Picked up a Model 15-3 (2") at show.

[red_12]

I have always liked S&W revolvers, and there is no rhyme or reason to my collection, just look for ones that are in excellent or mint condition.

Just picked up a Model 15-3 (2" barrel) at a show. Unfortunately, no original box, but the revolver itself is immaculate, and the grips are beautifully checked (no diamond). Barrel is immaculate, and the only visual defect is that the S&W logo button at the top of the grip is worn a bit and there is a small scratch on the external portion of the yoke. 3 screw. I suck at taking pictures of my guns, but I'll try to get something posted shortly.

I'm trying to figure out the approximate date of manufacture.

Serial Number, on butt, is C149XXX
Under cylinder, stamped: Mod. 15-3
On yoke, it's stamped:
Line 1: G13
Line 2: 129XX

Any thoughts on year of manufacture or whether this was issued to police/military/other?

Many thanks in advance!

Red

 

[bamabiker]

Welcome to the forum.
C149xxx comes from about 1949 or 1950 and would probably be a pre model 10 so something is not adding up.
A M15-3 should have a serial number starting with a K. Pictures would help.

 

[cowboy45]

Welcome to the forum.
C149xxx comes from about 1949 or 1950 and would probably be a pre model 10 so something is not adding up.
A M15-3 should have a serial number starting with a K. Pictures would help.

I personally know the gun that Red12 is talking about and is correct on all the info. You are right about not adding up, but it is what he says.

 

[fat tom]

Fixed sights,or adjustable?
f.t.

 

[red_12]

I'll get pics tomorrow..curious mystery on this one....serial # and model don't add up, but it's a beautiful pistol.

Red

 

[red_12]

Adjustable sights.

 

[DCWilson]

This one's a puzzler. An adjustable sight K-frame revolver should have a K-prefix serial number, and a C-prefix number should be found only on a K-frame with service sights (fixed). There were no commercially available two-inch adjustable-sight revolvers until 1964. In 1963 the company produced the Model 56 for the Air Force, a gun that was essentially a two-inch Combat Masterpiece with some custom specifications (narrow hammer, ungrooved rear sight foot, ungrooved backstrap, and a couple of other things). Once the design became public knowledge, there was serious public interest in a similar commercial version, and S&W introduced the two inch variety of the Combat Masterpiece (Model 15-3) about a year later. At this time the CM would still have had diamond magnas; the diamonds did not disappear from standard stocks until 1968. I don't see how an original production two-inch 15-3 could have a serial number lower than about K600000, and it would probably be somewhat higher. (The M56 serialization began at K500001.)

Given the lowish C-prefix serial number on its frame, I would almost think that this gun might have started as a snubnose M&P in 1950 that was returned to the factory in the 1960s or 1970s to have adjustable sights and a CM barrel added. This creates another problem, though, because the heavy barrel of the later CM would not have fit properly to the M&P frame, which would not mate properly with a ribbed heavy barrel.

Pictures are going to be a big help here. In the interim, perhaps you can answer these questions:

Does the gun have an early postwar speed hammer or a later low-spur target or semi-target hammer?

Does the barrel have a half round or ramp front sight? Is it a heavy barrel with rib, or tapered barrel without a rib?

Is the serial number stamped on the butt of the gun also stamped on the back of the cylinder or on the flat underside of the barrel?

Is there a star stamped next to the serial number on the butt, and is there a factory return date stamped on the left side of the frame under the stocks? (For example, 10.72 standing for October 1972.)

Puzzle guns have their charms, and this is one of the most charming I have heard about in a long time.

 

[red_12]

David, I will see if I can answer questions tomorrow....and get some pictures.

Red

 

[red_12]

Here are a couple answers:

1) low spur hammer

2) ramp front sight

3) barrel is not tapered

No star on SN on butt. No serial under barrel.
Don't recall SN on back of cylinder but will relook tomorrow, and take grips off, so...more tomorrow

Thanks for the helpful info above, and your continued interest!

Red

 

[red_12]

Here are first 5 of 8 pictures. Forgive the fact that I suck at taking gun pics, if you need a better view/pic, let me know.

To answer the rest of your questions:
1) No serial numbers anywhere but on the frame at the butt and the numbers on the yoke.

2) No factory return stamp on frame under grips. There is an inverted etching on the inside of the left grip, near the butt-end: "06455".

3) Everything about this seems to be saying to me that it is a post-1968 15-3, except for that Serial Number.

To save the time counting, it's also got a 10 groove backstrap

 

[red_12]

And here are last 3 pictures, thanks to any that can help with this. I may just get a SW Letter on it, but this is WAY more fun for now.

Thanks to all for the help and insight, it is greatly appreciated!!

Red

 

[murphydog]

This is puzzling. The SN is from a 1950 fixed-sight K frame, so it should be a 5-screw, but this one is clearly a 3-screw and correct for a model 15-3, including the MOD stamp on the frame under the barrel.

It as if someone changed the serial number by welding the lower grip frame of the older gun to a model 15 to change the SN. "Why" would be the operative question.

 

[Kframe66]

What does the "G13" stamp on the crane mean? Mine has a G4.

 

[red_12]

Alan,

I took a real close look at the lower grip frame, and your theory is entirely conceivable. Keeping in mind I have no "true" 15-3 to compare it to, there are some very, very faint lines that extend from the inside corner of the lower grip frame to the outer edge, just in front of the backstrap grooves. (They are not visible in the above picture, and I can only see them ever so faintly with an eye loupe...just enough to make me wonder if I'm really seeing them).

Also, as you can see from the pictures above, there has been an attempt to "clean up" the lower grip frame, as it has been brushed off with what appears to be a very fine brush-type grinder. IF that is what happened, and I'm not entirely sold that is what it is, that is some meticulous work ....it wasn't just some sloppy weld job....someone put a lot of time into making it look perfect to the naked eye.

In my mind, there are a million reasons to do this (theft, drop gun, for example) but only one "purpose"...whoever did it didn't want the firearm traced back to its then-purchaser/owner or did not want the purchaser to know that it was their firearm.

 

[panamajack310]

There is one theory that you guys are over looking.. Smith&wesson has always stock piled a bunch of frames and components due to WWI and WWII.S&W was a major suplier of the military and had military contracts for a long time. They did not waste the frames they used them. I have a friend that has a 4" model 10-5 with a C prefix serial number. it is odd but it does happen. Just like there are several .45 1917 N frames from WWI with military stampings on them out there that were later used as other N frame civilian models.

 

[STCM(SW)]

Does S&W have a record of that S/N even being shipped?
It could be a "Lunch Pail" revolver.

 

[red_12]

MJ, I'm with ya', but ruled that out cuz' I didn't think it was possible to put a 3 screw faceplate on a 5-screw frame, or adjustable sights on a fixed-sight frame. Of course, a gunsmith I am not.

 

[Camster]

What does the "G13" stamp on the crane mean? Mine has a G4.

Frankly, nothing.Simply factory assembly numbers.

 

[deanodog]

We wonder why things happen some time. Here is a k frame I bought from a police supply co. It has the s/n stamped inside the crane but why would someone do this to a gun?

 

[scooter123]

We wonder why things happen some time. Here is a k frame I bought from a police supply co. It has the s/n stamped inside the crane but why would someone do this to a gun?

That grip frame has been notched for a set of Farrant grips, a popular competition grip set at one time.

IMO there is a much simpler explanation for that serial number. At some point a pre model 10 was returned to the factory for a repair that wasn't possible. As a "consolation" S&W assigned that serial number to a new model 15-3 that was a replacement for the pre model 10 that couldn't be repaired. I also have a hunch that the person this was done for was a LEO, perhaps a member of the FBI or rainking member of one of the larger police forces. IMO it's worth having this particular model 15 lettered, it's original owner may be someone who was fairly prominent.