Finally shot a 945

[18DAI]

Yesterday I went to the range. A customer from the shop went with me. He got to shoot a 4506-1 and a CS45 and I got to shoot his 5 inch PC 945-1.

EVERYTHING I have ever read about the 945 is true. It felt good in the hand, was well balanced and finely crafted. Reliability was 100% through 200 rounds of.....junk ammo. S&B 230 grain, WWB ect.

And the accuracy was spectacular! At all ranges. 7, 10, 15 and 25 yards. Sub 3 inch groups were the norm. He also had a Nighthawk 1911 along. We both shot it and both of us found the 945-1 superior to it. In both accuracy and handling.

The only complaints were the black on black sight picture, easily cured by some nail polish on the front sight and the light trigger.

The trigger was light, VERY light. Twice I inadvertently triggered a second shot - which went through the same hole as the previous shot! - and the owner did the same, several times. Too light a trigger for anything but a bullseye gun, for me.

But a beautiful pistol. Far better than I ever imagined and exactly what I had hoped my PC 45 CQBs would have been. The 945 was the most accurate handgun I have ever shot. I am spoiled now. And I will have to double up on my purchase of lottery tickets, so I can afford one for myself. Very fine gun. Regards 18DAI

 

[cherrypointmarine]

Mine is a -2 which I bought off a Forum member . I have to laugh when I hear/read about all these big money 1911s out there . If they ever shot a m945 like you did , I think that A: Those of us sitting on these guns would be sitting on a nice IRA acct and B: There would be a lot less of these high end 1911s sold . Just my two cents .

 

[TAROMAN]

Sounds sweet, wonder if the mags are made of unobtanium.

 

[Sevens]

Haha cherrypointmarine, there is still no dash-2 945.

The magazines are 4506 mags but with the magazine catch located slightly higher in the body of the magazine. Early 945 mags were simply 4506 mags with a second notched skillfully milled. Later magazines say "Model 945 only."

There are some offered right now on our forum for a decent price as we speak.

 

[18DAI]

cherrypointmarine the Nighthawk 1911 he had was a $3K pistol. The 945-1 he stole for $800, locally.

He also owns some Les Baer and Ed Brown 1911s. And he told me that his 945-1 is a finer gun than any of his other semi autos. He just wishes he had heard of it and found one - before he spent all that money on lesser guns. Regards 18DAI

 

[TTSH]

The 945-1 he stole for $800, locally.

That is near outright theft. There has been a Model 945-1 w/1 magazine on consignment at a dealer near me for $1,299.00 + Tax. Been there a while. Too rich for me, even with MA tax-free weekend coming up.

 

[cherrypointmarine]

Sevens , as usual you , the all knowing are right . I went to the safe hoping I could prove you wrong . Even dragged out the Nikon ready to take a pic . But alas , I was wrong and you were , ..........

 

[Jeppo]

I believe I'd jump at $1299

A couple months ago, an extremely knowledgeable friend who collects Smiths called asking, "Have any interest in something called a Shorty 45?". I ask him what's the joke and he says he has no idea what that is but a friend has one for sale.

I beg him to drop whatever he's doing and call the friend to say we're on the way. We get there and are ushered into the gun cathedral, filled with more safes than I've ever seen in one place, outside of Hyatt's in Charlotte.

We make the deal on the Shorty (first time I've even seen one) and my friend asks the seller to, "Show Jeppo your 945". Seller replies, "Which color do you prefer?"

I don't have the experience of most of you but for sure I've never felt an action like that; perfectly tight but smooth as butter melting on Teflon. That's a feeling I shall never forget and it haunts me daily. I've gotta find me one but it's something I'd like to examine in person, as opposed to buying online.

With my cash in his pocket, he cleaned my drool off the 945 and proceeded to pull one amazing gun after the other from various safes. Driving back, I told my friend I'd understood why he wanted to sell the Shorty 45.

It was probably the least special gun he owned.

 

[18DAI]

I had intended to shoot my pawn shop rescue 4506-1. But this fella called me at the last minute asking if he could come along with me. When I agreed, he asked me to bring the CS45 for him to try and "that big 45 with the great trigger", my old duty gun, a 4506-1 "dash 3" with adjustable sights.

He actually shot my 4506-1 almost as well as his 945-1. He is now shopping for one like it AND a CS45.

Next time I will let him shoot the PC 4566 45 CQB. That will end up costing him. Regards 18DAI

 

[Jeppo]

I wonder...

Does he want a CS45 enough to trade his 945-1 for one?

 

[18DAI]

Ummm.......no. I tried that. Regards 18DAI

 

[Jeppo]

Ummm.......no. I tried that. Regards 18DAI

Maybe he just didn't want yours.

 

[Sevens]

Sevens , as usual you , the all knowing are right . I went to the safe hoping I could prove you wrong . Even dragged out the Nikon ready to take a pic . But alas , I was wrong and you were , ..........

I can tell you that there exists a 952-3 but that is a wildly rare bird! The 945 came in a dizzying array of offerings, I doubt anyone knows the different ones available better than wlp624 (who doesn't post as much these days) and skjos is probably just as knowledgeable.

The no-dash 945 means that there was no Colt Series 80 style firing pin lock and all the 945 dash-1's have them. The no-dash 945 is fairly scarce. Not that the other 945's are in massive supply, but they aren't as rare as a number of the other PC Limited guns that we drool over and chase.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

I have heard of legends and sightings of 945's, but like the 940, it is surely pure myth.

 

[Sevens]

I should put this in a signature line or an auto-post...

The true Smith & Wesson Performance Center guns are a market and are bought and sold regularly. All of them were limited in production. Some of the most popular were actually made in pretty good supply. Guns like the 952 and 945 actually had a couple thousand shipped, much higher volume than some of the crazy short-printed guns like the gorgeous 3566 Limited or the Stocking Dealer SD-9 that we've had recent discussions about.

This market? Occasional in-person live auctions, some gun shops here and there, on the rare occasion at a gun show, and sometimes on Guns International or a local gun swap website or a discussion forum like ours here.

^and all of those different possible venues to find a S&W Performance Center pistol when added up together still don't match the volums of these guns traded often on Gunbroker.

You can love it or hate it but it's the reality. It's against forum TOS to discuss live auctions, so I won't say another word. But proof that these can be found right now is only a couple clicks away and is surely no myth.

 

[boatbum101]

I had a no dash PC945 with a Bomar rear sight . Nice gun but with it's slim grip frame it did not fit my hand . I've been a 2700 shooter for many years & did not find it any more accurate @ 50 yds than say a Les Baer . It did not hold a candle to any of my 1911 Bullseye guns in that regard either . Too big & too pretty for a SD gun IMHO . Don't get me wrong they're well fitted & have many of the bells & whistles a nice 45 will have . Good friend fell in love with it & made me an offer I couldn't refuse . It now lives at his house . They have risen in price & the no dash with all the goodies are not easy to find . Like the Model 52 they have their dedicated fans . For $ 800 I'd even buy one .

 

[Sevens]

but like the 940, it is surely pure myth.

Wait again...

Do you mean Model 940?

Because there is one for sale in our forum right now.

 

[4T5GUY]

Interesting reading, I'm glad you brought this "conversation" up.

I've been very interested in hearing more about the 945. I've found and read everything here and elsewhere about them. i have some very nice Colts so I was not sure I really needed a 945. Well since I have a 645, 745 and an 845, (4506, 4566 ...., blah blah blah,) I realize I do "need" a 945 too. Natural numatic progression and such. I know they are different but I am hoping a 945 will be on the same level as my 845. The 845 Limited is what I consider an exceptional example of PC pistol craft.

Kinda funny too is that I've been buying as new and new 945 magazines, (when I find them cheap,) for a couple of years now for some reason. I guess that's a good reason to get one too.

Jim

 

[gumpys]

OP I had pretty good accuracy with my 945 no dash and it did shoot better than some higher price semi customs but my Les Baer Hemi 572 ran circles around it but then again much higher price gun. I was Lucky enough to score a 845 and if you think the 945 is sweet you have to save for a 845. Let me tell you much more fun to shoot than the 945. Night and day difference in accuracy and just feels better and tighter tolerances than my 945 had too. I couldn't beleive when folks that owned 845s mentioned they were more accurate than the 945 but once I got my hands on one the 845 is step above.

Eric

Sent from my LG-H910 using Tapatalk

 

[4T5GUY]

Those are responses I wanted to here. (Opps, like it's my original post now, sorry 18 .)

I will probably still end up with a 945 at some point in time just to have one and really see for myself. The first few times I shot my 845 I kept thinking I had a "flyer". 7 shots, six holes, 7 shots six holes. Of course it was putting one round into another so cleanly I really couldn't tell. I expected that with my HK p9s, (9mm,) Sports Group 3 in the target configuration but not the 845.

Jim

 

[photocosmo]

Zowie!

... I got to shoot his 5 inch PC 945-1.

EVERYTHING I have ever read about the 945 is true.

The trigger was light, VERY light. Twice I inadvertently triggered a second shot - which went through the same hole as the previous shot! - and the owner did the same, several times... Very fine gun. Regards 18DAI

In practice I was always told that one should be "surprised" by the trigger's break as a way to gauge proper or evenly executed pull without undue anticipation or flinching but I have experienced light triggers that actually kind of scared me and reminded me that every shot should be "intentional".


That said, it goes without saying that the 745, 845, 945 and 952 do represent the epitome of S&W semi-auto pistols.

 

[18DAI]

I have shot a 745.......over a decade ago. Nice pistol. But it didn't fill a roll at the time, for me, so I didn't buy it.

The closest I ever came to an 845 was several years back. My shop guy called me and asked what an 845 was. He had a guy in the shop looking to trade it for a Glock 21.

I told him I was on my way and to go ahead and show him the G21 I was buying for him. But I was 45 minutes away and when I got there the 845 had left the building. Seems the 845s owner didn't know the G21 didn't have a hammer..........oye. Regards 18DAI

 

[18DAI]

Anyone here own one of the ten produced for the Clark County Emergency Response Team?

They were 5 inch guns, Melonite finish with Novak sights. Anyone have a picture? Regards 18DAI

 

[Rowlf]

.....

The trigger was light, VERY light. Twice I inadvertently triggered a second shot - which went through the same hole as the previous shot! - and the owner did the same, several times. Too light a trigger for anything but a bullseye gun, for me.

......

I wonder if the sear spring drops weight like a M52? A 45 for Bullseye has to have a minimum trigger weight of 3.5 pounds. 4 pounds for Service Pistol.

 

[Gunhacker]

Haha cherrypointmarine, there is still no dash-2 945.

The magazines are 4506 mags but with the magazine catch located slightly higher in the body of the magazine. Early 945 mags were simply 4506 mags with a second notched skillfully milled. Later magazines say "Model 945 only."

There are some offered right now on our forum for a decent price as we speak.

And speaking from experience... it's very easy to modify a 4506 magazine to work in a 945, and is a less expensive means of having extra mags than trying to find the dedicated 945 mags, which are usually difficult to locate.

 

[vigil617]

Wait again...

Do you mean Model 940?

Because there is one for sale in our forum right now.

Pretty sure he meant 945-40, and just mistyped it.

I remember an auction of one of those not too long ago, and I was surprised it didn't bring more, after all I had heard about how rare they were.

 

[Sevens]

I would be totally enamored with the .40cal Model 945 if only they had made one with the steel frame, full 5-inch target style and Bomar rear sight.

But they only made a compact.

Gunbroker had one that sold in July for $2,525.

 

[824tsv]

27 posts and no one has posted any pic's

 

[Toddlars1]

945

In 1999 I saw the 945 on the cover of American Handgunner and I knew I had to have one. I actually didn't have to travel too far within the southern Chicago suburbs to acquire my new Lew Horton no dash. The craftsmanship and feel of this gun is unlike any other IMHO. I've owned and shot much more expensive 1911 style handguns including Wilsons, Browns and even a Nighthawk as the OP stated, but to this day, I have never handled or fired a finer crafted handgun than my 945.

 

[cherrypointmarine]

You beat me to it . I was fixing to post a pic of mine . I saw talk about 745s so I thought I'd throw them in too .