So I picked up this model 15-3 with what appears to be a lanyard loop mounting hole and pin. This gun has more of a low gloss style finish. Function is great and seems really solid.
Serial is 5K86208.

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Interesting. It could have been modified by a previous owner or it could have been made for a foreign government. With government contracts, there are often extra firearms made, possible in case of needing a replacement. The excess production may also be shunted to the civilian side and end up in a FFL's display case.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

The lanyard hole and finish appear factory. The date of manufacture i think is late 60's or early 70's. I added the football top grips to it. It had magnas on it.

Good looking 15.

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Pine_Worker
Ex-LEO, NRA Life

The pattern with the offset serial number fits a factory special order.

I am not putting money on anything, but am not comfortable calling that a factory job for two reasons:

1. The lanyard hole is not centered top/bottom and seems to be somewhat unevenly executed.
2. The digit 0 is too far out of line and the numbers too uneven.

This might have gone through on a wartime Victory, but I‘d question this on a peacetime special order.

PS: Wait, could this serial fall into the Bangor Punta years? In that case ...

My 15-3 without a hole.. has the serial number in the same location..

I say it's a Bubba added feature..

Sometimes police orders specified this feature.

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No life story has happy end.

I had one, a =3 also. I kept it around for a while, then sold/traded it for something I wanted more at the time.

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John 3:16 .

I think I’d want to find out where it went and possibly add the lanyard back on if there is a story to be told.

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SWCA 3255 SWHF 615

I've never seen the Factory install one in that location. Normal location is app. 1/10" forward of center.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

They did place them differently on special orders.

A member here has one of the Rhode Island State Police contract Models 66 with the factory-installed swivel far to the back of center. I‘ll see if I can find the old thread to pull a photo.

PS: That was fast. Here it is. Photo credit Colt_saa.

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I've seen the various police contract guns with swivels under target grips. Forgot about them. All I've seen have been stainless. I've never heard of any blue gun contracts with swivels under target grips. $100 bucks would tell us.

I'll still go with the probabilities here-
The gun appears to be refinished, and
as you point out:
The hole is off center, and the hole looks like the bit or gun wobbled a little, so it was probably not drilled in a factory jig.
IMO, post factory.
Gotta run- have an appointment at Occam's for a shave.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

I have a Model 10 with a lanyard. I was told it was from a mounted police officer, and I'm thinking more motorcycle than horse.

when I figure out how to post a picture I will.

Could have been for a horse mounted officer. Horse mounted police used to be quite popular with large city departments and many departments still have a contingent of horse mounted officers.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Not a model 15 but several years ago I picked up this model 19-4 with a lanyard at a gun shop in San Antonio.
I just assumed that the lanyard was added by a previous owner.
An interesting thing about the gun is the S&W logo is located on the left side rather than the right side, and it is the smaller logo. The logo is about 3/8" in diameter.

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