I found a 646!!

T

ThomasH

New member
Hooray, hooray, happy day! I asked my local dealer in Watsonville, California; and my Dad in Hamden, Connecticut; to try and find a S&W Model 646 for me. This model is a Performance Center edition of an L-framed revolver, chambered for the .40 auto pistol round. Very limited in production. Here's the picture SmithNut posted at the Gunspot online forum:

View


Boring details of how my Pop found me this gun... He drove up to the factory in Springfield, and took the tour (again). He chatted up the Performance Center folks during the tour and they started trying to find a 646 for him. They sort of did! :-) They found they had a new one sitting at their range, so my Dad headed over there.

A nice person found this new 646, and seemed willing to sell it to my Dad. Suddenly someone else noticed what was going on and rushed over trying to shout under their breath that, "That's Jerry's!! You can't sell him that, it's the one we're holding for Jerry Miculek!! (The S&W revolver shooting champion)"

So, I almost had Jerry's 646!! :-) I would have given it back if he asked, though!

Anyway, I guess they felt bad about pulling the gun out from under my Pop, so they called around, and found another new one, in Newington, Connecticut. Heck, that's almost on the way home from Springfield to Hamden! :-) They directed the dealer to hold the weapon for him, and my dear old Dad drove over.

And even then, at the Newington gun shop, it turn's out that someone else had already spoken for the gun, but the employee that had answered the phone didn't know it. But since my Pop was there with the money, and I think the fact that the Performance Center had been quite firm about holding this gun for my Dad, he was able to purchase said Model 646!! Yahoo! I really wanted this odd gun, I'm not sure why, but I know myself well, and there is a good reason somewhere!!

Now I think I'll just drive across country and pick it up!!

Thomas
 
Gunslinger,

I think I understand, and I sympathize. I'm new enough to the purchasing of firearms, and I love S&W revolvers so much, that I wanted to get a couple of new ones before I could no longer. I am trying not to buy anymore new S&W revolvers, and just get more of the great old ones. I don't like what the S&W management have done either, but it's hard for me to blame the guns themselves. But I understand buying new ones gives money to the Management. (But I've met a bunch of S&W employees, and they seemed like real nice folks, too.)

Thanks for caring enough to speak up Gunslinger! I wish more felt so strongly!!

Thomas
 
Whether or not to buy a new S&W, Ruger, Colt... is a personal decision for every gunbuyer.

Congrats and safe shooting with your new 646.
 
Congrats, looks like fun. But...just out of curiosity...do you think it serves a role or fills any niche in the revolver world that isn't covered by (say) an L-frame .357 Mag?

I can rationalize almost anything <g> and, as a guy I know says, "just 'cuz" is always a good reason. I'm wondering if I could rationalize buying one (leaving aside the boycott issues) and am having trouble thinking of any objectively good reasons to own a .40 Auto revolver?

BTW, I do own a 940...and yes, I can come up with two relatively rational reasons to own it! <vbg> But, like I said, there's always "just 'cuz"!

(edited) Ahhh, I see -- Ti cylinder! Interesting...a relatively heavy SS frame and the wickedlite Ti cylinder. I wonder how it balances? It's an interesting weight reduction method. Ti is supposed to be stronger than steel -- thus the new-for-2000 super-scalloped cylinders on the 342PD J-frame. Let us know how it feels and shoots, please!

[This message has been edited by JNewell (edited May 04, 2000).]
 
Hi JNewell!

Like I say above, I'm not yet sure why _I_ bought it, but I know there _is_ a good reason. I know that sounds wierd, but I'll be 45 on Saturday, and I'm almost never wrong!! :-)

Some reasons I have heard that other's have bought it, and guns like it, include:

Using a "auto" cartridge (usually short for their caliber) in a revolver, allows the ejector to _completely_ extract the fired cases from the cylinder. Therefore they just "drop away" rather than requiring further manual extraction to clear the cylinder. This enables faster reloads for folks shooting in those "practical" and "defensive" competitions. This effect is supposedly even greater when your cases are being held together by "moon clips", which add rigidity and weight.

One purported advantage of the Titanium cylinder is lack of rotational inertia. In other words it should spin with less effort, especially getting it started, and stopping it. This would aid in real "speed" shooting, where every thousandth of a second counts. That is why Jerry Miculek was said to be interested in it.

On the gripping hand, however, I am a _huge_ .357 Magnum fan! All my other revolvers are chambered for this caliber/cartridge, and I have always been very impressed with it's versatility. My father has handloaded all kinds of stuff for them, .38 special hand poured lead wadcutters, hollow point rabbit loads, up to fully jacketed loads that still set me trembling when I shoot them. As far as the .357 magnum goes, I'm one of _those_ people! :-)

The .40 "&" cartridge seems (_to me_) to be the closet equivalent in an "auto" cartridge. I really like shooting it, but oddly because it seems like a challange to shoot well. The guns I've tried seem very ammo sensitive, and the sharp recoil makes them difficult to shoot for pure accuracy. But I also like the terminal ballistics. Most of the statistics say this is an powerful combination of caliber, weight, and speed. I'm planning on owning at least a few .40 semi-auto pistols soon.

So that is some background, that may provide some clues as to why I wanted this thing. But maybe all that has nothing to do with it!! :-)

Thomas (Pro-Gun, Pro-Choice, Who's _my_ Candidate!?!)


[This message has been edited by ThomasH (edited May 04, 2000).]
 
ThomasH: DAMN!!! i want a 646 like relvover is a HUGE way! how limited is this gun...do u know? i have been asking for an L-frame 10mm/.40S&W gun for 3 years! i'm going to have to ask the Performance Center to see if one in 10mm will be coming out. I ENVY UR DAD!!!

man this would be a great gun to add to my collection.

can i ask how much it was?

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Mik

<A HREF="http://"http://marina.fortunecity.com/harbour/347/10mm.html"" TARGET=_blank>my 10mm page</A>
 
bk40, you are absolutely correct sir, what brand of firearm one chooses to purchase is a personal matter. Which political party one chooses to support is also a personal matter as well. Whom one votes for is a personal matter. What, if any, organizations one chooses to belong to is a personal matter. However I doubt if many TFL members are registered democrats. I seriously doubt if many TFL members are going to rush to the polls in November to cast their vote for Al Gore. I very seriously doubt if many are card carrying members of HCI. So what I am having a difficult time understanding is why are members supporting these peoples efforts by buying new Smith and Wessons. If we can't even trust the members here to support the boycott (read our RKBA) then we are in trouble.
Oh, joy, joy, let's all run out and buy the pretty new Smith and Wesson because we've always wanted one in that model and to hell with the impact it has on our future rights.
People wise up! This was a test! A test to see how far they can push us! A test to see if we (gun owners) have the back bone and the unity to stick together for our beliefs. A test to see if we are just a lot of hot air. If we can pass (read FAIL) these test then it is just a short step to the next test of how far they can push us. The next step will be restricting just how sharp our sticks can be and/or how large the rocks are we use to defend ourselves and our families.
Last month the members here were all yelling to boycott S&W. Why am the only one here now speaking out against them?


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Gunslinger

TFL End of Summer Meet, August 12th & 13th, 2000
 
because i'm tired. :( maybe i am already beat. :( there are 2 good revolver makers in the us. s&w and ruger. they have done comparable bad things in the rkba movement. i like their products.

mik,

a l frame 10mm would be sweet :)

[This message has been edited by 6forsure (edited May 04, 2000).]
 
Hi Mik and bk40!

Thanks for the nice comments! I think this has been (so far) a fairly limited production. My Pop was told that 250 were made and that's all they are going to make (at least this year). I've seen posts by folks I consider S&W experts that I recall saying that 150 were made. My local dealer told me that someone at Lew Horton's told him that around 200 were made and they are hoping to get another 104, (of which 97 are already spoken for) but that they may never arrive. Then again, maybe S&W will just make it a production gun! :-)

So, I sure don't really know how many were made, but mine is number 10X! It seems most of them have been snatched up, the one they were "holding for Jerry" was supposed to be the last one in Massachusetts, and the one my Dad grabbed in Newington was said to be the last one in Connecticut. If you want to buy one (before swearing off S&W forever) you better make every contact you can, soon. My local dealer quoted me $850, I don't know what my Pop paid.

Thomas

[This message has been edited by ThomasH (edited May 05, 2000).]
 
Just to stay sorta on topic, and leaving aside the boycott question, I would find (as someone said) an L-frame 10mm Auto more appealing than a .40 Auto, for the same reason that (all other things being equal) a .357 Mag is more appealling than a .38 Special -- it's more flexible. The only 10mm on the market comes, I believe, with an optional wheel kit and is about as portable as my home generator...

The boycott issue is particularly acute in Massachusetts because Slick & W handguns are the only ones that (currently) comply with the AG's "consumer safety" regs (which were probably intended to put FFLs out of business and halt handgun sales).
 
Well boys and girls.... what is my finders fee??? I can lay my hands on one of these RIGHT NOW! My gun shop in little ole Pflugerville Texas has one. And they have no idea what they have. $859. By the time you call Robbie at Cooks, I bet the price goes WAY up. :)

I almost bought it and then sold it to the highest bidder on here. :D

But then... I am not ever buying another S&W. That and I just found a mint Colt 1911 in 38 Super that I bought and am customizing for ESP IDPA competition at the Nationals. ;)


------------------
Bubba
IDPA# A04739
====
It is long been a principal of ours that one is no more armed because he has possession of a firearm than he is a musician because he owns a piano. There is no point in having a gun if you are not capable of using it skillfully. - Jeff Cooper

[This message has been edited by Bubba (edited May 06, 2000).]
 
Those of you who choose to ignore the boycott of the traitorous sell outs at Smith $ Wesson are doing a great disservice to the gun movement. I also want another 625 Smith $ Wesson, but it will not be a new one. I will do without first. You people are giving aid and comfort to the ememy. If we can't stick together on something as simple as this, we are doomed. This is a war whether or not you people want to wake up and realize it or not. What are you going to do when all of our rights are completely gone. I guess you can move on to other toys. New Harleys are kind of nice.

7th

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SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL POLICE, KEEP THEM INDEPENDENT.

[This message has been edited by 7th Fleet (edited May 07, 2000).]
 
Hi 7th!

Thanks for caring enough to protest, but I think most of us actually agree with you, we just "draw the line" in a different place.

It seems to me that if a Smith and Wesson product is already in the dealer's display cabinet, then S&W has already been paid for it, and the only person that gets hurt if it is not purchased is the dealer. If it is made clear to the dealer that no "new" S&W's will be purchased, so he might as well not order any more, I don't see a problem with supporting the _dealer_ by purchasing a S&W product that he has already had in stock.

I can even understand someone wanting to buy "one more" before swearing off. I know my S&W buying schedule has been rudely interrupted, and I am having to adjust.

I too was planning on purchasing one of the 5" model 625s, but since no nearby dealer already has one in stock, I am postponing that purchase indefinitely, and looking for a used version.

I am not happy with what the management of Smith and Wesson has done, but that doesn't make me less of a fan of the revolvers the factory built for them. Let's remember the little people involved too!

-Thomas
 
7th fleet,

if they buy ruger, they are doing the same thing.

if boycotters destroy a local manufacturer of arms, are we really any better off?
 
Bulldog, that is right on!

ThomasH,

Yes, it is hard for some people to see the grey line of what to stand up for and what not to.

I'm just glad it's guns and not people we are talking about on this forum cause it seems there are a lot of folks that would sell us down the river.

I like the reference to the S&W employees being good guys. Hmmm! using that logic means that there were only four for five bad Nazi's at the top and all the rest were just innocent guys trying to feed the family right!?....Wrong.

How does it feel to have helped sell out all of those millions of future gun owners for an overpriced .40cal revolver? I hope it's worth it. Why don't you just write out a check to HCI! or Billary's election fund. Hey, and maybe while your'e at it you may want to buy a suitcase full of crack "before it's all gone". -ddt
 
also no winchester ammunition, they don't sell some 'self defense' ammunition to the public. if they are affiliated with winchester guns, no more model 70s or model 1300s.

no tauri with their pc trigger lock.

what about remington not marketing 'police weapons' to the public or their 'home defense' shotgun not taking 'police' accessories. no more 870s or model 700s.



[This message has been edited by 6forsure (edited May 09, 2000).]
 
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