How many S&W 952-1s were made?

[Ed Fowler]

I have caught the 952-1 bug hard, find them to very possibley be my most accurate center fire pistol.

I would like to know: how many of them were made?

 

[Tom S.]

I don't know the actual number, but no matter what it was, it wasn't enough.

 

[Sevens]

Hahaha, well I gotta say that I love the answer that Tom S. gave. I will second the motion.

I have seen Gunbroker sellers claim as little as 300 units of the dash-1, but then again... I also think I have heard them claim that number for the no-dash 952.

Seems to me that we need to see a S&W factory letter to know better.

As for the 952, I must say that I prefer the no-dash over the dash-1. The dash-1 has a grip safety that works flawlessly -BUT- when I take a normal hold, it opens up a sharp edge that dings my thumb with absolutely every single shot.

It isn't a finish issue or attention to detail-- it is a design issue. In my opinion, it simply takes away from an otherwise phenomenal pistol.

 

[Ed Fowler]

I believe I found out how many were made, the topic was covered in a letter from S&W on another 952-1.
A total of 1,735 952's were made.

There was an initial run of 400 952's.
The first serial No. was KAZ0001

The first serial number for a 952-1 was KAZ 0461 the last was KAZ 1735

I am still trying to find our how many models were made after the 952-1.

Tom S, You were correct, they did not make enough of them.

 

[Tom S.]

Tom S, You were correct, they did not make enough of them.

I keep hoping they'll start making them again. I suppose I could go buy one of the outrageously priced ones on GB. S&W would no doubt start making and selling them the next day.

 

[Sevens]

Okay! Now while I find that information REALLY interesting and I thoroughly enjoy anything whatsoever related to hard production numbers...

...uhh, we have a slight issue.
My 952-1 has a lower serial number than KAZ-0461.
It is definitely a lower number and my pistol is most definitely a dash-1 variant.

 

[Sevens]

I keep hoping they'll start making them again. I suppose I could go buy one of the outrageously priced ones on GB. S&W would no doubt start making and selling them the next day.

Well, if that ACTUALLY worked, think of the tremendous favor you'd be doing for the world, if your one small act put 952's back in to production?!

In any case, I did want to counter a bit your statement that they are outrageously priced. While I would certainly agree they are NOT cheap (not at all...), when you consider original MSRP, they aren't (necessarily) all that out of line.

Well... the 6-inch Long Slide might be out of line.

 

[dotdsd334]

My "billboard" 952-1 is also below KAZ0461.....not much lower though.

My other 952-1 is within the range given.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Sevens]

My "out of range" 952-1 is also the billboard variant.

Any links to the discussion or an image of the factory letter with the info? I find the PC semiauto pistol information to be completely fascinating. I wish we had a whole area on this site and even more active discussion.

Been a hardcore shooter & collector of handguns since 1988 and S&W PC semiautos are, for me, the pinnacle -- the ultimate in handgunning.

 

[Ed Fowler]

This is the letter from Smith & Wesson:

 

[Sevens]

See, that's really cool information. Thank you for posting the pictures!

I now wonder if Roy Jinks has updated that particular block of info since 2009 when the letter is issued or if perhaps he doesn't realize that his info is at least a tiny bit flawed?

 

[TOM BECKWITH]

What is the difference between an S&W 952 and 952-1?

The reason I ask about differences in the NO dash and DASH-1 is if the same frame is used, based on S&W 41s and 52s, frames are numbered early in the process and do NOT flow thru the process in numerical order. Net result, possibly frames in the backflow could end up as 952-1s due to the flow process. If each variation is a different basic frame variation, this would not be a valid assumption.

 

[Sevens]

The biggest difference between the 952 no-dash and the 952-1 is that the 952-1 has a grip safety. Basically put, the whole mainspring housing pivots at the bottom of the grip frame and it works much like a Swartz safety -- when you take a normal grip/hold on the pistol, it unlocks the firing pin in the slide.

The 952-2 has this also but the 952 no dash does not have the grip safety.

 

[Tom S.]

I'm waiting for S&W to discover the 500 long slide versions they have sitting in a dusty corner of their warehouse.

 

[Sevens]

Must be the same corner where car thieves have stashed that shipment of original Ford Mustangs that were stolen in a great train robbery in 1964!

 

[Ed Fowler]

I was talking to a man who's friend purchased ten 952-1s at once, put them in his safe and recently took them out and sold them realizing better money than his savings account would have. If only 1,735 were made they are very close to an endangered species.

I love shooting them, keep them nice and believe they are a good investment today. Not only that, you can't have much fun looking at a bunch of numbers is a saving's account.

 

[Tom S.]

Not only that, you can't have much fun looking at a bunch of numbers is a saving's account.

You're obviously not an accountant.