New (to me) S&W 15-1

[fecmech]

Made the mistake of passing through my LGS last week and this poor orphan called out to me. Looks like it's had a hard life, lot of holster wear on blueing and grips but it was fairly tight and smooth. Discussed price and settled on $225. so I was hooked. Got it registered today(NY) and brought it home. Grabbed 3 different bags of my reloads that I use in my K38 and Lever guns to see how it shot. No measurements, didn't clean out the copper fouling, just loaded it up to sight in and see what I had. After 5 clicks of L windage I put up some targets at 25 yds. Now I'm a dot sight guy so I had to use my computer glasses to see the sights and I'm a happy camper with the results. My base load of 158 RN/4.2/BE and 158 TLSWC/5.0/ Unique both went into 1.5"-1.75" for 6 shots. That's pretty good for me with open sights and a 4" bbl. My 120TC/4.5/BE went closer to 2" but none of them leaded. Well so much for load testing! After that I just kept filling the cylinder and making the steel swingers dance till the ammo was gone. Gonna put some Hogue rubber grips on it like my K-38 as the Smith target grips are a little fat for me. Just thought I'd share my good fortune.

[NoZombies]

I've got a 15-3 and it's just about my favorite .38. You got a great deal in comparison to everything I see here and on the web.

[Jack Stanley]

We had those at work untill the switch to the plastic wondernine . I always did like the smoothness of the well worn ones .

Jack

[EMC45]

Fine gun. Fine price.

[slide]

A model 15 was the first gun I owned. You did well. Enjoy!!!!

[bigboredad]

A early model 15 is one that everyone should own just plain dandy fun guns and for the age your new looks great

[kir_kenix]

Model 15 is one of the finest revolvers ever built in my opinion. Good price on a good old revolver. Those loads are nearly exactly what I stuff in mine. Enjoy.

[sagamore-one]

Caution... K frame Smiths seem to breed and multiply in captivity.

[gwpercle]

Hard life ...... looks almost new. Great find and a really good price. I'm starting to feel a need....just something about the older K frames with adjustable sights , blue steel and wood grips that call out to you. and I don't have one.
gary

[Olevern]

Great gun at a great price (care to share the lgs with me so I can stop by from time to time?)

[fecmech]

Great gun at a great price (care to share the lgs with me so I can stop by from time to time?)

Johnsons Country Store, Lockport NY.

[Reloader06]

I love my -3. 3.0 of Titegroup, Remington 148 Grn HBWC, and a FEDERAL primer makes little clover leaves for me. A different primer opens the group alot in my gun. Enjoy the heck out of it. Great buy!

Matt

[rintinglen]

STOP, Thief! you stole the darn thing. 225 Obama bucks is a cheap price for a good shooter K-frame S&W. You will like it.
I had my 14-6 out the other day for a reminder as to why the .38 Special was so popular for so long. Accurate, mild, just plain fun! Enjoy your new gun!

[fecmech]

225 Obama bucks is a cheap price for a good shooter
In a way it's kind of funny. I bought my 14-3 new in the mid 70's, for I'm pretty sure $135. That was with Target trigger and Target hammer. Our ruling class has sure done a good job of debasing our dollar. K frame and .38 spl, unbeatable combo!

[warf73]

Thats a great looking shooter, great price also.

[x101airborne]

Rintinglen.... Is that model 14 the smith double action frame with the single action parts? I had one years ago, it had (IIRC) a model 15 frame that was overstamped with 14 and single action only 38 spl. Mine did not shoot worth a hoot, so off it went.

I have a shelf full of K-frame smiths and love every one. You did steal that smith and good on ya for doing it!

[Harry O]

I started buying S&W Model 15's some years ago whenever I found one that was in excellent mechanical shape and a bargain. Yours was a bargain. I rationalized at the time that I wanted to have enough good self-defense guns to be able to arm my entire family once the SHTF. It seems like that time is getting closer. The Model 15 is reliable, accurate, and anyone can handle it. I like odd guns (like a custom wildcat based on a Ruger No. 3 single-shot), but that is not a very good self defense gun.

Most of them I found were probably ex-police guns that were used to shoot qualifications once a year, but carried in a holster for 15 or 20 years. They are tight as new, but the bluing is in very poor shape. I can live with that. I check each one out and sight them in. They are just as accurate as they ever were. What is best is most of them were privately owned and are without papers.

[beagle]

Yeah, you got a deal. I bought a discarded "cop gun" years ago for the wife's house gun. It had been reworked by a gunsmith and was perfect. Smoothest DA shooter in my house and goes well with a 4" M18 .22 that I have. Every caster should be required to buy one when he/she starts casting./beagle

[GOPHER SLAYER]

I have one like yours but mine is in.22 LR cal. I would have prefferd a .38 SPL. While the factory grips look great they are too big for my hands. I replaced them with a pair of zebra wood grips that Buckshot was discarding. These are great pistols but it seems they are out of fashion with younger shooters who want the large capacity autos.

[km101]

I want one just like it! My 15-3 fot stolen out of my truck outside a restraunt in W. Texas a couple of months ago, so I am looking for another one. I love K frames! I had a set of: 15, 17,and 19 all in 4" bbl. Now I have to get another 15. As far as an all-around "fun" gun, the 15 is my favorite. You can shoot all day without beating up your hand or your wallet. Sounds like you got a good one! Enjoy!

[Buckshot]

................I'd say you made a very fine purchase at $225 without a doubt! Several years ago I managed to pick up a M67. I'm no S&W expert but they look the same to me (other then the color :-))

http://www.fototime.com/E0695672E27474A/standard.jpg

I never paid much attention to handguns until I bought a K38 Smith. Changed my whole outlook[smilie=w:

..............Buckshot

[fecmech]

I never paid much attention to handguns until I bought a K38 Smith. Changed my whole outlook
I remember your posts from when you bought it. It is amazing how accurate and pleasant to shoot a K frame in .38 spl. It is a confluence of two really good shooting items. A cast/reloader friendly cartridge that is very accurate, easy to load/cast for and a handgun that is well made and capable of wringing out the accuracy of the cartridge. Unlike most of the plastic bottom feeders with 5-7 lb triggers and 3-4" 25 yd accuracy, you can actually hit small objects at ranges well beyond 10 yds if you do your part. They really open your eyes to the capabilities of a handgun.


and easy to load and cast for and a handgun that is well made and capable of wringing out

[Buckshot]

I remember your posts from when you bought it. It is amazing how accurate and pleasant to shoot a K frame in .38 spl. It is a confluence of two really good shooting items. A cast/reloader friendly cartridge that is very accurate, easy to load/cast for and a handgun that is well made and capable of wringing out the accuracy of the cartridge. Unlike most of the plastic bottom feeders with 5-7 lb triggers and 3-4" 25 yd accuracy, you can actually hit small objects at ranges well beyond 10 yds if you do your part. They really open your eyes to the capabilities of a handgun.

http://www.fototime.com/C5773BB9E49798C/standard.jpg

.............Well, when one of your first handloads for it does the above, the pistol suddenly assumes a rather warm and well regarded place in your heart! :-)

............Buckshot

[9.3X62AL]

If EVER we needed evidence of Buckshot's scam-running scandalousness and con-man conniving as to his alleged distaste and disaffection for the sideiron.......this admission should state the case succinctly. I was recipient of years'-worth of protestations about the uselessness of holster guns......the consummate lack of skill he had with them......then comes THIS. And to cap it all, he states the REVOLVER is responsible for the fine grouping. Methinks the tone and content of the carnival barker is all too obvious.

Those K-frame revolvers are very fine wheelguns. $225 is a sweet price for that example.