Could use some advice about S&W 15-2 purchase

[NIGHTLORD40K]

What is P&R?

Pinned and recessed?

Yup, a Dash 2 will be pinned, but only the rimfires and Magnums were recessed.

 

[Jonesy814]

There are some factors to be considered. Original grips or replacement Pachmayrs? You wrote that it is like it left the factory, so I assume that it has the original grips. What about the box and cleaning kit? They add $100 to any serious collector.

It is funny on gun forums - and now it arrived here, too. If a forum member asks to buy a gun, then the other members calculate 2+2 and they come up with 3. When you ask what you can sell it for, they calculate 2+2 and side with you as well, they are coming up with 5.

A S&W 15, let's say that it is P&R, and really shot that little should easily fetch $600 if it is offered to a larger group of buyers.

Only magnum calibers and rimfires were recessed but it would have a pinned barrel. Pre 1968 the grips should have a diamond around the screw hole

 

[Gordon]

Pull out $$500 from the bank, wave $400 at him and ask if he wants to sell it. If he says "more" , then pull the remaining $100 out of your wallet and truthfully say " this is my budget for it" . Use the extra $50 suggested above to try to find a box of ammo for it. Hey those prices people been throwing out here are gunstore/ show prices. Not what things go for face to face. Gunstore prices or GunBroker ECT.include alot extra costs.

Remember an " offer" is just that, cold hard cash across the palm is a deal!

 

[J-Bar]

M15s were never recessed since they were only chambered for .38spl. They could be had with pinned or unpinned barrels. Pinned wil likely command a small premium to a collector.

The 15-2 was produced from 1961 to 1967. The 15-5 eliminated the barrel pin in 1982, so dash numbers 5 and higher are not pinned. The Standard Catalog lists up to 15-9 in 2002.

 

[Old Dog]

Any of my local shops would have at least $600 on the sticker, but If I were selling it to a buddy, Id give him $500ish as the "friend price."

Where I am, a clean Model 15 might go for upwards of $750 or -- gasp -- $800. It's gotten ridiculous with all the S&W collectors in my area.

I've got a clean, unfired specimen (15-3) in the box with papers and tools. Picked it up for $350 a few years back.

The 15 is the king of the K-frame .38s.

I'd snap up a 95% M15 for $500 in a heartbeat. Heck, if it were close to 98%, I'd throw in another hundred and still feel like I made out.

 

[stonebuster]

I think your LGS is right, $500-600. My LGS had a nearly perfect 1965 15-2 w/diamond Magna grips matching serial number but no box marked at $650. He knocked off the $50 so I paid $600 OTD and thought I did OK. It's my finest example of craftsmanship and beauty of how S&W used to make them. It's one I take out just to admire sometimes but it does get shot occasionally.

 

[johnjohn]

Sure am glad I bought my 15 when I did 'cause I couldn't afford one now. Buy it you'll love it.

 

[Jeff olson]

$500 would be a bargain. Model 10s are going for that and more.
$600 would still be a good price. Does it have the box and paperwork?
I’m always amazed that someone would sell their father’s guns.

There are exceptions for everything

 

[Old Dog]

OP, did you buy it?

 

[TacticalJanitor]

OP, did you buy it?
View attachment 1139599

Not yet. I need to grab some cash from the bank tomorrow.

From memory, it looks exactly like yours (except for the tapered barrel)...but we will see how good my memory is in a couple of days.

 

[Riomouse911]

Here in Ca the price would be inflated (like everything else ) so even a $600 offer would get me to jump on that right away.

Once you pick up your gun, a fun practice load I shoot a lot of is 4.5 Unique under a 158gr coated SWC. It won’t beat you or you’re 15-2 up and it is very accurate in my passel of K-frame .38’s.

Congratulations, and stay safe.

 

[wcwhitey]

I would say the 500+ range is a good one. Most important to me is you know the history, you know it wasn’t abused and taken care of. That has value!

 

[TacticalJanitor]

Well, here she is. It turns out that my memory isn't as good as I thought, but I'm still glad I picked it up.

It's a 15-3, so I was wrong about the year. Standard trigger & hammer. Rubber grips. But, he told me that he "thinks he had some wood grips in the closet"...so I may yet wind up with the originals, and maybe the original box too. Not holding my breath though.

It has more wear than I remember, but doesn't seem to have a lot of rounds through it, judging by the wear around the ratchet and firing pin.






I haven't found a bit of rust or pitting yet. This afternoon I'll give 'er a good cleaning, then put some WC through it on Wednesday.

WC @ 800 fps should be safe for this old pistol..right?

Thanks!

 

[TacticalJanitor]

Here in Ca the price would be inflated (like everything else ) so even a $600 offer would get me to jump on that right away.

Once you pick up your gun, a fun practice load I shoot a lot of is 4.5 Unique under a 158gr coated SWC. It won’t beat you or you’re 15-2 up and it is very accurate in my passel of K-frame .38’s.

Congratulations, and stay safe.

Thanks for the tip. I'm working on ordering my first set of reloading gear this week, specifically to load .38 Special.

 

[Riomouse911]

Well, here she is. It turns out that my memory isn't as good as I thought, but I'm still glad I picked it up.

It's a 15-3, so I was wrong about the year. Standard trigger & hammer. Rubber grips. But, he told me that he "thinks he had some wood grips in the closet"...so I may yet wind up with the originals, and maybe the original box too. Not holding my breath though.

It has more wear than I remember, but doesn't seem to have a lot of rounds through it, judging by the wear around the ratchet and firing pin.

View attachment 1139759

View attachment 1139760


I haven't found a bit of rust or pitting yet. This afternoon I'll give 'er a good cleaning, then put some WC through it on Wednesday.

WC @ 800 fps should be safe for this old pistol..right?

Thanks!

Very nice!

800 fps wadcutter loads will be great in your 15-3. It will recoil like a .32 long with them… in other words, hardly at all .

Stay safe.

 

[red rick]

I would remove the grips and check for rust .

 

[J-Bar]

I think you did just fine.

 

[TacticalJanitor]

I would remove the grips and check for rust .

Good idea. I just took them off...no rust underneath. There was a whole lot of detritus under the edges of the grip. I'd guess they haven't been removed for a very long time.

The whole gun was bone-dry. She looks better now with a bit of oil on the bluing. When tightening screws, I noticed that the yoke screw was less than finger-tight. I hope that isn't going to lead to a problem in the long run.

I also noticed that it's getting shiny on the bottom of the hammer from dry firing. So, I guess that means that there is some tarnish on the hammer and trigger.

 

[high country]

Thanks for the tip. I'm working on ordering my first set of reloading gear this week, specifically to load .38 Special.

You did well, the Model 15 is the best unloading device made for your .38 Special reloads. I started reloading specifically for .38 Special myself as well. It is a great cartridge to start on, and it ended up being the stepping stone to what has become basically a whole other hobby.

3.2 grains of bullseye over a 158 gr. semi-wadcutter is the load my model 15 seems to like best. Very light recoil and accurate. 2.8 gr of bullseye over a hollow base wadcutter is even lighter and is a time proven accurate load.

If you like the feel of the rubber grips, don't be shy to stick with them. I tried several types of wooden grips because I didn't like the looks of the rubber pachmayr grips. I always end up back with the pachmayrs on there, despite the less appealing aesthetic, because I find them most comfortable and shoot it best with those grips.

 

[TacticalJanitor]

You did well, the Model 15 is the best unloading device made for your .38 Special reloads. I started reloading specifically for .38 Special myself as well. It is a great cartridge to start on, and it ended up being the stepping stone to what has become basically a whole other hobby.

3.2 grains of bullseye over a 158 gr. semi-wadcutter is the load my model 15 seems to like best. Very light recoil and accurate. 2.8 gr of bullseye over a hollow base wadcutter is even lighter and is a time proven accurate load.

If you like the feel of the rubber grips, don't be shy to stick with them. I tried several types of wooden grips because I didn't like the looks of the rubber pachmayr grips. I always end up back with the pachmayrs on there, despite the less appealing aesthetic, because I find them most comfortable and shoot it best with those grips.

I would have bet money that it had wood grips on it last year (when I fondled it), but I probably would have lost that money. I think the Hogues feel very good. In fact, I just ordered a set for my Smith 69 to try out.

Thanks for the tip about Bullseye. I had planned to start with it, but haven't found any locally yet.

 

[TacticalJanitor]

I have a question for you fellas.

Behind the trigger, my 15 has what appears to be an overtravel stop. When Googling photos of others, and @Old Dog 's photo above, they don't all appear to have one.

Does that mean anything? Just curious.

 

[Old Dog]

Little cut-out on the frame behind the trigger? I know some Model 14s were made with factory trigger stops. But on a factory Model 15? I don't know. One used to see them (installed by gunsmiths and maybe S&W put some on 15s) on bullseye guns, but those were typically longer barreled revolvers with target triggers and hammers.

 

[TacticalJanitor]

Little cut-out on the frame behind the trigger? I know some Model 14s were made with factory trigger stops. But on a factory Model 15? I don't know. One used to see them (installed by gunsmiths and maybe S&W put some on 15s) on bullseye guns, but those were typically longer barreled revolvers with target triggers and hammers.

This little jobbie. I can't imagine what else it could be.

 

[Old Dog]

Trigger stop. I do recall that the K-38 (the "pre-Model 15") came with the adjustable trigger stop.

Here's a thread from a few years back with pics of a 15-3 with the trigger stop.

Someone much more knowledgeable than me on S&W revolvers should come along (paging @Driftwood Johnson) and provide better info.

You could also visit the S&W forum (www.smith-wessonforum.com) and see if you can find a thread about these on Model 15s.

 

[Dave Markowitz]

Well, here she is. It turns out that my memory isn't as good as I thought, but I'm still glad I picked it up.

It's a 15-3, so I was wrong about the year. Standard trigger & hammer. Rubber grips. But, he told me that he "thinks he had some wood grips in the closet"...so I may yet wind up with the originals, and maybe the original box too. Not holding my breath though.

It has more wear than I remember, but doesn't seem to have a lot of rounds through it, judging by the wear around the ratchet and firing pin.

View attachment 1139759

View attachment 1139760


I haven't found a bit of rust or pitting yet. This afternoon I'll give 'er a good cleaning, then put some WC through it on Wednesday.

WC @ 800 fps should be safe for this old pistol..right?

Thanks!

Great find. The Model 15-3 that I bought in 1996 would be the very last gun I ever got rid of.



(The stocks are not original to the gun, but they are real S&W grips.)

Wadcutters at 800 FPS are just fine. Any S&W with a model number (which started in 1957) are OK for use with +P ammo.

I like full charge wadcutters in my Model 15. I load 148 grain button nose, bevel base wadcutters on top of 3.4 grains of Bullseye in mine and it'll keep them on an IDPA target at 80 yards double action as long as I do my part.