Catalog of Performance Center 945 Variants

The Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 945

The information provided below was originally collected by member “sig.natures” in thread CATALOG OF 945 PC VARIANTS - very LARGE accumulated reference material, unfortunately Photobucket wiped out the pictures in the original post, and data in the tables has not been updated in some time. By creating this new thread, I hope to continue the work he started and expand the 945 knowledge base.

This is still a work in progress, and as you can see there are still many gaps in the tables and this is where you come in, if you own one of these fine pistols and can expand on the collected information, please reply to this thread and I will integrate the information into the original post. Also, if you see a typo or an error let me know and I will see that it gets corrected.

The tables have been split into four separate groups simply because the complete table would be compressed so much it would become illegible. The 945 product codes are listed in ascending order across the top and those pistols with unknown product codes are listed last.

945 Group 1 (Product Codes 170104 (A) – 170156)





170104 (A)
The original 43.5 ounce version



170104 (A) LEW/RSA
Plastic case LEW and RSA, note the Julian date code (8237 – 08/25/1998) is the same for these two pistols.



170104 (B)
Smith & Wesson removed 1.5 ounces from the original 945 in 1999 and started to deliver in aluminum cases; any idea’s on where this weight was removed from?


170104 (C)
One example has been observed with a two-tone finish, the serial number is at the very tail end of the LEW guns.





170147











170152











170153









170156









945 Group 2 (Product Codes 170169 (A) – 170177 (C))





170169 (A) Black slide, black frame








170169 (B) Black slide, satin frame






170173 (A)




170173 (B) No billboard







170174





170177 (A) Stainless slide, satin frame, no machined step on slide








170177 (B) Black slide, black frame, no machined step on slide



170177 (C) Stainless slide, satin frame, no billboard, no machined step on slide






945 Group 3 (Product Codes 170180 – 170227 (B))





170180









170184 (A)






170184 (B) No billboard



Later Production (Plastic Case)







170222 (A)



170222 (B) No billboard






170227 (A)



170227 (B) All black frame






945 Group 4 (Product Codes 170259 – UNKNOWN 4)





170259 The SCSM states “new cost” (4th edition, page 435), so I’m speculating it is a reintroduction of an existing model, but unsure which one.
need pictures




170300






170330
Need Pictures




Unknown 1 Adjustable sights






Unknown 2 Novak sights, bolt on rail





Unknown 3 Novak sights, no rail




Unknown 4 4" Stainless




This is what I have so far, hopefully 945 owners can compare their pistols to this material and let me know where I need to add information and/or correct errors.

Nothing of importance to add. Just a big THANKS!!

...and is it just pure coincidence (or deliberate) that you post this at 9:45 PM (central time)??

jughed440 said:

Nothing of importance to add. Just a big THANKS!!

...and is it just pure coincidence (or deliberate) that you post this at 9:45 PM??

Click to expand...

After months of searching, I finally found a local-ish fellow willing to part with two of his four 945’s. We agreed to meet on a Saturday morning at a fast food joint kinda in the middle. Thinking only about how long it would take me to get there, I set the meeting for 9:45 am.

I also have found a local individual who is willing to part.. we are supposed to meet today.
With all the Big Auction sales I have been trying to establish price points which is almost pointless...BUT here is a question for all you stats guys.

Is there anything you have seen that makes one 945 more "valuable" than another? Long vs short barrel, Aluminum vs steel frame, SS vs Black vs 2 tone? Particular Product codes with known low productions numbers? 945 vs 945-1? Thanks for the answers in advance!

There is a notable thread with a lot of this info in it. This is much more up to date.
Thank you by the way!!
Any chance this can replace that one or at least get to notable thread index too? Great work.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Awesome post sir...

jughed440 said:

...and is it just pure coincidence (or deliberate) that you post this at 9:45 PM (central time)??

Click to expand...

Total coincidence, but awesome.

mbliss57 said:

Is there anything you have seen that makes one 945 more "valuable" than another? Long vs short barrel, Aluminum vs steel frame, SS vs Black vs 2 tone? Particular Product codes with known low productions numbers? 945 vs 945-1? Thanks for the answers in advance!

Click to expand...

My opinion only, I think rarity plays the biggest role, with the straight serrations being the most rare, followed by the wavy serrations, also the high contrast look of the black and polished stainless seems to command a premium.

As far as the best shooters, I've heard the original 945's without the firing pin safety have the best triggers, and the longer sight radius of the 5" guns further improves their accuracy.

mbliss57 said:

There is a notable thread with a lot of this info in it. This is much more up to date. Any chance this can replace that one or at least get to notable thread index too? Great work.

Click to expand...

Member "sig.natures" originally put most of this information together, but his last post was in 2013, and Photobucket wiped out most of the pictures. Luckily, other members saved most of the data and I've been able to reconstruct the material. Creating the new tables took awhile, but I can keep these up-to-date when new information comes in.

I can put a request in to the moderators to add this to the notable thread index.

Great work! Makes me want to find another one.

170104 (A) LEW/RSA
Plastic case LEW and RSA, note the Julian date code (8237 – 08/25/1998) is the same for these two pistols.

Click to expand...

For reference, here's a pic of the label with complete serial #.

jughed440 said:

For reference, here's a pic of the label with complete serial #.

Click to expand...

Thanks, I added the picture that matches the RSA picture to the original post.

945's

What a tremendous pictorial narrative showing the Golden Age of the Smith & Wesson PC !! These were great pistols, a couple of which I had and foolishly let go. They were reliable, accurate and beautiful pistols that are now a reminder of a by gone era we will sadly never see again.
But, don't despair, you can pick up an M&P Shield for $299 !!!

Jughed440 , I've got your brother . Same product code , same cheesy box , but mines an RSR with a serial# of 0043 .

Unknown 3 : PC #170174 serial # PCZ0411 5" fixed sight no rail.Received by Lew Horton 3/28/02 shipped to Army Navy Store Pittsburgh 4/6/02.

PCZ0412 also a 5" fixed sight no rail gun not from Lew Horton.

Tom

I think we may be out in the weeds any time we have a PCZ-prefix Performance Center gun. Seems to me that if you are holding a PCZ in your hands or in your safe, you are holding a RARE pistol. It may not be much different than another similar PC pistol, but there is probably some small nuance that is different.

Makes this game even more fun.

Sevens , it's fun , but damn it's expensive . Please don't tell my wife .

Sometimes its not THAT expensive. Quite often, the seller doesn't bother to find out what it is they are selling.

Below is my Performance Center 45CQB Prototype. One of one. PCZ serial prefix. Used in the American Handgunner article on same in 2001. Purchased from a pawn shop in MD for not much more than a standard 3rd gen 45 - at the time.

A friend recently purchased a Performance Center compensated 40 from a large, well known gunshop in Charlotte. One of 25 or so made. For the sum of $475 + tax. THAT shop should have known better. Regards 18DAI

Well, I am preaching to the choir of course, but in my opinion... these are fantastic things to spend your money on, if you are going to spend money on a hobby or on something you enjoy. I’m not saying that they are a fantastic investment per se, but that if they are scarce guns to begin with and we keep them in top shape, they hold a helluva lot of value.

I’ve thrown lots of money at sports cards and motorcycles and other fun stuff, but I don’t think there are many hobbies where the money spent can and often does hold a value sometimes awfully well.

I don’t regret the 100,000+ miles of motorcycling I’ve done, but I can tell that I spent a HEAP of money and while the memories and experiences are priceless, I have nothing left over that is literally worth cash money from that hobby.

Sevens said:

I think we may be out in the weeds any time we have a PCZ-prefix Performance Center gun. Seems to me that if you are holding a PCZ in your hands or in your safe, you are holding a RARE pistol. It may not be much different than another similar PC pistol, but there is probably some small nuance that is different.

Makes this game even more fun.

Click to expand...

A nuance such as the squared trigger guard on the 945 pictured on the flyer. I'll hopelessly be looking forever for one of these, but with my luck it's more than likely the only one in existence.

Notice also that the stock/grip panels have a little thumb ridge, at least on the pictured left side stock panel. I’ve definitely never seen these before (and 945 grips are model specific) and those grips along with the trigger guard, well it makes me wonder if the picture is a CAD rendering of a pistol that doesn’t actually exist as shown.

Let me add to the thread...

Dont have a product code or a spec order #...

Ill go back n read so more, sure would like to date this fine lady...

Enjoy
Erik