915

panther

panther

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I went to a local shop today and found a used model 915 on the shelf. No box, but it had 3 15rd mags with it and seemed pretty clean. It was priced at $269 and that's what I paid for it OTD.
Did I do good? Anyone want to comment on the 915, any issues I should know about? Any ammo I should stay away from, like steel cased, +P, etc?
Anyone know how to find the DOB for this gun? The serial number is, TZA18xx.
Can I replace the black plastic grips on this? Where should I look for nicer grips?
Thanks.
 
Where do I start...

You did great! The 915 is a fantastic pistol, and they are getting harder and harder to find. No issues to speak of, they are so boringly reliable that most will cycle empty casings. Accuracy is as good as any other service sidearm (or better) and the trigger is sublime for DA/SA.

Grips are only to be found by Hogue and a guy in Turkey that makes fantastic wood grips for these pistols. I found mine on eBay. Search for 5906 grips.

Mec-Gar makes a 17 round magazine for these pistols that takes up no more space than the 15 round, and works just as well.

Tagua makes good holsters for them, or at least the best that I have tried.

7313ea6dc5c7f1baa20cb165247a2a9d.jpg


3d785cdbd52108fbb51be4853d2b275f.jpg


Mine has also been otherwise tinkered with, obviously, but it started life as a 915.




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Nice pistol - you did good on the price. Mine serves as my trusted truck gun.


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$269 for a good condition Model 915 with 3 mags? Yes, you did very well!

These pistols tend to be reliable with just about any 9x19mm ammo. Yes, you can fire NATO and +P and even +P+ rounds through them and not blow them up. I will caution that higher pressure ammo will accelerate wear, it's just a function of physics. Modern self defense ammo really does not need +P pressure for reliable penetration and expansion. Steel cased ammo? Lots of people use it, but it is harder on the extractor due to the steel case not expanding as well as brass, which leads to more residue build up in the chamber, which leads to increased friction between the case and the chamber during extraction. Personally, I reserve steel cased ammo for firearms developed for such ammo.
 
In the pages of this site the 915 has a large, vibrant following. If you are brand new to the 915, here are some points that aren't obvious.

1) S&W messed with a lot of people's heads with their choice of 9-1-5 for model number. Before this pistol, all the 2-digit metal frame pistols were "1st Gens", the three-digit models were "2nd Gens" and the four-digit models were all "3rd Gens." S&W named this one the 915 but make no mistake, it is absolutely a 3rd Gen pistol. The odd name was a simple "9mm/15 round magazine."

2) This pistol was a S&W error! Wait, don't get mad, I am not slagging the 915. What I mean is that S&W intended to make a cheaper version of their flagship duty hi-cap 9 and the 915 was that attempt but they failed at their goal. They didn't cheapen it down enough and that's why it only lasted a couple years. Even so, this pistol is NOT SCARCE and don't buy any "they are getting hard to find!" lines because that continues to be nonsense. I dare anyone to search Gunbroker for the availability of 915's. S&W made a zillion of these over only a couple of years.

3) Short version is that a 915 is a lower-cost, lower priced version of a 5904. The frame is slimmer, the finish is cheaper, the sights are much cheaper and the decocker is single sided. Otherwise, this pistol is a fully capable alloy frame substitute for the legendary Model 5906. Any parts for a 5906/5903/5904 with the exception of sights work with a 915.

4) Yep, S&W goofed on the 915, made it too good and not cheap enough. They ended it when the Crime Bill/AWB became reality. It was replaced by the Model 910 which is much cheaper in many ways. I am no fan of the 910 whatsoever but I won't slag it since some owners might get miffed. But the 915 is way, WAY better than any 910 could ever hope to be.

5) the true genius of the 915 is in use. Yes, you can think, hope and dream that one day it will be "collectible" but I think that is a pipe dream. They made a zillion and they go for low money. Buy one, run it hard and love it. It's not gonna be a collectible in the next 25 years.
 
panther said:
Thanks folks.

I didn't know we had a member with the name 915, I should have gone to you first. You have a great looking pistol, BTW.
Click to expand...



Thank you!

My user name aside, I am definitely not the end all of knowledge on the platform, but I have learned a thing or two piecing mine together.

I also suppose I need to clarify an earlier statement of mine apparently, they are getting harder and harder to find locally, as it sounds like you did. Online they are a dime a dozen, but that goes for most oddities these days, firearm or otherwise. S&W sold a ton of these to overseas police forces and there are an equivalent amount of them flooding the online market right now as trade-ins.

Shoot and enjoy, it’ll take whatever you throw at it, and ask little in return!


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Around here, any of the metal receiver S&W pistols have become scarce. A few years ago you could not walk into any gun shop and not see several with price tags well under $400. Today, it's hard to find any and if you do, the price tag will be north of $400.
 
I'm sure I was at that gun show too, on Sunday. I worked in Springfield then.
I have found that prices here in Joplin reflect the age of the shop workers. The guys at the shop I got this at are all younger. They value Glocks and Sigs much higher then older metal S&W's. Shops run by older owners have higher prices. It's an observation that can work in your favor sometimes.
I don't post photos often, if I do this right, here's a pic of mine
 

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panther said:
I'm sure I was at that gun show too, on Sunday. I worked in Springfield then.

I have found that prices here in Joplin reflect the age of the shop workers. The guys at the shop I got this at are all younger. They value Glocks and Sigs much higher then older metal S&W's. Shops run by older owners have higher prices. It's an observation that can work in your favor sometimes.

I don't post photos often, if I do this right, here's a pic of mine
Click to expand...



Wow. You should make sure whoever sold you that thing for $269 wasn’t having a stroke or something, cause that is dang near mint condition to find a 915 in.


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I want one....
I have a Marlin Camp 9 that takes S&W mags, so it could be great companion gun.
 

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Well, as we are all enablers around here, using almost any reason, excuse or logic to spur others on to shop for Smith & Wesson pistols, let me just say that I agree with your logic that since a 915 uses the same magazine as your Marlin Camp Carbine, it would be a terrific companion gun for you.

Using precisely that same thought process, you might also consider shopping for:

5906
5903
5904
5905
5926
5946
6906
6904
910
659
559
459
469
669
59
147-A
PPC-9
3566 Limited
3566 Compact
...as these all use the S&W double stack 9mm magazine.
Certainly some more models that I have overlooked in my haste!

You could also pick up a Kel-Tec Sub-2000, the version that uses the S&W magazines.

:D
 
pricey gun today

stansdds said:
Around here, any of the metal receiver S&W pistols have become scarce. A few years ago you could not walk into any gun shop and not see several with price tags well under $400. Today, it's hard to find any and if you do, the price tag will be north of $400.
Click to expand...
I finally found one for sale here in Mass...the home of S&W.
I wont tell you how much I paid for mine ...but it's north of $600 they are insanely pricey today .Call it Covid 19 pricing?
 
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I have a 908S , 910 and a 915 . For what I use them for , they are great , wouldn't trade them . I shoot 124gr in all my S&W semi autos , they seem to thrive on them .Sevens , you didn't warn the op about the bottom 3 guns on your list . His wallet , and his significant other if he has one , will not be happy . But he will have a smile on his face !
 
mrmike7189 said:
factory box, like new condition. Shes a beauty!
Click to expand...
Ya done good when you resurrected the old thread to add a picture of your beautiful handgun.
Stunning she is!
I gather that this is the pistol you got back during Covid19.
I really enjoy seeing her and would love to have you take her for a spin and show us the targets!

Best To You!
Briand
 
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