firearm and vintage Corbon “ flying ash trays” are way cool. Much neater that most of what is being produced these days.

January 10, 2018, 10:02 PM

9mmdude

quote:
Originally posted by David Lee:
I have to ask if the 2 Members who carried the 4505 were Customs Agents ? It is my understanding, all 1,200 of these pistols were carried by Customs. I bought a adjustable sight model when Customs upgraded I believe to Glocks. This was 16 years after the 4505s were givin to Customs. If either of you carried them daily as your Duty weapon, you were Customs ?

Mine was a 4506 stainless, not a blued model. It was my personal gun and the issue gun at the time was a S&W Model 13.

January 10, 2018, 10:07 PM

TheFrontRange

Wow, nice pistol! Like others, I'd never heard of a 4505 until now.

January 10, 2018, 10:11 PM

stylophiles

quote:
Originally posted by divil:
The firearm and vintage Corbon “ flying ash trays” are way cool. Much neater that most of what is being produced these days.

We used to brag about "being able to mix a decent drink" in those things... don't know how much better today's GDHP are but at the time we thought we were on top of the world handgun ammo-wise...

Bill R

January 10, 2018, 10:12 PM

David Lee

quote:
Originally posted by TheFrontRange:
Wow, nice pistol! Like others, I'd never heard of a 4505 until now.

I think you are up in Rochester area. If you've ever been down to Elmira Arms. After his employee robbed and hurt him financially, Mr Hartman moved down into Gillett, PA. I walked in his shop one Saturday and spied a blue S&W box. I saw something to the tune of 5" Blue or 5" 45 ACP. Man I had to see it..

January 10, 2018, 10:25 PM

Drifting Fate

My first carry gun was a new, high-speed 4506. What a beast. Never missed a beat and was dead accurate with everything I fed it.

Still consider it the "new" of the S&W models. Probably need my head examined.