I finally joined the performance center club and purchased one of the original Lew Horton 945's. Of course with this new purchase I have some questions, as well as some information to share.

First as a level set, here is what the bluebookofgunvalues.com has to say about the original 945:

"Model 945 Special Performance Center .45 Match Pistol 170104
.45 ACP cal., 5 in. barrel, SA, titanium coated spherical barrel bushing, 8 round mag., Performance Center markings, post front sight, adj. Bo-Mar rear sight, checkered two-piece laminated wood grips, bead blast stainless steel finish, ambidextrous frame mounted thumb safety, grip safety as part of the short beavertail, Master trigger lock, "Performance Center" marked foam-filled aluminum case starting in 1999, ser. nos. LEW0001-LEW1368, 43.5 oz. (1998) 42 oz. (1999 and later mfg.) Mfg. 1998-2000."

I researched The super awesome 945 thread “CATALOG OF 945 PC VARIANTS - very LARGE accumulated reference material" and it lists two versions of product code 170104: 170104(A) and 170104(B). The 1998 “A” version is listed as 43.5oz with a LEWxxxx serial number, and the 1999-2000 “B” version is listed as 42oz with a RSAxxxx serial number.

However, my recently acquired LEW08xx 945 only weights 41.17oz and has the 1999-2000 aluminum case. Could it be that the 170104(A) and (B) are both a part of the LEWxxxx serial numbers? Does anyone have a RSAxxxx serial numbered 170104(B) 945?

Perhaps only the very first 945’s that were delivered in the black plastic Doskil case are the 43.5oz “A” versions and the newer 42oz “B” versions came in the aluminum case.

Does anyone know where the 1.5oz was trimmed from?

Here are some pics:

Weight 41.33oz - .16oz (paper) = 41.17oz

I don't know the answer but that sure is a pretty one.

Well I’ve tracked down a little more information thanks to GB.

It looks like the RSA and LEW serial numbered 945’s were made at approximately the same time. This contradicts the information in the 945 super post, which stated that the RSA serial number 945’s came after the LEW serial numbered 945’s and were an updated version with less weight. Based on the Julian date in the photos:

RSA0076 was made on August 25th, 1998
LEW0461 was made on November 16th, 1998

Mine is serial number LEW1202, and came in the PC aluminum case shown. The problem with the aluminum cases is that unless you have the original shipping carton and label (or at least the label), its impossible to verify that the gun and PC case were original mates.

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"We deal in lead, friend."

I have LEW07XX and RSA02XX (selling). I was all set up to weigh this morning but it overloaded my reloading scale. I didn't even bother using my bathroom scale thinking it wouldn't be that accurate.

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USS ZELLARS
DD-777

Thread bump......

skjos, it's a coincidence that the early Lew Horton 945 that i purchased today at a local gun show has the very same spec. ord. Julian date as the RSA0076.
Info on the early 945s is hard to find. Thanks for posting that.

here is today's 945 gun show find..

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All of the catalogs/pics in post #1 of the "super awesome 945 thread" skjos mentions are gone but here's the few that I had saved:

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Waiting for the break of day

I wish Lee Horton still put these out today

If they were still made today with the same degree of quality & hand fitting they would have to price them at maybe $3500. I think I read that they were too costly to make for what they were getting for them. Similar to the Colt Python syndrome.

Beautiful guns. I own a 3.25"Black and a 5" stainless. My 5" is the 170173. Personally, I see no performance difference between a BoMar and Wilson Combat rear sight. I prefer the fish scale to the wavy slide serrations. Also, the Billboard is tacky IMHO. And the Black finish is not nearly as durable even with carful handling. To me the 945 line represents the finest semi-autos in .45 Smith ever produced.

I purchased a 1911SC and love its feel and design. However, there was side-to-side barrel play in lock-up at the breach. This is necessary in a mass produced gun. That was corrected with a new barrel and bushing, custom fitted. This is not necessary with the 945 as the Briley bushing and tight rear lock-up are already present. It combines the best of the 1911 and 3rd gen design features. Its the epitome of craftsmanship to a .45 aficionado.

They're rather plentiful on GB from time to time for $1800 +/-. Just need to be patient and wait for the model (product code listed above) and then go for it. Dilly Dilly!!!