Picked up a new (well, new-to-me) S&W 915.

Used, but not much wear at all - betting it's an under-500 round gun.

So, RKIs...
- do these guns have any issues?

- approx production date range?

- what's the difference btwn the 910 and 915?

- how far away is the 915 in design from
the 3rd gen 9mm S&W autoloaders I've seen
before (5906, etc.)? [I have a 1006 and
am eyeing a 4506...]


I picked up the gun on a whim since I got quite a few x59-series hicap mags for 9mm S&W autoloaders, before the 2000 hicap mag cutoff date in CA.

Gun has a nice feel to it - decent trigger for production gun, nice balance, etc.

Won't have a chance to shoot it for a week or so...

Thanks,

Bill Wiese
San Jose CA

quote:

Originally posted by bwiese:
So, RKIs...
- do these guns have any issues?

Nope, no real ones. They were a budget alternative to the 590X series of guns.

quote:

- approx production date range?

I think the line came out in 92 or 93.

I know that when the AW Ban went into effect, the 915 was replaced with the 910. So late 94, early 95 was the stop date for the 915.

It initially consisted of the 909 (3904 sized) and the 915.

Later on they removed the 909, which was replaced with the 908 (3914-sized), and of course the 915 was replaced with the 910.

I think the line is still in production, or if not they've been replaced with the Sigma series.

quote:

- what's the difference btwn the 910 and 915?

The name.

quote:

- how far away is the 915 in design from
the 3rd gen 9mm S&W autoloaders I've seen
before (5906, etc.)? [I have a 1006 and
am eyeing a 4506...]

Same basic design, but the finish is cruder, less machining on the slide is performed, it has a plastic guide rod (IIRC), a simple fixed rear sight, and other manufacturing shortcuts that made the 5904/06 a $600+ gun.

In other words, it ain't pretty, but it works.

Congrats on your 915! Great pistol.

The 915 differs from the 910, in having metal vs plastic parts and sights. In addition, the 915 has an additional locking lug on the barrel, and a corresponding cut in the slide. IMHO, this makes the 915 more accurate than the 910 version.

Mine is a tack driver, and 100% reliable. Enjoy yours. Regards 18DAI.

Thank you, gents.

Frankly, it really doesn't appear to be a "budget" gun.

Field-stripping of my 915 reveals it has a metal guide rod (not plastic). And for the type of gun it is, fixed sights are fine.

Can't wait to try it out.

Bill Wiese
San Jose CA

It was my first 9mm. I cannot say enough good things about it. Reliable, accurate, great feel, easy takedown, and damned fun to shoot. I had the opportunity to use it for a trade on a new M&P 9c. After thinking about it, I kept the 915 and still bought the compact anyway. It is my first pistol and I still can't come up with any complaints about it.

This was one of, if not the first handguns that I bought after I turned 21. They are great guns. I allways thought that they would have been much better selling guns than they were.

Enjoy it, there is nothing wrong with, or any issues with the 914

I was thinking of selling mine till i shot it :P now I think I wil just save for my next toy..

Someone has replaced the guide rod for you with a metal one as all 915's had the plastic guide rod when new. I often wish I had kept my 915, but stupid is as stupid does. I got rid of it because I was never going to reload and I figured it would get too expensive to shoot as plinker and it has now, so I guess maybe I did the right thing. But it was a very good gun and I loved the way it fit my hand. Also I was not very good with it on the target, past about 25 feet I would be lucky to hit the bad guy more then 2 or 3 times out of 15 rounds.

Old Navy: Gotta disagree. My 915 came with the metal guide rod. It was bought brand new in-the-box from a large gunstore in 1994.

My 915 came NIB, with a metal guide rod as well. The 910 came with a plastic guide rod as standard. Regards 18DAI.

I bought my 915 new around 1995. It did come with a metal guide rod. I love this gun; my wife has gotten quite comfortable shooting it as well.

I also have a 915 that I bought new in the box and it has a metal guide rod. I love the gun and would never part with it.

I have a 915, it was the first gun I bought, I got in back in '98, so it's 10years old.

When I got it I put 100rd though it. then years went by, a year or so ago, I put another 100rd's thought it.
Well in the past 2 months I have been shooting more regulary. I've put another 400rd's though it. I also bought a 12ga, and a .22 rifle, and I'm looking to get a AR-15 soon.

I plan on putting alot more rd's though my 915.

When I got it, it came with 2 10rnd mags (since NJ had that stupid law that you could only have 10rnd mags) I belive the gun was made to hold 15. I don't know if NJ still has that limit, I think it's 15rnd mag limits now.

I will never part with this gun, since it was my first, (just something special about that... LOL).

Also, sorry if this is a stupid ?, but what is the metal guide rod? Is that the rod the spring goes over, below the barrel?
If so, mine is metal.

Regretably,sold mine for the almighty $$$. Never had a problem with it..Solid....

the.wraith: Yup. The guide rod has the spring over it and gives the slide a good reason to eject and load another round.

Have fun with that 915. It'll shoot forever.