New to Me PPC-9

Wildcat96

Wildcat96

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Hey everyone, New member on the S&W forum.

Have been interested in the PPC-9 for a while now and recently found one that is in great shape! Appears to not have been shot much.

Was hoping to get a set of Nill Grips for it, but received a reply from the Nill website they no longer make grips for this model. Their US distributor MacTec confirmed.

Looking forward to getting to the range.att.NPhmvcBYg4KQT9WQmvRshSBkBB2s_w9RlmfzdSNfVxg.webp
 
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If it shoots like my Target Champion , which I'm pretty sure they are the same gun , prepare to be in awe . Yours has the 4(?) position rear , where mine just has an adjustable . Mine shoots 115 & 124gr with the same accuracy , and that's with factory reloads . I also have an Sig P210 Target , it won't touch what my S&W will do . Happy shooting , Semper Fi
 
cherrypointmarine said:
If it shoots like my Target Champion , which I'm pretty sure they are the same gun , prepare to be in awe . Yours has the 4(?) position rear , where mine just has an adjustable . Mine shoots 115 & 124gr with the same accuracy , and that's with factory reloads . I also have an Sig P210 Target , it won't touch what my S&W will do . Happy shooting , Semper Fi
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Thanks Devil Dawg! I've got a P210 Target as well and will need to do a comparison for sure.
 
I owned two of those. I just wish I could've made it work to get my Semi-Auto Distinguished Badge but I didn't. It wasn't the pistol. I was a better revolver shooter. Congratulations on a great pistol.

BTW: The sights are configured for a center hold at position one, position two neck hold twenty-five yards, and three neck hold at fifty yards, all on a B-27 target.
 
I have the European variants , I don't even care to shoot or collect production line guns anymore because of the incredible build quality and accuracy. I was able to hit a 4 steel inch plate at 100 yards last time I shot the 5inch gun once I found my hold. The gun shoots 1 inch groups with 115gr Federal target ammo. If you have a flyer or a miss, it was you. These are truly elite level handguns from a great time in S&W PC history.

I would take a single PPC-9/Target Champion variant over ten production line four number model variants (5906/3913 ect).
They are THAT much better in my opinion.




Stay away from the "get a grip " on eBay. The nills copies are low quality plastic as are the replacement CP mag bases. The grips cracked before I could even install them due to bad fitment and the cp baseplate copy cracked after three reloads.
 

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Welcome aboard DD. CalReb here, Retired out in the Weatherford area. I have quite a bit of experience with the PPC9s. Kept all the ones owned by my pistol team members up and running for over 20 years. Absolutely great guns. FYI one of the things you absolutely need to do is to keep the Briley bushing and your barrel, at the muzzle end, grit free and lubed with a decent lube, I have always used MiliTech-1. It seems to stay on the gun longer than any of the CLP stuff. Doesnt need super special attention or anything like that, just regular cleaning and lube at least before you shoot it. There is a great thread here by BCMC, I think, he is an outstanding gunsmith. It shows the correct way to remove and maintain the spherical bushing. Do that and it will last forever, my 30 year old gun with 200,000 rounds at least, still looks and shoots like new. The big reason is the bushings are no longer being made for 9mm and dont think Briley will ever do it again. Any way, good luck, great gun and get in touch if you ever need anything.

Still got most of these hanging around, all of the PC guns.
 

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CALREB said:
Welcome aboard DD. CalReb here, Retired out in the Weatherford area. I have quite a bit of experience with the PPC9s. Kept all the ones owned by my pistol team members up and running for over 20 years. Absolutely great guns. FYI one of the things you absolutely need to do is to keep the Briley bushing and your barrel, at the muzzle end, grit free and lubed with a decent lube, I have always used MiliTech-1. It seems to stay on the gun longer than any of the CLP stuff. Doesnt need super special attention or anything like that, just regular cleaning and lube at least before you shoot it. There is a great thread here by BCMC, I think, he is an outstanding gunsmith. It shows the correct way to remove and maintain the spherical bushing. Do that and it will last forever, my 30 year old gun with 200,000 rounds at least, still looks and shoots like new. The big reason is the bushings are no longer being made for 9mm and dont think Briley will ever do it again. Any way, good luck, great gun and get in touch if you ever need anything.

Still got most of these hanging around, all of the PC guns.
Click to expand...
You'll be pleased to hear that Briley will make 9mm bushings and barrels. I have already purchased a new production 5inch barrel and am working on getting the bushings made.
 
You guys keep saying "9mm bushings" but these are not that.

These are Briley titanium spherical bushings and the diameter of them are matched to the outside diameter of your barrel (or a thousandth over, actually) so it should not matter if your PC gun is a 9, .40, .356TSW or a .45.

If it's the correct size for the OD of your barrel, you're good to go.

Briley also makes (or made, if they don't anymore…?) a 1911 bushing that makes use of the titanium spherical ring.
 
Sevens said:
You guys keep saying "9mm bushings" but these are not that.

These are Briley titanium spherical bushings and the diameter of them are matched to the outside diameter of your barrel (or a thousandth over, actually) so it should not matter if your PC gun is a 9, .40, .356TSW or a .45.

If it's the correct size for the OD of your barrel, you're good to go.

Briley also makes (or made, if they don't anymore…?) a 1911 bushing that makes use of the titanium spherical ring.
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What they mean to say is 9mm Briley Bushing rings. They are obviously sized differently than the .45 rings they currently make for their drop in housings.

PC 9mm and .40 barrels measure ~.545" at the muzzle, and Briley only offers replacement rings commercially for .45s (down to .563"). They do still make them available with the replacement barrels they make for Scott Sullivan, or did at least
 
The last time I looked at Briley's website, unless you were using a 9mm bull barrel maybe, they didn't offer anything (rings or whole bushings) that fit a 1911 style 9mm barrel, or P/C 9mm diameter barrel around .530 " something. I have put several on 45 cal 1911s. It was actually pretty easy if you ordered the right size. I would love to purchase some extra rings for my P/C guns and a couple whole set ups for 9mm 1911s if they became available. Unless I just didn't look at the right spot on their site.

Olds350 please keep us posted if they become available.
 
olds350rocket said:
I have the European variants , I don't even care to shoot or collect production line guns anymore because of the incredible build quality and accuracy. I was able to hit a 4 steel inch plate at 100 yards last time I shot the 5inch gun once I found my hold. The gun shoots 1 inch groups with 115gr Federal target ammo. If you have a flyer or a miss, it was you. These are truly elite level handguns from a great time in S&W PC history.

I would take a single PPC-9/Target Champion variant over ten production line four number model variants (5906/3913 ect).
They are THAT much better in my opinion.




Stay away from the "get a grip " on eBay. The nills copies are low quality plastic as are the replacement CP mag bases. The grips cracked before I could even install them due to bad fitment and the cp baseplate copy cracked after three reloads.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the info on the eBay mag bases. I was thinking about purchasing a few although they are pricy at $27 each for a small piece of plastic.
 
CALREB said:
Welcome aboard DD. CalReb here, Retired out in the Weatherford area. I have quite a bit of experience with the PPC9s. Kept all the ones owned by my pistol team members up and running for over 20 years. Absolutely great guns. FYI one of the things you absolutely need to do is to keep the Briley bushing and your barrel, at the muzzle end, grit free and lubed with a decent lube, I have always used MiliTech-1. It seems to stay on the gun longer than any of the CLP stuff. Doesnt need super special attention or anything like that, just regular cleaning and lube at least before you shoot it. There is a great thread here by BCMC, I think, he is an outstanding gunsmith. It shows the correct way to remove and maintain the spherical bushing. Do that and it will last forever, my 30 year old gun with 200,000 rounds at least, still looks and shoots like new. The big reason is the bushings are no longer being made for 9mm and dont think Briley will ever do it again. Any way, good luck, great gun and get in touch if you ever need anything.

Still got most of these hanging around, all of the PC guns.
Click to expand...
Thanks CalReb! Great info and appreciate it. The Briley bushing is new to me and I'll definitely look into the proper maintenance before going to the range. Pretty hyped about this pistol.
 
Wildcat96 said:
Thanks for the info on the eBay mag bases. I was thinking about purchasing a few although they are pricy at $27 each for a small piece of plastic.
Click to expand...
I am working on some repros in 6061. Have no idea how long it will take, but hopefully sooner than later. Olds' experience with the ebay ones are what prompted me to get on it
 
CALREB said:
Hey Wildcat, what is your magazine situation. Did you get a few with the gun. Just curious what you have. Because I am an old shooter guy who like to help a brother out...
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The gun came with two original PPC mags with the PPC baseplates and one mag that looks like a stock 5906 mag. All of them are 10 round mags. Thanks CALREB!
 
CALREB said:
Welcome aboard DD. CalReb here, Retired out in the Weatherford area. I have quite a bit of experience with the PPC9s. Kept all the ones owned by my pistol team members up and running for over 20 years. Absolutely great guns. FYI one of the things you absolutely need to do is to keep the Briley bushing and your barrel, at the muzzle end, grit free and lubed with a decent lube, I have always used MiliTech-1. It seems to stay on the gun longer than any of the CLP stuff. Doesnt need super special attention or anything like that, just regular cleaning and lube at least before you shoot it. There is a great thread here by BCMC, I think, he is an outstanding gunsmith. It shows the correct way to remove and maintain the spherical bushing. Do that and it will last forever, my 30 year old gun with 200,000 rounds at least, still looks and shoots like new. The big reason is the bushings are no longer being made for 9mm and dont think Briley will ever do it again. Any way, good luck, great gun and get in touch if you ever need anything.

Still got most of these hanging around, all of the PC guns.
Click to expand...
Question on the Briley Bushing. Do you usually remove and clean it during every cleaning session? I clean my firearms after every range session and probably a trait the Corps taught me. Those darn armorers were so picky! BTW- I read the thread you suggested by BCMC and it was very well documented. Thanks!
 
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