Description
This rare Experimental Smith & Wesson Performance Center Semi-Automatic Competition Pistol in .356 TSW with Red Dot Sight is a remarkable piece of firearms history. Offered here is an experimental, and possibly one-off, pistol created by the Smith & Wesson Performance Center around what would become the Model 3566. Chambered in the ill-fated .356 TSW cartridge, this pistol was designed to bridge the gap between major and minor power factors in IPSC competitive shooting, providing lower recoil than the .45 ACP, the standard for major power factor.
Smith & Wesson meticulously met all the requirements for their new pistol to be competitive. However, the governing body for competitive shooting made a rule change the following year, setting the minimum bore diameter for major power factor to .40. This rule change, coupled with poor marketing outside of the competitive shooting community, effectively ended the potential success of the .356 TSW cartridge.
The pistol itself bears only a serial number on the left side of the frame, reflecting its unique and experimental status. It features a muzzle brake, a custom lightened slide with the rear sight milled off and safety hole plugged, a special frame-mounted safety, a custom beavertail, and a small “gas pedal” style thumb rest behind the slide release. The frame is checkered on the front and backstraps, and it includes an integral magazine well. Additionally, the pistol is equipped with a side-mounted optics mount holding a Tasco ProPoint red dot sight, enhancing its precision and usability in competition.
This firearm represents a fascinating “what if” in the history of competitive shooting, embodying both the innovative spirit and the challenges faced by firearms manufacturers in adapting to ever-evolving rules and market demands.
