Wischo 9mm Target Champion questions

Hi all, new guy here. Not a serious collector or competitor, but have interest in classic, well-made & accurate firearms.

I am very fortunate to have recently acquired a PC Target Champion (PPC-9). I have no previous experience with similar guns, and it is my first Gen 3. I have not fired the gun yet.

So when the safety is engaged on this gun it blocks the firing pin from the hammer but it does not lock the trigger. So the trigger can be pulled and the hammer drops. Cool.....I guess? Is this normal function for this model? I believe that it is, but have been unable to find a definitive answer. Assuming so, do both Wischo and domestic PPC9 guns function exactly like this or are there any differences? And finally, is it OK to dry-fire it with the safety on or does this risk damaging the hammer?

Second topic, is the trigger adjustable in this gun and if so how is that done? It is very clean but much heavier that I expected (guessing 5lb).

Thanks for your help

Welcome! I’ll start by saying that it may be -only- me, but I believe that these guns are in a class by themselves and it isn’t accurate to label them as 3rd Gens. While most of the Performance Center pistols do wear the one-piece Delrin grip, they really aren’t 3rd Gens.

I make this argument and use the models 952 and 945 to back me up. While these models are absolutely elite PC pistols, they certainly could not be deemed 3rd Gens. At the same time, 952/945 has an awful lot more in common with the PPC-9, 845, Shorty40, CQB, Recon, etc etc, all known elite PC guns.

With that out of the way, your WISCHO Target Champion is very, very close to a PPC-9 except that the rear sight is different. (Well the front also, but the front is different because of the rear!)

Yes indeed, the function you describe is correct for this model. This was established decades before in the Models 52 and 745 also.

Now we could argue, but for the purpose of dry fire, I will simply never dry fire with the safety engaged. I have no desire whatsoever to pound away at the hammer block on a pistol which is designed to have the hammer smack the firing pin. And if a part were to fail, it would be the firing pin which is common, low in cost and simple to replace. I treat my 52’s, my 745’s and my PPC-9 this way.

Your trigger is two-way adjustable, however it is not adjustable for weight of pull. You can adjust the amount of pre-travel and the amount of over travel. The pre-travel is adjusted by the large black screw that you see from above when looking top-down in to the frame when the slide is off. Adjusting the trigger over travel is done by way of a tiny allen head screw that should be located behind the slide stop. You will need to remove the slide stop to find this screw.

If you truly wish to lower the trigger pull weight… you can have some success at this if you are willing to toy a little bit with slight manipulation of the sear spring. Be forewarned that you must get familiar with most of a detail strip on the frame to be able to do this, and it must be done with great care.

Phenomenal handgun! If this is your first S&W semiautomatic, that’s a helluva entrance and there isn’t much better in the entire history of S&W on the semiautomatic side.

Thanks for the reply!

Sevens said:

it isn’t accurate to label them as 3rd Gens.

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Well.....it is kind of based on a stainless double stack 5906 frame and was built during the same era. There's some similarity. I get you though, the PC guns are in a different league. I only mentioned "3rd Gen" to convey that I am not familiar with the controls/adjustments specific to these guns, PC or otherwise.

Sevens said:

Yes indeed, the function you describe is correct for this model. This was established decades before in the Models 52 and 745 also.

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Interesting. I have a 52-2 and somehow I had completely missed the fact that the hammer would drop on "safe". I suppose I never tried it.

Thanks for the trigger tips. I think I'll avoid digging too far into the gun at this point. May have a gunsmith friend look at it eventually. I do wonder why the trigger is as heavy as it is? It feels 2x the weight of the 52-2.

Sevens said:

Phenomenal handgun! If this is your first S&W semiautomatic, that’s a helluva entrance and there isn’t much better in the entire history of S&W on the semiautomatic side.

Click to expand...

Not my first, I've had the 52-2, a 39-2 and a 41 for some time. Recently I've taken an interest in the PC guns. I would also like to find an 945, and maybe/eventually a 952 and a JMB prefix 1911.

Not to nit pick but I am pretty sure your gun is based on a 4006 size frame vice a 5906. I think they did this to have more metal in the frame.

toddcfii, I suspect you are right about the 4006 frame. Information from Jim Rae back in the day indicated that the PC DPA 5906s were built on the .40 frame. This, to produce guns that were stronger and more durable than standard production 5906s. I'd think the other PC double stack 9s were likely built the same way.

That's interesting . I have both , a4in and 5in spa 5906 . I also have a 4006 Tactical with the Barstools barrel . I just tried and the 5in dpa and the 4006pc weigh about the same , at least by feel .That's why I like it here , you learn something new all the time .

I see there is presently a Wischo 9mm Target Champion on GB.

cherrypointmarine said:

That's interesting . I have both , a4in and 5in spa 5906 . I also have a 4006 Tactical with the Barstools barrel . I just tried and the 5in dpa and the 4006pc weigh about the same , at least by feel .That's why I like it here , you learn something new all the time .

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Check your 40 mags in the PC 9mm guns. I believe they will fit but not in a normal 5906.

Sorry about getting off topic . I've thought about getting one of these , 952's are going for too much money , but if a shooter gets in my sights , well..... As for the 4006 mags fitting in my dpa5906 , they sure do in my 5in , didn't check the 4in . That's an interesting piece of info . Might have to get letters on them and see if it mentions the frames are the same .

StakeOut said:

I see there is presently a Wischo 9mm Target Champion on GB.

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Yup and there's been 3 others over the last couple weeks. Plus one in .45 that sold for $3175.

Im pretty sure they are Bomar sights. I have never had a Target Champion, but I have several Bomar sights for SWs , I believe I bought them from Denny's Shooter supply years ago. Luckily for me I never put them on my PC 5906 models, it required milling off the ridge on the rear of the slides. Same sights as on an 845.

I only meant that while the Target Champion is nearly the same pistol as the PPC-9, the sights are different. Bomar, as you said, while the PPC-9 has the Aristocrat rear sight and a much taller front sight to accommodate the larger rear sight.

They are a little gangly looking, but I found that I do appreciate the slight upgrade in sight picture.

So mine is actually LPA, its marked on the side.

Perhaps “Bomar style” is the more accurate term. Made by different companies. Kensight makes one currently. I’d have to dig ‘em out but I think one of mine is a Wilson Combat.

for that kind of money id be looking at a cz

CZ’s are fantastic and I love mine… but they have nothing whatsoever to do with this conversation.

I did some digging. My 945’s and 952-1 have a Wilson Combat rear sight, but while it mimics a Bo-Mar in sight picture, the base is proprietary. It’s a good looking rear sight.

My 952-2 has a Bo-Mar style marked LPA.

My 845’s both have the real deal Bo-Mar.

My other PC Limited guns have a Bo-Mar style that appears to be unmarked.

My S&W Pro Series SW1911 in 9mm is wearing a Bo-Mar style rear sight that says Smith & Wesson on the left side and wears the classic logo on top, right behind the elevation screw.

I imagine everyone makes one similar to Bomar these days. Like I said I had never seen Target Champion up close. I was basing my thoughts on a couple of these Bomars I bought years ago. I found one of the 9mm/40 sights today, have another somewhere and one made for 45 cal S/W. Also an LPA for 5906s that I tried.

That little guy LPA adjustable in the 3rd picture looks similar to the LPA low profile adjustable that’s on my PC SD-9, however the blade on yours may be a bit taller than the one on mine.