S&W 945 Compared to High End 1911's
- Thread starter Nalapombu
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Old Fud
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Ed Brown does the fish-scale thing.
Recommended list on both the 945 and the 952 (see S&W website) is over $2000, so you are comparing it to the Ed Browns, Wilson Combats, Baer specials etc. Not to the Colt Gov't models and the like. In fact, not to the S&W 1911's either.
Tell me again, why would you want something that looks like, feels like, shoots like, but ISN'T a 1911?
Conversation piece, perhaps?
Fud
Recommended list on both the 945 and the 952 (see S&W website) is over $2000, so you are comparing it to the Ed Browns, Wilson Combats, Baer specials etc. Not to the Colt Gov't models and the like. In fact, not to the S&W 1911's either.
Tell me again, why would you want something that looks like, feels like, shoots like, but ISN'T a 1911?
Conversation piece, perhaps?
Fud
GunsAmerica ads go for around $1200/1500 for a NIB 945, about the same for the 952.
That puts the guns in the same range as Kimber's higher end Gold series.
Not to offend anyone - beauty is in the eye of the beholder! - but I always thought the grip on these S&W's looked too squared off, as I find their other autos do so I guess that's not surprising. Having owned 1 S&W semi-auto, I'd have to bet they are reliable though.
Personally, I like the look of some high end 1911s more than the 945. The 952, IMO, is a nicer looking gun.
That puts the guns in the same range as Kimber's higher end Gold series.
Not to offend anyone - beauty is in the eye of the beholder! - but I always thought the grip on these S&W's looked too squared off, as I find their other autos do so I guess that's not surprising. Having owned 1 S&W semi-auto, I'd have to bet they are reliable though.
Personally, I like the look of some high end 1911s more than the 945. The 952, IMO, is a nicer looking gun.
jdkelly
Member
Tell me again...
Respectfully,
jkelly
Because it feels better, shoots better, and looks better IMO.
Respectfully,
jkelly
farscott
Member
The M945 is, partswise, derived from the M4506, and the slide appears to be machined from the M4506 base forging. The M945 does not use the swinging link version of the Browning recoil-operated design; it uses S&W's interpretation of the Browning design.
To me, the interesting thing about the M945 is that it attempted to take the best of the 1911 (that great trigger, the feel in hand, the location and function of the thumb safety lock) and the best of S&W 3rd Generation autos (reliability, less expensive to manufacture, the S&W approach to fieldstripping) and put them together. As such, this pistol has a few quirks, one of which is the area for the slide-mounted decocking/safety levers, which is filled with the plugs used on the DAO pistols. It took me some time to get used to the look; of course, shooting helped immeasurably.
The way rounds feed from the magazine to the chamber in the M945 looks to be an improvement. I am not too fond of the firing pin safety activated by the grip safety because it makes reassembly a bit more difficult. The grip safety needs to be released in order for the slide to be slid onto the frame. The Briley spherical bushing, while helping provide amazing accuracy, can be a bear during reassembly. The grip angle of the M945 does not quite duplicate the 1911, and the grip frame is a bit longer than the 1911.
All in all, the M945 is a very interesting pistol.
I have to ask this question and it's not a slap on the gun, but if it such a "great gun", why don't they sell many? At least I don't see them on the range or in shops!
I remember reading a great review in American Handgunner a while back!
Pricing is in the range of a lot of 1911's. No doubt, not being a 1911, could hurt sales for some, but I know a lot of competition shooters that use what they feel is the "best gun" and couldn't care less about "original/traditional 1911's, history, etc, etc.
Perhaps S&W didn't market it properly or at all??
I remember reading a great review in American Handgunner a while back!
Pricing is in the range of a lot of 1911's. No doubt, not being a 1911, could hurt sales for some, but I know a lot of competition shooters that use what they feel is the "best gun" and couldn't care less about "original/traditional 1911's, history, etc, etc.
Perhaps S&W didn't market it properly or at all??
The 945 a S&W Performance Center gun, strictly limited production. The list price is over $2k, so obviously that is going to limit the number that are out there. I've heard that Bullseye shooters have been using them with relatively minor modifications needed to be competitive.
That's a good question. The probable reason is that it may not be better than a well-made 1911 in the $2k price range; but before the price increase to more than $2K, it was a real bargain at $1200. But even then the reason it was not as popular was probably because it was not a 1911 and, hence, the parts are not as available. It is also a little heavier and bulkier than a 1911.
If I'm buying now, I'd most likely get an Ed Brown or a Wilson CQB over the S&W 945, at the same price range. But nonetheless, the fit and finish of the S&W 945 is on par with the $2K 1911's, IMHO.
bandit1200
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945/1911 comparison
I own a full size 945 as well as Kimber custom, a Colt Combat Commander and a Para P-12. I know that none of these are comparable to the Smith, but friends own Wilsons, Brown and Nighthawk 1911s that I've fired. There is no comparison as far as fit and finish. The Smith's slide to frame fit has no discernable play, and moves like it's on ball bearings. After more than 5000 rounds of full power factor 200 GR SWCs and some 230 GR ball, the fit is still the same. I can't say the same for any of the 1911s that I mentioned - they have all displayed some loosening after a similar amount of use. I love my Kimber, and use it for IDPA competition, and the trigger pull is better than the Smith. After all of the use (10,000+ rounds) the trigger stll weighs 3 pounds plus or minus a couple of ounces. My scores are higher with the Kimber, and it just feels better in my hand than the Smith, which is bigger and blockier. Holsters are a problem with the Smith - if you try to use it in one made for a 1911, it will slow your draw, because it fits too tight. It weighs a few more ounces than the 1911s, which I think required a change to the IDPA rulebook when it first came out. At today's prices, the work I did on the Kimber (melted BoMar, checkered front strap, fiber optic front sight, long trigger, trigger job on the original hammer and sear, a set of Nowlin springs, ambi safety and a Briley bushing) it's still much cheaper than the Smith was. Despite the fine fit and finish of the Smith, I like the Kimber better, and shoot better with it. It makes you wonder why Smith came out with a line of 1911s, huh?
I own a full size 945 as well as Kimber custom, a Colt Combat Commander and a Para P-12. I know that none of these are comparable to the Smith, but friends own Wilsons, Brown and Nighthawk 1911s that I've fired. There is no comparison as far as fit and finish. The Smith's slide to frame fit has no discernable play, and moves like it's on ball bearings. After more than 5000 rounds of full power factor 200 GR SWCs and some 230 GR ball, the fit is still the same. I can't say the same for any of the 1911s that I mentioned - they have all displayed some loosening after a similar amount of use. I love my Kimber, and use it for IDPA competition, and the trigger pull is better than the Smith. After all of the use (10,000+ rounds) the trigger stll weighs 3 pounds plus or minus a couple of ounces. My scores are higher with the Kimber, and it just feels better in my hand than the Smith, which is bigger and blockier. Holsters are a problem with the Smith - if you try to use it in one made for a 1911, it will slow your draw, because it fits too tight. It weighs a few more ounces than the 1911s, which I think required a change to the IDPA rulebook when it first came out. At today's prices, the work I did on the Kimber (melted BoMar, checkered front strap, fiber optic front sight, long trigger, trigger job on the original hammer and sear, a set of Nowlin springs, ambi safety and a Briley bushing) it's still much cheaper than the Smith was. Despite the fine fit and finish of the Smith, I like the Kimber better, and shoot better with it. It makes you wonder why Smith came out with a line of 1911s, huh?
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