This is getting serious

[O'Dell]

This is getting serious - someone has to stop me! My affection for 3rd gen S&W's is getting out of hand. Yesterday I found two 457's and missed both by hours. I decided if small isn't working, I go BIG. I found a 4563TSW at a reasonable price - an ex-Sunnyvale, CA PD gun. My 4043 came from CA, ex-CHP, and it's now perfect, so what the heck. I bought it. The 4563 is the same basic gun as the 4586 that was stolen, but with an Alloy frame and DA/SA trigger - all good for me. It's at a TN gun store, and is suppose to be excellent in function and cosmetics with bright night sights - a Tennessean wouldn't lie to an ex-Tennessean would he? And best of all, it has TACTICAL in 1 inch letters on the slide - NOT.

The first two are the 4563TSW and the third is the 4043.

[xRUSTYx]

i'd be weary of SOME TN gunshops ;) I have encountered a few .... weird ones !!!!

Either way, nice pickup!

[Bawanna]

And a light rail to boot. You are indeed tactical now. Sick and obsessed but definitely tactical.

[jeepster09]

Ok....are we talking about obsessed.:eek:
I just bought a second Desert Eagle:confused: My .50 is still waiting on a new barrell, so I figured I needed this 44.:53: I think I am gonna have to start going to some kind of meetings.

[mr surveyor]

and I'd bet your hand covers a basketball as well as mine covers a softball:rolleyes:

[O'Dell]

OK, I did it again, but this is the last time, I promise. I was nosing around the net and found a little gun store in MA that had a brand new in the box S&W 457S. This pistol hasn't been produced in a while, but one was found unsold in a distributor's warehouse. Plus it's the SS and alloy rather than the blued version, and I don't care for black guns. I now have a small, 457S, a midsized, 4043, and a large, 4563TSW, for my S&W 3rd gen collection, so I consider it complete. All are SS and alloy and oddly enough, although there a size difference, the weight of all three is within about 2 ozs.

[Willieboy]

You're a lucky man O'dell.

I once had a real passion for the 3rd generation S&Ws as well. I remember an article in American Handgunner years ago that featured the 3rd gen. Smiths. It was written by Mas Ayoob and the photos were by a Japanese guy who's name I don't recall....Ichiro ??? Anyway, I ran out and bought a 4506 and for years coveted the 9mm 6906. Never got the 9mm though.

You have a beautiful collection sir.

[Tat2dman]

Allways like the look of the Smitty`s,owned several over the years.My only problem was I could never hit a barn with the 1`s I had.On the flip side I have a lot buddy`s that would never giv`em up!Me and them just never got along...

[frank_drebin]

Love em. I've never seen a stainless 457 before. I had a blued 457 years ago that was a great shooter. It was part of their "value line".

My only 3rd gen now is my 3913 which gets carried quite a bit. It fits nicely in P9 holsters.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc81/jbabbler/pistols/3913-2.jpg

[wyntrout]

I have a humongous model 645 and I hate the slide-mounted safety/decocker. What's the deal with the middle one, O'Dell?

Nice find, by the way. :D

Wynn

[Bawanna]

I have a humongous model 645 and I hate the slide-mounted safety/decocker. What's the deal with the middle one, O'Dell?

Nice find, by the way. :D

Wynn

It's Double Action Only. No safety, no dec0ck. Same long (to me miserable ) trigger pull every time. I love the other two especially that Tactical one.
If that 645 ever goes on the block you let me know too, if my Dad O'Dell don't scoop it up. It's a great gun. I just made some handles for a good friend deputy that still carries one as his duty gun. Big, but nice.

[wyntrout]

I've kind of tinkered with the front sight too much... lowering it to point of impact... and then epoxying it a bit to smooth the rough edges. I'm no gunsmith, but I'm cheap!

Oh, yeah, and the night sights are DADN. Or is doornail one word? :D DAAD??

Wynn:D

[O'Dell]

It's Double Action Only. No safety, no dec0ck. Same long (to me miserable ) trigger pull every time. I love the other two especially that Tactical one.
If that 645 ever goes on the block you let me know too, if my Dad O'Dell don't scoop it up. It's a great gun. I just made some handles for a good friend deputy that still carries one as his duty gun. Big, but nice.

It's not as long as the old 4586 DA. Somewhere along the line they got smart. The slide action half cocks the hammer, so the trigger pull is less than .3 inch. [I measured it] It breaks pretty cleanly too. I still prefer the DA/SA on the other two though. I've shot the 4043 already and it's not too bad. Recoil is a bit more or maybe different than the 45's, but I'm as accurate with it as anything, except the 1911's and M&P 45. That includes the P220 and H&K's. I just picked up the 4563TSW today, and the store didn't lie. It is as new inside and out and the NS are bright. It came with three mags too, but they didn't mention that - part of the police package I suppose.

You have dibs on the 645. I've got small, medium and large. I don't need larger.

[O'Dell]

Love em. I've never seen a stainless 457 before. I had a blued 457 years ago that was a great shooter. It was part of their "value line".

My only 3rd gen now is my 3913 which gets carried quite a bit. It fits nicely in P9 holsters.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc81/jbabbler/pistols/3913-2.jpg

Nice looking pistol. It doesn't look like you've hurt it carrying it. I know the 457 is the same size as the 4513, so it should be pretty close to yours.

[Bawanna]

That's a huge improvement if the pull is only .3 inch. The ones I saw were probably at least 8 or 9 pounds seemed like. About the same as the first shot on the DA/SA guns. I always considered the first shot a c0cking shot.
I know a couple retired LA Swat guys who carried Smiths. In bad situations (they saw many) they'd shoot the first round into the floor just to get the gun c0cked for an accurate second shot.
They said often times just that first shot caused the bad guys to give up cause they knew they were serious business. Pretty sad tactics if you ask me but they used the cards they were dealt with.
One of their houses is the one I was building when the wall fell on me and ruined my day.

[O'Dell]

That's a huge improvement if the pull is only .3 inch. The ones I saw were probably at least 8 or 9 pounds seemed like. About the same as the first shot on the DA/SA guns. I always considered the first shot a c0cking shot.
I know a couple retired LA Swat guys who carried Smiths. In bad situations (they saw many) they'd shoot the first round into the floor just to get the gun c0cked for an accurate second shot.
They said often times just that first shot caused the bad guys to give up cause they knew they were serious business. Pretty sad tactics if you ask me but they used the cards they were dealt with.
One of their houses is the one I was building when the wall fell on me and ruined my day.

Look at the trigger position in the pictures of the 4043 at rest. You can see it's further to the rear than the two DA/SA pistols.

[jocko]

Nice looking pistol. It doesn't look like you've hurt it carrying it. I know the 457 is the same size as the 4513, so it should be pretty close to yours.

were always LOOKERS IMO, kinda growed on you like a 1911 does in looks. I remember whent he model 39's came out, many of my customers were leary of them for some reason UNTIL the Illinois State Police adopted it as their handgun, Then it was like someone like Bawanna telling us all now. That is is OK guys:third:

[Bawanna]

Look at the trigger position in the pictures of the 4043 at rest. You can see it's further to the rear than the two DA/SA pistols.

Yup, didn't notice that before but your definitely right. It's different.

[O'Dell]

You're a lucky man O'dell.

I once had a real passion for the 3rd generation S&Ws as well. I remember an article in American Handgunner years ago that featured the 3rd gen. Smiths. It was written by Mas Ayoob and the photos were by a Japanese guy who's name I don't recall....Ichiro ??? Anyway, I ran out and bought a 4506 and for years coveted the 9mm 6906. Never got the 9mm though.

You have a beautiful collection sir.

Thank you. I'm gonna stop while I'm behind, financially that is. I did the same thing with my 1911's. I got a small SA Ultra Compact, a midsized SIG 1911 C3, and a FS Nickel Rock Island Tactical. Then I stopped.

[frank_drebin]

The ultimate 3rd gen to me is the 4040PD. There's one on Gunbroker right now for $550 but I just can't justify it in the budget right now. Very few of these made. Its a scandium version of the awesome 3913NLS frame in 40S&W.

http://picturearchive.auctionarms.com/3058132601/8854380/acf9a2a.jpg

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=216788072

[O'Dell]

The ultimate 3rd gen to me is the 4040PD. There's one on Gunbroker right now for $550 but I just can't justify it in the budget right now. Very few of these made. Its a scandium version of the awesome 3913NLS frame in 40S&W.

http://picturearchive.auctionarms.com/3058132601/8854380/acf9a2a.jpg

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=216788072

But it's so.............BLACK!

[frank_drebin]

Yeah, aint she perty :)

Oh crap... I just went and put a bid in on the one on GB. Now I have to wait 5-days to see if I win..................

This will be a loooooooong 5-days
.

[Willieboy]

Very good looking gun.

[jlottmc]

Did they improve the way those things feel in the hand? I remember the first generations felt like a 2x4, and with my new SD40, I'm really wanting to play with Smith's again.

[frank_drebin]

Hey O'dell... We're neighbors. I'm in Henry County.

[O'Dell]

Hey O'dell... We're neighbors. I'm in Henry County.

Nice to hear from another Georgian. BTW, if you win that 4040, we only allow stainless or nickel in Gwinnett. :D In a low light situation it changes that "what has he got in his hand" to "Oh ----, he has a gun".

[frank_drebin]

Nice to hear from another Georgian. BTW, if you win that 4040, we only allow stainless or nickel in Gwinnett. :D In a low light situation it changes that "what has he got in his hand" to "Oh ----, he has a gun".

You Gwinecians are so racist :madgrin:

[frank_drebin]

BTW, I've never owned a Scandium framed gun before. Anyone have experience with em?

[O'Dell]

BTW, I've never owned a Scandium framed gun before. Anyone have experience with em?

I have no experience, but I think a very small bit of scandium is alloyed with the Al to make a stronger frame than aircraft quality Al alone. They can't use much because it's more expensive than gold. Personally, I would think it's a good thing.

[jlottmc]

I know the revolvers tend to buck and roar. Lots of people like to carry them, and hate to shoot them, which is why they turn up fairly often on the used side. I shot a snubbie in 357 like that once, it'll get your attention, but it's not that bad. I hear tale that the 44 mags hurt, but haven't had the pleasure of playing with them.
Any one got a third gen Smith to play with around my neck of the woods? I was serious about the ergo question.

[frank_drebin]

I find the 3rd Gen Smiths to be very comfortable and like the grip. Hogue grips are available if you prefer a more rounded grip. The Police trade-in "Tactical" (TSW) 4043's and 4006's that are on the market right now are an incredible deal at the $350 price point. New today, these would be $800+

[O'Dell]

I find the 3rd Gen Smiths to be very comfortable and like the grip. Hogue grips are available if you prefer a more rounded grip. The Police trade-in "Tactical" (TSW) 4043's and 4006's that are on the market right now are an incredible deal at the $350 price point. New today, these would be $800+

I agree and I personally prefer the factory grips. My 4043 has the factory as will the 457S when I get it. The 4563TSW has the Hogues and they are thicker, but feel like they will absorb recoil well.

As for the value I paid well under $300 for the 4043. It had some holster wear, but an hour with scrub pads and polish and it looks great. the 4563TSW doesn't have a mark on it and the interior is pristine. I don't believe it was ever carried or shot. I did pay a bit more due to the condition. The 457S is brand new so it was even more, but none were anywhere near the $750 - $800 they were new.

[frank_drebin]

I just removed the Ambidextrous (right side) safety and Mag Disconnect from my 3913. Now it's just like I like it.

[jlottmc]

I may see if I can play with one again. Who knows, I may have another pile that I just have to have.