Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > Smith & Wesson Revolvers > S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present
o

Notices

S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present All NON-PINNED Barrels, the L-Frames, and the New Era Revolvers


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 02-03-2009, 01:02 PM
tipoc tipoc is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Redwood City, Ca. USA
Posts: 444
Likes: 311
Liked 604 Times in 122 Posts
Default

Awhile back I picked up the gun you see below (excuse the quality of the pics).





This is a M640 from the Performance Center. SN PCA02xx which S&W tells me was produced 6-8-91. 2 5/8" barrel with the compensator. Smooth rosewood stocks. It is set up identically to the Paxton Quigley model but predates that run by a few years. I see no reference to these in the 2nd or 3rd edition of the SCSW.

Unfortunately it did not come with a box or papers.

What do folks know about this run of guns?

tipoc

Last edited by tipoc; 11-19-2016 at 02:31 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 02-03-2009, 01:02 PM
tipoc tipoc is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Redwood City, Ca. USA
Posts: 444
Likes: 311
Liked 604 Times in 122 Posts
Default

Double post

tipoc

Last edited by tipoc; 11-19-2016 at 02:32 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 02-03-2009, 01:14 PM
SmithNut SmithNut is offline
US Veteran
Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640  
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,254
Likes: 1
Liked 8,786 Times in 1,518 Posts
Default

Nice gun, that's the first Performance Center revolver I ever purchased. It's one of the early PC guns, for sure. Mine is a few #'s before yours, just under 200.
Mine escaped over the wall some time ago, my daughter absconded with it, so I can't put my hands on the box right now. I will see about finding the product code and post for you in the next few days. I'm pretty sure the original grips were the Eagles shown on the gun below, but it's been about 18 years since I purchased it, so ??

__________________
.............SmithNut
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 02-03-2009, 01:34 PM
tipoc tipoc is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Redwood City, Ca. USA
Posts: 444
Likes: 311
Liked 604 Times in 122 Posts
Default

Thanks Smithnut. Any info is appreciated.

tipoc
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 02-03-2009, 01:51 PM
SmithNut SmithNut is offline
US Veteran
Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640  
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,254
Likes: 1
Liked 8,786 Times in 1,518 Posts
Default

tipoc,
I thought I had some info (flyer) on that gun, but couldn't find anything except the mention of this gun in Wiley Clapp's article in the October 1991 issue of Guns and Ammo. The article was on the guns of the Performance Center and there is a small pic of that gun included. The PC did have some reprints of this article early on, if you can find one it would be good to have with your gun.

Just called the factory and gave them my serial number and they provided the Product Code - 103795, interesting but not surprising that this is a non-PC product code (as we know them today). This is the first PC production lot of revolvers, prior to this time they were doing individual guns but found that it wasn't costly to do so, so they started doing small production lots for distributors (the initial few years were pretty much all with Lew Horton).
This gun's serial number is telling with the PCAxxxx sequence. Mine was shipped in June of 1991, yours would probably be the same time or very near to that date.
The Customer Service rep I talked to was kinda surprised that the product code wasn't a "PC" number, but responded with a oh, I see, that's a very early PC gun...

Here's the cover of that G&A issue:

And the page the M640 Carry Comp is shown:


Last comment, this little revolver sold me on what the Performance Center could do. J frames are notoriously hard to get a good action job on, but his revolver is about as close to butter smooth as anything I've ever experienced, in any frame size. If they can do that with a J frame, then I'm a believer. How's the action on yours?
__________________
.............SmithNut
Reply With Quote
The Following User Likes This Post:
  #6  
Old 02-03-2009, 04:15 PM
tipoc tipoc is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Redwood City, Ca. USA
Posts: 444
Likes: 311
Liked 604 Times in 122 Posts
Default

The gun was shipped on 6-8-91 according to S&W very close to yours.

The action is very smooth and relatively light for a J frame. The PC did a good job with that. The trigger is a help. Yes action jobs on J frames which smooth out the trigger pull without reducing reliability by lightening the springs too much are relatively rare.

The length of the barrel allows for a slightly longer ejector rod which is also a help. This gun gives us about 2 1/4" of actual rifling the additional 3/8" being the comp.

The smooth rosewood stocks are not so helpful in shooting. Evan with the addition of a set of Tylers to them they are a bit too slick for my purposes. I may spring for a set of Eagle Secret Service stocks (pricier than they oughta be) or a set of Ahrends and meanwhile try the Uncle Mikes Boot grips. Unfortunately I traded off most of my J frame stocks.

I've also found that the width of the front sight (.125) in relation to the square notch rear (.120) is a bit too fine a bead for my needs. An extra .005-.010 narrower on the front or wider on the rear would be a help. The overall configuration of the front sight is quite good though. The serrations particularly nice.

I've been J frameless for a bit (a Colt Cobra filling the void) and ran across this one at a good price and the serial number struck my eye so I scooped it and glad I did. Now I'll have to look for the G&A article. Thanks for that!

tipoc
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 02-03-2009, 04:55 PM
SmithNut SmithNut is offline
US Veteran
Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640  
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 3,254
Likes: 1
Liked 8,786 Times in 1,518 Posts
Default

Quote:
and meanwhile try the Uncle Mikes Boot grips
That would be my choice, or a set of Spegel boots (checkered). Can't go wrong with either.
The gun is a good all around package, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
I'm really struggling with my recollection on this, mine very well could have come with the smooth rosewoods, but the Eagles were seen quite often on early PC Lew Horton runs and it really seems to me mine came with these, but .... ?
__________________
.............SmithNut
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 02-03-2009, 05:03 PM
ladder13 ladder13 is offline
Member
Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640 Question on a PC 640  
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NC
Posts: 30,689
Likes: 57,536
Liked 52,812 Times in 16,465 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally posted by tipoc:

The smooth rosewood stocks are not so helpful in shooting. Evan with the addition of a set of Tylers to them they are a bit too slick for my purposes. I may spring for a set of Eagle Secret Service stocks (pricier than they oughta be) or a set of Ahrends and meanwhile try the Uncle Mikes Boot grips. Unfortunately I traded off most of my J frame stocks.

tipoc
I'd be more than happy to take those smooth rosewoods off your hands. I have cash or other J frame stocks for trade.
__________________
GOA/SAF
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 02-03-2009, 08:57 PM
tipoc tipoc is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Redwood City, Ca. USA
Posts: 444
Likes: 311
Liked 604 Times in 122 Posts
Default

May take you up on that Mike depending on what ya got. The Rosewoods are desirable though.

tipoc
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11-19-2016, 02:38 PM
tipoc tipoc is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Redwood City, Ca. USA
Posts: 444
Likes: 311
Liked 604 Times in 122 Posts
Default

I've updated this old post with a couple of pics.







tipoc
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
ahrends, colt, compensator, ejector, j frame, lew horton, performance center, rosewood, scsw, serrations, spegel

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Question About Smith Model 360PD Scandium/Titanium Question Rhetorician S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present 2 03-28-2015 09:25 AM
Nickel Baby Chief: W/Photos: New Question: Question Answered WCCPHD S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 29 01-26-2015 11:31 PM
Taurus Brand Question: An Honest Question? Rhetorician Firearms & Knives: Other Brands & General Gun Topics 108 12-21-2014 11:23 AM
Question about a Ladysmith 60LS .357 mag 2 1/8" - A Christmas Present for my Wife that came into my FFL. I have a recoil question and a couple of other questions to anyone that has one of these! .460V & XVR Magnum Man S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present 35 09-24-2014 09:19 AM
email question *Question Answered, Thanks! timn8er FORUM OFFICE 2 08-26-2013 08:22 PM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 06:24 AM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)