NIB S&W 15-4 Shoot or No Shoot

[jonp]

I recently happened across a NIB 15-4 and its a beauty. I'm wondering if I should put it in the safe and find one that has been shot or just shoot the heck out of it.
What Say You Castboolit Family??

[376Steyr]

If you are torn, sell it to somebody who really wants to keep it virgin and buy a shooter and some powder and primers with the proceeds.

[Golfswithwolves]

There is nothing quite so useless as a virgin.

[dubber123]

My 15 dash something came unfired in a box that has a 1958 date printed on it. It shoots very well, and is still worth more than I paid, and I have gotten the enjoyment out of it's use.

[fecmech]

There are about 17 gazillion Model 15's in the world, I'd shoot and enjoy it.

[ShooterAZ]

There are about 17 gazillion Model 15's in the world, I'd shoot and enjoy it.

This^^^

I would shoot it and enjoy it.

[Bored1]

This ? seems to be coming up more often lately. To each his own I guess, however, if it were mine I wouldn't hesitate to shoot it!

[str8shot426]

Firearms are made to be fired.
Art is made to be looked at.

[runfiverun]

you bought it to shoot or look at?

[JohnH]

Why ask us? """It's your pistol, use it like you want to"""

[M-Tecs]

Gun and women are the same. No point in having them if you are not going to use them.:popcorn:

[Petrol & Powder]

There is nothing quite so useless as a virgin.
That might be the quote of the year

[freebullet]

I won't keep a gun I won't shoot. Heck we still use my great grandpa's last new rifle at least once a year. It was a really special moment to watch my wife shoot her first buck with my great grandad's rifle.

I would probably sell it for a profit and buy a shooter or just go shoot the carp out of it. No free safe rides.

[bhn22]

I used to have a T-Shirt that said: "To all you virgins, thanks for nothing". If you're getting it for a decent price, shoot it and enjoy it. It would probably be worth around $600.00 at this point as a really clean used gun.

[Bigslug]

Sell it and buy a GP-100 for each hand.

[btroj]

Did you buy a gun or a paperweight?

[TXGunNut]

15's are sweet guns. Why did you buy it? I don't know how much a collector would give for this gun but if you bought it right and don't really want to shoot it I'd send it down the road. Only problem with that is if you still want a shooter it may be tough to find another one for less than "collector" prices. I don't know why S&W revolvers have taken off in recent years, stock is doing very well also.

[Garyshome]

Shoot it or sell it.

[bedbugbilly]

Not doubting you or your claim that it is NIB - but, how do you know? Do you have the provenance on it? Did you purchase it from the original buyer and he say it was never shot? Actually, it was probably already test fired at the plant before it was shipped.

If it was a Python and you had the provenance on it in writing - then that would be one thing because they are so desired by many. A Model 15 dash - while very nice in NIB or close to it is very nice - there are a lot of 15s that were made. Don't know what you have in it dollar wise but I'm guessing that you'd probably have to leave it in safe for quite a while to really see a major appreciation in value beyond the normal rate of inflation.

Shoot it - clean it and keep it in nice shape and enjoy it. Life's too short to be overly concerned about the "material things" - after all, you can't "take it with you" as Saint Peter will make you leave it hanging on a hood outside the "pearly gates"! I have a Combat Masterpiece (pre 15) and it's a fantastic shooter.

[jonp]

Not doubting you or your claim that it is NIB - but, how do you know? Do you have the provenance on it? Did you purchase it from the original buyer and he say it was never shot? Actually, it was probably already test fired at the plant before it was shipped.

If it was a Python and you had the provenance on it in writing - then that would be one thing because they are so desired by many. A Model 15 dash - while very nice in NIB or close to it is very nice - there are a lot of 15s that were made. Don't know what you have in it dollar wise but I'm guessing that you'd probably have to leave it in safe for quite a while to really see a major appreciation in value beyond the normal rate of inflation.

Shoot it - clean it and keep it in nice shape and enjoy it. Life's too short to be overly concerned about the "material things" - after all, you can't "take it with you" as Saint Peter will make you leave it hanging on a hood outside the "pearly gates"! I have a Combat Masterpiece (pre 15) and it's a fantastic shooter.
I assume test shooting at the plant. Original owner was a cop. He got it just as the dept was switching over to auto's so put it in a safe and never fired it.

I have well under $600 in it.

I bought it to shoot no collect. I don't believe in safe queens myself. I thought it might be interesting to see what the people on here thought although I figured what the response would be and I'm not wrong.

[captaint]

I can tell you what I've done with my safe queens - I shot them all. And enjoyed the daylights out of each. Shoot em.....

[stu1ritter]

I bought a NIB 15-2 snubby and paid the price for a new in the box XX year old gun. I've probably put 1,000 rounds through it and what a joy to be shooting a brand new XX year old Smith.
Stu

[John Guedry]

I love mine and my wife does too. We still shoot it every chance we get. Mine is not in pristine condition however.

[Mk42gunner]

Personally, I believe guns should be shot.

Robert

[dondiego]

I accidentally shot a gun once and it didn't do it any good at all. I was young and my brother had set it by a fence post as we were crossing into a new pasture. A rabbit jumped out and ran down the fence line. Since my brother was safely relieving himself behind me, I let fly with a load of .410 shot right in line with my dad's model 12 Win in 16 ga. that my brother had borrowed. There are still several # 7.5 BB's imbedded in that stock! My dad was not impressed Don't shoot your firearms! .......but fire them all you want.

[MtGun44]

It's a gun. It has been feeling abandoned and left out and useless for a long time,
it needs a friend to make it whole and bring it to it's full realization of potential. . . . . . .


SHOOT IT! :bigsmyl2:

Bill

[cajun shooter]

The model 15 S&W was known as the Combat Masterpiece and was the standard issue for many Police Depts. starting in the 60's. I purchased my 15-2 in that time period, maybe to around 72 IIRC. The early S&W guns that had the pinned bbls., recessed cylinders, plain adjustable sights(no white outline) are the ones that bring the higher prices at this time. The standard cylinders, and smooth faced cylinder guns are not in demand. I have shot my 15 with thousands of rounds of the standard police match rounds, 2.7 grains of BE during the 6 years I was the Firearms instructor/ Armorer for my dept. It's a standard of revolvers and a load of fun to see that X ring being shot out at the 25 yd. shooting station. Later David

[gcsteve]

I've seen this question come up before, in various forms, and I almost always feel the same way: use it and enjoy it. But to each his own. Sometimes folks get more joy in the possession of an object in pristine condition than they do in the use of one that is not pristine.

From a personal standpoint, I sometimes frequent antique car shows. I have seen a great many finely restored cars winched on and off trailers, with ropes set up and signs everywhere saying "DON'T TOUCH". Well that's all fine and good, but the best thing I ever saw at a show (years ago) was a guy with an old beat up 1919 Dodge Brothers open touring car. The radiator leaked, the leather was cracked, and the stuffing was falling out. He was giving free rides around the show to the kids that were there. The smiles on those kid's faces were priceless.

[nanuk]

... Don't shoot your firearms! .......but fire them all you want.

a friend dropped a small pistol beside some pots his wife had just spun and dried. somehow it ended up being put into the kiln with the pots.

didn't do it any good. finish was ruined, and I assume the heat treatment.

Don't FIRE your firearms!... but shoot boolits out of them all you want. :p

[nanuk]

I have never seen a NIB/unfired firearm being worth more than one in "new condition" except for the VERY rare ones, or first run products.

shoot it, but take good care of it.
it'll hold it's value

[uncle joe]

if you have a gun you will not shoot that is in good enough shape to shoot, you may as well have a BRICK

[scaevola]

I have a 15-3 and it's a joy to take to the range. If you don't find some time to take yours shooting you'll be missing out.

[jonp]

I'm interested in hearing from the 4 guys that voted to not shoot and find another one

[Rustyleee]

It was made to shoot.

[FISH4BUGS]

10 years ago I bought a perfect 1987 Mercedes 300d diesel that had never seen snow. It truly was the little old ladie's Mercedes.
It only had 100,000 miles on it at the time. That is considered a break in period for a diesel. :smile:
I was faced with a dilemma: keep it as a summer car, don't drive it much, and buy a beater for winter OR drive it until the doors fall off.
I chose to drive it. It now has 405,000 miles on it, doesn't burn a drop of oil, and I have really enjoyed the car for those 10 years.
My point is the reason you buy something is to use it. ALL of my guns get shot. Even the Colt SAA 97% 44 spl pre war 7 1'2 blue gets a box shot through it at least once a year.
Unless it is so rare that shooting damages the collectability, shoot it. Enjoy it.

[Shiloh]

There are about 17 gazillion Model 15's in the world, I'd shoot and enjoy it.

Yep.
I have only one gun that I don't shoot. Mid WWII P-38 with a barrel that looks like a sewer pipe.

Shiloh

[xringshutr]

Tons of used Smiths out there. Buy it.....put it away. Then buy a used Model 10 for under $300 and shoot the daylights out of it. How often would you find an unfired one?? Just my take.

[Geezer in NH]

Ah a 10 is not a Combat Masterpiece. Shoot the gun or sell it to someone who will. I shot the **** out of my no dash 15 then passed it on for a crappy Python that I sold 1 month later. Note Colt DA revolvers I do not understand the hype for them as in all feel and looks they are totally under the feel of an S&W.

Most likely their ancient architecture, Their catch-up latter model coil spring guns are Meh

[whisler]

If I buy it, I shoot it! Now if someone GAVE me a really rare piece I might think differently. I can't afford to buy a really rare gun.

[xringshutr]

I concur......a 10 is not a Combat masterpiece. :oops: I suppose you could find a decent used 15 for less around $400. Then I would question my theory to keep the 15-4 unfired. But I was just going with the thought of having a classy Smith revolver to plink and possibly hunt with. A model 10 IS that. :drinks:

[BrianL]

I have only had a couple of guns that I was afraid to take out and shoot for fear that they would lose value. I quickly got rid of them. Since then, I have acquired a very nice, minty 5 -screw pre model 15 (1951 according to a letter from S & W). I have put thousands of rounds through it. It is an absolute tack driver. My wife, kids, and grandkids have enjoyed it.

The problem that I see with safe queens is that even if kept minty, the value increase would not equal the pleasure of using them. Couple that with the inability to display and even look at them because of home break-ins being on the rise. So I have begun to thin the cabinets of the lesser used and slowly looking for the ones that I will enjoy in this life while I can. The kids will inherit my guns but they will have already shot and enjoyed them.

[Bonz]

I recently happened across a NIB 15-4 and its a beauty. I'm wondering if I should put it in the safe and find one that has been shot or just shoot the heck out of it.
What Say You Castboolit Family??

Shoot the heck out of it or loan it to me and I will ;-)