Absolutely crazy that S&W won't resurrect the CS line especially now that CCW is rapidly becoming one of the driving forces in the handgun marketplace.
When Kimber came out with the Solo, every gun mag and web site put this on their cover for months and Kimber still can't make them fast enough to satisfy demand. Kahr sells a lot of compacts with metal frames and 1911 subcompacts sell briskly.
And S&W has all of the machines and a proven design they could relaunch immediately! They should come with new, Big Dog style grips in Delrin, and S&W could make them in a Melonite finish.
Scandium CS9's, CS40's, and CS45's, with Melonite finish- I'd buy one of each.
While I certainly applaud your enthusiasm, the market would have to support the time, effort and financial investment of producing the metal-framed guns again.
I remember when the CS40 was dropped from the catalog. I'd called back to discuss something else with someone at the factory, and it occurred to me to ask about the CS40 at one point during the conversation. I was told that corporate had decided to drop the model when they tallied up the sales from the previous year ... and found they'd sold less than 100 units of the CS40 for the entire year. Bye bye.
As far as the Scandium frame for the little guns? Remember the pricing of the 4040PD? Well, during another conversation I'd been told that it had been felt by the corporate folks at the company that the high cost of the 4040PD, due mostly to the use of Scandium, had been largely responsible for it's lack of sales ... so it was dropped. (Now, I own a 4040PD, and while it's a nice compact .40 the same overall size as the 3913, the felt recoil makes shooting the 3913 with +P+ loads seem pretty tame and comfortable by comparison. Just saying ... )
Now, I'd like to buy a lightweight Scandium framed model of a couple of my favorite 3rd gen guns, like a 3913SC or a CS9S SC (I made those model numbers up, obviously
).
I remember hearing rumblings about the possibility of the company making a special run of 4003TSW's for the CHP here in CA, back when they were discussing replacing their aging inventory of 4006's with a new gun. I was told the cost of making the TSW's using a Scandium frame was going to be higher. In the final analysis, the CHP apparently went with what they knew had already worked out well for them, meaning an all-steel gun, hence the contract for something like 9,600+ 4006TSW's (I forget the actual number).
I'm sure the CHP officers might have appreciated the lighter 4003TSW (with a Scandium frame), but it just wasn't meant to be, it seems.
I'd be right there with you in ordering a CS9 made with a Scandium frame (or even a 3913TSW made with the stronger frame material - hopefully sans the riveted rail, though).
I'd also expect to pay upwards of maybe $700 ordering such a mythical Scandium pistol under the discounted armorer purchase program, and see the retail price running at close to $1000 (or more). How many you want at that price? Might as well throw in the Melonite QP treatment and add another $100 to the cost while we're at it.
Another potential complication is that the equipment to make the 3rd gen guns was moved to the Houlton plant, which isn't all that big. They make handcuffs (brisk sales), the licensed Walther PP's, all the .22 pistols & the SW1911's (another good seller) ... and now any 3rd gen production that may be needed to fill a LE agency contract order. If time is money, what do you want them to cut back on to make the 3rd gen guns in any quantity ... and how much extra are you willing to pay for that privilege when it may involve cutting into production time for something else?
A CS9SSC? Nice idea. I'd like one to complement my well-used CS9. FWIW, the CS9 with a stainless slide is technically a CS9S, so the Scandium designation might toss an extra "S" somewhere in the model name.
I'd think you might start to see double looking at the model name of a CS9 with the carbon steel slide & a Scandium black finish frame if it were called a CS9CSC ...
How about a 3913TSWSC?
Dream on, though. I've been continually wishing someone would program the CNC equipment to produce a compact 39XX with a stainless frame - and an integral machined accessory rail - and call it a 3916TSW.
Might as well dream big while we're at it.
Might as well dream big while we're at it.
