s&w 4506

[Fat Boy]

I have an opportunity to buy a s&w 4506

The gun has a nice, single piece wood grip, adjustable sights that look like after market, and the barrel and slide have been ported (single, narrow cut, angled at the ends; MagnaPort?)

The decocker lever on the right hand side of the gun has a screw through the center, securing it in place? Or was this added for a specific reason?

The trigger feels pretty nice- although it doesn't break until the trigger is actually near the frame of gun (rear of the trigger guard area). Not knowing a lot about trigger work, I can't tell if this is something that has been adjusted, or what-

Ask price is $529 - no box, single magazine

I have read quite a bit about the reliability of these guns, and I don't have an issue with that- my question has to do with cost, the added/detracted value of the porting, sights, grips, etc.

Thanks!

 

[Darkness]

Just my opinion, but I would stay away from it. You can get a nice used 4506 that has not been modified (monkeyed with) for under $500 on a few of the auction sites. My opinion again, but I do not think that the 4506, considering its size and weight, benefits at all from having the slide and barrel ported. 45 acp just doesn't kick that hard.

Without knowing exactly what has been done to change the pistol, I would stay away from it. You could be getting someone else's failed project.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

The Phillips screw in the right safety is not typical of a third-generation S&W, but would be right for the earlier 645. If the adjustable rear sight looks like the one in this picture ...



... it is factory. (You can also see the safety lever attachment.)

Overall, the price sounds high, especially with modifications of unknown provenance or quality and only one magazine (new ones are $30-plus).

 

[highorder]

I sold a 4506 with night-sites and 4 magazines not too long ago for $450.00

That was what the market would bear. I think your price is high.

 

[SwampWolf]

Or you sold cheap.

 

[Phil DeGraves]

The wood grips and the screw through the decocker sounds like a 645 to me. The 4506 which is a really good gun should go for about $450 - $500, maybe a little more with adjustable night sights and really clean. The 645 should go for less.

 

[Fat Boy]

Many thanks for the good input! One point of clarification; the head of the screw through the decocker is not small; it is a phillips head, and would likely be turned by a fairly standard size driver- From my novice point of view, it looks like someone replaced what was there with a screw they got at the local ACE Hardware store, or something to that effect. Again, being the novice, I thought perhaps there was a legitimate use for this that I was not aware of, other than plugging a large hole in the slide that a "novice" gun smith had opened...