| Smith & Wesson Model 646 | |
|---|---|
| Type | Revolver |
| Place of origin | United States of America |
| Production history | |
| Manufacturer | Smith & Wesson |
| Specifications | |
| Cartridge | |
| Action | Double-action |
| Feed system | Six round cylinder loaded with moon clips |
The Smith & Wesson Model 646 is a six-shot, double-action revolver chambered for the .40 S&W pistol cartridge, manufactured[when?] by the U.S. company Smith & Wesson. It was only produced for one year, and did not catch on quite as well as Smith & Wesson had hoped.
Design[]
The 646 was offered in a stainless steel finish with titanium cylinder. Production was limited to 300 guns. It was offered in a standard L frame and a Performance Center version; a space-age looking stainless steel revolver with a slab-sided heavy barrel and matte gray titanium cylinder.
Operation and availability[]
The 646 is unusual in that it is a revolver chambered for a rimless cartridge generally used only for semi-automatic pistols. In order to effectively use the rimless .40 S&W cartridge, the revolver utilized moon clips, a metal flange which holds the cartridges in place for loading and ejection. But unlike other moon clip revolvers such as the 610 and 625, the 646 generally wouldn't fire a cartridge without the clips. Dogged by persistent complaints of sticky extraction, ignition problems caused by varying rim thickness on factory .40 ammo, and a MSRP just shy of $850, it vanished without much comment after its short run.
See also[]
- Smith & Wesson Model 686
- Smith & Wesson
- Moon clip
References[]
The original article can be found at Smith & Wesson Model 646 and the edit history here.