S&W....I Hate You!!!

[Dissident]

Well, I went to the range today to shoot. I avoided going last weekend because I thought that it was S&W Demo Days. I was a week off. The range was packed. When I say packed, picture gun show packed. Couldn't shoot my own, but if I wanted to purchase range ammo I could shoot all the S&Ws I wanted. I figured what the heck...ammo was cheap and targets were free. Some shooting is better than none. So I buy 50 rounds of ammo and wander over to the gun table. Let's say my irritation turned to pure glee. They had all the new models. SW 1911PD with the Crimson Trace laser grips, the Doug Koenig 1911, the Performance Center 1911, the standard models...it was heaven. I have been reading about all of these models and have wanted to shoot them for quite awhile.

I tried the PD first. Aye caramba. Smooth, accurate, light. I was curious about durability....the S&W rep told me that he shot one last November that had 30,000 rounds through it with no more wear than you would find on an all steel gun. He said that it was still going strong. I went out, talked to the salesman and traded my SIG 226 for one. I will pick it up in the next week or so. The PD was on sale because of Demo Days, was about $100 off regular price.

Went back and shot the standard. I was VERY impressed. Shot better than my Kimber. Very clean looking. No forward cocking serrations, accurate, great trigger pull.

Then I shot the Performance Center, hot diggity dog!!! I have to have one. I will beg, borrow, or steal for one. But of course...being a realist, I will actually have to trade up for it with some things out of my current stash. Many of you will yell "Blasphemy", but I will say that it has a better fit, finish, and overall appearance than my LB TRS and it was just as accurate. It has a beautiful polished stainless finish. I'm getting one.

My life was so simple but has now been turned upside down. However, I think that my handgun battery will have a lot more continuity. 1911PC for range and comp, 1911PD for carry. I see a 642 or 637 Airweight in the future too. At $339 and $309 respectively, those are prices that you'd have to be nuts to pass up.

[Coffee357]

Those PD models do indeed look nice! If I found one that already had night sights, I would own one. Right now I'm contemplating the Smith, Colt XSE LW Commander, or an aluminum framed Kimber 4". That scandium frame makes a strong arguement for the Smith. Oh decisions, decisions...

[John]

Why do I think I need to redo the S&W section of the Home Page? And why on earth, don't I see those models you are talking about in their web site?

[Dissident]

Oh they're there. On the website and in the 2005 catalog. The PC is listed in under Peformance Center models. The PD is replacing the SC. The DK is under both Performance Center and standard models.

http://www.firearms.smith-wesson.com/store/index.php3?cat=294735&sw_activeTab=3

http://www.firearms.smith-wesson.com/store/index.php3?cat=407524&sw_activeTab=1 (http://)

http://www.firearms.smith-wesson.com/store/index.php3?cat=407523&sw_activeTab=1 (http://)

[Big Sky Rancher]

Why do I think I need to redo the S&W section of the Home Page? And why on earth, don't I see those models you are talking about in their web site?

John check out this thread:
http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=2474

Click on any photo that you are interested in within that thread and it will take you to the S&W website for that model.


That PD and the SC look like great carry guns. I've been very pleased with the PC1911s I picked up a couple of months back. Here's a photo of one.

http://home.comcast.net/~1911brass/SW_PC1911_016sm.jpg

[Dissident]

Well, I couldn't wait till next weekend. I went back today and picked up my PD. A 642 also followed me home. I know have my winter carry in the PD and my summer carry in the 642.

It might have been a whole nother ball game if the shop had any PC models in. They did have the model that Brass Balls has so exquisitely photographed in this thread and it was a beauty. It was, however, already spoken for. I think that I will get me a stainless model though as they are about $300 cheaper and I really like the look of the polished stainless. Very classy. Pete Pi from Corbon was at the shop doing some ballistics testing in conjunction with S&W Demo Days and was shooting his stainless PC. As the PC comes with the Wilson Combat adjustable sights, he simply removed the standard black sight blade and replaced it with one with tritium inserts and replaced the front with what I believe was an Ashley Big Dot tritium. He also put some black thin Alumagrips on it. All that I can say is wow.

Heres the pictures of my new kids and one along with big brother.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v715/dissident74/HPIM0739.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v715/dissident74/HPIM0738.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v715/dissident74/HPIM0737.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v715/dissident74/HPIM0736.jpg

[Coffee357]

What exactly is the difference between the Sc and the PD?

[Dissident]

They are the same. The PD is the new version of the SC. S&W decided to take the bill board logo off the left side of the slide. The rep told me that it was because there were enough people voicing a negative opinion about the appearance that they decided to go with the much cleaner appearance on the PD.

[Big Sky Rancher]

Great lookin' pistol, Dissident! Look forward to reading about how she shoots once you get a chance to break her in.

I can definitely see one of these in my future.

[Dissident]

Great lookin' pistol, Dissident! Look forward to reading about how she shoots once you get a chance to break her in.

I can definitely see one of these in my future.

Thanks Brass. Not as good lookin' as that PC model you have there. Man do I want one. The wife works a couple of nights this week so I can get into the range without having to wait for the weekend. I will be sure to let you know how she shoots. You have to give a range report on the PC though.

[Big Sky Rancher]

Here's a little write up I did on the PC1911 a little while back.

http://forum.m1911.org/showthread.php?t=1867

[AGB]

I have been to the range on saturday for a little pratice and a fellow there had a SW .45ACP. SDince it was the first time I saw one, I asked him to disassemble it. Although it resembled a 1911, internally it is quite different. No barrel link, the barrel feels much looser than in a normal 1911 when you pull the slide backwards and so on. No safety grip also, and the grip is completely diff than the reg ones, not 2 pieces, but a single, U shaped one. Now the question: this is aparticular model, not a clone, right? Does it shoots better or worse with this barrel arrangment? After taking it apart and looking at it, make me remeber some Beretta/Taurus models. What gives?
Thanks.

[Big Sky Rancher]

S&W was making .45 ACP semi-autos long before they began to make 1911 pattern pistols.

[AGB]

BrassBalls,

But the gun looks like a 1911. The front part of the gun makes You swear it is a 1911, when you take it apart some weird parts pop up. Do their clones looks like the real stuff or are just vaguely based?

[Dissident]

Was it one of these?

http://www.firearms.smith-wesson.com/store/index.php3?cat=407537&item=1207361&sw_activeTab=1

After reading your message more thorougly I think that what you might be refering to is a 4506 or one of S&W other DA/SA semi-autos. I base this on the fact that the gun didn't have a bushing and the grip description.

[AGB]

Dissident,

Not the one in the link, the one I saw had no grip safety. It was SA. What has catch my attention was how loose the barrel played in the slide, the lack of the barrel link and the way the barrel is in the gun. Would like to hear some comments about it, if the system/gun is worse/better than the 1911 models. It was a well maintained/preserved gun, not worned out.
Thanks.

[Dissident]

Hmmmm....

After doing some more investigating, about the only thing that I can come up with is possibly the 645. Other than that...you've stumped me, which isn't hard to do.

I finally got to the range tonight with my Kimber and PD. They both shoot like heck on wheels. I shot about 150 rounds of dirty UMC ammo each and not one malf. At 15 yards, both put a fist sized hole in the X-ring. I'm thoroughly impressed with the PD and I think that it will make a superb carry piece. I just need to get some night sights and a holster and I'm good to go.

I know that it's only been 150 rounds, but if this is any indication of how good the PD is going to be, and if this is indicative of the quality that S&W is putting out, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one for anyone thinking about it. Now I definitely need to start pinching my pennies for a PC model. But the base model looks pretty nice too and for the cost, I think that it's a steal.

[ChittyBANGBANGBANG]

Help??? I just picked up a S&W model 108295. This gun has the Crimson Trace grips in OD. The gun finish is matte silver. NIB I got it for $843 down from asking price of $980.

What do I have and how did I do? 5" barrel by the way.

[KY NIMROD]

Well, I went to the range today to shoot. I avoided going last weekend because I thought that it was S&W Demo Days. I was a week off. The range was packed. When I say packed, picture gun show packed. Couldn't shoot my own, but if I wanted to purchase range ammo I could shoot all the S&Ws I wanted. I figured what the heck...ammo was cheap and targets were free. Some shooting is better than none. So I buy 50 rounds of ammo and wander over to the gun table. Let's say my irritation turned to pure glee. They had all the new models. SW 1911PD with the Crimson Trace laser grips, the Doug Koenig 1911, the Performance Center 1911, the standard models...it was heaven. I have been reading about all of these models and have wanted to shoot them for quite awhile.

I tried the PD first. Aye caramba. Smooth, accurate, light. I was curious about durability....the S&W rep told me that he shot one last November that had 30,000 rounds through it with no more wear than you would find on an all steel gun. He said that it was still going strong. I went out, talked to the salesman and traded my SIG 226 for one. I will pick it up in the next week or so. The PD was on sale because of Demo Days, was about $100 off regular price.

Went back and shot the standard. I was VERY impressed. Shot better than my Kimber. Very clean looking. No forward cocking serrations, accurate, great trigger pull.

Then I shot the Performance Center, hot diggity dog!!! I have to have one. I will beg, borrow, or steal for one. But of course...being a realist, I will actually have to trade up for it with some things out of my current stash. Many of you will yell "Blasphemy", but I will say that it has a better fit, finish, and overall appearance than my LB TRS and it was just as accurate. It has a beautiful polished stainless finish. I'm getting one.

My life was so simple but has now been turned upside down. However, I think that my handgun battery will have a lot more continuity. 1911PC for range and comp, 1911PD for carry. I see a 642 or 637 Airweight in the future too. At $339 and $309 respectively, those are prices that you'd have to be nuts to pass up.
The only thing I can say is WHY???? Don't they have these type of things where I live. I would love to be able to test fire the S&W 1911s but, those things never happen around where I live. How do you find out when and where they have these things, who do you ask???? BTW I live in London, KY. And by the way dissodent I want one too!!!!!!!!!!!!

[garrettwc]

AGB, I'm thinking it's either the early model Performance Center 745

http://www.horstheld.com/SW-745.jpg

or the current generation 945

http://www.roger-raymond.tmfweb.nl/pc945.jpg

Dissident, S&W was through here a couple of weeks ago. The shop they were at didn't have a range though. That's probably the only thing that saved me. :p

[Tang419]

come on, give in, you know you want one

This is a 4-1/4" SC

http://www.imagestation.com/picture/sraid209/p2311f7265ed3ff07724b19b7ba90e986/ee229d4f.jpg

[pa_guns]

Hi

The local Cabella's here still has new in the box billboard marked stainless SW1911's for $650. I suspect the stores in KY do as well.

Couldn't get away from the wife long enough to grab one though....

Somehow she seems to think I should be content with the two week old one with the tactical rail on it. :)

Bob