Had a chance to actually examine one on Sunday at a local gun store. Anyone on the forum actually have this gun? It seems S&W is not making many 315s compared to the other models in the NG line.

Had a chance to actually examine one on Sunday at a local gun store. Anyone on the forum actually have this gun? It seems S&W is not making many 315s compared to the other models in the NG line.

It's the only Night Guard that tempts me - the larger ones are too fat for carry, and I'm not interested in shooting .357's from lightweight guns. The 315 could be the best of the concealed carry revolvers - light, slender, good K trigger.

My thoughts exactly Golddog.

I am looking at mine today and will pick it up next Monday (waiting period, etc.). I will shoot it then, or Tuesday, and report back.

I have a 396, and in a pancake holster it carries just fine. I like it a lot. It is stiff to shoot, so I queried in another post for lighter loads. I carry it with Blazer's 200gr. .44 specials.

HiCap (low cap with the 396)

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HiCap

Actually, the 386NG I have is relatively easy to carry and conceal. As far as shooting .357 magnum loads I have opted for the Speer .357 Mag Short Barrel. Does not kick much more than a .38 SPL +P (to me) and has reported excellent ballistics.

But, I agree with you guys, the 315NG seems very attractive. I have not seen one anywhere yet!! When I do, it will probably accompany me to the house!

Dr. Bill

I carry this 396 in my front pocket alot, but with the hammer bobbed and Spegal grips.

Very nice pic.

ENH,
Interesting porting job...
They did a write up on the Nightguard's in the latest Handguns magazine (the only reason I bought it, then found the article on wadcutters for defense in it too). The writers admitted bias towards K frames (315) showed through. Which he readily admitted. If a nice soft lead hollow point or SWC were out front of a 1000 FPS load in one, I'd feel OK with it!

Any forum members actually have a 315? I'm finding out they are quite rare at present. Gun store I was at Sun had plenty of the other ones in the NG line but only one 315.

I searched prior posts on the 315 and did not find any pics posted by actual 315 owners. I just sold a gun to a friend and now have some extra money. Looks like the 315 will be the newest member of the family.

I'm sure you'll love it. Give us a report. For carry I would consider changing the grips for something smaller and reserving the rubber for extended range work.

ENH (above)

You have good taste.

Who did the work on your 396? Just like your 357 and PC-45.

You're a big Mag-Na-Port fan if I recall. They do good work.

Where'd you source your Spegels? They picked some really nice grain patterns out for you.

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Shooting *
S & W PC-13
H & K PSP

Shooting* - You have a good memory.

Local smith and friend did the action and hammer, etc, Ma na Port the porting, the Spegal grips came from http://www.lightningarms.com/products.htm, They will email you pictures of what they have in stock. The Ahrends are from http://www.shop.dandjgunrepair.com/main.sc, their pictures are what you get.

Mag na Port will bob hammers and do an action job for a reasonable price.

Here are the other two you mentioned.

ENH (Above)

I'd like to learn more about your experiences and shooting impressions of your modified revolvers. I know that you're quite happy.

? How does that 45 PD point, handle and shoot?

? How much do you think the custom work improved the base revolver?

? What has improved?

I'm a real big fan of all the modifications (custom work) that you've done. You and I are on the same page.

See my post under <span class="ev_code_BROWN">The Wish List</span> part of this forum -

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/for...4/m/1901063823

I'm an ardent fan of Dave Lauck's revolver work:

http://dlsports.com/sandw_kln_frame_sights.html

http://dlsports.com/dl_jframe_sw_sights.html

These are superb revolvers. You need only purchase one and, rest assured, it's all you'll ever need for a personal defense weapon. My philosopy is to buy one and make sure it's the right one and done right.

I'd like to see the S & W Performance Center produce at the same level. Instead of $2,300 to $2,500 per unit with custom work they would be able to get the price sub-$1,500. I'm frustrated that even their PC guns are incomplete, at least to me, and require further refinement.

The PC-325 Thunder Ranch is close. If it had a 2" or 3" barrel with night sights it'd be close to perfect. As it is offered it's easily a $2,000 gun. The Night Guard series is a better-than-average offering for S & W and should prove popular.

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Shooting *
S & W PC-13
H & K PSP

Animal Mother,
Sorry for hijacking your thread. Please post your 315 results. I bet it will make a fine alternitive to a J frame.

Shooting*
First if I were doing the 45 now I would start with the 325 NG, for the SS cylinder, the sights would be a bonus and a cost savings. The additional weight would help somewhat for felt recoil with 185 GD, Golden Sabers, etc and CorBon's 165 DPX.

As it is I stick with 230 gr. FMJ for most range work and carry 230 Golden Sabers. They shoot to point of aim back to 20 yds or so. There is less felt recoil with the lower velocity. Normally you would see less recoil with the lighter bullets but it is less "sharp" with the 230's.

Both the 45 and the 44 point very naturally, to me much better than my 4" 325 TRD. The Combination of the C&S and the XS dot is very fast and extremely easy to see in all light, both dark and bright. The 325PD has the C&S with the two white dots and seems the align better than the 396 without the dots. However, my preference would be a true express sight with one vertical line, white or florescent for the rear. I have this combination (XS) on a couple of Glocks and of course my dangerous game rifles have true express sights. They have saved my bacon on both a lion and buffalo charge, so my reasoning is why change for personal defense. Besides they have been the proven system in Africa for generations.

I bob the hammers for several reasons, I carry in my front pocket 95% of the time and it allows me to carry these large frame guns, secondly there will be no snagging or cocking the gun if the adrenalin is up in a defensive situation. No accidental shooting. It also keeps me from single action shooting on the range, so my practice session are geared to double action only. Mine are not DA only and I did cock occasionally to check different ammo, but no more, it is not necessary and YES I DID HAVE AN AD cocking the bobbed hammer. Private range, center of mass hit on the target, no harm done, but a lesson I will not soon forget. So your wish list of "DA only" is well thought out and good advise.

The custom work not only personalized them but made them 100% reliable, no longer do I worry about FTF's. This was corrected with C&S long FP's, but necessitates all dry fireing be done with snap caps. For piece of mind I change them every 2k rounds as I did have one break. In fairness to C&S I had spent many hours on the tread mill honing my double action skills, allot without snap caps.

The rebound spring is the only spring we changed to lighten the action. Changing it and polishing the contact points and much shooting has given all of my carry guns very slick actions. I consider this a necessity for consistent DA shooting with any of the new S&W's.

The Mag-na-Porting just plan makes these light weight guns controllable and tolerable. I have my own range so on the 4th of July (for obvious reasons) I shoot at night. Those that say the muzzle flash at night will blind you with porting must not have tried it or maybe the newer components give less flash. Now my 351PD 22 mag will blind you at night but not the 45 or 44.

The Spegal grips fit my hand better than any other I have tried and just plan look good. I prefer checkering for a positive grip with sweaty hands in the moment of truth. They have a great contour that allows the gun to fit most pockets and draw easily. The JM style that came on the 325PD were uncomfortable, slick and ugly. I use to switch to Houges for range work, but it defeated the real purpose of the practice session. Now I just use a PAST Glove for extended shooting.

So the custom work has made two wonderfully light and easy to carry revolvers 100% reliable, much easier to shoot, both in the acquisition of sights, ease of trigger pull and controllability. I love my all steel guns but could never carry them all the time because of the weight. With these I have two large bore revolvers that I do carry and trust.

animinalmother, I pick up my 315 on Monday and plan to try it out before 500P that day. I'm only going to use it at 7 yards on paper plates. I'll post Monday night. Be on your guard.

HiCap

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HiCap

Great. Looking forward to it. I will have to keep my 315 lust going for a few more weeks. I got the money for one by selling off a Springfield XD. Now all I need to do is track down my buddy with the FFL and get it ordered.

I'd really be interested in how it compares to a similar K frame if you have one. I think at 24oz it will be lightening quick and with smaller grips one heck of a pocket surprise.

I'm amazed by what I've seen here, discovering these forums has opened up a whole new world to me!
ENH, those are some beauty's and Shooting*, thank you for turning me on to Dave Lauck, I like his rear sight solution better than Cylinder & Slide's or the one I came up with.
This is what I came up with when left to my own devices down here is sunny South Florida:
624 Proto-Day Guard?
I got the 624 for around $250.00 and everything else was just my time, I just used hand tools.

ENH, I have a 66 with a 2 1/2" barrel, so it will be a fair comparison.

HiCap

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HiCap

The extra 5/8's inch barrel length of the 315 stoked with 38 Special ammo might approach the ballistic performance of the Speer and Remington downloaded 357 MAG rounds fired from the popular Airlight guns with 1-7/8's inch barrels. A slight increase in bulk for one additional chambered round. Not a bad tradeoff. Carry both, Ed Lovett said.

I'd call that pretty good advice from Lovett.

casingpoint, I carry Remington or Winchester +P's SWLHP's in my J's and sp-101's. That should be nice in the 315.

HiCap

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HiCap

I shot my 315 today. It is light, but I could shoot it all days with +P's. It is the smoothest revolver I have ever shot, except my 4" model 10, on which I had a trigger job done. I do not need a trigger job on the 315.

I like its balance. Float the XO big dot on the target and it shoots POA. I shot it better than my 2 1/2 " model 66, which also had a trigger job.

I have ordered a pancake from Simply Rugged, and will retire my Colt Cobra and carry the 315 whenever I don't have to remove my jacket.

I think this is a real winner, even with the rubber ducky grips, which I will not change. Why quarrel with success.

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HiCap

Just what I thought you would report. If you have a set of smaller grips you may want to try them, then when you have to remove your coat you can carry it in your front pocket.
Now all you have to do is resist ordering a 396.

ENH, the 396 was my first Night Guard, two weeks ago. Awsome, but ouchy. That needed a trigger job. That's the winter gun, and the 315 the summer gun.

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HiCap

HiCap - A man for all seasons.

My 396NG also had the heaviest trigger of all of my S&W's.

The 2.5-inch barrel should increase the velocity of 38 Special 135 grain Gold Dots, 125 grain Golden Sabers, 110 grain Corbon DPX and various 158 grain LSWCHP rounds enough to remove any doubt about expansion.