for years i wanted a Model 15,but never got around to buying one. I'd see em and leave them there cuz they wanted too much for em. Today i went to look at a 1894 Marlin 44 magnum and was gonna buy it when this guy pulled out a LNIB 15-3 he wanted to sell....offered it to me for $250 cash. I put the Marlin back in the safe and bought the Smith. Serial # is 6K15xxx. Could anyone tell me what year this gun was made,please? Mike

Yours is a 1974 Model.

Looks to be 1974 -oops, 2 replies at the same minute with same answer!

Great minds think alike.

Great story - certainly meant to be congrat's

I say again, where do you guys find these "gems". Dang it, I never see anything worth a flip for that kind of money! Congrats, I have a M15-4 that is a great shooter.

Nice find One of my favorites.

thanks for the info guys. This gun will be a shooter not a safe queen.

I've recently seen four or five 15-3s at different shops. Several were priced at $600 (!) 'Round here, you can buy a perfect Model 19 for LESS than a 15-3!

Personally, I think the 15 balances better than just about any other revolver.

Because of financial problems, I recently had to turn down a rough, but mechanically perfect, 15-3 for $275 out the door. I wanted it for a shooter because my wife wants to keep our 15-2 (below) as a safe queen.


If I found a 15-3 for $250, I'd be all over it. You can re-sell it for a good profit. But you're nuts if you do!

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Congrats on the purchase as I paid $400 for mine a few months ago and I thought I got a good deal. You flat out stole the thing.

very nice deal any pictures?

They are out there...
Found this 5 screw "pre" 15 on a Pawnshop table for $350 OTD.

i'll try to get a pic posted later today. Thanks again for the info and congrats.

my photography skills are minimal at best, but here's a pic of my 15-3...

Attached Images

15-3.JPG (197.0 KB, 40 views)

Looks identicle to mine. Does seem there have been a lot of M15s show up lately, here and elsewhere. Wonder where they are coming from.

the gun shop I frequent has a batch (about 8) model 15's that I think came from a police department trade in- like most cop guns of the era carried a lot and shot little- The rougher ones(of course they would still be great shooters) were 250 and the most expensive one was I think 325.

Its ALWAYS about BITRPATRT, with available cash of course!

Major, but why are they showing up now. Most police went semi-auto over a decade ago. In fact I've not seen an LEO with a wheelgun as primary in almost 2 decades.