Model 15-2 question

[CajunBass]

Sorry, I put this in the wrong section. Mods please move it. Thank you.

I was looking at a 15-2 this afternoon at the LGS. Nice looking gun, but it did have a set of Franzite "Pearl" grips on it. The gun looked blacker than most other blue guns I've ever seen, but all the roll marks were sharp, and the hammer and trigger were color case hardened. The thing that really caught my eye was a sort of "crosshatch" pattern on the backstrap and forestrap. I've never seen that on, well, anything before I don't think.

I did find a reference to "Early postwar production with a 6 groove backstrap and forestrap and later production having a 10 groove serrated backstrap and forestrap." (Page 212) It doesn't say when "later production" might be.

The S/N on this gun indicates 1966 ship date.

The gun in question. Cell phone picture.

I wish I'd thought to get a picture of the backstrap, but at the time I really wasn't thinking about it. It's sort of a crosshatch pattern. At first I thought checkering, but that's not right. Comes down the back, jumps over the bottom where the SN is, and then up the front.

So...anybody else ever seen anything like that? I figure it's either been refinished, or it hasn't. Looks pretty good either way, and if I get it (I stuck it on layaway) it will be a shooter either way. I kinda like the Franzite grips. Very old school.

 

[robertrwalsh]

I am hardly an expert but it sure looks like it has been refinished, maybe with some sort of DLC coating. The cross-hatching is almost certainly an aftermarket addition, presumably done before the refinish. In any event it is a nice weapon. Congrats.

 

[gmborkovic]

Mr. Bass, that 15 really does look blackish. And the checkering? on the back strap, butt, grip, never seen that before. Go buy it so you can take some more pics. Does the side plate seam look legit?

 

[Hondo44]

It does look too black for the original finish from 1966 when S&W still used the Carbona blue finish.

The grooves changed from 6 groove to 10 groove somewhere between #K256XXX shipped June '56 with 6 grooves and K271XXX July '56, a 10 groove, so that gun would have definitely had the 10 grooves. Cross hatching or knurling or checkering, whatever it has is not factory. Special order? Maybe but I doubt it, and only a factory letter will confirm it. More than likely it's after market and the refinish kind of coincides with it being modified.

As long as you're not paying a price for an original finished and unmodified 15-2 with factory original grips, it's probably going to make a good shooter

 

[CajunBass]

Thanks all. About what I had figured after I thought about it and studied the pictures. I'm going back to look it over again, I' ve got it on layaway for now. Price seems reasonable these days and my wife likes the "Pearl" grips…yes she knows they're fake, so that alone might be a good enough reason to get it.

It does look nice and is mechanically sound.

 

[stansdds]

Definitely looks like it has been refinished. Checkering on the back and front strap is 100% aftermarket, the only parts S&W checkered or knurled were ejector rod ends, thumb piece, hammer cocking pad, and the top of the rib on Model 27 barrels. The black color could be something like DLC or it could be S&W's current black oxide finish, which is a very black finish.

 

[MajorD]

When I blow up the pictures I would say it might be just a darker variation of original finish. The markings are very clear and sharp no side plate gap etc. if a refinish very well executed and as long as the price isn't bad may still be a worthy pickup as a shooter. Sure would like to see what you are referring to with the front and rear grip straps

 

[Pine_Worker]

Price seems reasonable these days and my wife likes the "Pearl" grips…yes she knows they're fake, so that alone might be a good enough reason to get it.

If she likes it, buy it, great reason!

 

[SGT ROCK 11B]

I was looking at a 15-2 this afternoon at the LGS. Nice looking gun, but it did have a set of Franzite "Pearl" grips on it.

Looks pretty good either way, and if I get it (I stuck it on layaway) it will be a shooter either way. I kinda like the Franzite grips. Very old school.

Great find. I like the Model 15s and that is what I was issued for the Police Academy. Very old school indeed and thank you for sharing.

 

[saemetric]

Here's my 1965 15-2 as a comparison

 

[CajunBass]

I did go back and looked at the gun today. Turns out it's a tempest in a teapot. It may be refinished, but if it is, it's so good I'm not going to worry about it anymore. I plan to shoot it either way. All the rollmarks are sharp. The screws look untouched. The sideplate seams look normal. Even the so called "checkering" or "crosshatching" or whatever I thought it was, is just the 10 line serration that must have been fairly normal.

Since my wife decided she likes it, I was told it was staying on layaway. Yes Ma'am.

 

[KEN L]

This is a pic of the blackstrap on my Model 15 no dash, approximately 4/61. Apparently it was part of the method of machining the grooves into the front and back strap of the frame.
The rib, however does not look the same.

 

[KEN L]

After looking more closely at the gun, I realized the inside of the frame has horizontal machine marks (you can see them in the pic), so apparently they didn't see the need to polish out the external machine marks since they were going to machine the grooves anyway. Therefore it gives it a checkered appearance. In retrospect, I have seen this in the past, but never really thought much about it until the OP mentioned it.

There, problem solved!

 

[CajunBass]

Thanks Ken. I forgot to take a picture today, but that's exactly what I saw yesterday (and this morning).

And thanks for the explanation.

 

[Hondo44]

What your seeing appears to be "chatter" caused by milling the back strap and/or cutting the serrations with dull tool bits!