Performance Center SD 356 TSW

[Jaymo]

HYPURR, is that a DeTomaso Pantera in you avatar pic?

 

[THE ROLLING STONES]

HYPURR,

I also have a SD356 lettered and it also said there was 119 units made. The full size 3566 is the best pistol that ever came out of the Performance Center. If you ever get a chance buy one. You will not be sorry.

THE ROLLING STONES

 

[HYPURR]

Jaymo that would be a 1972 Pre L # 3463. Really Loud and Really Fast. Would scare small children and pets... Guns are a lot easier than Panteras...

Best, Dave

 

[10xatten]

Totally awsome, HYPURR. Do you show it or drive it? That could be the nicest '72 I've seen. If your guns are kept as nice, and you ever want to sell one, PM me.

Richard

 

[skjos]

I think this has been discussed before......but not sure if any conclusions were reached............ so

500 total SD guns

119 in .356

any idea on the breakdown of SD- 9s and .40s ???

I'm still a little confused, the production letter says 500 units for the stocking dealer program serial numbered SDSxxxx, however the Model SD356 that was lettered is serial numbered SDDxxxx.

Is the SDD serial number somehow included with the SDS serial range:

SDD0001 thru SDD0119 + SDS0001 thru SDS0381 = 500

or is it in addition to:

SDD0001 thru SDD0119 + SDS0001 thru SDS0500 = 619

In another thread I read that the SD40 was SDS0001-0207.

Thanks

 

[tjpopkin]

I have all the .356TSW guns, including the race gun and the revolver….
My SD 356TSW is #106 of 119…..



Here are the others……







and the shorty with a 9mm threaded barrel fitted by the PC….


A note: the 5" gun (with a 9mm barrel fitted) actually out-shot my 5" 952 and 6" 952. It holds 2" @ 50yds….

When I bought the Briley, I found 2000 rounds of hydroshoks (2 weights) and Corbons…bought all of it…easy to reload, and incredible with VV3n37 loads and 125gr. jhp.

 

[vigil617]

Terry, your photos are always a treat! And that 356TSW collection is a thing of beauty from top to bottom. Thanks for sharing.

 

[vigil617]

I'm still a little confused, the production letter says 500 units for the stocking dealer program serial numbered SDSxxxx, however the Model SD356 that was lettered is serial numbered SDDxxxx.

Is the SDD serial number somehow included with the SDS serial range:

SDD0001 thru SDD0119 + SDS0001 thru SDS0381 = 500

or is it in addition to:

SDD0001 thru SDD0119 + SDS0001 thru SDS0500 = 619

In another thread I read that the SD40 was SDS0001-0207.

Thanks

I've never seen a Stocking Dealer Compact of any of the three calibers (9, 40, 356TSW) with an SDS prefix. I suspect perhaps that was an administrative-type designation for the approximately 500 pistols that Mr. Jinks' letter references.

Here's why:

All three of the SD series Performance Center guns are more or less fully described in the SCSW, and specified with alpha prefixes as follows:

The SD 356 TSW models were SDD. And, as Hypurr's letter from Mr. Jinks confirms, they were SDD0001-0119.

The SD 40 S&W models were SDC in the series 0001 - 0207. This designation is confirmed by a photo of at least one example, wlp27's in a separate thread.

The SD 9 P models (nobody's ever explained exactly what the "P" stood for, but anyway...) were SDB. This is confirmed by the following photos I found online: (EDIT: D'oh! The P is for "Parabellum," of course!)





These most likely would be SDB0001 - 0174, to round out the remaining of the 500 total SD guns produced. The 174 estimate is consistent with what previous posts have estimated over the years about the quantity of the 9mm model.

 

[BAM-BAM]

vigil..... why; if you know, does that SD9 have a .356 with it??????

 

[vigil617]

vigil..... why; if you know, does that SD9 have a .356 with it??????

Good catch, Bam! You're talking about the .356TSW marked magazine along with the SD 9 P gun. Other pictures in that group that I didn't include show that the pistol's owner had received both a .356TSW and a 9mm marked Performance Center mag when he bought the pistol at a gun show. Both mags would feed the 9mm cartridges used by the pistol, so I guess that's why they were all together like that. Maybe the previous owner had wanted to get an extra mag, and the 356TSW was all he could find. (There would have been a very limited number of that 9mm PC-marked mags for the SD 9, compared to the SD 356, which used the same ones used by the 3566 Compacts, which the SCSW says were produced in a quantity of about 200.)

 

[handgunner356]

Not sure why they have those mags with that gun if it is a 9mm, but the mags are the same. The only thing different would be the laser etched caliber markings.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Good catch, Bam! You're talking about the .356TSW marked magazine along with the SD 9 P gun. Other pictures in that group that I didn't include show that the pistol's owner had received both a .356TSW and a 9mm marked Performance Center mag when he bought the pistol at a gun show. Both mags would feed the 9mm cartridges used by the pistol, so I guess that's why they were all together like that. Or maybe the previous owner had wanted to get an extra mag, and the 356TSW was all he could find. (There would have been a very limited number of that 9mm PC-marked mags for the SD 9, compared to the SD 356, which used the same ones used by the 3566 Compacts, which the SCSW says were produced in a quantity of about 200.)

Well ya.... but the SD9 can use any magazine that will work in the 6906/04 family of guns.

IIRC the .356 is either a 21 or 22mm case length vs the 9x19 of the SD9... can they use the same magazines???? What about overall cartridge length??

Things that make you go....... hummmmmm??????

 

[bad_man_ one]

IIRC the .356 is either a 21 or 22mm case length vs the 9x19 of the SD9... can they use the same magazines???? What about overall cartridge length???

9 X 21.5mm, same OAL, 55,000 psi SAAMI spec.
Regards,
BM1

 

[vigil617]

Well ya.... but the SD9 can use any magazine that will work in the 6906/04 family of guns.

IIRC the .356 is either a 21 or 22mm case length vs the 9x19 of the SD9... can they use the same magazines???? What about overall cartridge length??

Things that make you go....... hummmmmm??????

True that. But if I have a Performance Center gun, I want Performance Center-marked mags, especially if I don't realize that the regular production mags for the 6906/04 series will work just as well and are really the same ones.

 

[skjos]

I've never seen a Stocking Dealer Compact of any of the three calibers (9, 40, 356TSW) with an SDS prefix. I suspect perhaps that was an administrative-type designation for the approximately 500 pistols that Mr. Jinks' letter references.

Here's why:

All three of the SD series Performance Center guns are more or less fully described in the SCSW, and specified with alpha prefixes as follows:

The SD 356 TSW models were SDD. And, as Hypurr's letter from Mr. Jinks confirms, they were SDD0001-0119.

The SD 40 S&W models were SDC in the series 0001 - 0207. This designation is confirmed by a photo of at least one example, wlp27's in a separate thread.

The SD 9 P models (nobody's ever explained exactly what the "P" stood for, but anyway...) were SDB. This is confirmed by the following photos I found online:

View attachment 193091

View attachment 193092

These most likely would be SDB0001 - 0174, to round out the remaining of the 500 total SD guns produced. The 174 estimate is consistent with what previous posts have estimated over the years about the quantity of the 9mm model.

This is the best explanation I've heard for the SD series serial numbers and production quantities. I'll update the PC list when I get the chance.

 

[BAM-BAM]

My SD9 is serial #SDB0114.


??????????


The .356 a 9x21.5 and 9x19 have the same overall length? Humm......

Not a reloader..... so not so up on this stuff......

I thought the original purpose of the 9x"20 somethings" was to have a non-military 9mm cartridge for countries where civilian ownership of "military" guns/ammo was/is banned...... and that 9mm ammo would not work in these guns. If the overall length is the same..... couldn't you use 9x19 in guns built for the 9x20s ?

In the early 90s some USPSA shooters started using these almost forgotten ( in the US) "hotrod" 9mm's (and the old 38 Super) to make "major" with a flat shooting 9mm........

 

[vigil617]

This is the best explanation I've heard for the SD series serial numbers and production quantities. I'll update the PC list when I get the chance.

Got a couple other things to run by you, too, Steve, but your mailbox was full earlier today. Drop me a line; thanks.

 

[tjpopkin]

The .356TSW is VERY HOT. It is a screamer… The CorBon cartridges are rated at 1450ft/sec. My reloads are 1450+ and are very accurate. The overall length is the same, but the brass Max. length is different. in .36TSW, the heavy bullet is 135gr…
That said, I have Perf. Center 12 round mags for the SD that I could part with if you absolutely need one….Email me.
[email protected]

 

[vigil617]

Terry, Federal's full metal jacket rounds are 147 grain; the hollow points are 135. Still a screamin' fast round and it's still a shame nothing ever happened with them so that they still could be around.

 

[handgunner356]

Bam-Bam, Yes that 9x21 was used by different manufacturers to get by laws againest using military rounds. Just by lengthing the chamber and using flat nose bullets in the same overall length they got around it. Standard 9x21 was loaded pretty much the same as 9x19 about 34,000psi. But since there were no SAAMI specs for the round here ISPC/USPSA shooters got by loading extra hot to make the Major Power Factor at the time of 175 (147gr at 1200fps). The .356tsw case was designed to handle the extra pressure but to keep it out of guns that might not they made the case 9x21.5, much like making Magnums longer than Specials. When the term ".38 Superface" starting getting around from making major with that round and having the extrator blow out they required a minimum .40cal for Major and that was pretty much the end of the .356tsw. They have since lowered the Power Factor to 165 but still have the .40cal limit in all but Open Class.