Used S&W 4516-1

[MistWolf]

I had a pair of S&W 4006 that I miss very much. One, I gave to my brother when he needed a duty pistol, the other I gave to a girlfriend I should never have taken up with. Took both to an S&W certified gunsmith and he did an amazing job on the triggers. DA was very smooth with no stacking. SA was crisp and clean and broke somewhere between 4.5 & 5 lbs. I bought the pair as soon they were released by S&W. Wasn't a fan of the DA/SA but I loved those pistols. I wish I'd had them converted to DAO. Heavy compared to my modern polymer pistols as they were all stainless steel, but I do wish I didn't give my last one to the old girlfriend!

[Catshooter]

Lost River,

That's a very nice pair. Sorta child abuse for you to post 'em, especially for a guy who used to have three (!) Shorty Forty Fives. Those CQBs were cool, I only ever saw one at our show.

And that's a rude comment about the 9 doing everything a BMG can. EVERYONE knows that it's true, it can, after all the FBI says so. And I believe them with all my heart, I'm sure they'd never lie or anything.

[3wire]

I'm another S&W 3rd Gen fan and have a 4516-2 model in my sparse S&W collection.

Today's plastic, striker fired handguns just don't hold much interest for me. I guess growing up with revolvers, I appreciate the craftsmanship and quality found in an all steel gun that I don't see in the newer style handguns of today.

I have heard that the 4516 was promoted heavily by S&W for Law Enforcement use, which LEO at the time required the DA modification for "double strike" capability, in case of a FTF round, which I find as a "plus" on my 4516-2. I'm not sure if this capability was standard on all 4516 variants or only those manufactured for LEO use.

Here's some additional information I have collected concerning the S&W 4516 handguns:

The original 4516 model has a stepped frame, dual recoil springs and a thinner slide with a rib along the top and flash chromed hammer and trigger. It is the lightest in weight of the 4516's.

There reportedly were slide inertia problems, resulting in feeding problems and also magazine issues. While most 4516 no dash owners had no issues at all with their guns, evidently there were some problems with a few 4516 no dash guns, as S&W did some design changes.

The 4516-1 eliminated the step in the frame and beefed up the slide, produced with flashed chrome trigger and spurless hammer. The recoil spring was changed to a single unit, with increased diameter guide rod, and the magazines were modified with the new “Yellow” followers and springs, and were etched “For use only in 4516-1”.

The 4516-2 variant changes included going back to a smaller diameter guide rod with dual recoil springs, redesigning the frame with a longer tang and blue/black forged hammer and trigger (some very late production 4516-2 models have the black MIM hammer and trigger.) Sometime around mid-production of the 4516-2 models, the magazines were revised that incorporated the newer “Black” followers.

The 4516-2, was and still seems to be, the most popular of the 4516 series.

The original 4516-1 models were manufactured with a single recoil spring on a .290” diameter guide rod, while the no-dash and dash-2 models were manufactured with a smaller hole in the tunnel to accommodate the .236” guide rod and dual nested recoil springs.

The factory parts you need are: (for small guide rod 4516 4516-2)
108660000 outer spring
108670000 inner spring

The magazines with the yellow followers, with the warning to use only in the 4516-1, work in all variants of the 4516, however, it is recommended that any used magazines have the springs replaced and upgraded to the newer “Black” followers.

[SW CQB 45]

I was big on SW 3rd Gen from 1997 to 2008 and got scared when they stopped making them and parts, so I eventually sold everything. I would break a lot of parts.

4506-1 tuned by PC was my first. very accurate
4516-2 tuned by PC was next. vary accurate for a shorty.

Then found a SW CQB 45 (my name) in both 4563 and 4566. I carried the 4563 CQB on duty.

My dad bought the Shorty 45.

I also had an 845, 945, 5906DPA, 4013TSW.

All great guns and all gone.

[TheNewbie]

I was big on SW 3rd Gen from 1997 to 2008 and got scared when they stopped making them and parts, so I eventually sold everything. I would break a lot of parts.

4506-1 tuned by PC was my first. very accurate
4516-2 tuned by PC was next. vary accurate for a shorty.

Then found a SW CQB 45 (my name) in both 4563 and 4566. I carried the 4563 CQB on duty.

My dad bought the Shorty 45.

I also had an 845, 945, 5906DPA, 4013TSW.

All great guns and all gone.

You broke a lot of parts?

[SW CQB 45]

You broke a lot of parts?

Yeah, but maybe I was the cause.

I took my gun apart a lot.

The CQB 4563 was used heavily for duty carry and training classes.

I belled two firing pins that I would dress back down and SW PC told me to replaced. I dry fired probably 3 times more than it was fired.

After a while on the streets, my trigger press felt odd and I sent it in on warranty. They replaced the trigger bar.

I broke two side plates (the part that goes under the grip and holds the hammer/sear pins). IIRC it was stamped steel and the two fragile fingers that would snap over a grooved pin either I would bend or snap. I had one left in part bin and saw posts on SWForum that they could not find one.

I kept breaking the trigger play spring which was the small fragile Lshaped spring riveted to the trigger bar. I was the cause of the breakage as I would run a rag from the top of the magwell and it would snag on the spring and break or bend it. I had a SW LE buddy (west coast) who gave me some (SHHHHHHH) these were not public but some stainless trigger play springs that were more durable.

I also did not care for the aluminum guide rod. It did not seem durable and a company (Menck) sold a stainless guide rod that had a heavy duty inner spring which dampened frame battering for a 5" and 4.25" SW4500. The CQB is a 4", so I cut one down and I was replacing recoil springs probably every 1000 rounds as they would get short.

With my hand size, the 1076 decocker grip fit my hand perfect. A slight modification internal mod was required for the frame mounted decocker grip to slide all the way up on the CQB frame. I would use skateboard tape on the factory grips as they were too slippery. Decocker grips disappeared from the market. Since I was wider that most 6'03" 275.... I would ding the shit out of my SW grips.

I used rubber Hogue's for a spell but I would get misfires. Turned out I had fatigued the rubber Hogues and my 3X hands was pushing the back of the grip inward causing it to make contact with the hammer strut.

I had some small parts in stock and every now and then I would lose a small spring and would replace it but my supply started to dwindle.

I made the hard decision to let them all go in fear no parts down the road.

my favorites were the CQB alum frame 4563, DPA5906 and the 845/945.

so I would break parts, but I was mainly the cause.

[MattyD380]

I also broke a side plate--on one of my 4516-2s. When you're changing grips, it's easy to snag one of those "fingers" that straddles one of the pins (sear pin?)... and I did. I was able to find a replacement somewhere... eBay, or Numrich. Can't remember exactly. That was in 2017. But yeah--the whole side plate setup seems a little "fiddly."

I never had a trigger play spring break, but I had some that needed to be pushed back into position using a pencil or something. That seemed to work.

I actually had two 4516-2s, at one point. I had a few "arbitrary" failures to feed and eject with one of them; in other words, it didn't seem to be related to underpowered ammo, bag mag, or anything else (unless it was just me). I kept them around a while longer, but settled on the Sig P245 as my "compact-ish" DA/SA .45. Sold both the 4516s. I will say they shot accurately for me. Though not quite as accurately as my P245.

[Catshooter]

Yeah, but maybe I was the cause.

I took my gun apart a lot.

The CQB 4563 was used heavily for duty carry and training classes.

I belled two firing pins that I would dress back down and SW PC told me to replaced. I dry fired probably 3 times more than it was fired.

After a while on the streets, my trigger press felt odd and I sent it in on warranty. They replaced the trigger bar.

I broke two side plates (the part that goes under the grip and holds the hammer/sear pins). IIRC it was stamped steel and the two fragile fingers that would snap over a grooved pin either I would bend or snap. I had one left in part bin and saw posts on SWForum that they could not find one.

I kept breaking the trigger play spring which was the small fragile Lshaped spring riveted to the trigger bar. I was the cause of the breakage as I would run a rag from the top of the magwell and it would snag on the spring and break or bend it. I had a SW LE buddy (west coast) who gave me some (SHHHHHHH) these were not public but some stainless trigger play springs that were more durable.

I also did not care for the aluminum guide rod. It did not seem durable and a company (Menck) sold a stainless guide rod that had a heavy duty inner spring which dampened frame battering for a 5" and 4.25" SW4500. The CQB is a 4", so I cut one down and I was replacing recoil springs probably every 1000 rounds as they would get short.

With my hand size, the 1076 decocker grip fit my hand perfect. A slight modification internal mod was required for the frame mounted decocker grip to slide all the way up on the CQB frame. I would use skateboard tape on the factory grips as they were too slippery. Decocker grips disappeared from the market. Since I was wider that most 6'03" 275.... I would ding the shit out of my SW grips.

I used rubber Hogue's for a spell but I would get misfires. Turned out I had fatigued the rubber Hogues and my 3X hands was pushing the back of the grip inward causing it to make contact with the hammer strut.

I had some small parts in stock and every now and then I would lose a small spring and would replace it but my supply started to dwindle.

I made the hard decision to let them all go in fear no parts down the road.

my favorites were the CQB alum frame 4563, DPA5906 and the 845/945.

so I would break parts, but I was mainly the cause.

You do fine job young man of living up to your sig line.

The lack of parts was my reason for getting out of my Shortys, too. Although I rarely used one to drive railroad spikes, unlike some.

[Brian T]

I have a Plano Zer Rust tackle box devoted to parts for my third gens. Fortunately many of the parts are interchangeable between the 9mm. Even some of the 9mm parts can be used on the .45s, and vise versa. The 9mm and .45 parts that cannot interchange are bagged up to identify. I feel comfortable in parts quantities and abilities to service my 3rd Gens for the long term.

The side plate is one of the weakest parts for the 3rd Gens. I have been kinda disappointed by the part considering the rest of the gun is so well made.

Not gonna lie, I'd love to find some of those stainless trigger springs

[john c]

My local cop shop has a 4516-1 for sale, but without a magazine, for $300. Should I get it? It’s an average police trade-in, not too scratched up, but with a little rust/chuzz in some of the grooves in the frame.

I think it’s a good deal, but how good of a shooter is the 4516-1? If it was full size, like a 4506 or 645, I’d jump on it. But I’m looking for a shooter or range gun, not a carry piece that compromises shoot ability for ease of carry.

Thanks


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