Performance Center SD 356 TSW

[HYPURR]

I see so many really cool 3G's here thought I'd share 1 of my more rare/unseen 3G pistols with all. A Performance Center Stocking Distributor .356 TSW. This is 1 of 119. Note the cool letter from Roy Jinks (took 4 months to receive). I did purchase all of the ammo (850 rds mixed-FMJ Match/JHP) the seller had with it too.

 

[BAM-BAM]

I have an SD-9.........the all steel 6900 frame with 4 1/4 inch barrels of the SD PC guns are NICE.... the 9mm is like shooting a .22lr.

Always thought/hoped one would show up in a James Bond movie poster......visually these guns are the most "bad ***" of any PC gun ....... IMHO!!!!!!

Sweeeeet gun HYPURR....... are you hording ammo or reloading?

 

[vigil617]

This is a way-cool post! I had no idea Roy Jinks himself was captain of the S&W Shooting Team back in the early '90s when the "356 TS&W" was conceived and produced. Also interesting is the fact that the cartridge was lengthened by .5mm so that it would not chamber in handguns designed for 9x21mm rounds.

I also didn't know the production numbers on the SD 356 TSW pistols for Lew Horton, but this letter seems to nail that down, too.

I love the look of the SD 356 TSW and its brother 9mm and 40 cal. versions in the 4 1/4" barrels. For my money, though, the additional black on the 5" and 3.5" 3566 models (the "Limited" and the "Compact" respectively) make them the prettiest of the 356's.

My 3566 Compact is my HD gun, and it's so much fun to shoot at the range with the 356TSW and 9x21 rounds. It's a pistol I'll never sell or trade, that's for sure.

3566 Compact with Haugen leather

 

[Shorty 45 MK2]

Wow, very nice!

One of the best looking pistols out there.

I've shot a 3566 compact (thanks to a forum member) and it was amazing.

 

[HYPURR]

Hey Bam-Bam, I am hoarding the ammo...my 356 is a safe queen...

 

[BAM-BAM]

Hey Bam-Bam, I am hoarding the ammo...my 356 is a safe queen...

Always nice to have a "stash" of ammo with a gun/ammo combo like that......


Cus......... I can see HYPURR in the 15th season of "The Walking Dead"........ replacing Rick and his Python...... with a really cool stainless Smith & Wesson but only has 800 rounds of ammo....... trying to make it to the "new CDC" which is still working on the Ebola crisis..... Zombies...... what Zombies

 

[HYPURR]

Walking Dead .45

Sorry to disappoint you Bam...but this is more likely my WD handgun. Way more rounds for it than just the 850-356...but that's another thread for another forum...

Best, Dave

(1999 Para-Ordinance P13-45 Limited-Made in Canada-Original Owner shot and loved)

 

[BAM-BAM]

Dave.... We are not talking "Practical to Tactical" .......we are talking what looks way coooool on TV...LOL

The only thing close to the SD guns for cool factor IMHO are the "long-slide" 5906s

Think about it .......who would only carry a 6 shot Python in Zombie country........ I haven't even seen a speed-loader!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[skjos]

Sweet production letter information.

It has more information on the Super 9, then the production letter I received specifically for the Super 9.

I will be updating my "5906 "Super 9" Information" thread with this new information.

 

[Dukesamson]

I think people don't grasp how rare it is to have 1 of 119 or
1of 166 etc of a worldwide distributed product that just also happens to made to tolerances not matched by any of the custom gun makers except SVI guns. To sell one you have is just irresponsible. In years to come these will be the most expensive guns we will ever see. and the fact that it was a series that was made in numbers that one could conceivably own all, I stoped at all that were not 2 tone or black and have multiple copies of each. Don't sell yours, just saying. When it becomes to expensive to injection mold plastic and all they cram down our throats is cardboard and oatmeal composites touted as light and cool we will reminisce of when the peak of smith happened and the last of the 3rd gen PC guns were made. I also don't buy white gold, yellow diamonds and spiked coolaid.

 

[skjos]

After closely reading your production letter I'm a little confused.

The first full production run was a group of 5" pistols (170032).
This was followed by a run of 3.5" pistols (170027).
The total between these two runs was 813.

The next run of pistols was the 4.25" Stocking Dealer (170052) with SDSxxxx serial number. A total of 500 units were made.

Was your pistol was in a subsequent group of 4.25" Stocking Dealers that were serial numbered SDDxxxx, bringing the total Stocking Dealer quantity to 619 (500 + 119)?

Thanks

 

[Shiggi1]

There was 500 SDD models made, they were split between the three calibers being produced. 9mm, 40s&w, and 356

 

[BAM-BAM]

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 ???

 

[Shiggi1]

Don't quote me on this but I am like 90% sure that the breakdown was pretty even on the 9 and 40. The 356 was a special run being a
more exclusive caliber.

 

[handgunner356]

I was always told 204 units on the SD40, so that would make for a 177 9mms'.

 

[mbliss57]

Where is Curtis from Ohio when you need him? I think he owns the rest of the 356 TSWs. He won the semi auto display at the S&W National Convention in Columbus this year. I am sure he would have some additional input to enlighten us about this very cool pistol. Very nice acquisition!

 

[BAM-BAM]

Count on S&W to build them in "odd" numbered runs......... 119, 204 and 177..... I mean .......

LOL who would make a "business decision" to build 100 or 200 or 250!!!!! Oh wait; Lou Horton and others who order special runs......

As I type this it occurs to me....... was the intent to do a run of 100 ..... but you order "extras" parts..... just in case (bad part, damage, mistake)....... and then build guns until you run out of full sets of parts?????

It's long been the running joke here that S&W never wastes or throws anything away!

 

[HYPURR]

...any way you slice it I'm glad to have 1 of 119...

D

 

[SmithNut]

My take -not due to S&W planning

Count on S&W to build them in "odd" numbered runs......... 119, 204 and 177..... I mean .......

LOL who would make a "business decision" to build 100 or 200 or 250!!!!! Oh wait; Lou Horton and others who order special runs......

As I type this it occurs to me....... was the intent to do a run of 100 ..... but you order "extras" parts..... just in case (bad part, damage, mistake)....... and then build guns until you run out of full sets of parts?????

It's long been the running joke here that S&W never wastes or throws anything away!

Back when the PC and Lew Horton were running regular production runs of PC guns, the Stocking Dealer community thought they were getting the short end of the ...... Anyway, they made lots of noise to get their "own" PC guns, hence the Stocking Dealer specials, but lo and behold they did not sell many and the Stocking Dealer PC guns were all truncated.
As you note above, Lew Horton would step up and order complete production runs, and if they sold or not (example of not - the Heritage Series), they ate any left overs or sold them cheap.
The Stocking Dealer guns were direct from S&W and the dealers and back then they had a hard time selling $1000 guns to their normal clientele.
That's the story I remember hearing from folks at the PC back then anyway.
The downside of the short/irregular numbers of guns produced - none that I can see - as this only makes these guns more collectible.

I've only seen a handful of the SDE guns, aside from the 356 TSW that I own, all have been in 356 or 40, but I've never laid eyes on a 9mm version up here in the NW.....

 

[BAM-BAM]

Smithnut..... that's the same story I heard about the SD guns...... had a buddy that was working at a Police Supplyhouse and LGS near Uniontown Pa.

In the mid to late 90s that Shop had a number of the early PC guns...... they didn't sell very well... my buddy bought the SD-9 (I always guessed at cost)...... and sold it to me about a year later; to get, IIRC a Shorty .40.

I got 3 of my 4 PC guns at/through that LGS all at good prices; all very dusty! One guy ( retail sales manager) would show me a PC gun every time I stopped.... 5-6 times a year for 3 or 4 years

I passed on a .356 back then ..... afraid the caliber wouldn't catch on..... but I've never seen a .40.

As to the downside......my friend and I shot the SD-9 for 3-4 years between us..... it is sweet...heavy for it's size.... but like shooting a .22... when I found out how rare they were I stopped shooting it in "informal" IDPA ( LOL no club/range knew how to classify it )......was a sad day

 

[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.)