I just acquired this first year 2003 "JRD" SW1911. I haven't disassembled it yet. The only obvious defect is the grip screws were buggered up with the wrong screw driver. I have replacements already ordered. Hopefully there are no other issues.

It looks like it had an easy life so far. Not for long my dear. Embedding didn't work for these so I'm including links.

Imgur: The magic of the Internet

Imgur: The magic of the Internet

The Billboard edition! Great find and no regrets I'm sure. Did it come with both magazines and whatnot? Well done.

Thanks! It came with two Wilson Combat magazines which look unused, usual S&W original owner paperwork, fired case, S&W plastic blue box with label.

It didn't come with a plastic bushing wrench which I thought they came with originally, but no matter, I have one. Somewhere.

I know where to find several "JRE" for sale, IM me if interested.

Very nice, I tried to get one of those recently, but the internet, in its infinite wisdom, created some snafu. Enjoy the new acquisition. Many years of happy, safe shooting to you.

Wasn't aware of a plastic barrel bushing wrench . . . JRD0990 came with a metal wrench.

Russ

Great pickup, cbunix!

In case it's interesting to you, here's a thread I started a while back when I ventured into the early Billboard guns. I got some good responses from a couple of members very familiar with these, and I thought you might enjoy hearing what they had to say.

SW1911 billboard questions (UPDATED again 6/17, with more pictures)

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Ukraine -- now more than ever

Ah OK, I assumed they were plastic, I didn't know they were metal. I prefer plastic because I'd bugger up the finish with a metal one.

One of the grip screw bushings is stripped, I'll have to replace that too. Under the grip panels the frame had some dried oil and/or discoloration. I'll get a chance to shoot it after this weekend.

I found the metal bushing wrench, it was behind the inner plastic foam, under the pistol. That's nice to have but I'll be using a plastic one.

I was able to shoot a couple hundred rounds today. No complaints at all, it's a plenty accurate shooter and should last me quite a long time.

Actually, that thread of yours got me going down the SW1911 rabbit hole! Thanks

Congrats on the early production JRD SW1911. If I recall right, they didn't switch over production from the PC to the regular Springfield factory line until sometime shortly around/after serial number 5000.

However, I'm attaching a couple of links (one a .pdf) regarding the Recall S&W released on the early JRD SW1911's with serial numbers through JRD4750. It involved a revision of the firing pin safety plunger design. As I recall, the revision prevented the firing pin safety lever from hanging up on the plunger and disabling function. The early plunger could stick down too low out of its recess and potentially have the safety FP safety lever tip catch "above" (under) it if the lever was engaged under some conditions. I thought it was during reassembly after field-stripping, not during live fire, but it could nonetheless damage the plunger.

The .pdf link explains how to tell if your SW1911 has already received the modification and revised plunger.

https://snwcdnprod.azureedge.net/sit...911_Recall.pdf

General info:
SW1911 Safety Recall | Smith & Wesson

A friend of mine had his JRD SW1911 affected by this Recall, and it was a quick turn around back then. Now that the SW1911's were moved to the Houlton plant, it might take a little longer.

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Thank you for the recall information fastbolt! The box is indeed labeled SP, I'll check for the punch mark on the slide tomorrow.

When I disassembled this pistol to clean it the first time I noticed a small part in the top back of the frame sticking up. Just going by the shape of what was sticking out it could have been the firing pin safety plunger but I'm not 100% certain.

I have another 1911 and I've had others before that one. I've never seen that part stick up like that before. I'll have to get to the bottom of that before shooting it again.

The SW1911 uses a Swartz type firing pin safety which is functioned by depressing the grip safety. The small part sticking up out of the frame, in the rear/right, is the firing pin plunger safety lever. When you depress the grip safety, it's lifted up against the firing pin safety plunger (in the slide), freeing the firing pin to go forward when the hammer falls.

Use care when reassembling the pistol after field-stripping, because if you depress the grip safety while trying to install the slide on the frame, you'll lift the lever up and it can stop the slide from going to the rear. (It can scratch/mark the rear of the slide, and if you do it hard enough you risk damaging the lever.)

Check out page 31 of the SW1911 Pistol Manual. If you don't have one, here's a link to the company's downloadable .pdf manual.
https://snwcdnprod.azureedge.net/sit..._441330000.pdf

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

Thanks for the link to the pistol manual.

The punch mark is present on the slide, so per what you said, I can assume the recall work was done.

If I ever wanted to buy a new replacement barrel would I be able to get one from Smith & Wesson?

I think S&W will sell you a barrel. Midway has them..

Many other better choices.. IMO..

All the other JRD and JRE I’m seeing online have a silver colored trigger, which I prefer, mine is a shiny black color. Did S&W ever use trigger like mine?

I can't remember what trigger came with the early production SW1911 my friend owned.

However, remember that back then S&W was still using many high quality vendor-supplied parts for their SW1911, and some good quality triggers are easily obtained from vendors.

Also, triggers are something that some 1911's owners may feel like changing, especially since short, medium and long triggers, as well as adjustable triggers, are available on the vendor market. No way to know without asking the previous owner (or the shop who handled the sale?).

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Ret LE Firearms inst & armorer

The shop that sold it to me didn't know about the history of the pistol. The trigger color isn't a big deal, just not something I prefer, but if it works it works.

Thanks for creating this thread, after reading I happened to see a S&W 1911 Billboard on a buy/sell site here in Canada. The seller didn't mention what prefix the serial number was so I sent him a PM.

He replied that it's a JRE serial and that the round count is unknown. From the photo it looks to be in excellent condition. He's asking around $615 ($800 Canadian dollars). Is that a fair price? I haven't seen any others listed just the E series and the occasional new PC models. Thanks for any help that the group can lend.

The JRE I see for sale are all about $750 US.

If the one you found for sale is in excellent condition then that's a very good price for the US market. I don't know what the Canadian market is like for that or competing models.

The more photos you can get the better, and of course ask about their inspection/return policy, if you're not happy send it back.

Thanks, that's very good advice. I noticed after I contacted him he's raised his price $150 so I'll have to ask him what's going on. At his new price it's a no go for me.