Two very special and rare Performance Center .40’s

Here are two of my favorites (ah, but I’ve had lots of favorites during my years of collecting ), a 1 of 40 and a 1 of 1 unicorn, both PC 4006 variants.

First is a Tactical Competition Special Edition PC 4006 Comp 40, this being number 38. It has special script lettering engraved inside a letterbox outline on both sides of the slide, and comes with both the blue plastic PC case labeled to the gun, and a black leatherette briefcase style carrying case with combination tumbler latches. In the briefcase is a custom fit foam cutout for the gun, spare magazine, ear plugs, cleaning rod with attachments, and a pair of Tasco shooting glasses.















A little background information on the unicorn: Six years ago I came across an eBay ad for a 6” slide and barrel for a S&W PC 4006. It was not expensive so I bought it just because you don’t run across those kind of things very often. When it arrived I was pleasantly stunned to see that it had come from none other than Paul Liebenberg, the master pistol smith and driving force behind the Performance Center, at Pistol Dynamics, the custom shop he formed after leaving S&W. I already had a 5” PC 4006 Limited so I got the wild idea of fitting the 6” slide to that frame, realizing that it would be difficult, if not impossible, to get both slides to fit properly on a single frame. You can read the story of what happened next in the email thread below, and here is the result.

I cannot find the appropriate words to explain how much I love the 4006 Limited, the added long slide and all of the interaction with Mr. Liebenberg that made it all happen. As I had spoken to you before about this, it doesn't come as a surprise to me today but it is one absolutely phenomenal package. It makes chemicals pump through my brain when I look at it.

Thank you for sharing this masterpiece.

Interesting post script that I just found:

Your 4006 Limited, according to the box end label is about 25 numbers later than the 4006 Limited that I am fortunate to own. And in comparing box end labels for both, your pistol was made almost one whole calendar year after mine was made.

I can't do much with this information but it's interesting to me just the same.

Dear lord,

This is rather spectacular sir, such an awesome gun and you're correspondence with Paul is amazing.

Have you shot it ? Range report? Does somebody shoot something like this ?

Great story, great guns and great pictures! I love these kind of Guns and these kind of stories. Especially the ebay got it cheap part. Makes me think there are still deals out there. I vote this post of the year.

Geez man! OP, those are fantastic. You are lucky.

I seriously need one of these!

Hahaha, that is a true and genuine one-of-one and Smith & Wesson did not even produce that gorgeous thing. (they kinda mostly sorta did)

You would need a time machine and some mojo to get one of these.

The long slide on your 40 cal is the same slide design ( the ball type cut may have been shorter) that came on earliest long slide PPC 9s. They were in 9mm with Aristocrat sights. This would have been early 2002 ?

Those guns were given to a very few of the best PPC shooters and were not offered for sale. I do not know how many total guns went out. I know 4 west coast shooters who got them. I have not seen one for many years. A few months later the P/C announced that they were taking orders for their new 6" PPC 9. I ordered one on 09-18-2001. When we received the guns a few weeks later they had the slide design you commonly see on the 6" guns. I had never seen or heard of a 6" 40 cal model, but that goes to proves the "you never know" situation.
That gun is way cool and I will watch Ebay better.....