Model 15-5 question

[snw19_357]

Saw this thread when I was away from my SCS&W:

https://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/721118-model-15-5-date-manufacture.html

I would have thought that this was a 1987 M15-4

Did the Model 15 really get an engineering change for the elimination of the barrel pin? The Models 14, 17, 18, 64 & 67 (stainless version of Model 15) did not.

 

[Engine49guy]

Iirc the 15-4 was the end of the old style narrow rib barrel and the 15-5 had a wide rib heavy barrel.
My 18-4 has the old narrow rib barrel but there was no 18-5 and instead the 17-5 was offered with a four or 6 inch wide rib heavy barrel.

The closest I have to a 15-5 is a 67-3 (the revisional equivelant of the Model 15-6) , for what it's worth it has the new wide rib barrel.
The difference from the Model 18-4 being the end of that model was that the Model 15 line continued but with a wide rib HB with no ejector rod shroud available in 4" or 6" at the same time the 14 line switched to a full underlug barrel in 4" or 6" barrel lengths.

 

[L-2]

Here's an excerpt from my SCSW book regarding Mod. 15 dash changes:

15-4 1977 Change to put gas ring from yoke to cylinder
15-5 1982 Pinned barrel eliminated, 1986 Introduction of 6" and 8-3⁄8" barrel
15-6 1988 New yoke retention system/ radius stud package/ hammer nose bushing 1988 Discontinue 8-3⁄8" and 2" barrel 1992 Discontinue 6" barrel, blue finish only

Supica, Jim; Nahas, Richard. Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson (Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson) (p. 213). Gun Digest Media. Kindle Edition.

 

[Engine49guy]

The interesting thing that is IIRC there is no mention in the SCSW about the 67-3 changing to a wide rib HB either.

 

[snw19_357]

I don't see any mention in the SCS&W of the wide rib HB for the M15 either.

 

[Engine49guy]

A thread just went up with a 6" Model 15-5
and it has the wide rib barrel.

In general a revision change denotes a new part change, the 15-4 and older had the old narrow rib barrel and part of fitting that barrel was notching the frames square edges at the front,
This was not needed with the wide rib barrel.
The older Model 15 frames cannot use the wide rib barrel because it would not cosmetically blend there.

https://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-r...5-5-combat-masterpiece-6-a.html#post141980663

 

[snw19_357]

Yes, but that revolver also has the newer, spring loaded yoke screw. And a floating hand (?), the equivalent of a 19-6 or 66-3.

So on a Model 15 it got a new dash for eliminating the barrel pin and/or barrel rib but then did not get one for new yoke screw, floating hand?

 

[snw19_357]

Unfortunately there are no Masterpiece databases on the S&WCA website but I did find some ship dates on this forum.

S&W made frames in batches (back then) so what is 'normal' for a M19/66 is not for other target K frames.

Round butt M19-5/66-2 show up at 98K and 99K, square butt M66-2 at 100K and SB M19-5 at 120K.

I did find that 263K8xx is reported to be a 15-4 that shipped in 1984. If the -5 change on the M15 only eliminated the barrel pin, 263K is way into where I would expect to see the change and two years after too.

The lowest "-5" I found was an AUH that shipped in 1986, when the 6 and 8 3/8 barrel were introduced. Is this the same time frame as the switch to the wide rib HB?

Anyone out there have a M15 between 100K and AUG and then AUH ~ BBF (dash 6 for M19)? Is it stamped -4 or -5 and is it a narrow rib (tapered barrel, right?) or wide rib heavy barrel?

 

[Engine49guy]

I wouldn't think the barrel profile change with corresponding frame relief or the barrel set pin would warrant a new revision based solely on the fact that early 17-6 have the same barrel as the 17-5, sometime during production it changed to full underlug barrel but the revision sayed 17-6.
The Internal parts change would warrant a revision change IMO.

 

[snw19_357]

I wouldn't think the barrel profile change with corresponding frame relief or the barrel set pin would warrant a new revision based solely on the fact that early 17-6 have the same barrel as the 17-5, sometime during production it changed to full underlug barrel but the revision sayed 17-6.

Agreed. But the 17-5 change was the equivalent of the 19-6 and 66-3 change and not just the elimination of the barrel pin like the SCS&W states the 15-5 change was. Which is where my question comes from. Why didn't the M14, 17 or 18 get the new revision but the M15 did; or did it?

The Internal parts change would warrant a revision change IMO.

but the K frame target -3 change was moving the rear sight leaf screw forward only half the width of the screw.

 

[snw19_357]

Iirc the 15-4 was the end of the old style narrow rib barrel and the 15-5 had a wide rib heavy barrel.

I believe this is correct, and the SCS&W is not accurate. Thanks!! I had no idea about the different barrels. It's not a Model 19.

Did a search for Model 15s and came across these:

ADK9877 - stamped 15-4, no barrel pin, narrow ribbed taper barrel, 1984(?).

AJA3386 - stamped 15-4, no barrel pin, narrow ribbed taper barrel, 1985(?).

AUH8131 - stamped 15-5, no barrel pin, wide ribbed heavy barrel, 1986(?).