Let me first state that I have never owned or become familiar with any 1911. I had the opportunity to pick up a "Billboard" S&W today. There are several things about it that I need help with. 1st, what is the lever on the slide stop? I have never seen anything like that before. 2nd, several things seem to have been modified: it now has a Kart barrel and Novak sights. Are these items desirable? 3rd, I read somewhere that the JRDxxxx serial # can tell you the date of manufacture. 2 being the year (2002) and 012 being the 12th day of that year. I've read that S&W started making 1911s in 2003. How could I have a 02? And last but not least, this gun came very dirty and without anything but a Kimber mag. Can I find a manual somewhere for this?

How do I add pictures?

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The SCSW says they introduced them in 2003 too.

Sounds like you have the box since you have the date code (2012) already.

They started making the 2003 pistols in 2002.

Here a link to S&W's 1911 owners manual:

http://snwcdnprod.azureedge.net/site...1330000_WC.pdf
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Add more pictures of the things you need answers on.

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Waiting for the break of day

The JRD serial number prefix would indicate an S&W 1911 that was produced in late-2002/early-2003 . . . the first year of production. I have JRD0990 which was test-fired at the factory in Feb 2003.

If your serial number is JRD2012 it does not indicate the date of production . . . just that it was the two thousand and twelfth S&W 1911 produced . . . and was likely produced in 2003. The Special Order Code on the box, however, is the Julian date of manufacture and would fit your description of being produced on the 12th day of 2002.

I'll defer to others on your other questions,

Russ

Thanks for clearing that up. Any idea what that little "lever" is on the slide stop? It's on both sides.

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No idea about the lever, mine does not have that and it is a JRD also. Customer service at S&W should be able to help on that one. Maybe it was owner added.

The front lever is the slide stop and the rear the safety, its twin on the right side is the safety for lefty's. Just purchased this morning a twin to yours (in stock form) from a fellow forum member. Enjoy yours!

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Stay safe people!

I don't know what that gizmo is on the front of the ss. Someone drilled out the original rod that goes through the barrel link & put a forged steel rod in & that piece holds it from moving? I don't know. Hope someone does I'm curious.

I've never seen a slide stop pin like that, either. Do the black "teardrop" parts unscrew or pop off? I wonder if it was done for disassembly purposes by the original owner

Kart barrels are known to be quite good, but the value of an aftermarket barrel isn't the tube itself--it's the fitting and installation. I don't believe it adds anything to the gun's value, unless it was installed by a named 'smith.

Ditto on the Novak sights (presuming they're aftermarket as well). The installation isn't particularly 'artful', but it's also not a hatchet job. If the sights were melted into the frame (both sights and frame reshaped to make them look as if they grew together) then that would be a sign of some pricier work.

The Billboard is not common, I have looked for a while without success. You may not see another off the internet for a while

I too have a JRD prefix Billboard SW1911. Mine is number 0119 and the box has "2360" on it, telling me the gun was produced on the 360th day of 2002. This, to me, stands to reason because S&W announced the gun in 2002 and displayed it at the SHOT show in February 2003. I have read a post here on the Forum from a member who bought his Billboard as soon as his LGS got one, which was in January 2003.

It would be odd for your Billboard in the JRD 09xx range to have been produced so much earlier than mine in 2002. I think there must be a miscommunication somewhere concerning the Julian date on the box. Can you double-check it?

It also appears your pistol had some of its original parts changed out for aftermarket ones, including the slide stop with the little lever-shaped pin head on it and the barrel. The original JRDs did have some aftermarket components because the factory had not tooled up to produce everything in-house at that time, but I've never seen a slide stop like the one you have.

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Ukraine -- now more than ever

My JRD0990 which was test fired at the factory in February 2003 has a Julian date code of 3044 on the case . . . which is consistent with the fired case test date. That also seems consistent with the production date of your JRD0119.

My comment on the OP's JRD2012 was the confusing part . . . he read somewhere that the serial number was the Julian date and I was attempting to say that wasn't so.

Sorry for the confusion,

Russ

Still no comments on the odd slide stop must be one of a kind home brew.

I'm wondering what it is also. My Billboard does not have it either.

It appears to rotate inside the slide lock. Maybe a lock to keep the slide lock in place.

I'm wondering if it functions a bit like the 2-piece slide stop on my Nelson conversion. In that part, the pin is a separate part from the lever. What that means is that you can angle the lever against the stop/safety plunger with the pin partially out, and then push down on the pin. Presto-bango--no easy in and out with no idiot marks, ever.

I have a JRD and a JRE in my gunsafe. If you keep your eyes open,you can pick them up. This one obviously has some swaps done on it. Unless those mods speak to you (or the price is screaming good), I would pass. However, that is just my opinion. The stock JRD and JRE are great shooters. Only thing I did was swap out the grips and install an ambi.

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Thanks for all of the help / suggestions guys. I did pick it up for a good price. The lever on the ejection port side has a tiny Allen screw acting like a cotter pin in the slide stop pin. If I can't find an allen key that fits it I will Dremel it off so that I can take it down. Once I get this thing apart maybe I can figure out what it does.

DREMEL ???!!!???

NOoooooo!

Go to a hardware store and buy a set of allen wrenches. Don't chop something up until you know what it does!

Please??

WisconsinKen,

I have a more recent (smaller SW rollmark) version of this pistol that starts with UCYxxxx. Is there a major difference in build quality, etc from the JRD/JRE versions?

Thanks!

Quite a few S&W 1911s have passed through my hands over the last 10 years in the form of many different models. Deep down I regret letting each one go. I have never been disappointmented with the S&W 1911 quality. Each and every one of them has been solid and reliable.
The generation after the billboard is a high quality sound 1911 I would put up against anything as far as reliability is concerned, especially in that price range. They are some of the most undervalued 1911s out there IMHO. I am always keeping my eyes open for them.
The mystique of the billboard is the chance of your sub 1000 serial number JRD having some high end after market parts in it and being potentially assembled by the PC guys.
IMHO, your small rollmark is just as good as the Billboard and I do not know personally of anything really different between them except cosmetics. Anyone else know of any differences?

Hello, very nice 1911 there. The barrel is a top quality, sort after, aftermarket barrel. It will aid in accuracy, ( if it fits right, and you do your part) but will detract from "collector value".
I am a loyal follower of the 1911, and I never have seen a slide stop exactly like that. I sometimes look at parts alone, and still I have not seen it. DO NOT DREMEL IT OFF PLEASE!!!!!!
Bring it to me in NJ, and I assure you, we will get it off without harming it or the gun!!
I am not a gunsmith, but I am beyond mechanically inclined and I have most every tool known. My offer is sincere.

In the automotive collector world, we would call your gun a " day two" model.
Meaning, day one, it was stock, until home, then the aftermarket goodies of the period where installed. Some folks choose to leave it this way during a restoration, as it was the history.

If that were my gun, I would leave it as is, but would hunt up the original components, just to have them, and to have the ability to swap it back if desired.



You don't see one of them each day. Enjoy it!!! PLEASE, NO DREMEL!!! Also, a picture of the right side, that focuses on the slide stop pin protruding may help answer the question.

Maybe it puts the gun into full auto? :-)

Rich

First thing I would do is give that pistol a thorough cleaning!!! Of course if you cannot remove that slide stop...