First - Can someone help me date this revolver? SN is 3k1 8XX. Mod 15-3. I believe it is 1971 based on the effective date of the pricing on the paperwork.
I few weeks ago I posted a thread asking about the Model 15 versus another S&W model. A lot of people recommended the Model 15. After a few visits to the shop I decided to trade in a Glock, which I hadn't been using much, and pick it up.
Now I know this gun isn't in top condition. It appears to have been a duty weapon, showing some signs of light rust on the back strap near the hammer and holster wear on the muzzle and cylinders. Even with its battle scars I still really like it.
One nice surprise about this gun was that it came with the box. An added bonus was returning home to find what appears to be all of the original paperwork inside the box. I took some pictures for those, like me, who might have never seen some of the older paperwork. I think it's kind of cool to look at.
A couple of things stand out about this gun to me. First is the grip and the grip angle. It points more naturally for me than most revolvers and is much more balanced for me than an L Frame (686 or comparable Ruger GP100). The second is the trigger. It's ridiculously smooth in Double Action and incredibly crisp in Single, nothing AT ALL like a current production gun. I swapped out the plastic grips that came on it with an old pair of Wood Grips from a Model 19. They don't look good anymore but they do fit my hand well.
Oh isn't it funny that in the early 1970s a re-blue was 13 dollars
and a minimum order for Smithing was 1 dollar.
Here are some pictures.
I few weeks ago I posted a thread asking about the Model 15 versus another S&W model. A lot of people recommended the Model 15. After a few visits to the shop I decided to trade in a Glock, which I hadn't been using much, and pick it up.
Now I know this gun isn't in top condition. It appears to have been a duty weapon, showing some signs of light rust on the back strap near the hammer and holster wear on the muzzle and cylinders. Even with its battle scars I still really like it.
One nice surprise about this gun was that it came with the box. An added bonus was returning home to find what appears to be all of the original paperwork inside the box. I took some pictures for those, like me, who might have never seen some of the older paperwork. I think it's kind of cool to look at.
A couple of things stand out about this gun to me. First is the grip and the grip angle. It points more naturally for me than most revolvers and is much more balanced for me than an L Frame (686 or comparable Ruger GP100). The second is the trigger. It's ridiculously smooth in Double Action and incredibly crisp in Single, nothing AT ALL like a current production gun. I swapped out the plastic grips that came on it with an old pair of Wood Grips from a Model 19. They don't look good anymore but they do fit my hand well.
Oh isn't it funny that in the early 1970s a re-blue was 13 dollars
and a minimum order for Smithing was 1 dollar. Here are some pictures.
