PC Recon-9 and Recon-45....anyone Own and carry these?

[Nalapombu]

Hey all.

I saw a Recon 9 on one of the sale boards and I thought it looked great. I guess it’s a 6906 with PC mods and parts. I wonder what one of them weighs. I think it’s a great looking S&W auto. I’d really like to have one, but they are rather pricey.

I also like the RECON-45. Ive seen those mentioned on here a few times over the years. They are a great looking pistol too. The only thing I’m not quite sure about is whether I would want that extended barrel that the 45 has. Why doesn’t the Recon 9 have an extended barrel?

I’d like to hear about these awesome pistols and what you think about them and how they are for CCW use. Of course pics are strongly encouraged!!!




Thank you all for your help.

Larry

 

[4T5GUY]

I have a few of the smaller S&W’s and really like them. They are all incredibly accurate and are actually works of art.

I think the 45 Recon with the extended/ported barrel was just a gimmick or marketing thing, but I got one anyway, (for a very low price.) The Shorty series are special pistols, and the Recons are too.

Every time I get a different one I think I’m gonna carry it but I don’t for several reasons I suppose. They are pistols from a far away different time in S&W history. If you are interested in any of them just take your time and wait for what you want. They all can still be found for very reasonable prices and sometimes incredibly low.

Jim

 

[TNZ71]

I don’t carry my Recon 9 as much as i once did. Mainly because I don’t carry at all much anymore. I retired and moved from one the deadliest cities in America to a small town on the Prairie. It’s too nice to leave in my truck.

It’s very accurate for a compact.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Bought my first Shorty-9 from a friend who wanted to "upgrade" to a Shorty-40.........He managed a gun shop and he'd carried it for about a year..... but still pretty much new in the box.... thinking I paid $450-500. So I carried it for about 10 years on weekend and when away from home (my suit gun was and is a 3913NL). Still gets carried from time to time.... but lately carrying a FrankinSmith 6915 or Beretta Compact (15rd mec-gar mag) more.

Never realized in those pre-Forum days... how few were actually made....mine now 25 years old... but always carried in a good Milt Sparks holster. ........ looks a bit like TNZ71's......

 

[Steve912]

What kind of changes/improvements do the Shorty & Recon models
have, over a base 6906?

 

[colt_saa]

Hey all.

I saw a Recon 9 on one of the sale boards and I thought it looked great.

I guess it’s a 6906 with PC mods and parts.

Absolutly not

The Recon 9 was manufactured from the ground up starting on the CNC mills in the Performance Center using code that is specific to each model. Back in those days the Performance Center had their own tooling and work flows that were not influenced be what the Production side of Smith and Wesson was doing

The Recon 9 and 6906 may have a similar shape, but they are totally different animals

I have owned both, though I only carried the Recon 45.

Both of mine are now owned by buddies of mine that really wanted them

Both are exceptionally accurate, hand fitted examples of modern day sidearms

I think that the Recons are one of the only 3rd generation Smith & Wesson auto loaders with a true decocker. Most 3rd generation Smith & Wessons have a hammer drop safety

If you think it is too expensive, ask if the seller will meet you at the range to test fire it. That will seal the deal and you will want one

 

[BAM-BAM]

colt_ssa the PC DPA 5906s also have the "decocker only" feature........



Steve912...... the early 1990s PC autos was the equivalent of buying a Colt 1911 and sending it off the Wilson Combat or a Browning to Novak to have it completely rebuilt by a master gunsmith. Tolerances are tighter.... moving parts are are smoother, triggers are better,.................. even the little Shorty's shoot like target pistols.........

The most obvious visual differences are the "Briley" (sp?) titanium bushing, slide cuts and grip frame checkering.


IIRC back in the day you could buy a Browning HP for about $500.... ship it off to Novak $1200-1500 for 6months ....... just having to 'refinish" the gun would add $250-300 to the total cost.

A PC Shorty-9 would set you back ..... $850 MSRP..... but they could be had for $700ish.

 

[vigil617]

One thing about the 45 Recon model, if you decide to add that to your collection as a shooter, is that -- as one of our esteemed members here especially of the 45ACP models has reported -- the trigger breaks when it is almost to the back of the frame. He opted to send it off to another esteemed member here who does fantastic work on handguns in general and Third Gens in particular. As I recall, our guru worked his gunsmithing magic and tuned that 45 Recon into the Performance Center perfection it should have been from the start.

One other thing about the Recons is that, for me at least, it's too easy to fall into calling them "Recon 9," "Recon 40", and "Recon 45." It's actually the other way around, and I find myself correcting myself all the time.

 

[4T5GUY]

I just wanted to add that my Recon 45, (,) trigger brakes at the same place as most of my other comparable pistols. Maybe about 3/8” back from the trigger housing. I’ve only this single experience with a Recon 45, (,) so I am by no means that knowledgeable. Maybe the early one I have is different? It’s trigger is smooth and breaks clean and actually “feels” better than my Shorty 45 MKII.

I’m not disagreeing or arguing but I just wanted to interject my personal finding.

Jim

 

[Rock185]

Seems a pretty common perception in the internet gun world that the Performance Center guns of the Recon/CQB/DPA/845/952, etc. era are just stock guns customized by the PC. Having owned production S&W autos since the '60s, and several PC guns, the PC guns of that era are a "whole nuther thing". Now days, I don't know whether a separate PC facility even exists, or if the "Performance Center" is just another production line in the main factory.....

 

[4T5GUY]

I found this sales flyer in my files. Luckily I could put it in my pictures to post it here.

Unfortunately RSR didn’t keep records of their special runs like Lew Horton, (Earl,) did. I actually “broke through” the RSR wall cause I used to have an FFL/account with them. They still had me in the files. The kid I talked to had no idea what a Recon 45 was so he transferred me to a very nice woman. She said they never kept track of their special runs, (which I can’t believe but maybe.

Jim

 

[vigil617]

I found this sales flyer in my files. Luckily I could put it in my pictures to post it here.

Unfortunately RSR didn’t keep records of their special runs like Lew Horton, (Earl,) did. I actually “broke through” the RSR wall cause I used to have an FFL/account with them. They still had me in the files. The kid I talked to had no idea what a Recon 45 was so he transferred me to a very nice woman. She said they never kept track of their special runs, (which I can’t believe but maybe.

Jim

That's interesting info, Jim, and explains why we haven't been able to verify production numbers for the Recon () models or any of the other guns produced for RSR. All I've ever seen or heard is that nobody had been able to get RSR to respond -- I guess that's the RSR "wall" you mentioned.

OP, perhaps you didn't know that the Recon series guns were produced as a special to RSR, which along with Lew Horton's were major Smith & Wesson dealers at the time. The Recons were produced a few years after the Shorty series guns for Lew Horton. The 9 Recon you are looking at is essentially the same thing as a Shorty 9, only with the forward slide serrations and the decock-only feature, plus different grips from the factory. It's the only Recon model that S&W didn't include the extended, ported barrel on.

The only Recon model that I've seen verified (by Jinks letter) production numbers for is the 45 Recon at 603 units. http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...-center-recon-45-a.html?431037=#post138545670

If you're able to get the 9 Recon for a reasonable price, you should go for it. Getting the comparable Shorty 9 in one of its three iterations will cost you more money. All of them are excellent pistols, and with the 9 Recon, there's the additional advantage of it having been (as far as observed numbers), the rarest of the models mentioned.

 

[PPCSHOOTER]

I HAD A RECON 45 . IT WAS VERY NICE. A FRIEND OF MINE BADGERED THE HELLL OUT OF ME TO BUY IT. HE STILL HAS IT. I DO HAVE A SHORTY 9 THAT I CARRY FORM TIME TO TIME. IT SHOOTS GREAT AND CARRY'S EASILY. JP

 

[joedegs]

419

The only Recon model that I've seen verified (by Jinks letter) production numbers for is the 45 Recon at 603 units. http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...-center-recon-45-a.html?431037=#post138545670

There was a recent auction that had a Recon 9 lettered. 419 units were produced.

S&W PERFORMANCE CENTER RECON 9 SALESMAN SAMPLE FACTORY LETTER 9MM - Revolvers at GunBroker.com : 861811259

Joe

 

[joedegs]

Weight

I found this sales flyer in my files. Luckily I could put it in my pictures to post it here.

Unfortunately RSR didn’t keep records of their special runs like Lew Horton, (Earl,) did. I actually “broke through” the RSR wall cause I used to have an FFL/account with them. They still had me in the files. The kid I talked to had no idea what a Recon 45 was so he transferred me to a very nice woman. She said they never kept track of their special runs, (which I can’t believe but maybe.

Jim

Hey Jim. Thanks for posting the flyer. The OP was curious about the weight of the pistol. Is there any specs on the backside of the flyer?

Joe

 

[vigil617]

Joe, this is fantastic! Thanks for pointing it out, as it's a great find. I'll let Steve know so it can be added to his Third Gen PC spreadsheet. Thanks!

 

[joedegs]

Joe, this is fantastic! Thanks for pointing it out, as it's a great find. I'll let Steve know so it can be added to his Third Gen PC spreadsheet. Thanks!

No problem, anytime.

Joe

 

[skjos]

Joe, this is fantastic! Thanks for pointing it out, as it's a great find. I'll let Steve know so it can be added to his Third Gen PC spreadsheet. Thanks!

Thanks for the heads up, the PC spreadsheet has been updated.

The Complete 3rd Gen PERFORMANCE CENTER Model List

 

[4T5GUY]

9 Recon just sold for $2075.00

I’m sure I’m not the only one that was tracking, but....wow.

I felt I overpaid for mine but it was @ $1000.00 less. One of you here explained the fact that if you got something cheaper than it was “worth” you could apply that “savings” to something else. I’ve gotten some pretty good deals so I felt I could pay a bit more on my 9 Recon but over $2000.00 seems, well just a bit high. (?)

Jim

 

[UnstopaNole99]

Everything seems to be selling high, but yes that seems high to me. Obviously all it takes is one person to want it bad enough, bidding against another.....that and Government stimulus checks.

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