Yes, this is another 915 thread

[mlk18]

I have posted 100's of times about what a great gun the 915 is. Each time I declare it to be one of the best value guns ever made and state that it is "everything you need in a combat sidearm and nothing you don't". I know this because the 915 was my very first duty gun. And while I only carried it for 3 years (before the department mandated we all carry the G19) it will always be one of my favorites. I shot that 915 all the time. In fact I stopped counting at 15,000 rounds. I shot duty ammo, reloaded ammo, re-manufactured ammo, bulk ammo, surplus ammo; it ate it all and just kept on running. And that 915 was dead on accurate. I used to put screws in golf balls, tie on some string, hang them from a fence and shoot them at 15-20 yards. I called it the Eyeball Drill. The 915 never failed to impress and was going to stay in my collection forever. That was until it was stolen out of a LGS about 6 months after being pulled from service (it was in for some milling and brand new Novak sights). And that was that, no more 915.

Then some 22+ years later (last week) I was given the opportunity to buy an LEO trade in 915 in mint condition for under $250. I snatched it up and here she is in all her glory. I already ordered some new night sights, but this time I am installing them myself. The more I handle the 915 the more I remember how awesome of a gun it really is. I can't wait to get out to the range so I can out it through its paces. I might even go pick up some golf balls! So the next time I comment on a 915, I will be doing so as a proud owner.

[18DAI]

Congrats! She is a beauty!!

Novaks in Parkersberg WV will still mill the 915 slide for Novak night sights. They do nice work.

My 915 was cut for Novaks and given a trigger job at the Performance Center. Sweet semi auto. Enjoy your 915 mlk18!! Regards 18DAI

[CelticSire]

I didn't think I could love my 915 any more than I did until I put a set of curved backstrap grips on her. I carried mine as a duty weapon until the mandated Glock change, and then I carried her as a backup. Lots and lots of rounds, and she has never failed me yet. I'll stake my life on my 915. Congrats on getting another one to replace the one that was taken.

[dsk]

Another big +1 for the 915. Durable, reliable, cheap... what's not to love? The rear sight is the only real complaint I have with mine, which is why I've been shooting my 910 more since it has sights that are easier to pick up. Does anybody know of a good drop-in replacement for the 915?

[mlk18]

Trijicon SA04's. Just ordered a set last week and am waiting impatiently for them to arrive. They are bright and very durable, but they are not cheap. In fact the sights cost me almost half of what the gun cost me! But since the gun is worth 2-3x what I paid for it, I am still happy. Otherwise like 18DAI said, you can send them in to Novak and have them cut for Novak sighs. They also made a fixed night sight back in the day. Looks a lot like the factory sight on the 915 but is a little thicker and has two tritium filled dots. I have seen them (new old stock) come up for sale on places like eBay. Ditto that with older Meprolights.

[dsk]

Ouch, given the fact I only paid $265 for mine I think I'll just continue to put up with the crummy factory sights. I was hoping there was a non-tritium option out there.

[W.E.G.]

I pulled one of mine out of my sock-drawer just tonight.

One of those guns that feels good in your hand, and that you know will do you right if you ever have to bring it to bear.

[5906fan]

the florescent paint won't do well?
a nephew has a 915, I put on better sights but the glow tubes not the glow-dot

[mlk18]

Now featuring Trijicons! They really are nice but a bit of a pain to install. Had to clean a bunch of brass off of the sights and slide when I was done. But they do produce a nice sight picture. Which got me thinking; how hard would it be to make a standard steel replacement sight for a non-Novak S&W 3rd Gen? Seems like it would be pretty simple. I wonder if something else on the market would work with some filing.

[mlk18]

Adding the picture would help huh.

[JJEH]

Congrats. I love my 915, it's a great gun.

[KarmannGhia]

I never carried my 915 on duty, but it was a birthday present from my wife (the first gun she ever got me, and her first gun purchase ever). Love that gun and that wife.

[RightArm]

I'm going to start looking right now. Beautiful gun. I hope I can find one on the usual auction sites. If not, do I just have to get lucky to find one? What years were they out? Wish me luck.

[thadheth]

Originally Posted by RightArm

I'm going to start looking right now. Beautiful gun. I hope I can find one on the usual auction sites. If not, do I just have to get lucky to find one? What years were they out? Wish me luck.

The 915 only enjoyed 2 years of production, 1992-94. It was replaced by the 908.

[RightArm]

Well, not near the deal you got, but I found one in great condition for $379, and one that will need work for $299. The nice one I can pick up and save shipping cost and ffl holder price. No bids on either so I made contact in the hopes of working something out with 379 dealer. The debt grows deeper......

[mlk18]

G. Cole Distributing (gcolecoledist on gun broker) has dozen of police trade in 915's ranging from fair to mint condition. The slides on a lot of them have been parkerized dark grey and look really nice. Prices range from low to mid $200's. Just make sure you look the pictures over well as that is the actual gun you will be getting.

[RightArm]

Thanks for the heads up. Ican work with all of those, but some are definitely nicer and would need less TLC. Good luck to you, also.

[ednred]

I bought one of the G Cole 915's a couple weeks ago and it's a great gun.

[MR.G]

Had a 915 and regret selling it. Great gun that never failed with anything it was fed. I replaced it with a 910 stainless that has has also been very reliable.

[SPEEDGUNNER]

This is a great thread. I remember when the 915 first came out, the low price alternative to the stainless 3rd Gens. What would be a realistic price to pay for one these days? My gunsmith has one in his shop to be cleaned, it has only been fired once. The owner has expressed and interest in selling it, but wants me to make an offer. Box, etc. included.

[dsk]

Originally Posted by thadheth

The 915 only enjoyed 2 years of production, 1992-94. It was replaced by the 908.

It was replaced by the 910, not the 908. The 910 had more simplified machining cuts and some plastic components to save costs, and it also came with a 10-round mag thanks to the AWB, but was functionally identical.

[Dave Nash]

Originally Posted by thadheth

The 915 only enjoyed 2 years of production, 1992-94. It was replaced by the 908.

“thadheth”

I don’t mean to be nitpicking but while I agree with you that the 915 was something of a short-lived (several year) gun, it was not replaced by the 908.

The 908 was not only a single “stack” or single column magazine gun (the 915 was a double column gun so the frames are substantially different) but it was also a “compact” (shortened) model as well (versus the 915, which was what most people would consider to be a “full size”, “service” or in some cases, “duty” type handgun; although the terms used to describe “duty” and even “service” type firearms have been broadened somewhat to include a wider variety of sizes since the 915 was first offered about twenty years ago).

The 908 was part of the Value Series when it was introduced (regardless of what people here sometimes say, the 915 was not; the 915 was a forerunner to that program) and as a single column “compact” 9mm, it relates more to the then standard Model of the 3914 (albeit with the substantial machining and parts changes made to save money and allow the gun to be sold as a lower cost) and not the full sized 5904 from which the 915 was derived.

For the record, the counterpart to the 915 within the Value Series was the 910.

If you (and “RightArm”, to whom your post appears directed) wish to learn a little bit more about the 915, you might want to take a look at an entry I made to another thread about the gun a few weeks back: (This post was originally held back pending the...

Hope this helps and that you take my comments here in the good-natured manner in which they are intended.



“thadheth”

You might also wish to look at the additional information I just posted (after this one to you) in another thread on this forum about these guns at:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/239343-s-w-value-line.html#post136412584

I apologize for the lengthy address but for some reason this entry would not come up against a search of my name to yield a shorter one similar to those is used in the original part of this post.

[cololab]

Originally Posted by SPEEDGUNNER

This is a great thread. I remember when the 915 first came out, the low price alternative to the stainless 3rd Gens. What would be a realistic price to pay for one these days? My gunsmith has one in his shop to be cleaned, it has only been fired once. The owner has expressed and interest in selling it, but wants me to make an offer. Box, etc. included.

At the gun show here yesterday, I saw two excellent to new condition 915s, neither of which had the box, with asking prices of $475 and $525. I was a bit surprised at the prices as I only paid around $275 for a very nice one less than six months ago.

It seems that around here, and maybe elsewhere too, the high cap nines are really in demand.

[mlk18]

regardless of what people here sometimes say, the 915 was not; the 915 was a forerunner to that program

That's interesting because when I bought my first 915 back in the day it was at a S&W Days event at my LGS and both the S&W Rep and the huge display said "Smith & Wesson's New Value Line" and featured the 915 and 411.

[mlk18]

What would be a realistic price to pay for one these days?

For LNIB I would say it is worth approx. $400. But with the recent flood of police trade in and used 915's selling for around $250, I would not offer more than $325-350. Worst that can happen is he can say no or make a counter offer.