The Complete 3rd Gen Model List

[18DAI]

There is also the Melonite 4566. These were probably the last 4566's made before the 4566TSW's were produced. The 4566-M may actually have been produced concurrent with the TSW's. 2001?

All black melonite finish 4566 with MIM hammer and trigger. Novak night sights. Probably less than 300 made.

Very nice work on the compilation of models OP. This should be a sticky here. Regards 18DAI

 

[Lockback]

I had a 4567 like this one:

I loved it. Bobbed hammer, fed everything, night sights, Commander-length slide/barrel, nice two-tone looks, totally reliable.
I never cared for the DA/SA transition, though, and traded it on something.
Glad I had it though!

 

[Denver Dick]

skjos

Please see the edit to my 12/26/13 post above. When you're doing some other revisions to the list, you may want to note that the 4516 apparently came from the factory with dual recoil springs.

 

[ImjinScout]

This a great list and thanks for all the time that you have put into completing it. Is it possible to make it available for download or can it be made as a sticky for future reference. Thanks,

 

[Forsmithers]

DD,
I updated the production dates for the 4516.
Thread "4516 vs. 4516-1 vs. 4516-2" states a dual recoil spring for the no-dash, so I've changed the comment to "may have single or dual recoil spring" to cover both instances. Your historically letter wouldn't happen to have production numbers would it?

GH,
Added the CHP 4006; while its features are not really that unique, it is listed as a separate model in the S&W parts list.

Now if someone can tell me what the heck a M5946RCMP is?

The M5946RCMP is a 5946 (DAO version of the 5906) and RCMP would be the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

GREAT LIST and thanks in advance for sharing it with your fellow S&W enthusiasts/collectors!

 

[skjos]

I was about to post the file, but then I started to work on tab #2 "The Complete 3rd Gen Performance Center Model List", its proven to be a bit more difficult.

I also ordered the 34th edition of the blue book, so when it arrives I should be able to update some of the production dates.

 

[scwv67]

Don't know if the listed Melonite 5946 is the same, but according to this thread, http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/307595-melonite-5946s-integral-rail-found-another-one.html there was a few Melonite 5946's with an integral rail.

 

[skjos]

Revised the description of the 5946 (-M) to state integral rail.
Added the 2214ni model.

 

[Kadonny]

Revised the description of the 5946 (-M) to state integral rail.
Added the 2214ni model.

So where does my 5946 with (what I believe to be melonite) black finish fit in then? It does not have the RCMP logo, but was re-imported back to the US.

 

[skjos]

I've seen posts where the a melonite 5946 did not have RCMP markings on the pistol, but the box showed it as RCMP. I'm assuming your pistol may fall into this catagory.

http://smith1b-dev.techiemedia.net/showthread.php?t=70522

 

[Kadonny]

I guess it's possible it was a test gun, but I doubt it based on the holster wear it has. It is an older 5946 without a rail, so it's different than that in the thread you linked to. Here's a pic just for reference.

 

[Dave Nash]

"skjos":

Working on something else at the moment and only have a minute or two. I don't get to the Forum as much as I used to but came here to look up something that "18DAI" mentioned to me elsewhere and saw your chart and wanted to congratulate you on your efforts. As it gets more filled in and tuned up, I hope (as others have suggested) that the powers that be on this site do include it as some sort of quick reference on this Board. For I am sure that it will help many of the one-time-researchers find what they need, help the more dedicated newcomers get sent along the right path, and help the more experienced collectors when they move into a new area or inquire about something different (for them).

As you invited suggestions and corrections, here are a few of mine. Please note that in my hurry here and in my attempt(s) to be brief, my tone might seem a bit brusque or dismissive. That is not my intention and if you look at some of my previous posts on either side of these Public and Non-Public Pages, it never has been.

1) My fast pass of the chart itself shows the intro date for the "915" as being in 1993 and it is printed in red. I assume that this is a result of an already-made correction or revision to whatever date you originally listed. This could be due to "Denver Dick's" post here:

...By the way, I just re-read Roy's letter on my 915 and you might want to correct the production dates for that model. Roy's letter reads in part, "It became a catalog item in January of 1993. However, its availability was shortened as a result of the 1994 Clinton Administration ban on high capacity firearms which limited handguns to 10 round magazines for civilian sales. Smith & Wesson phased out the Model 915 during 1994 replacing it with the 10 shot version called the Model 910." So, I think you should indicate production dates for the Model 915 of 1993-1994. JMHO

At the risk of sounding rude (as stated above, that is not my intention), I respectfully submit that "Denver Dick" might be misreading the intention of Roy's remarks in his re-reading of the unincluded Factory Letter about his ("Denver Dick's") own "915". For while I won't disagree that the gun "became a catalog item in January of 1993" that is more than likely because the catalog for 1993 came out in January and not because the gun wasn't introduced earlier (in 1992) but too late to make the catalog in that year (1992).

I left the company well before the end of '92 but I was one of the people who reviewed the original engineering sample of the 915 as it was being proposed and developed for sale. I believe it was introduced during the course of that year (1992) through the use of one of those two-sided, one-page spec sheets typical for that period in the company's history. I would probably have proofed or contributed to that announcement but I don't specifically remember doing so and my notes about those days are not within reach at the moment. Still, I would say that 1992 (the date also shown in the Supica & Nahas book) is the correct one.


2) There also seems to have been some confusion within the Chart and the thread as to that same gun's configuration…

I don't believe the 915 had a right side decock lever.

AND

I've updated the list.

The SCSW states "right hand slide mounted manual decocking lever" for models 411 and 915, but the pictures in the catalog clearly indicate otherwise. I included it because I did not see any difference between the 410-411 and the 910-915, but DD's post explains that the model number change was for the 1994 capacity ban, so I have updated the list with that information...

… but there really shouldn't be any confusion at all:

Just as I believe that "Denver Dick" might have been inadvertently misreading Roy's comments about the date of his gun's (this gun's) introduction within the product line (discussed above), I politely submit that the misunderstanding here is about what Supica & Nahas are saying in regard to the gun's features (here): "…The SCSW states "right hand slide mounted manual decocking lever" for models 411 and 915…

I don't think that they are saying that the 915 has a "manual decocking lever" "mounted" on the "right" ("hand") side of the "slide"

I believe they are saying that the gun has a "right hand" (as in right hand-oriented, right hand-intended, or just plain right-handed) slide mounted manual decocking lever", which means that when the frame is gripped by the right hand, the lever is on the left side of the slide so that it can be reached by the thumb and I think that is what the S&N photos reflect.

And for the record, we left the ambi (right side) lever off this Model as one of the ways to reduce its cost (for us and to the consumer), which was the whole purpose of this Model.


3) The other thing is that you (and numerous others within this site) refer to the 915 (and its sister model, the 411) as "Value Series" pistols. It might seem like a small point but they are NOT part of the Value Line. They were the forerunners of it. They were the first attempts to simply remove some of the costs from existing metal guns in order to become more price-competitive against the polymer competitor of the time.

My explanation of this can be found in two older posts of mine from 2012: The 915 only enjoyed 2 years of production,... and, more importantly, "Birds Away": You are quite correct in your...

For whatever reason, people still seem to dispute this but if you don't believe me (and I was working there at the time AND in a role that involved this concept), then look at the factory literature from the years involved and you will see that it bears me out.

I am not trying to feed my ego here or steal your thread but as I do hope your list will become a Site Reference for others to use (including those who will come here from outside that are not members) and take away information and terminology as "gospel", I think that it is important any such "word" be as correct as possible so as to not spread false and/or incorrectly applied terminology into the general public where (in the world of the Internet) it will be considered accurate by those who will not look into things more closely.


4) This too might seem like nit-picking but as I truly hope that all of your hard work does become some sort of on-site reference, I see that you and others on this Board (in general) routinely refer to the 457D as being "made for the Chicago PD" (as stated by "GaryS" in this thread):

The only missing model I've seen so far is the 457D. That was the DAO version of the 457 made for the Chicago PD.

Although that seems to be the commonly held belief elsewhere on this site, I would sincerely suggest that anyone reading this post of mine, post copies of any factory letters they have to your thread in order to prove this.

As opposed to many Agencies and Departments across the country, CPD does not generally buy or supply guns for their people. I would think that if these guns were made for use by members of the Chicago Police Department (and not purchase by the Department itself, which seems unlikely), they would have generally been sold to someone like Ray O'Herron's (S&W's local LE Distributor who serviced CPD officers in their personal sales) or maybe Shore Galleries (actually the local Chicagoland Ruger LE Distributor but an S&W Dealer at the time as well so such guns might have been shipped to them or perhaps routed to them through another Distributor altogether).

Obviously overruns and factory inventory leftovers could have gone elsewhere (out of state and even to Commercial Distributors) so those two outlets might not be the only ones we see but I would be surprised to learn that the guns were sold directly to Chicago. Although again with Smith & Wesson, nothing should ever surprise us.

And things like that "skjos", are a great side benefit to your chart; for just as others have contributed interesting things about the RSR guns (by the way, I was involved with them too and don't consider them "Transitonals" but more on that some other time), I think that your putting all this stuff in one place and asking people to look it over, might actually make your chart a way of discovering not only errors but commonly held misconceptions, which can be discussed here and maybe cleared up as well.

Good work.

 

[nocents]

Dave Nash.....wish you could find the time to visit this forum more often...the "B.T.D.T." kind of insight I find very interesting.....thankyou

 

[18DAI]

Please allow me to second nocents motion Mr Nash!

To those unfamiliar with Mr Nash, what Mr Nash has forgotten about 3rd gen S&W pistols and S&W handguns in general, none of us will ever even know. He is an asset to this board and others. Regards 18DAI

 

[Denver Dick]

Mr. Nash:

Fantastic post with great information. I stand corrected on the date that Model 915 production began, and thank you.

I really appreciated your insight regarding the 915 and how it relates to the Value Line Series. I have always felt it was not part of the Value Line Series, but rather one of the forerunners of it. However, I was never really sure until now. Thanks, again.

And, please, visit the site more often.

 

[skjos]

A lot of new very detailed information, thank you Mr. Nash.

I've tried my best to summarize all the new information.
411 changed to "Prelude to value series"
457D Chicago PD limited run noted as "(rumored)"
915 changed back to 1992-1994 and noted with "Prelude to value series"
5946 (RCMP) noted as stainless or melonite finish
5946 (-TSW) added to capture the RCMP models that have TSW frames but are marked as 5946
5967 added quantity of 500 based on wikipedia information.

I didn't really have room to put in the decocking lever information, but I now see in the SWSC the 915 states "right hand slide mounted decocking lever", and the 910 states "left side slide mounted manual safety/decocking lever", so they are basically the same anyhow.

 

[cobra357]

Never ceases to amaze me the wealth of knowledge on this site. Thank you Mr. Nash!

 

[Slidemuzik]

First I must preface this by admitting I don't really have a handle on the definition of " third generation". I thought they were designated by a four digit model number and a flat front to the trigger guard, but apparently not always.

That being said, there have been no comments regarding the series I have found a passion for, the .22 models. I know many don't find .22s sexy enough to bother with, so I'll ask your indulgence.

I see 2213,2214, 2206, and 2206tgt. Why wouldn't the 422, 622, and 622vr be included?

Why was the "VR" (vented rib) on 622's only listed under the special features on the label and not a different suffix to the model number like was done with the 2206tgt? Besides the vented rib frame, the 622vr also had a rounded front to the trigger guard that was different than the flat front on all other models.

So I guess my questions are:
1. Should the list of "third gen" models include the 422, 622, and 622vr?
2. If not, why not? I'm confused on what defines a third gen.
3. I am not aware of any "dash" models in this series. Can anyone confirm or deny that?
Thanks for helping a novice collector understand this. If you're interested, I have some production numbers I got from S&W on a couple of these.

 

[mafbloggerdanny]

sticky this thread already!

 

[scwv67]

This site has got to be the best for all things S&W.