15-3 2" Snub

[mic214]

I picked this one up a while back, and am just now getting around to posting a picture. It's a real clean, rarely shot, never carried example of a fine handgun. The tightest lock up of any of my Smiths. Not sure on it's birthday, 8K753xx if anyone wants to send a card.

That M-15 is a beauty!

 

[elkhunt]

Saw the exact same gun recently for $699.
Best guess of value? Thanks

Jim, it'd take at least that much for me to part with this 15. I'd guess that to be on the high end, but I am a novice compared to the guys who are serious collectors (others)?

My "collecting" is driven by opportunity not desire... I view the former as prudent, the latter as dangerous (for me). So this 15 is no different, I got a great buy.

 

[white cloud]

M-15s have to be among the easiest center fire guns to hit with. I have said this before but here it goes. Hits are what counts and many days I wonder how far we have really come with defense handguns since the M-15 days.

 

[JP@AK]

Okay. So I finally dug out my 2" Combat Masterpiece Model 15-3 from 1976. Sure enough, it has the Modified Magna stocks and they number to the gun. Whaddayaknow! I guess maybe those were standard on the snubs.
Thanks for provoking this examination!

 

[Blackshirt]

These are among my favorites handguns. K-Frames are just the perfect combination of size, power, and balance; As good as the .38 Special platform ever evolved...

 

[Etalksalot]

Nice m15 they just feel good in my hand. I have a 15-4 from 1979 and someone decided they wanted a rb but did put tt and th on it. I do like my smith revolvers original but this one shoots great and feels great in my hand. Bought it right too.

I know I'm a few years late but WOW! You have a RB 15!! I've only seen pictures of one like that! I want one with a RB so bad! I have a pair of snub 15-3's, one nickel and one blue and they are my favorite guns I think that have ever been made. Ever since I saw a RB 15 snub it was also a -3 I have wanted one. Very very very cool. They are hide to carry concealed with the SB. I keep magnas on them so they aren't roo large, but that corner prints pretty badly unless I have a big hooded sweatshirt on. A RB on a 15 and that would be my carry gun always. Very nice.

 

[Etalksalot]

If your looking for a 2" M15 be prepared to be both patient and lucky. I follow them regularly on the big 3 auction sites, GB, GI and GA. Yesterday there was a grand total of 3 listed on GB, owners just don't often part with these jewels. This is a snubbie you can't have to many of IMO.

Very true. My first old Smith was a blued snub 15 and it's one of my favorite guns ever made of but number 1 in my book. Had it a few years and finally just got its fraternal twin, the nickel version. It looks great and it has box, papers and tools. I lounge them both. I need to find a RB snub 15 snub!

 

[sheepdawg]

I've had this 15-3 for years, pretty darn close to a safe queen. I need to shoot it, I remember it being quite accurate. Maybe it thinks it's a 4" barrel 15-3.

 

[ladder13]

I think this is a -4, haven't had it out in years.

 

[Etalksalot]

Okay. So I finally dug out my 2" Combat Masterpiece Model 15-3 from 1976. Sure enough, it has the Modified Magna stocks and they number to the gun. Whaddayaknow! I guess maybe those were standard on the snubs.
Thanks for provoking this examination!

Hey bud, been a while since I've been on here. I was curious what you guys were talking about as far as the stocks on the 15 snubs? I'm assuming by PC y'all mean period correct right? I was thinking performance center at first but after reading further I realized that's probably not it lol. You said modified magnas. I'm just curious as I love to learn as much as possible. What type of stocks were you expecting? Targets or maybe a different type of magnas? I've been meaning to ask this for a few days now. I just picked up a nickel snub Mod 15-3 to go with NY blued snub which is also a -3. I'm going to post some pictures of them together at some point. I was just really curious as to the discussion over the stocks. Not sure if you'll even see this and sorry for bringing up old threads, I just find there is so much to be learned from these old threads and its nice to bring a really good one that's long forgotten about back to life to get new input and new pictures! Thanks bud.

 

[Etalksalot]

My pair of 15-3's!

My blued snub was the first Smith I ever got. My nickel is my most recent. The blued one has number matching stocks, the nickel one has no SN inside the panel for some reason. They fit very close, but not exact so they may be a different pair, however it has the light blue box, papers and the original cleaning tools and screwdriver unopened. The nickel one also appears to be unfired after it left the factory and the is almost no drag line at all
Supposedly sat in a drawer for year. The 15 snub is one of my all time favorite guns ever made. I put the fake pearl on, but most times I find it wearing the wood stocks. They look the same as my blued 15 with the wider checkered pattern. Seems that at the end of the 60's the J frames got a skinnier checker pattern on the magnas (although there was a brief tile between 68 and 70 where they had a wide checkered pattern with no diamond. I've seen several instances of this with RB and SB J frame magnas. My 2 36's came with the skinny pattern and both are the floating J SN. The diamond magnas on my blued one I added, they are not original. In the early 80's, it seems like the K frame magnas started having a skinnier checkering pattern as well. Not sure why they changed the J frame in late 60's and waited 10+ years to change the K frame ones, but I guess I'll never know. I'm guessing it had something to do with saving money, usually does.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I've had this 15-3 for years, pretty darn close to a safe queen. I need to shoot it, I remember it being quite accurate. Maybe it thinks it's a 4" barrel 15-3.

AFAIK, many 2" Model 15's self-identify as 4" Model 15's. Mine do.

 

[george_lehr]

Hey bud, been a while since I've been on here. I was curious what you guys were talking about as far as the stocks on the 15 snubs? I'm assuming by PC y'all mean period correct right? I was thinking performance center at first but after reading further I realized that's probably not it lol. You said modified magnas. I'm just curious as I love to learn as much as possible. What type of stocks were you expecting? Targets or maybe a different type of magnas? I've been meaning to ask this for a few days now. I just picked up a nickel snub Mod 15-3 to go with NY blued snub which is also a -3. I'm going to post some pictures of them together at some point. I was just really curious as to the discussion over the stocks. Not sure if you'll even see this and sorry for bringing up old threads, I just find there is so much to be learned from these old threads and its nice to bring a really good one that's long forgotten about back to life to get new input and new pictures! Thanks bud.

The "PC" stands for "Plain Clothes". The stocks are rounded on the bottom as viewed from the back or front. They are rounded so as to less likely print while being carried by a policeman in plain clothes.

 

[Narragansett]

I am not a big fan of short barrel guns, and even less interested in J frame guns, but I do have 2 short bbl K fames. Here is my hard to tell if fired 1975 15-3 with Culina Osage orange yellow combats. I am a big model 15 fan however

 

[Etalksalot]

The "PC" stands for "Plain Clothes". The stocks are rounded on the bottom as viewed from the back or front. They are rounded so as to less likely print while being carried by a policeman in plain clothes.

Interesting! I did not know that! Thanks! I'll have to look at mine. They both looked the same, but I'm not sure about my nickel one. I know the blued one has rounded edges, but the nickel one may not. Appreciate it!

 

[jframe]

Haven't been on here in a LONG time, but bought a 4 inch nickle Model 19 today, and left a nickle 15-3 snub sitting cause I thought 7 bills was too pricey. Should I go get it anyway? It's in great shape, but no box or accessories.

 

[The_Truth]

Sounds a little high to me, unless nickel versions are worth WAY more than blued.

I've seen a couple blue ones in their original box go for 500-600 lately. Might be lucky GB prices but that's all I got.

 

[Bumpus13]

Haven't been on here in a LONG time, but bought a 4 inch nickle Model 19 today, and left a nickle 15-3 snub sitting cause I thought 7 bills was too pricey. Should I go get it anyway? It's in great shape, but no box or accessories.

I wouldn't pay that much for one.

But, what I would or wouldn't do isn't important here. It's what would YOU do. And, it sounds like you have already made the decision that this one is a bit too rich for your blood as well.

Unless of course you're just asking because you're looking to us in our usual enabler capacity ... In which case, HELL YES GO BACK AND BUY IT!!! LOL

 

[jframe]

Couldn't help it. Went back and the tag was actually marked 799.00 instead of 700. Wheeled and dealed and came out with it for 600 even. 3K serial number dates it to roughly 1971.