[WC145]

Went to the Bangor gun show today, walked in about 0930 and found this 646 at the second table. The shop selling it is not known for good deals but the gun had a "show special" price of $425 on it. I had never seen or heard of a 646 before, hell, I didn't even know S&W made a dedicated .40S&W revolver! It has the original aluminum case, the fired round, the moon clips and the unloading tool, but no paperwork. The story from the guys manning the booth was that somebody brought it into the store the other day and needed cash. I'd put it at 98% with very little use, there is only a faint wear ring on the cylinder. It cost me $446.25 with tax.

Now, what can you guys tell me about these guns? From what little I've been able to find I know it has a titanium cylinder and they didn't make too many. I'm really curious about production numbers and dates and the value. The fired case envelope is dated 9-17-03.

Interestingly, I had no .40S&W ammo when I left the house this morning so I bought 100 rounds of reloads at the show after buying the gun. Then I sold a Taurus 905 to a guy I know and got 900+ mixed rounds of .40 as part of the deal!!

Also, next Tuesday is my son's 21st birthday but he's in Afghanistan and isn't due home til January. I picked up his birthday present - a new Rock Island GI 1911 for $400 total. It'll be his first pistol of his own. It'll get new sights and custom engraved grips with his name and birth date on one side and the TACP crest on the other. They're much nicer guns than you'd think for the money, I've got one in .38 Super and it's quite rugged and reliable and a helluva shooter.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/__3_AZOV0zhc/SqwdDwxH9nI/AAAAAAAAA84/Pj1iI-L9JDg/s640/SDC10616.JPG
http://lh5.ggpht.com/__3_AZOV0zhc/SqwdGYQb1dI/AAAAAAAAA9A/1mkJBSTFqog/s640/SDC10619.JPG
http://lh3.ggpht.com/__3_AZOV0zhc/SqwdFEACoKI/AAAAAAAAA88/4DS9niHYMhM/s640/SDC10618.JPG

[Airpark]

SCSW says "In 2003 S&W assembled approsimately 300 stainless frame and titanium cylinders. ...4 in full lug barrel...no lock...wide target hammer and smooth trigger with Hogue grip."

They value it ...ANIB...500, Exc..450, ...VG..300, ...Good..225, etc.

Product code and feature by year...103749..S..4"..RB, RG, 38 oz, Oct 2003

Looks like you got a good deal.

Good Luck,

Bill

[kdstrick]

Sweet deal! I'd hang on to that one.

[22lr]

Thats a great deal. I love revolvers chambered in auto calipers (9mm, .40 and 10mm to name a few). Congrats, and a big thanks to your son TACPs are some dedicated guys.

[Brian Williams]

Nice deal, I want one just like it.

[Gunfighter123]

S&W made at least two "runs" of the 646 ---- the first was about 500 revolvers and came with a metal case that said S&W Performance Center on it --- the 2nd run came with a metal case that only has the S&W emblem on it -- think there was a total of about 3000 of those --- this info is what I found when searching for info on mine.

BTW --- that is a good price as I've seen them sell for more. They are "light for their size" and recoil a bit with hot loaded .40s.

Mine;
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b199/Jailbird123/DSC01468.jpg

[Eightball]

Looks like fun.

[9mmepiphany]

very nice pickup...i wish i could find one

the Ti cylinder offers a couple of advantages.
1. the lessor mass allows faster acceleration during a DA trigger stroke
2. the Ti is harder than their steel cylinders and the bolt notches are less prone to preening during fast strings of fire

[Jim Watson]

The first run of M646 was out of the PC and had a swoopy sculptured barrel profile.
The second run, illustrated here, has the usual L frame full underlug. I figure they had some .40 cylinders left after the PC model flopped and used them up in standard grade guns.

Good luck with those gunshow reloads, the Conventional Wisdom is that the titanium cylinders are very picky about ammunition.