Target Champion with a "WISXXXX" serial number.

[vijonesjr]

I cannot find anything in the Standard Catalog of S&W about an auto-loader I recently purhcased. It has import marks from Europe and looks to be a fine pistol. Any ideas where I can find out something about this serial number?

 

[505Gibbs]

For starters it is an export model that was sent to Europe! They occasionally show up on GB. They are not cheap either!!

 

[Jim Watson]

WISCHO was the European importer.

 

[colt_saa]

The standard catalog of Smith and Wesson mostly deals with firearms that are intended for the US market. Firearms that get exported to foreign countries typically do not have a lot of information that comes to the media and press here in the United States

WISCHO of Germany is very much the Lew Horton of Europe.

They were an extremely large distributor of both production firearms as well as Performance Center exclusive offerings.

Every so often you find some that made their way back to America and those are easy to spot because they have German proof marks on them additionally there are some sold in the US market that never left the country

The 6" Performance Center autolader you have pictured is very similar to the single action 5906 PPC auto loaders that were offered here in America. The American version was offered in both a 5" and a 6" format. The PPC uses an aristocrat rear sight which is different than the Bomar style rear site on your firearm. An additional difference on the 6 inch 5906 PPC is that the serrations on the back of the slide are of the fish scale style as opposed to the more traditional straight serrations on your firearm. All of these firearms have a magazine funnel attached to them so the supplied factory magazines all have the rubber bumpers on them that were manufactured by CP products. All magazines intended for the 5906 pistols will work in these firearms but they insert much more slowly because they have to be pushed in beyond the magazine funnel

The Performance Center model 5906 PPC is actually quite a rare firearm. The Factory only made it available to Law Enforcement Officers who ordered it on letterhead with the specific intent of competing in PPC matches. These were manufactured on demand as orders came in so it's very hard to tell how many were actually produced over the years

 

[cherrypointmarine]

Congrat's on a fine pistol . I have both a 5in and 6in . But my 6in was modified from a 5in by a famous German gunsmith . I know of at least one other member that has a 6in like mine , they are fairly rare .

If you haven't shot it yet , prepare to be amazed . Accuracy is off the charts and the trigger is up there with my 40 and 3566 Limited's .

 

[olds350rocket]

The 5 inch model here is 170040 in the catalog known as 9mm Limited in the states and 9mm Target champion in Europe.

I have yet to see anyone post an S&W letter on one that offered any valuable information. The letter's just repeat the same generic information most of the time.

I cannot find production numbers or concrete serial number ranges for the 5 inch or 6inch guns because the SN's where almost at random it seems with the Wischo exports.

Hopefully you plan to shoot it. They are overbuilt and can handle it. Briley can make barrels and bushing rings for you if you follow the proper channels.

I never go to the range without mine. They are incredibly accurate, tightly fitted and just amazing guns. The limited models are truly the absolute best to come out of the Performance Center in my opinion. Welcome to the club.

 

[joedegs]

All Wischo, top three 5906, 4006 and the bottom one is an 845.


Joe

 

[olds350rocket]

I was curious what you thought of the gun assuming you've taken delivery of it by now. These don't get posted much.