NICE! You did good IMO...
talk me out of this one
- Thread starter bedwards
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Model 15-4ever
Member
A great shooter!
Engine49guy
Member
Very nice interesting and not commonly encountered Combat Masterpiece variation.
, Imo the 15-5 is not as commonly encountered as say a 15-3 probably due to the move away from .38 service revolvers in the late 70's early 80's.
The SCSW is very vague on this model as well as its stainless counterpart the 67-3,
My copy of SCSW only says "1982 pinned barrel eliminated", but my instincts say that probably isn't so because the advancing of a revision generally refers to a part changed and deleting the barrel set pin did not do that.
The thing not addressed is that the 15-5 and 67-3 have a new wide rib barrel, to mate the wide rib cosmetically the frames front top strap edge had to delete the process of notching the edges that mated to the old style narrow rib barrel .
The change to a wide rib heavier barrel meant that the 15-5 Combat Masterpiece was really more of a 4" Model 14 and if you look at the SCSW you'd expect a similar change under the 14-5 but it's not, only says 1982 delete pinned barrel/ Model 14 discontinued until 1991.
The next update in the SCSW is 1986 the introduction of a 6" and 8 3/8" barrel for the 15-5, so basicly the Model 14 became the Model 15 available in 4", 6" and 8 3/8" lengths.
1988 the 15-6 new yoke retention system, radius stud package / hammer nose bushing.
The Model 14 is out of production until 1991 when it was reintroduced as the 14-5 with a new full underlug barrel only 2000 made (like the 17-6 full underlug barrel).
This is odd because the 6" K38 Masterpiece (Pre 14) came out a few years before the 4" Combat Masterpiece ( Pre 15) it is now a revision behind it.
Another conundrum is that while the new "Distinguished Combat Magnum" Models 586/686 have a full underlug barrel the "Combat Masterpiece" does not.
Another weird conundrum is that although a 4" version of the Model 14 was offered no 6" or 8 3/8" version of the 14 or 15 was offered in stainless steel AFAIK.
A final note that while many posts talk about the actions of the older 14 and 15 not alot speak to the later non pinned versions, not sure if mine are the exception or the rule but my 67-3, 15-6 and 14-7 have some of the smoothest actions of all my SW revolvers.
I kinda accidentally did a thread on the evolution of the Combat Masterpiece ten years ago, here is a link for those interested.
Some Combat Masterpiece eye candy
, Imo the 15-5 is not as commonly encountered as say a 15-3 probably due to the move away from .38 service revolvers in the late 70's early 80's.
The SCSW is very vague on this model as well as its stainless counterpart the 67-3,
My copy of SCSW only says "1982 pinned barrel eliminated", but my instincts say that probably isn't so because the advancing of a revision generally refers to a part changed and deleting the barrel set pin did not do that.
The thing not addressed is that the 15-5 and 67-3 have a new wide rib barrel, to mate the wide rib cosmetically the frames front top strap edge had to delete the process of notching the edges that mated to the old style narrow rib barrel .
The change to a wide rib heavier barrel meant that the 15-5 Combat Masterpiece was really more of a 4" Model 14 and if you look at the SCSW you'd expect a similar change under the 14-5 but it's not, only says 1982 delete pinned barrel/ Model 14 discontinued until 1991.
The next update in the SCSW is 1986 the introduction of a 6" and 8 3/8" barrel for the 15-5, so basicly the Model 14 became the Model 15 available in 4", 6" and 8 3/8" lengths.
1988 the 15-6 new yoke retention system, radius stud package / hammer nose bushing.
The Model 14 is out of production until 1991 when it was reintroduced as the 14-5 with a new full underlug barrel only 2000 made (like the 17-6 full underlug barrel).
This is odd because the 6" K38 Masterpiece (Pre 14) came out a few years before the 4" Combat Masterpiece ( Pre 15) it is now a revision behind it.
Another conundrum is that while the new "Distinguished Combat Magnum" Models 586/686 have a full underlug barrel the "Combat Masterpiece" does not.
Another weird conundrum is that although a 4" version of the Model 14 was offered no 6" or 8 3/8" version of the 14 or 15 was offered in stainless steel AFAIK.
A final note that while many posts talk about the actions of the older 14 and 15 not alot speak to the later non pinned versions, not sure if mine are the exception or the rule but my 67-3, 15-6 and 14-7 have some of the smoothest actions of all my SW revolvers.
I kinda accidentally did a thread on the evolution of the Combat Masterpiece ten years ago, here is a link for those interested.
Some Combat Masterpiece eye candy
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otis24
Member
I get mixed emotions about the advice on this forum sometimes. Not too long ago, I purchased a well used Model 10 that was a Jordanian police trade in for 4 Benjamin's. The reaction here was basically "nice score!". I see well used shooters selling for $400-$500. The other day I posted a pic of a Model 10 with a 6-6.5 inch barrel that looked to be in very good condition. One member suggested it was
worth $350. My thought was "Well, not to be rude but where are you finding Model 10s in this condition for $350? Because I will take a truck load of them at that price!". Based on what I saw in the picture and what I see revolvers selling for, I would say $500. Anything under that is a steal. If you make a reasonable offer under the list price and they accept it, pay it and consider yourself blessed!!!!
worth $350. My thought was "Well, not to be rude but where are you finding Model 10s in this condition for $350? Because I will take a truck load of them at that price!". Based on what I saw in the picture and what I see revolvers selling for, I would say $500. Anything under that is a steal. If you make a reasonable offer under the list price and they accept it, pay it and consider yourself blessed!!!!
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OP
I've several S&W revolvers, but this one may have the smoothest action of them all.
Oscar Zulu
Member
I traded into one with a 8 3/8" barrel. I had it rebarreled to a 4".
A previous poster described it as a 4' Model 14, which is exactly how I think of it. I added some vintage magna's an a T-Grip.
Good score!
OZ
A previous poster described it as a 4' Model 14, which is exactly how I think of it. I added some vintage magna's an a T-Grip.
Good score!
OZ
Some people may assume that the price they paid when a specific lot of LE trade-ins got dumped on the market will continue to be the going rate.
Then sometimes guns just don't easily find local buyers in a pawn shop or a gun store's used gun case for whatever reason. The seller may then be more amenable to selling at a relative bargain price. A used gun may also not sell for as much in an area with lower prevailing wages.
Earlier this year, I paid $275+tax/shipping on Gun Broker for a nice 64-7 that was probably a security or armored car company trade-in. The seller had about 2 dozen of them, and they had numbers written at the bottoms of the grips. Now, the cheapest ones are currently $390+tax/shipping, and they also appear to be LE trade-ins (seller has 5).
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Click on this link. If it all checks, IMHO that is a good price. Of course, offer less and go from there.
Just a moment...
Just a moment...
Fair market values on firearms, ammo, and reloading components tends to be volatile. Prices skyrocketed during 2020 as the COVID pandemic fear spread, manufacturing was shut down, then we had a Presidential election that created even more social and economic turmoil. 2021 and 2022 brought us high inflation rates. Things began to settle in 2023 and firearms demand declined, so fair market values have been declining.
Buying during or shortly after a major disruptive event generally results in paying higher prices and I think many members of these forums are pretty good at keeping their finger on the pulse of the firearms market.
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