Show us your S&W Model 15s and 67s

[TXTad]

Attachment 312948

Here's mine. Altamont grips.


DG

That's a very nice one!

Any idea what year it was made?

[murf205]

I have a pretty bad S&W habit and a friend who is an enabler.Attachment 312951Attachment 312952 He sold me this Model 10 pencil barrel that was and still is un turned ans a 33-1 38S&W that WAS un turned but I just had to shoot it. The path to accuracy is a story in itself.

[TXTad]

I have a pretty bad S&W habit and a friend who is an enabler.Attachment 312951Attachment 312952 He sold me this Model 10 pencil barrel that was and still is un turned ans a 33-1 38S&W that WAS un turned but I just had to shoot it. The path to accuracy is a story in itself.

Those are very nice! I need a friend like that!

I have a well used one that is similar. I always kick myself for not grabbing every cheap cop trade-in M&P that I could have for $180 or so back in the 90s and early 2000s. They just weren't interesting to me at the time, now I love them. I'm still avid about my 44s and 45s, but I've got a new appreciation for my .35s.

I also do not believe in preserving any of them in unfired condition, unless of course they are something like one that was presented to a president or something like that. Otherwise, if it's a tool in a box, it should at least occasionally get to go to the range. I have a 1958 Colt Official Police that seems to have never been fired as well as a 1977 66-1 that is essentially still NIB. Both are going to go to the range soon.

I've discussed the shoot vs preserve dilemma with some folks on some other forums and the general consensus is to shoot them because if you don't, the next person probably will. Why preserve it for someone you don't even know and may not like? In the case of my Colt, it might make $200 difference in the value. I did pay a bit more of a premium for the 66-1, but the difference in value is still not enough to dissuade me from shooting it. I am not going to wear out either of them, but they are going to get to at least go to the range occasionally.

[rintinglen]

Oh my, I bought a bunch of Model 15's back in the late 80's. Both the LAPD and The LASO traded in theirs on new Beretta 92's. Consequently, there were over 12,000 dumped on the market locally. You could buy them for 99-169 dollars, depending on condition. I made a deal on 6 mid condition guns for 119 each and gradually sold them off at 150.00 each. I ought to have kept one for myself, but I had magnumitis then and didn't need a lowly .38. We get old too soon and wise too late.

[murf205]

"I feel your pain". I bought model 15's from a place in Mississippi called Charles L Price Enterprises and they were LEO trade in. $140 plus free shipping for 3 or more. The good old days. Like Glen, I had to have magnums at that time also.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

That's a very nice one!

Any idea what year it was made?

Truth is that I have two of them very much alike including the grips. First, SN # K8627xx is 1969. # 26K28xx is 1978-'79.

Can't argue at all that a 5" or 6" barrel is better for carrying around in the woods or hunting. But I've always gravitated toward the 4" for casual or concealed carry. Not to say that the longer barrels can't be carried concealed, as I knew a fellow once who carried his 6" Smith in a vertical shoulder holster when off duty. So did Dirty Harry with his .44 Mag. Thinking about it, I still have 2 1/2", 4" and 6" S&W Mod. 19s and two 4" Mod. 66s. All magnums, so they don't really count in this conversation. I have one 6" Mod. 14, and a 6" Taurus Mod. 96 which was purchased to provide cheap practice for the 14. The Mod. 19s are essentially a K-Frame with the ability to carry and shoot .357 mags., so I guess they could apply if loaded with .38s.

I see that you also like Colts. I've got a 4" Official Police, circa 1968-69, and a 6" Trooper Mk. III. Sold off some very nice Colts last year when I had to finance a new water well.


DG

[tazman]

I have a 15-3 with a 4 inch barrel. It is a great shooter and wears Pachmeyer grips.
Depending on the ammunition, it shoots right with my Target Masterpiece.

[TXTad]

Truth is that I have two of them very much alike including the grips. First, SN # K8627xx is 1969. # 26K28xx is 1978-'79.

Can't argue at all that a 5" or 6" barrel is better for carrying around in the woods or hunting. But I've always gravitated toward the 4" for casual or concealed carry. Not to say that the longer barrels can't be carried concealed, as I knew a fellow once who carried his 6" Smith in a vertical shoulder holster when off duty. So did Dirty Harry with his .44 Mag. Thinking about it, I still have 2 1/2", 4" and 6" S&W Mod. 19s and two 4" Mod. 66s. All magnums, so they don't really count in this conversation. I have one 6" Mod. 14, and a 6" Taurus Mod. 96 which was purchased to provide cheap practice for the 14. The Mod. 19s are essentially a K-Frame with the ability to carry and shoot .357 mags., so I guess they could apply if loaded with .38s.

I see that you also like Colts. I've got a 4" Official Police, circa 1968-69, and a 6" Trooper Mk. III. Sold off some very nice Colts last year when I had to finance a new water well.

DG

I also have a Trooper, circa about 1964 I believe. It's been fired extensively, but it's still in very good shape. It had the Colt target grips on it, which are just too blocky for human hands. I replaced them with a simple set of rubber Hogue's since the choices for it are limited.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I also replaced the issue grips on the MK. III. I got some combat-type wood grips made in the Philippines.



I always get asked if my name is Roscoe. No--private joke dating back to the old gangster movies when guys like James Cagney referred to their revolvers as a roscoe. That is this gun's name.


Here's some other revolvers, K-frame .38s in my accumulation for your viewing pleasure:



Mod. 10, Mod. 15, Mod. 67 Two M&P (pre Mod. 10) police associated revolvers



Mod. 66 If I had to choose just one, this would likely be it.

DG

[TXTad]

...



Mod. 66 If I had to choose just one, this would likely be it.

DG

Those are all very nice guns. I'd have to agree on the 66. Those are all nice, but the 66 is probably the most flexible of the bunch.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I have seen a couple of 6" Mod. 66s, but never a 5". I don't know if they made them in 5". The 2 1/2" Model 66s were fairly common.

DG

[murf205]

I also replaced the issue grips on the MK. III. I got some combat-type wood grips made in the Philippines.



I always get asked if my name is Roscoe. No--private joke dating back to the old gangster movies when guys like James Cagney referred to their revolvers as a roscoe. That is this gun's name.


Here's some other revolvers, K-frame .38s in my accumulation for your viewing pleasure:



Mod. 10, Mod. 15, Mod. 67 Two M&P (pre Mod. 10) police associated revolvers



Mod. 66 If I had to choose just one, this would likely be it.

DG

Who made those Philippine grips on your Colt? Did they fit very well when you got them? I am in need of some for a K and N frame Smith but the originals are very expensive.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I wish I could help you with this, but I bought them on e-bay about 35 years ago, and don't remember. Since then I've purchased other foreign made grips, mostly satisfactory, but poorly fitting in other cases. Now days Thailand seems to be making a lot of replacement grips. If the grips are unsatisfactory you have to return them to Thailand....and that's a big bother. I'd buy American if possible. Custom U.S. grips are usually expensive.

DG

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Actually, thinking about it, the last perhaps 8 pairs of grips I've purchased have been from Altamont. The two M&P Police revolvers-- the top one above the one with pearl grips are Altamont.

DG

[35 Whelen]

Very nice OP!

I lucked into a nice Model 15 on Gunbroker three years ago for about $350. It's a great shooter.





35W

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I do not believe you'll find one that nice for $350 any more! Beautiful revolver you have there.

DG

[murf205]

Actually, thinking about it, the last perhaps 8 pairs of grips I've purchased have been from Altamont. The two M&P Police revolvers-- the top one above the one with pearl grips are Altamont.

DG

You're absolutely correct about the hassle of sending them back. I would rather bite the bullet and get it right the first time. I have a model 19 that is in need of some new stocks and I bought a pair of Herretts non custom targets off Gunbroker but the fit is nowhere as good as factory. It deserves better. Not to bash Herretts because I have a pair on a mod 24 that fit like factory.Attachment 313041Attachment 313040

[TXTad]

(Discussion about Herrett stocks...)
Attachment 313041Attachment 313040

That is a nice looking pair of grips!

I love all my old S&W revolvers, but I have never understood why they kept putting such horrible stocks on them. The small ones aren't enough, and the target stocks are just too darn blocky. Hogue rubber grips fit me very well, but their looks are simply not astounding and they're just not "nice" enough for some guns. Their wood ones are slightly different and don't fit me as well. VZ makes some nice ones right now, but they're a little expensive.

[45DUDE]

I shoot a 4 screw no dash 15 and a 15-2 made in '65.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

It is a mystery why they continued using blocky and skinny stocks. But, an entire industry grew up around replacing them!

DG