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Old 08-19-2011, 02:10 PM
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PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906?  
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Default PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906?

I'm looking at one of these PC DPA prefix 5906's. Briley bushing, match grade barrel and an OK trigger. Yea, OK trigger, nothing spectacular.

My question, to anyone who may own examples of both, the PC 5906 and a standard 5906, is the PC 5906 worth four times the price of a standard 5906?

If I'm shooting 2.5 to 3" groups at 15 yards with a standard 5906, how much smaller would the groups be with a PC 5906 using the same ammunition?

This PC 5906 would cost me over 1K. I can't shoot it prior to purchasing it. I'm just wondering if its performance is really worth such a premium. Regards 18DAI
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Old 08-19-2011, 03:23 PM
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PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906?  
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John, hows it going, Well Ive had/ shot 5906 PC's since they were made, my original gun has over 60-,70,000 through it. It will still shoot dime size groups at 25 yrds. The triggers are the same as any 5906, but you just have it smoothed up. I put a set of the adj night sights on it/ novak extreme duty/ and its a great duty gun. WAY heavier than a 5906, which is bad for carry but good for shootin. If you can find a 5" version they are even better.
The first time I shot the 48 rd NRA service auto course with the 5" , I was laughing it was so easy to clean. The 5" actually has a slightly longer sight radius than a 5" 1911, and is way more muzzle heavy. I can clean a couple PC 5906s in the same time as 1 1911. They are just a neat gun.
Keep your eyes open, a teammate of mine, a couple months ago got one off the ar15 forum for 6 bills. I will keep my eye open for you. Bob
also my older guns like lighter bullets and the newer ones heavier bullets, somewhere around 98-99 I think PC changed barrel twist.

Last edited by CALREB; 08-19-2011 at 03:25 PM. Reason: add info
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Old 08-19-2011, 09:12 PM
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PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906?  
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between 2000 and 2005, I carried SW CQB 45. I also came across a DPA5906 locally that I knew the history on and decided to buy it.

early 2000, these were my qual for both. the qual consisted of push off (close up), and at the 5yd, 7yd, 15 yd and 25 yd shots, some timed for a total of 50 rounds.

of course I used up all the time and focused on X ring and used the barricade at 25.

I got counseled by a forum member a couple of weeks ago for getting rid of my CQB. I guess my only recourse was it had been sitting for years and I am all 1911 now.

We have a new chief and not sure if he likes 1911 or not. if he does not and policy goes south....I may soon regret getting rid of the CQB.

Anyway...here are the qual pics. my DPA was tight, smooooooth DA trigger and ....well you decide

50 shots


50 shots
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Old 08-19-2011, 09:42 PM
S&W247 S&W247 is offline
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PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906?  
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I have a 4" DPA5906, a 5" DPA5906, and a 5" DPA5903.

I feel the 4" was worth the 2x price I paid for it. Trigger pull isn't that much lighter than the standard 5906, but a lot smoother. Haven't shot it enough yet to really gauge accuracy, but it appears to be very accurate and I've never seen a PC gun that won't easily out shoot a standard gun.

The 5" 5903 has a trigger pull very similar to the 4", maybe very slightly lighter pull weight. I haven't shot it much either, but it appears to be every bit the tack driver as the 5" 5906 and I like the balance of it better. That being said, I just use it as a backup gun to the 5906 since I feel the heavier weight should help with follow up shots. FWIW, I paid about $900 for it.

So as for the 5" 5906, the day I no longer own it is the day I die or am homeless and hungry! I probably paid 4x current standard 5906 price but I'd go so far to say its worth 8x. It will hang with any $3K 1911 that I've shot enough to evaluate (a Nighthawk, 3 or 4 Les Baer, and a single stack STI something or other). I forgotten what the spec is for the PPC 5906 but I remember checking a this gun shots it with UMC 147gr off a rest. It has a noticeably lighter trigger than my other 2 DPA's and is even smoother, so I suspect the former owner has changed mainsprings. I need to look one of these days but it has ran flawless for probably 5K rounds and I didn't get the other two until recently for comparison. I shoot it for USPSA and 3-Gun using the old model 59 20-round mags and have been extremely pleased.

So if you can benefit from the better accuracy and better trigger then I have found them to be well worth the money. I don't think a finer gun can be had $ for $. As for the price on that gun, that is probably a little high unless it was NIB. $750 to $900 is more the going price for the 4". If you want a 5" that is a different story. I've only seen seen three 5906's and two 5903's come up for sale in the last 3 or 4 years. They are worth the price at which you or the guy(s )you are bidding against chicken out.

My $2.

Last edited by S&W247; 08-19-2011 at 09:45 PM.
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Old 08-19-2011, 10:11 PM
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PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906?  
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I talked another guy into buying one of the PC 5906's back when they were released (but didn't bother ordering one myself).

He already owned a 5906 which he'd "cleaned up" (as a long time armorer). He was very impressed with the increased accuracy of the PC model.

I'd been carrying one or another issued 5903 for some years by that point, and I was more than a little surprised by the inherent accuracy of the PC model. I remember thinking that the trigger didn't really "feel" all that much better, but it sure shot better than the rest of the standard production guns I'd been using and shooting.

I regret not having bought one. Granted, they're all-steel and therefore heavier than an alloy double column S&W 9mm, but they really soak up the felt recoil and cut overlapping holes on the range.

I guess it depends if you want to spend that much money on a leisure range/target gun, and how much use/enjoyment you think you'll get out of it.
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Last edited by Fastbolt; 08-19-2011 at 10:14 PM.
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Old 08-19-2011, 11:41 PM
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PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906?  
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I have owned a regular 5906 and currently have both 4" and 5" DPA versions. The regular 5906 was a very good, reliable service grade gun. The DPA guns are a "whole nuther thing", IMHO. Kinda like the difference between a service grade 1911 and something like an Les Baer or Ed Brown. Like the Freedom Arms revolver I bought instead of a Ruger Blackhawk, the precise fit and finish of the PC versions is the main reason I bought them. Having owned both standard and PC versions of the 5906, I doubt you'd see much difference in accuracy at 15 yards. If shooting a smaller group at 15 yards is the criteria, you may not want to invest in a PC5906. Although I didn't shoot my standard 5906 for groups at 50 yards, I suspect it would be a different story at this longer distance. So, whether or not I shoot the DPA guns better, like S&W247, the DPA guns are a couple of the last I'd ever want to part with. BTW, I paid more than a thousand a piece for each of my DPA guns, and don't regret it one bit.
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Old 08-20-2011, 08:47 AM
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PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906?  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by S&W247 View Post
I have a 4" DPA5906, a 5" DPA5906, and a 5" DPA5903.

I feel the 4" was worth the 2x price I paid for it. Trigger pull isn't that much lighter than the standard 5906, but a lot smoother. Haven't shot it enough yet to really gauge accuracy, but it appears to be very accurate and I've never seen a PC gun that won't easily out shoot a standard gun.

The 5" 5903 has a trigger pull very similar to the 4", maybe very slightly lighter pull weight. I haven't shot it much either, but it appears to be every bit the tack driver as the 5" 5906 and I like the balance of it better. That being said, I just use it as a backup gun to the 5906 since I feel the heavier weight should help with follow up shots. FWIW, I paid about $900 for it.

So as for the 5" 5906, the day I no longer own it is the day I die or am homeless and hungry! I probably paid 4x current standard 5906 price but I'd go so far to say its worth 8x. It will hang with any $3K 1911 that I've shot enough to evaluate (a Nighthawk, 3 or 4 Les Baer, and a single stack STI something or other). I forgotten what the spec is for the PPC 5906 but I remember checking a this gun shots it with UMC 147gr off a rest. It has a noticeably lighter trigger than my other 2 DPA's and is even smoother, so I suspect the former owner has changed mainsprings. I need to look one of these days but it has ran flawless for probably 5K rounds and I didn't get the other two until recently for comparison. I shoot it for USPSA and 3-Gun using the old model 59 20-round mags and have been extremely pleased.

So if you can benefit from the better accuracy and better trigger then I have found them to be well worth the money. I don't think a finer gun can be had $ for $. As for the price on that gun, that is probably a little high unless it was NIB. $750 to $900 is more the going price for the 4". If you want a 5" that is a different story. I've only seen seen three 5906's and two 5903's come up for sale in the last 3 or 4 years. They are worth the price at which you or the guy(s )you are bidding against chicken out.

My $2.
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Old 08-20-2011, 08:49 AM
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PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906?  
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Here's my DPA pack:

Safe Queen
Back-up
Carried everyday
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Old 08-20-2011, 01:53 PM
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PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906?  
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Hi Bob! You talked me into it! He said the rifling was different. 1:16 twist IIRC. I called this AM and he sold it yesterday afternoon for his full asking price. Please advise if you see a clean one!

CQB - Nice shooting!

Fastbolt - I regret not ordering one too. I had talked to S&W and was going for a 4" with slide serrations, no mag funnel. This was in late 2006. Half down as a deposit on the $1100 price and 30 days for the gun to be completed. Then I found myself in a divorce. No money after that - for anything!

Nice collection Palmetto Sharpshooter. I especially like the last one with the spurless hammer.

Thanks to all for the responses and information! Best regards 18DAI.
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Old 08-20-2011, 08:12 PM
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Are the 4' and 5' DPA still being manufactured by PC?
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Old 08-20-2011, 08:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SW CQB 45 View Post
I also came across a DPA5906 locally that I knew the history on and decided to buy it.

Anyway...here are the qual pics. my DPA was tight, smooooooth DA trigger and ....well you decide

50 shots
That looks familiar and it still shoots really nice
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Old 08-20-2011, 11:24 PM
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PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906?  
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Quote:
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That looks familiar and it still shoots really nice
Hope all is well Grinder? I knew you would chime in with one.
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Old 08-21-2011, 06:00 PM
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PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906? PC DPA prefix 5906's. How much better than standard 5906?  
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Quote:
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Are the 4' and 5' DPA still being manufactured by PC?
No sir, and I doubt they'll make them again.
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