Hello everyone,

I hope I’m posting this in the right forum.

I am a new fan of S&W pistols and I have my eye on the 3566. I have done some searching and the prices seem to be all over the place. Some of the posts are old and assuming the posted value is dated. What is a realistic price for a 3556 Limited in today’s market?

Thank you!

It's hard to price these out OP. If they come with a 9mm conversion barrel and the original blue case or stainless briefcase, I would say those command a premium over those without. The question for me always isn't if I want one (that's a given). It's if I want to add an unobtanium and expensive caliber to my already obnoxious amount of calibers I have guns/load for.

Sorry guess I need to answer your question. I'd buy a 3566 Limited with no case and no 9mm barrel for $800-$1100.

SVT28

Sent from my LM-V450 using Tapatalk

Wow that’s pretty cool that being “a new fan” of S&W pistols you’re interested in a 3566. Be careful though those old, (real,) PC pistols are even more addictive than the others.

You are correct in that prices are all over the place. Depending on which model they seem to sell for $1,800 to over $2,000. I was offered a ANIB 3.5” one for $2,400 but that seemed to much for me and I passed.

Welcome to the Forum and great first post/question. When and or if you do get one, let use know what you think.

Jim

Thank you both for the reply. I always seem to gravitate toward expensive pistols. I like heavy all steel full sized limited style pistols and the 3566 hits the Mark.

Well then why not consider an 845? You can get prime examples for less than equally the same 3566’s.

The first run MPC ones were even called Limited.

.45 acp ammo is a whole lot easier to get, (well sorta now,) and I can attest to the incredible form, fit, function and accuracy of the 845. I’d like to say it’s my favorite S&W pistol I have but then I start thinking. Hard to have just one favorite depending on what it’s use is.

Jim

The 3566 Limited is a very nice firearm; in my opinion, one of the best looking pistols produced by the Performance Center.

@ehess45, per a quick search on Gunbroker, it looks like you recently purchased one (yesterday)--congrats on the pick-up.

I have one too; I purchased a 9mm conversion barrel for mine.

Post some pics once you get your 3566.

In my opinion, the 3566 Limited is simply the most gorgeous semiautomatic that Smith & Wesson has ever made, ever, no exceptions. Yes, definitely in an odd chambering.

A 9mm barrel is a great addition. But if you may not be aware... there is another option or angle some may not know about.

A Performance Center PPC-9 is almost (almost, people, almost) the same pistol. It has a different finish/look and it his different sights, but the frames, slides, and every mechanical element is exactly the same between them.

Not that a PPC-9 is super easy to find or cheap hahaha... but still.

I'm in agreement with Sevens, as usual. Would love to have a 3566 Limited, "settled". I thinks this thread needs more steel PC gun pics. Here are my 2 favorites, a PC Comp 40 and the aforementioned PPC9. Happy Thanksgiving everyone

SVT28



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I was fortunate to win an auction on GB. I feel like I paid a premium and that is why I was asking. I have checked some auction sites and they have sold for $2.5K to the highest at $3.6K. I considered what it would cost to have a full custom 1911 built, and that helped me get over the price and you will not see this pistol everyday at the range.

I did look at the PPC pistol and GB has a 5906 IDPA listed too. All great guns for a collection. It will be awhile before I add another.

I did order the 9mm barrel from GB too. I loaded a lot of 9x21 in the 90s when shooting open in USPSA. I hope to find some .356 TSW brass from a supplier. I did find some information about trimming 9x23 brass but not crazy about tooling up for that.

I will post pictures when I receive the pistol!

Wow! Beautiful pistols sir! Thank you for posting those.

Yep, a striking resemblance (other than finish and Aristocrat/PPC sights). Only wrinkle is you could probably purchase a 3566 Limited and 9mm barrel for less than the cost of a PPC-9. Both are great pistols (I do love the two-tone look of the 3566).

Congratulations on your purchase of a beautiful example of some of the Performance Center's best work from its heyday, ehess45!

With the ammo and brass you bought in the auction along with the pistol, IMHO you paid a very fair 2020 price for a gun that I guarantee will you a lot of very pleasurable shooting. I owned this gun's little brother, the 3566 Compact, and it was my favorite semi-auto to shoot and to look at. The 356TSW round was an inspired concept that, unfortunately, wasn't destined to be widely used and produced, but it nevertheless remains a joy to shoot and a very capable SD round.

I can't wait to hear your range report. You are in for a fine time with this one!

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Ukraine -- now more than ever

Congratulations on adding a spectacular firearm to your collection.

As you may have noticed, many of your fellow Forum members greatly admire that firearm

Then of course there is the original Pocket Rocket . . . . the PC 940 Special

Besides their striking good looks, the 3566 Compact is the ONLY steel frame in Smith & Wesson's compact family of pistols (669, 6906, Shorty 9, Shorty40, etc)



I think this is a GREAT time in history for the 356TSW Cartridge

We stand on the precipice of a resurgence in this cartridge. Over the last 3-4 years, 2 different brass manufacturers turned out 300,000 pieces of brass.

Cor-Bon and Underwood have brought back 3 configurations of Factory Ammunition. A third company will probably introduce at least 2 more loadings early next year. On top of all that, one of the MAJOR Ammunition producers is watching this closely to see if they want to step into the Arena

Right now we have 356TSW barrels available to the public from 2 or 3 barrel manufacturers

New firearms are the issue. A buddy of mine is ready to go with some Direct Impingement AR style rifles. We have also set up a 356TSW SMG.

Myself and others have converted many 9MM firearm to 356TSW over the years. Several folks have converted Marlin Camp 9 carbines to 356TSW. I even have a few revolve conversions.

As a side note, some of the Performance Center changes that went into the J-frame to create the PC 940 Special became the ground work for the J-Magnum frame that was introduced 3 years later

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"Acta non verba"

I saw a picture of a 3566 limited years ago, and think it was the first PC pistol I was ever aware of. Like Sevens, still think it is the best looking S&W auto ever. If they had been in 9X19, I'd have bought one a long time ago. I wasn't aware of 9MM barrels being available though the PC until years later.

Much later, I did see mention of a 5" DPA 5906, and promptly contacted S&W. Cranky woman at S&W said they were LEO only, and did not want to let me order one. I persisted and did order. Later, poss. same woman, called me back, said my gun was ready and wanted to send me a PPC. More discussion, but I finally got the 5" DPA gun I'd ordered. Was like pulling teeth, but glad I persevered

Attached Images

PC 5906, 5 inch (4).JPG (106.5 KB, 61 views)

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NRA Life, COTEP 640

Quick shout-out to the stocking dealer specials from nearly the sale exact time as the two PC 3566 pistols. They aren’t true compacts as they have a mid-length slide/barrel, but all are compact frame and steel frame to boot.

SD-9
SD-40
SD-356

Unique, almost compacts and steel frame!

How durable is the black on the stainless steel? Most of the guns I see, the black is still in good shape.

It’s quite durable, but it’s a notch below the original black “tenifer” that Glock used for so many years before they changed it.

It is far more durable than the black that S&W used right around the same time for the debut of the first Value Line pistols in the models 915 and 411.

The 3566 Limited will absolutely show high edge wear if you use the pistol in a holster, but it will be even wear, it won’t go completely to hell like the very cheap finish on the 915 and later pistols. (910, 410, 909, 908, et all)

Seems a good number of those made were used for competition. I fixed the ammo issue with a Briley 9x19 barrel. Fine pistols. I have had a few nice pistols but nothing even comes close to the 3566 Limited in fit, finish and general workmanship. Maybe the finest built pistol S&W has produced. I haven't shot mine nearly as much as I should have but I just don't want mess it up. Probably as close to as new as you can find. As for value of $900-1200, I might consider selling the box for that amount. Now simply an unobtainable level of workmanship went into them.

Attached Images

limited2.jpg (130.0 KB, 38 views)

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Go West young man..

800-1100.....I would be buying them all week at that price, and twice on Sunday.

Only about 500 built in total;

179 in 9mm....... SD-9 (love mine)
about 100 in .356 SD-.356
the balance in .40S&W.....SD-40

"3566 Compact is the ONLY steel frame in Smith & Wesson's compact family"

The 4056TSW was a steel frame IIRC.

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BTDT, Got The T-Shirt

True..... but the SD guns are the CCO version.

Inspired me and Squidsix to build FrankenSmith 6915s (6906 w/alloy frames mated to a 915 upper) for concealed carry!

Correct, the 4056TSW pre-rail. About 1100 made.

It weighs in at a chunky (but reassuring) 37oz empty -vs- an aluminum framed cousin's 28oz empty weight.

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Fine pistol, otherwise no comparison to the awesome 3566 Limited.

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Waiting for the break of day

I have owned my 3566 since 1993, I shoot it a lot and the black coating on the slide has held up remarkably well. In my opinion this is one of, if not the best built semi auto handguns ever made. With the release of the Canick Rival S (all steel) some manufacturers are catching on to the benefits of an all steel handgun. Back when I purchaed the 3566 I recieved a fax from a guy named Charles E Petty with a bunch of handloading data for the 356 TS&W cartridge.

I just purchased a 9x19 bbl for my 3566 and was wondering did you have to change the recoil spring when going to the 9x19?

If you shoot hot 9x19 ammo with factory springs the cases will eject minimally if I recall correctly.

I use a Wolff #47416 recoil spring in mine with the Briley 9x19 barrel & factory 20# mainspring.

It's an extra strength (16#) recoil spring for the (4") 5906.

In the (5") 3566 it measures 13# installed, per my testing & works fine with my handloads, which generally are full to (+P) loads but moderate loads also function with it.

The factory 3566 recoil springs measures 15# in my same tesing, installed.

It's PN# is unknown but the closest match for it that I've found is a Wolff #47315, a 4506 reduced power recoil spring, which also comes in at 15# installed.

The S&W Super 9, 5" bbl., uses the same spring as in the 4506 wadcutter, #200710000, which is said to be a 14# recoil spring. I have one but I've never tested it in the 3566.


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Waiting for the break of day