S&W 1911's

I am not interested in 1911s with external extractors.

Interesting. S&W has been successfully using external extractors since the 1950’s. John M Browning used an external extractor in his HP design. Yeah, Kimber had some problems with theirs and it took a couple of design mods before they got it right. I have one Kimber with an external extractor that I have run thousands of trouble free rounds thru. Zero malfunctions. I’ve had more than a few Colts and other brands that required tuning and tweaking of the extractor to get them to function. You are certainly entitled to your opinions, as am I. However, I would suggest that you do yourself a disservice by ignoring the 1911 variants that utilize the more modern design.BTW, what new designs have you seen that use an internal extractor?
 
"I am not interested in 1911s with external extractors"

I've heard this sentiment many times and I just don't get it. Is it an appearance thing? Granted I only own the one S&W 1911PC (pictured above) but it's external extractor works perfectly. Please explain?
 
Certainly, IMO is clearly stating your opinion, but I’ll still try to sway it using a rational argument. 945’s are under priced in the market, it’s not a model made by 50 different manufacturers, it’s a single model only produced in one single place in man’s history and only for a short span of time... less than a decade and now out of production for a decade, and will never come back.

Collectible handguns have plenty of different components that help make up their trending market price, but one of the larger components is their original MSRP. It would be silly to discuss the market of the 945 without comparing it directly to the market of other S&W Performance Center pistols, and these pistols carried a MSRP of $2,157 in the 2008 S&W catalog.

If we see where the 952 trades, I cannot agree that 945’s are over priced where they trade at right now.

Also FWIW, though a certain slew of them in the past month have sold for north of $1,500 the market for the 945 over the past many year’s span has been significantly lower than the 952.

These are my opinions, of course. ;)

I have to concede that in the S&W collection community of which I am a part, that the 945s are cerainly collectable. So maybe over priced is only when looking at them from a functional tool / shooter persepctive. I did own one for a couple of years and foolishly sold it. It was the 3.25" No billboard. It was a very nice pistol, With MSRPs in the $2K range in 2008 it puts them on a level just below entry level Ed brown, Wilson Combat, and Les Baer. These companies custom build every gun and produce less than 3000 handguns per year. (some say less than 2000)

My point:
You can get a used WC for around $2k (low end) right now on the Big Board. It is a better built pistol than any S&W 1911. Many 945s are pushing the same price point. The difference is a very high quality custom used gun that sold new for $3K and is now $2K depreciated. Versus a custom high quality collectable used gun that sold new for $2k and it's collectability is keeping it's price up there.
WC, LB and Ed Brown are profitible in the custom market. S&W must not have been or they would still be in it producing custom 945 1911s or some variation of that. BTW I was able to purchase a WC QCB for $1800 4 years ago LNIB and only 2 years old. So I have owned them and the 945.
I would still like to own another 945. I won't pay $2k for one though.
 
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I have a 3" PC Scandium Pro Series 1911 in 9mm. I am not exaggerating when i say i have had dozens of 1911's over the years. Many Smiths, Wilsons, a couple Les Baers, 1 Nighthawk, Colts, and many others. The calibers have covered the spectrum- .45, 9mm, 10mm, .
The 3" Pro is hands down the best of the bunch. I have about 3,000 rounds thru it. Never a malfunction of any kind. Not a slide lock failure, not a failure to feed, extract or eject, not a failure to go into battery, nothing, zero malfunctions of any kind.
Can't say that about any other 1911 except the Smiths i have owned and a couple Wislons. They were all .45.
This little gun is the only 1911 i have or want and i shoot a hundred rounds or so every time i go to the range.
Great pistol.
My only concern is getting a replacement recoil spring when its time. Can't find them anywhere but have not called Smith yet. I figure i will just keep shooting until it doesn't work. Not sure of the service life but i am going to find out.
 
Unfortunately for those of us in the Socialist Republic of California it doesn't end with the auction...First is it on the roster...second you pay the FFL'S anywhere from $75.00 to $125.00 to accept the shipment...third you pay state sales tax on the invoice 7.5/9%...Then of course the DROS and your 10 day waiting period...so $2K pistol easily cost you an additional $200.00/$250.00...
 
Well that’s not anything specific to S&W 1911 pistols. You could make that your signature line for posting anything to any gun discussion forum. Most of us know that California laws are egregious and horrendous.
 
Here is my Pro Series 9mm. This model features the scarcely seen “wavy” style serrations that S&W didn’t use often back at this time. They have made MANY of this model (all with the wavy serrations) but very few other models featured this style. The PC 1911-2 Doug Koenig pistol in .38 Super wore them, as did a very rare variant of the PC 945 model.

This pistol is extremely attractive in my opinion, my photo doesn’t do it justice.



It’s one of very few S&W guns that I own that was produced in Houlton, Maine.
 
I own one of the old JRD stainless base model SW1911 from their early introduction. Has the FPS. Shoots great, reliable, all that. I keep thinking about swapping parts to remove the FPS, but never get to it.

I also own a SW1911SC scandium-frames ltwt commander. Also .45ACP. Again, great shooter.

Last is a Springfield Armory OACP in 9mm. Not as nice as the SW1911s, but I must say that the 9mm and OACP 1911 go together like peas & carrots.
 
I know I'm a little late to the party, but I have seen a number of used but like new S&W 1911s on GB that list for $1500-1600 new, selling in the $600-800 range. IMHO, they are a steal at those prices. I have two and both are 100% reliable and very accurate. With a trigger job, some internal parts polishing and a lifetime warranty, I think they compare favorably with anything under $2k.









Im actually in the market for a 1911 and S&W was one of the 1911s I was looking at. It was their E Series and they were all $1200-1400.

Now I dont mind paying a bit more for a gun, especially one I like, but to me for what it is I did think they were a bit over priced.

That said I did enjoy how they felt in my hand, they has a positive safety it wasnt too easy to push off, good sights but I found a few other 1911s from other makers that were 750-900 and thats where Id like to stay.
 
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I know I'm a little late to the party, but I have seen a number of used but like new S&W 1911s on GB that list for $1500-1600 new, selling in the $600-800 range. IMHO, they are a steal at those prices. I have two and both are 100% reliable and very accurate. With a trigger job, some internal parts polishing and a lifetime warranty, I think they compare favorably anything under $2k.

I certainly agree you can find them on the secondary market for less though I was speaking "new".

Of course as you say they can be found on GB or any number of websites but rarely are they found "used" at local shops, at least in my area, which is a credit to their likability.
 
Interesting. S&W has been successfully using external extractors since the 1950’s. John M Browning used an external extractor in his HP design. Yeah, Kimber had some problems with theirs and it took a couple of design mods before they got it right. I have one Kimber with an external extractor that I have run thousands of trouble free rounds thru. Zero malfunctions. I’ve had more than a few Colts and other brands that required tuning and tweaking of the extractor to get them to function. You are certainly entitled to your opinions, as am I. However, I would suggest that you do yourself a disservice by ignoring the 1911 variants that utilize the more modern design.BTW, what new designs have you seen that use an internal extractor?

Nothing wrong with external extractors, I just don’t like external extractors or mim on 1911s, locks or mim on Smith revolvers or anchovies on pizza. It’s merely a matter of personal preference not a subject intended for debate. I like external extractors on my Sigs, Glocks, Berettas, etc. :)
 
I agree that there is nothing wrong with external extractors. John Browning must have liked them also since most of his designs utilized external extractors.
 
That makes me think - why an internal extractor on the 1911, when other designs (1903, vest pocket, 1910, et al) were external? I'd be curious to know why the design choice, if anyone knows.
 
It seems like everyone I know that has guns has a 1911. I don't have one but I am wanting an early JRD serial no. or what I have seen referred to as a "Billboard" 1911 to add to my assortment of handguns. Anybody have one that can offer an opinion?

I bought one a long time ago. It’s a ‘JRD’ and I just found out a few minutes ago it’s a first year run. It’s still bone stock and uses original springs and mags. Never had a problem with it or a reason to let it go. Great guns IMO.
 

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"I am not interested in 1911s with external extractors"

I've heard this sentiment many times and I just don't get it. Is it an appearance thing? Granted I only own the one S&W 1911PC (pictured above) but it's external extractor works perfectly. Please explain?

I merely said I am not interested in 1911s with external extractors, I didn’t say they don’t work. Same thing goes for the IL. I like what I like and it doesn’t need to make sense to anyone but me. I like my Glocks, Sigs, Berettas just fine with there external extractors. I just don’t want one on my 1911.
 
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