S&W 4526
Yeppers, it's from Smith's "Gun of the Week" period when they gave their new model numbering system a work out. 4526 was assigned to the full size Siggy-type hammer-dropper 4506 variant.
It looks like what it is, a cobbled-together factory experiment to copy a Sig. Besides the homely plug in the slide to hide where the original decocker-safety was, you can see a hint in pic 2 of the way the grip looks improvised and a bit thin and fragile where the new decocking lever is accommodated. The lever itself, with the stuck-on plastic pad, looks toyish.
This is the first one I've ever seen, and I don't think they made very many of these. Perhaps Smith discovered that people don't buy Sigs for the decocker, they buy them because they run like a Swiss watch.
When the pistol is dry-fired, the hammer bottoms out in the slide as in pic 3, but when the decocker is used, it rebounds as in pic 4. The top of the hammer is serrated, so I guess the factory wanted the user to be able to thumb it back for a single-action shot.
I was wondering if anybody had any experience with these as I was surprised by the smooth, light trigger pull. I let the owner try the trigger on my 910 so he could see what he was missing. I'd bet money the trigger was smoothed and a lighter spring installed, but that didn't fit with the history of the piece.
The current owner got it from the original owner along with a case of hardball with 50 rounds gone for $600; judging from the few for sale on GB I'd say he got a deal. He said it was filthy but cleaned up nice. Evidently the original owner bought it, put a box of ammo through it, then put it away for years without even cleaning it.
Anybody ever own/shoot one, or have any other good info? A quick net search turned up a few mentions, but I didn't want to jump onto another forum as a newbie and start interrogating folks. It's not an Airsoft or sum such, I photochopped the serial out. Pics aren't up to my usual standards, but when yer snapping photos in the rain leaning into a van in back of the Quikee-Mart...
It looks like what it is, a cobbled-together factory experiment to copy a Sig. Besides the homely plug in the slide to hide where the original decocker-safety was, you can see a hint in pic 2 of the way the grip looks improvised and a bit thin and fragile where the new decocking lever is accommodated. The lever itself, with the stuck-on plastic pad, looks toyish.
This is the first one I've ever seen, and I don't think they made very many of these. Perhaps Smith discovered that people don't buy Sigs for the decocker, they buy them because they run like a Swiss watch.
When the pistol is dry-fired, the hammer bottoms out in the slide as in pic 3, but when the decocker is used, it rebounds as in pic 4. The top of the hammer is serrated, so I guess the factory wanted the user to be able to thumb it back for a single-action shot.
I was wondering if anybody had any experience with these as I was surprised by the smooth, light trigger pull. I let the owner try the trigger on my 910 so he could see what he was missing. I'd bet money the trigger was smoothed and a lighter spring installed, but that didn't fit with the history of the piece.
The current owner got it from the original owner along with a case of hardball with 50 rounds gone for $600; judging from the few for sale on GB I'd say he got a deal. He said it was filthy but cleaned up nice. Evidently the original owner bought it, put a box of ammo through it, then put it away for years without even cleaning it.
Anybody ever own/shoot one, or have any other good info? A quick net search turned up a few mentions, but I didn't want to jump onto another forum as a newbie and start interrogating folks. It's not an Airsoft or sum such, I photochopped the serial out. Pics aren't up to my usual standards, but when yer snapping photos in the rain leaning into a van in back of the Quikee-Mart...
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I have had several of the S&W decocker models over the years. They are not really rare, although some auction sellers try to sell them for outrageous prices, saying they are rare. I see them for sale in shops quite frequently. From what I have read, the Sig style decocker was an FBI requirement when they bought the 10mm 1076s they used to carry. There was a factory recall on the decocker function, you may want to contact S&W to see if your gun was fixed. 0 -
Looks alot like my model 4566 with the exception of the decocker. I prefer the original Smith decocker since its ambi designed.
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Thanks for the info.
P228, do you remember what the trigger pulls were like on the ones you owned? This one feels way too light to be factory.
I'm not really a Smith auto man, but I do like the ergs on this one, a helluva lot better than the 645. If I were to get one I'd prefer the 4506, just because I like having an unauthorized user denial device (manual safety).0 -
quote:Originally posted by MrOrange
Thanks for the info.
P228, do you remember what the trigger pulls were like on the ones you owned? This one feels way too light to be factory.
I'm not really a Smith auto man, but I do like the ergs on this one, a helluva lot better than the 645. If I were to get one I'd prefer the 4506, just because I like having an unauthorized user denial device (manual safety).
Double action was a heavy but smooth 12 lbs, single action was a very smooth 5.5.0
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