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S&W ? Question ???

abcguns2
O.K. , short version of a long story !
I've been a S&W Collector fo many years , Have a fair idea on the revolver end ? mostly "j" frames (thats what I collected) ?????
So ,,,
Got a customer witha Nickle S&W 2" model 15 (15-3) sn# places it apx. 1973 , BUT , the cylinder is .357 ??? , not been recut ? appears correct ? , ( a .357 cly. will NOT fit into a std. k frame 38 frame) ???
Any ideas ???
Thanks !!!
d.a.stearns .............. a.k.a. .......... SKEEZIX ...............
Gunsmith / LEO / S&W Collector
Athens , Tn












www.allamericangunshop.com
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Comments

8 comments

Date Votes
  • rufe-snow
    Couple of .357 Model 15's are noted in the S & W Book. Yours most likely has a 2 1/2 barrel, similar to 15-3 models made for the Texas Department of Public Safety. Since they made some for Texas, not unreasonable to believe some got sold through commercial distributors/wholesalers.
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  • abcguns2
    rufe :
    Thats one of the theorys I had ??? but who knows ?
    Thanks !!!
    d.a.
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  • nmyers
    Well, you can prove or refute rufe's theory by giving us the SN; if it doesn't have a "DPS" prefix, it's not a Texas DPS overrun.

    Also, is the caliber marking on the barrel ".357 magnum"? For a special order in a non-standard caliber, you can bet that S&W would be careful to select a barrel with the correct marking. They were with the M10's chambered in .357 mag.

    Neal
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  • beantownshootah
    With so many millions of guns put out, Smith has put out any number of oddballs, and one-off guns over the years.

    Its entirely possible that someone at Smith cobbled together a .357 on a model 15 LABELLED frame as a prototype, etc.

    One gunstore owner in MA showed me a 357 model 10 a few years back. If I remember right the gun in question was NOT labelled "357", but .38, but .357s dropped right into the chambers.

    This guy (who is located near the Smith factory in Springfield MA) told me that every few months someone brings in some some never-cataloged Smith revolver variant that was cobbled together out of mismatching parts by gunsmiths there, and taken home as a "lunchbox" special, or made as a prototype, etc.

    Also, mislabelled guns are not all that uncommon. Just because your gun is stamped model 15, doesn't necessarily mean it isn't really a model 19.
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  • Laredo Lefty
    Some pics of this gun would help a lot. It sounds like someone threw together a model 19 but stamped it as a 15. If it will chamber magnums, it must have a magnum frame as well as cylinder. A model 15 2" barrel should stand up to mag ammo as they are of the heavy type.

    I have a model 36 with a factory 6" barrel. It was one of those lunch box guns you hear about.
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  • txlawdog
    Lunch box guns makes me think of that Johnny Cash song, "one piece at a time."

    Very interesting topic. I would like to see some pics also.
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  • abcguns2
    OK ,,,
    Still not sure bout this one ???
    I have a few 'collectables' (in the S&W Line) ? and would like to have this one but the 'customer' wants too much $$$ for me on this !
    But ,,, it is interesting , at best !
    Thanks !!!
    d.a.
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  • badsbsnf81
    Does it letter?
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