Newbie Revolver question (S&W Performance Center)

D

drdl

Inactive
I have a newbie question. What does S&W's Performance Center do to their revolvers? (Some of them are nearly double the cost of the non-PC version)
If you had a choice would you get a Performance Center revolver like a 66-6 F-comp or get a production gun and have work done on it (ie getting a Ruger SP-101 and sending it for this: http://www.geminicustoms.com/RugerSP101prices.htm)?

Thanks!
 
In the beginning the PC shop offered extremely good hand tuned action revolvers. Today IMO from what i've seen and handled they are more show than go. I personally would get a production model and spend the savings in having it set up to suit me. Who you choose is up to you as there are many good smiths to do the work unless you want something unique. I'm sure you will also get conflicting opinions as this is only mine.
 
Well, obviously the answer can vary greatly as a function of the factory built object in question and the modifications chosen... but as a general rule of thumb (my own thinking is all), I try to avoid a lot of custom work. Again, generally speaking, I think you will get both a better result and cheaper if it is done by the factory as a regular offering. The reasons (again generalities only, not inviolable rules) are the following:

  • It's normally a lot more expensive to buy all the parts than just buy the whole thing assembled (parts are expensive)
  • Quality and performance of a nonstandard part with an object is always a bit of a questionmark
  • Quality of workmanship for aftermarket work is always a bit of a question mark
  • Aftermarket work is usually at a higher effective rate, because it is done less efficiently than factory work
  • The development/testing effort for a factory object is substantial, and brings with it some fair sophistication and benefits
  • Factory settings are often a compromise chosen by knowledgeable engineers... aftermarket hotrodding often brings benefits in one area with bigger sacrifices in another
  • The old saw "you can't make a silk purse from a sow's ear"... meaning, if you take a Yugo, and put 20,000 in wheels/tires/paint/engine and chassis mods etc... you've got an expensive Yugo - better off getting a Miata for the same price :D
 
I have 2 S&W PC revolvers. Both are very nice, accurate, nicly tuned, and have very good triggers.
However, I also have some older (-3s) "standard" S&W revolvers which are also very good after some minor work. So if I was paying full price (many times twice as much) for a PC I would have to think twice. Personally I purchased both of my PC guns slightly used, all but one of the standards were new.
 
In my opinion, the Performance Center guns are worth every dime you pay for them. They need absolutely nothing to be top of class. I have owned only two of them, but they were absolutely perfect revolvers. One was a K-comp, the other a 657 Light Hunter that I still have. Outstanding in every way.

Clemson
 
PC Smiths

These, I think, fall into two classifications, straight performance center guns and the recently discontinued Heritage series some (maybe all) of which were marked as being made in the Performance Center. I have 12 of the PC revolvers and maybe 4 of the Heritage Series. My only regret is that I missed one of the Heritage series I was interested in.

A few of the PC guns have been, well, unfortunate. Their 40 S&W revolver, the model 646 I think, was a bummer. Their Schofield was functional but I certainly didn't like it. That said, I certainly think that the PC guns are worth every penny.
 
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