I'm working a deal on a 952-1, no billboard, to fill a gap in my PC collection. I'm assuming it was only the later production models that were "clean". Question I have is how many of these were produced and if anyone knows where the s/n break was? I've browsed via search but I haven't been able to source this information yet, at least in what I've read so far.

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Trey Gorbett, SWCA #3676

Sadly I don’t think we have that information. Even still, I believe it is safe to say (with no proof whatsoever!) that the non-billboard 952-1 is more scarce than the earlier billboard guns.

Another tiny bit that may or may not be helpful is that S&W PC semiautomatic collector legend wlp624 owned perhaps the single rarest 952-1 ever made, this was a prototype for the stainless 952-2. So it was a stainless pistol that looks for all the world like the 952-2, however it is stamped as a Model 952-1 and the serial number was the hard-stamp style that is used on the non-billboard 952-1 pistols.

KAZ-1433 is the serial number of that prototype pistol. Was it the LAST of the 952-1 pistols? I can’t answer that.

My '-1' is KAZ-16xx.

I'm in agreement that there are fewer of these than the 170220 billboards. Maybe this variation should be denoted as the "B" on skjos' excellent spreadsheet?
This one's sn precedes the prototype sn by ~50 units, I would imagine the prototype's development was probably initiated a ways before the end of the -1 production and might explain green machine's 16xx sn. Nothing to base that hypothesis on, just my mind wandering.

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Trey Gorbett, SWCA #3676

Your hypothesis did not occur to me, but certainly sounds viable!

My 952-1 is an extremely early one, by serial number, it is KAZ-042x.

This ends up being at least a little interesting in that out on the internet, you might find a S&W factory letter dated Sept 9, 2009 and signed by Mr. Jinks where he tells us that the no-dash 952 was made to 400 units carrying the serial range of KAZ-0001 to KAZ-0399 specifically for Bangers in Alabama (product code 170168) and he goes on further to say that more no-dash pistols were made, and these were not Bangers exclusives, and these were made in the serial range of KAZ-0404 through KAZ-0459. He describes them as the same as the initial run, but with a new product code (170220.)

As it happens… this is a mistake as I own KAZ-042x and it is indeed a 952-1 and also does have the grip safety/firing pin lock that the 952 no dash pistols does not have.

Roy claims in the letter that the 952-1 pistols began at KAZ-0461 and ran to KAZ-1735 and he ends the letter with 1735 units of the blued version of the 952 of all variations.

-NOT- to nitpick or further nitpick, but for the sake of info, I think it’s interesting to note if you’ve ever seen the owner’s manual for a 952-1 or 952-2 pistol, you’ll see on the front page that it covers the 952-1, 952-2 and the 952-3 pistols. And you may think uhhhh the what, 952-3…?

The 952-3 does exist, it was made for distribution in Europe, I believe Italy specifically, and it is chambered in 9x21 as I believe the 9x19 is not legal for civilian ownership/use in that country.

And I simply bring up the 952-3 because it was a blued pistol — and looks exactly like the non-billboard 952-1 that you’re chasing.

I suppose it’s absolutely possible that the 952-3 was made at some date later than this September, 2009 factory letter, and as we all well know, S&W was never in the game of making collectibles or necessarily keeping tabs on odd production trivia.

That’s our role here in the lunatic fringe and I think we do a fair job of it!