I Wish S&W Had Made a Model 915S

[Grog]

It does not appear that Uncle Mikes is selling any pistol grips anymore.

That is correct. I read part of it was a licensing deal with the designer (who still makes awesome wood grips).

UM made grips for several of the popular autos at the time.

Sig
Beretta
CZ
Ruger
etc.

Now they are all hard to find, some people charging $40 a set.

 

[legelegel]

I have the slide that I purchased and it's definitely the 3rd generation of S&W. I will be exchanging my 2nd generation SS barrel for a 3rd generation barrel.

Looks like I need five more parts to complete my slide, (1) the firing pin with it's (2) spring, (3) the manual safety with it's (4) detent spring and (5) plunger.

 

[legelegel]

S&W 3RD GENERATION SLIDE REASSEMBLY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z05rUVLm6WE

S&W 3RD GENERATION FRAME REASSEMBLY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8gHexjFR-I

 

[Guevera]

I felt the same way as the OP about the 915 frame, thinking the 910 was much more elegant and clean. Here's a 915 slide and barrel on a 910 frame, and the straight grip swapped out for a curved one:

 

[legelegel]

I felt the same way as the OP about the 915 frame, thinking the 910 was much more elegant and clean. Here's a 915 slide and barrel on a 910 frame, and the straight grip swapped out for a curved one:

I never noted those differences. I agree with you, I like the slide of the Model 915 and the frame of the Model 910 together.

Model 915 & 2 tone Durcoat

All Gave Some. Some Gave All.

 

[legelegel]

Some of the discussion in this thread, http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/125908-910-vs-915-a.html, has caused me some concern on what barrel will work in my slide, that is:

The slide of the 915 will fit on the frame of the 910, but the slide of the 910 will not fit on the slide of the 915. due to the lack of front rails on the 910's slide. That doesn't really bother me, but the statement that the 915 has an additional locking lug on the barrel that the 910 does not have and that the slides are milled differently, and the barrels will not interchange.

My question after reading all of this is: Will any 4" 3rd generation barrel fit in my slide (a slide that I believe is from a Model 5906)? Is the barrel of the 915 the same as the 5906?

 

[jsbethel]

My question after reading all of this is: Will any 4" 3rd generation barrel fit in my slide (a slide that I believe is from a Model 5906)? Is the barrel of the 915 the same as the 5906?

I believe there was a change in the size of the barrel hood at some point. Your early 3906/5906 slide would require the smaller barrel hood. I believe the 915 used the smaller barrel hood also.

The S&W parts list shows the barrels for the 5906 and 915 to have the same part numbers.

All barrels should have the locking lug with the exception of the 909/910 barrel.

 

[legelegel]

I believe there was a change in the size of the barrel hood at some point. Your early 3906/5906 slide would require the smaller barrel hood. I believe the 915 used the smaller barrel hood also.

The S&W parts list shows the barrels for the 5906 and 915 to have the same part numbers.

All barrels should have the locking lug with the exception of the 909/910 barrel.

How were they able to eliminate the locking lug on the Models 909 and 910?

S&W Models 5906 and 915 barrel

S&W Models 909 and 910 barrel

 

[jsbethel]

How were they able to eliminate the locking lug on the Models 909 and 910?l

In the 909/910, locking is accomplished by the forward shoulder of the chamber mating with the ejection port like in the Sigmas (and Sig Sauers for that matter).

 

[legelegel]

In the 909/910, locking is accomplished by the forward shoulder of the chamber mating with the ejection port like in the Sigmas (and Sig Sauers for that matter).

Is that a better way of doing it?

 

[jsbethel]

I don't know if it is "better" per se, but I would imagine there were some kind of manufacturing cost savings involved for S&W.

 

[legelegel]

I don't know if it is "better" per se, but I would imagine there were some kind of manufacturing cost savings involved for S&W.

How many times does a cost saving design change end up making the product cheaper in quality too?

 

[legelegel]

Will a S&W Model 39-2 hole in the hammer fit in a S&W Model 915 or Model 910S?

 

[JohnHL]

Will a S&W Model 39-2 hole in the hammer fit in a S&W Model 915 or Model 910S?

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Yes, but you will now have a half-cock notch on your hammer. Not a big problem, all the 1st and 2nd gen pistols had them but the firing pin safety of the 2nd and 3rd gens rendered them superfluous, so they were eliminated on the 3rd gen models as you could detect the hammer notch through the trigger on the double action stroke and some shooters found that objectionable.

John

 

[legelegel]

Short answer: Yes.

Long answer: Yes, but you will now have a half-cock notch on your hammer. Not a big problem, all the 1st and 2nd gen pistols had them but the firing pin safety of the 2nd and 3rd gens rendered them superfluous, so they were eliminated on the 3rd gen models as you could detect the "hammer notch" through the trigger on the double action stroke and some shooters found that objectionable.

John

I'm not sure what that means. When you say "hammer notch" are you actually referring to the "half-cock notch on the hammer"? Does your statement have anything to do with a S&W Model 39-2 hammer on a S&W Model 915 or 910S?

 

[JohnHL]

Will a S&W Model 39-2 hole in the hammer fit in a S&W Model 915 or Model 910S?

I'm not sure what that means. When you say "hammer notch" are you actually referring to the "half-cock notch on the hammer"? Does it have anything to do with a S&W Model 39-2 hammer on a S&W Model 915 or 910S?

In your picture of the 39-2 hammer you will notice a series of notches in the circumference of the hammer pivot. These notches engage with the drawbar and sear to operate the hammer in single and double action.
The notch at the 3 o'clock position in your picture is the half-cock notch and is unique to the 1st and 2nd gen hammers. 3rd gen hammers didn't retain them.
As you pull the trigger in double action, if you pay attention you will feel the drawbar dragging the half-cock notch of the hammer across the hooks of the sear as it's pulled back to the release point. Eliminating that notch allowed a smoother double action pull.
And yes, it has everything to do with S&W Model 915 or 910S and every other S&W metal framed, center fire, semi-automatic pistols as all the hammers interchange with the exception of the aforementioned caveat.

John

 

[legelegel]

So I can feel that half-cock notch when I pull the trigger on my S&W Models 39-2 and 639, but I will not have a similar feel with the trigger of my S&W Model 910S. If and when I put a S&W Model 39-2 hammer in my S&W Model 910S, will I feel that half-cock notch?

What was the purpose of the half-cock notch?

 

[legelegel]

I just emptied the magazines of my S&W Models 39-2, 639 and 910S and pulled the trigger on all three. Felt that half-cock notch in the first two and felt the smoothness of the 3rd.

There's so much to learn here.

 

[JohnHL]

What was the purpose of the half-cock notch?

It was/is a safety mechanism. If the hammer unintentionally fell and someone were not pressing the trigger then ideally the the half-cock notch would catch on the sear and arrest the hammer's fall before it struck the firing pin.
The 2nd and 3rd gen pistols incorporate a mechanism in the slide to lock the firing pin in place unless the trigger is pulled so that even if the hammer hits the firing pin it can not strike the primer. That change relegated the half-cock notch to a position of redundancy that the company felt confident it could lose in pursuit of greater customer satisfaction.

I just emptied the magazines of my S&W Models 39-2, 639 and 910S and pulled the trigger on all three. Felt that half-cock notch in the first two and felt the smoothness of the 3rd.

There so much to learn here.

Ain't no better learnin' than learnin' by doin'

John

 

[legelegel]

I have about given up on my quest to make my S&W Model 910S into a more stainless steel rounded look. Stay tuned for the purchase of my next S&W 3rd generation and with either of these looks with wooden grips and with a hole in the hammer.

All Gave Some and Some Gave All.