One of the most popular guns at the time was the Shorty-Forty, which was a lightweight, full-house automatic that, according to Kelly, was a real classic and something they are working on to bring back now. Additionally, the shop offered the Model 686 and Model 629, weighted hunting and competitive-styled revolvers that at that time were the mainstream products at the initial stage of the Performance Center's development.

Like many of the guns coming out of the shop, this Model 945 has the trademark racing stripes on each side of the slide, which are left in their natural stainless color. The beavertail and ambidextrous safeties are standard, as are the fully adjustable sights.

After the success of this phase of the operation, the Center expanded the business with other distributors and products. The most innovative and best sellers ever to come out of the Springfield plant were invented at the Center and included the entire TSW (Tactical) series and the Model 627 eight-shot revolver.

The hybrid Model 945, which is basically a 1911 from the frame rails down and a Third Generation pistol from the frame rails up, is still considered one of the best .45-caliber target pistols on the market today. Equipped with adjustable sights, a crisp trigger and "racing stripes" along its flanks, it is certainly a gun to reckon with both on and off the range.

Kelly went on to say with a lot of pride, "The Performance Center was the group that convinced the parent company to start manufacturing Model 1911 variations simply because that's what the market wanted. Most of the gunsmiths in the Center are all-around shooters going out just about every weekend to matches, to practice and to talk to dedicated large-caliber shooters."

Pictured here is the business end of the Performance Center limited-edition Model 327 eight-shot revolver. The gun has a scandium alloy frame with a titanium cylinder.

They were very close to the market, and as they carefully listened to enthusiasts around the county, the desire for S&W to come forward with a Model 1911 was very apparent. The only problem was that it took more than five years for this tree to bear fruit, and now the company never seems to fill the void for Model 1911 followers. Not only does the 1911 account for a large segment of Performance Center production, it is taking an ever-growing section of the regular catalog. At present, I count eight Model 1911s in the standard catalog and another four in the Performance Center section.

Another part of the PC market is modern variations of guns from the past. My favorite gun in the whole S&W line is the Model 52. Shooting .38-caliber wadcutter bullets seated flush with the case mouth, I like it as both a target and fun gun. Absent from the line for a number of years, you can now purchase it as a handsome Model 952 all decked out in stainless, chambered for the 9x19mm Luger cartridge and available in a number of very distinct models and barrel lengths.

There seems to be no end to the variations that can be made on any gun in the total lineup of pistols or revolvers. Some people collect just about everything they can get their hands on for investment. Others like to shoot the special variations that come from the shop on once-in-a-lifetime hunts or just on informal weekend shoots. Just recently, I used a Model 629 Compensated Hunter on a ram hunt with Smith & Wesson with excellent results. I made the shot from 35 yards with the pistol braced on a deadfall.

A couple of years ago S&W brought out the big X-frame Model 500 and 460 revolvers. Now that these models are in the regular catalog, the Center is offering numerous variations. Barrel lengths are available from 6 1/2 to 10 1/2 inches with a custom barrel that now makes the Model 500 a superbly accurate hunting handgun.