My new-to-me 4506 can be C&L! Is this a problem?

[Devonai]

So I recently picked up a S&W 4506 in excellent condition. The next day I took it to the range and put 50 rounds through it without a problem. All's well, but...

Just now I was preparing to practice drawing from my carry holster at myself in the mirror. I loaded a snap cap into the chamber on top of an empty mag and dropped the slide. As is my habit with DA/SA pistols, I held back the hammer with my right thumb while my left activated the decocker/safety lever.

The hammer remained cocked. So I thumbed off the safety and tried again. This time, the decocker worked and the hammer dropped. With the safety on, I manually cocked the hammer, and it stayed there. Now I'm . Each time, BTW, I'm making sure the slide is fully in battery, and it was.

After repeating these test several times, I've discovered that this particular 4506 can apparently be cocked and locked. The decocker works every time, but if the hammer is manually cocked with the safety on, it will stay there. It will remain cocked while the safety is removed and the shot will be SA. Is this:

A. A factory option, nothing to worry about?

B. A custom option, available from qualified smiths?

C. An anomaly indicative of a malfunctioning, ergo dangerous, pistol?

Help! Please tell me it's A or B!

 

[Coronach]

This does NOT sound right.

Standby, let me get my duty gun out of the safe and check this out...

Mike

 

[albanian]

I just checked my S&W 3913. It is DA/SA with a safety de-cock like most S&Ws. It does not do what you are describing. I have the feeling that something is wrong with your gun. As I pull the hammer back and depress the de-cocker, I can feel a slight hitch where it almost grabs something but doesn't. I think your gun may need to be looked at because what i think may happen is it may get locked in safe mode and you may not be able to fire it.

I am not a gunsmith and I am only making wild guesses from my computer screen so wait until someone who knows more about chimes in before doing anything based on my advice.

 

[Coronach]

Observations:

1. My 4506-1 will not do this. If you activate the safety/decock (safety DOWN) with a cocked hammer, the hammer de-cocks. If you then cock the hammer with the safety/decock activated (Safety DOWN) it will immediately decock. If you hold the hammer back when dropping the slide with the safety/decock activated (Safety DOWN), the hammer will immediately decock when you release it.

2. In theory this should not be a problem as long as the safety/decock is engaged, as the firing pin is still blocked whenever the safety is active. However, as I have no clue what is holding the hammer at full-cock when the safety/decocker is engaged, I'm leery of sweeping the safety/decock back up...because it might be possible for the hammer to slip off and fall without a trigger pull, and the firing pin would no longer be blocked.

3. Never load a round into the chamber directly on the 4506. It is bad for the extractor. Always load from the magazine.

As to which of your options it is, I dunno. But I would assume that it is C until you know. I have never heard of option A. I suppose option B is possible.

Mike

 

[Coronach]

Furthermore,

Supica & Nahas makes no mention of any factory-standard options for the 4506 that might account for this, that I can see.

So, unless someone with more S&W smarts than me (and we have them by the dozen, around here) says that its A, I'm leaning towards B or C.

Mike

 

[Devonai]

Okay, further testing has confirmed your suspicions. The hammer will not always stay back when the safety is removed, causing the hammer to fall on an unblocked firing pin. So we must conclude that the weapon is malfuctioning.

Thank you very much for your help. My 1006 is in S&W's hands right now for an extractor tune-up, so I appreciate you two testing out your weapons for me. My 457 wasn't going to be much help, either, since it has a bobbed hammer.

Coronach, I believe you are correct that this does not necessarily compromise the normal function of my 4506 (it is a 4506-1, btw). If I leave the hammer alone, the DA/SA/decocker system works just fine. However, since every pistol I own must be suitable for self defense, I may not be able to rest easy.

Albanian, your warning is making me seriously consider brining the pistol back to the point of purchase for a swap, as there were two other 4506-1s sitting next to this one for the same price. The store has a good return policy, and this problem certainly falls under it.

 

[Commissar Gribb]

3. Never load a round into the chamber directly on the 4506. It is bad for the extractor. Always load from the magazine.

can't be fired without the magazine anyhow so what's the point?

 

[Coronach]

Devonai-

No problem whatsoever. I was as curious as you were to see if this might be some sort of "feature," and as concerned as you were that it might lead to a true AD if it wasn't. Plus, if yours could do it, mine could do it.

If your swap doesn't pan out and you're not taking it to a 'smith right away, I can ask our ordies what they think the problem would be. That might give you some idea of costs to repair.

Der Commissar-

3. Never load a round into the chamber directly on the 4506. It is bad for the extractor. Always load from the magazine.

can't be fired without the magazine anyhow so what's the point?

Good point. I only mentioned it because he said that he did it in his first post.

Mike

 

[Steelcore]

get a Glock 21,none of those nasty manual safeties to worry about.

 

[Walt Sherrill]

3. Never load a round into the chamber directly on the 4506. It is bad for the extractor. Always load from the magazine.

can't be fired without the magazine anyhow so what's the point?

Some folks like to top off the gun.

Its quicker, when the slide's back and a full mag is inserted in the grip, to just drop one in the chamber area and let the slide go forward.

Quicker, but not smarter or better for the gun.

Not everybody knows that this method of loading up is hard on the extractor.

 

[buzz_knox]

Its quicker, when the slide's back and a full mag is inserted in the grip, to just drop one in the chamber area and let the slide go forward.

Wouldn't that lead to an instant malfunction as the weapon tried to feed a round from the full mag into the not so empty chamber.

 

[nemesis]

Dropping the slide on a chambered round forces the extractor to jump over the base of the cartridge and is quite damaging. A round chambering from the magazine slides up under the extractor, as it was designed to. Do it that way and then top off your mag.

 

[Glocker]

i'm with steelcore get a glock 21

 

[Devonai]

Well, I returned the 4506 and the shop had no problem with a full refund. They're going to send it off to S&W, but it's not my problem anymore.

When I purchased the 4506, I chose it over a LNIB, never-fired 5906 with two 15-round mags for $425. So, faced with the decision again, I looked at the 5906. It turns out there were four 15-rounders and the pistol itself was perfect. This time it went home with me.

I still have my 1006 for when I feel like packing a 5" S&W auto, after all.

As far as Glocks are concerned, if you want to give me a Glock 21 for free, I'll take it. I've owned several Glocks and I have complete confidence in the design. I couldn't really get "into" them, though. While form follows function, it's still a factor for me.