wlp624
Member
After many years of acquiring Performance Center guns from several different sources, I wanted to display my entire collection of 952's because I'm getting to an age where I may have to consider paring it down at some point.
The 952 is the pinnacle of Performance Center design, combining beauty and accuracy, and the demand for them by both collectors and shooters has been very strong since their introduction almost twenty years ago.
First are the 5" guns, and the first of those is a 952 no-dash 'billboard' version. Note the lack of a grip safety. All no-dashes were carbon steel and blued. This is one of the first group built, #30 of 200. The product code is 170168
Next is a 5" 952-1 'billboard' which added the grip safety. The dash-1s were also carbon steel and blued, and the first group had the over size markings.
This is a later 5" 952-1 Note the normal size markings instead of the billboard. These later dash-1s were also carbon steel and blued. Product code 170220
Now for a genuine unicorn. As I mentioned all no-dash and dash-1s were carbon steel and blued. The new dash-2 model would be stainless steel. This gun is the prototype for that transition. As you can see, it is the very gun pictured in the product profile sheet announcing the new stainless version, with the serial number matching the photo. The right side of the product sheet gun is marked 952-2 as that would be the new designation, but the right side of my prototype is marked 952-1 making it the only stainless dash-1 in existence.
The 5" 952-2 stainless version with polished flats had the largest production run. Product code 170244
The word rare is overused, but this one deserves every bit of the term extremely rare. The 5" 952-2 two-tone, matte black and polished stainless flats, is one of the most stunningly beautiful pistols ever produced by the S&W Performance Center, and that is saying a lot. From every conceivable viewing angle this is a show stopper.
Next is an export model, the 5" 952-3 chambered in 9x21 for the international market, this one all black.
And here is the same gun except finished in matte stainless with polished flats. Product code 170256
That's it for the 5" guns. Now the 6" Longslides, all dash-2’s
First is the 6" 952-2 matte stainless with polished flats. Product code 170274
This next version is a bit of an oddball and it doesn't really fit in aesthetically with the others. It's the 6" 952-2 'Heavy' and the forward end of the slide has no relief cuts, giving it a 'squared off' look. It's completely matte finish will not win it any beauty contests either, but here it is. Product code 170275
After that comes another stunner, the 6" 952-2 two-tone, matte black with polished stainless flats. This one is also rarer than hen's teeth, and is considered the 'grail' 952 for many collectors. What can I say, simply gorgeous. My sincere thanks to forum member and good friend Red Cardinal for selling me this gun years ago, which got me hooked on collecting Performance Center guns. Nothing like starting at the top!
Last but certainly not least is the 6" 952-2 'Masterpiece' from Wischo. Another matte stainless finish with polished flats, and the large script lettering on the right side is classically elegant, IMHO.
Aaaand one last look at the Performance Center aluminum cases, eight 5" guns and four 6" Longslides. The black gun rug is for the prototype.
Well, that's it, I hope you didn't get bored by the long post. Let me know which is/are your favorite(s).
Bill
The 952 is the pinnacle of Performance Center design, combining beauty and accuracy, and the demand for them by both collectors and shooters has been very strong since their introduction almost twenty years ago.
First are the 5" guns, and the first of those is a 952 no-dash 'billboard' version. Note the lack of a grip safety. All no-dashes were carbon steel and blued. This is one of the first group built, #30 of 200. The product code is 170168
Next is a 5" 952-1 'billboard' which added the grip safety. The dash-1s were also carbon steel and blued, and the first group had the over size markings.
This is a later 5" 952-1 Note the normal size markings instead of the billboard. These later dash-1s were also carbon steel and blued. Product code 170220
Now for a genuine unicorn. As I mentioned all no-dash and dash-1s were carbon steel and blued. The new dash-2 model would be stainless steel. This gun is the prototype for that transition. As you can see, it is the very gun pictured in the product profile sheet announcing the new stainless version, with the serial number matching the photo. The right side of the product sheet gun is marked 952-2 as that would be the new designation, but the right side of my prototype is marked 952-1 making it the only stainless dash-1 in existence.
The 5" 952-2 stainless version with polished flats had the largest production run. Product code 170244
The word rare is overused, but this one deserves every bit of the term extremely rare. The 5" 952-2 two-tone, matte black and polished stainless flats, is one of the most stunningly beautiful pistols ever produced by the S&W Performance Center, and that is saying a lot. From every conceivable viewing angle this is a show stopper.
Next is an export model, the 5" 952-3 chambered in 9x21 for the international market, this one all black.
And here is the same gun except finished in matte stainless with polished flats. Product code 170256
That's it for the 5" guns. Now the 6" Longslides, all dash-2’s
First is the 6" 952-2 matte stainless with polished flats. Product code 170274
This next version is a bit of an oddball and it doesn't really fit in aesthetically with the others. It's the 6" 952-2 'Heavy' and the forward end of the slide has no relief cuts, giving it a 'squared off' look. It's completely matte finish will not win it any beauty contests either, but here it is. Product code 170275
After that comes another stunner, the 6" 952-2 two-tone, matte black with polished stainless flats. This one is also rarer than hen's teeth, and is considered the 'grail' 952 for many collectors. What can I say, simply gorgeous. My sincere thanks to forum member and good friend Red Cardinal for selling me this gun years ago, which got me hooked on collecting Performance Center guns. Nothing like starting at the top!
Last but certainly not least is the 6" 952-2 'Masterpiece' from Wischo. Another matte stainless finish with polished flats, and the large script lettering on the right side is classically elegant, IMHO.
Aaaand one last look at the Performance Center aluminum cases, eight 5" guns and four 6" Longslides. The black gun rug is for the prototype.
Well, that's it, I hope you didn't get bored by the long post. Let me know which is/are your favorite(s).
Bill
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