Description
The Smith & Wesson 4566 Performance Center represents one of the most purposeful evolutions of the company’s third-generation duty pistols—an all-steel .45 ACP built not only for service reliability, but for enhanced performance through the hand-fitted refinement of Smith & Wesson’s renowned Performance Center. This example carries an added layer of historical and collector significance, having been featured and tested in Combat Handguns magazine as part of Wiley Clapp’s period evaluation of the platform, thereby placing it firmly within the documented lineage of modern fighting-pistol development.
Built on the robust 4566 architecture, the Performance Center variant was never intended as a simple cosmetic exercise. Each pistol benefited from precision slide-to-frame fitting, tuned barrel lockup, and action work designed to smooth and refine the traditional double-action/single-action trigger system. The result is a sidearm that retains the rugged durability demanded of a full-size duty pistol while offering a noticeably more controlled and consistent shooting experience. Chambered in .45 ACP, the platform pairs substantial stopping power with the recoil-dampening advantages of its all-steel construction, creating a balanced, authoritative service handgun.
Visually, the pistol maintains the clean, businesslike lines that define Smith & Wesson’s third-generation autos. The combat-oriented sight configuration, frame-mounted decocker/safety system, and wraparound factory grip reinforce its practical intent, while subtle Performance Center refinements elevate the pistol above standard-production counterparts. Every edge, surface, and mechanical interface reflects the additional time and attention invested during Performance Center assembly and finishing.
Wiley Clapp’s association with this model further enhances its appeal. Long respected for his practical perspective on combat handguns, Clapp’s written evaluation in Combat Handguns positioned the 4566 Performance Center as a refined fighting pistol, bridging the gap between factory service arm and custom-tuned sidearm. Period photography and testing impressions from the article provide tangible documentation, transforming this example from a Performance Center pistol into a publication-featured piece of Smith & Wesson history.
Collector interest in Performance Center third-generation autos has steadily increased as these pistols represent a now-closed chapter of Smith & Wesson manufacturing, an era when major makers still invested in hand-built service pistols produced in limited numbers. Examples with documented print features or industry association stand apart even within that niche, offering both mechanical excellence and archival provenance.
This Smith & Wesson 4566 Performance Center remains in excellent overall condition, preserving the factory finishes, mechanical integrity, and presentation quality expected of a documented custom-shop pistol. For the collector drawn to modern classic combat handguns, particularly those tied to Performance Center craftsmanship and period firearms journalism, it represents a compelling and increasingly scarce acquisition.
