Added a Pre-15

889 Views 28 Replies 14 Participants Last post by Themanjc, 10 d ago

guntha45

Discussion Starter · 19 d ago

I won this last night on gunbroker. It's a pre-15 with the superman hammer to go with my other pre-model K frame superman hammer guns, a pre-10, pre-14, pre-17, and pre-18. Now to find the elusive pre-16 at a price that doesn't require a second mortgage.

Revolver Air gun Trigger Grey Gun barrel

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K22

· #2 · 19 d ago

Good job. Love goals. Good luck on your K-32.

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msharley

· #3 · 19 d ago

Sweeeeeeeet!

Those are fine shooting revolvers!!

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guntha45

Discussion Starter · #4 · 19 d ago

msharley said:
Sweeeeeeeet!

Those are fine shooting revolvers!!

I already have a 15-3 from 1969 that is an excellent shooter with a really sweet double action trigger pull. I just wanted a Pre-15 with the superman hammer. Once the new purchase arrives, I'll give the 15-3 to my daughter because it has some sentimental value to the family.

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Mtman725

· #5 · 19 d ago

Nice find, like them K frames.

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BravoEchoSierra

· #6 · 19 d ago

Congrats on the pre 15. It should be a lot of fun at the range.

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PeteB

· #7 · 19 d ago

Congratulations! That gun was in my watchlist on GB, and I could not believe there was only one bidder, lol. A great price for a ~1955 year gun, AND with what looked like the original grips.

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guntha45

Discussion Starter · #8 · 19 d ago

PeteB said:
Congratulations! That gun was in my watchlist on GB, and I could not believe there was only one bidder, lol. A great price for a ~1955 year gun, AND with what looked like the original grips.

That's why I snagged it. If they aren't the original grips they are at least period correct. I'm looking for the same type grips to put on my Pre-10 that has pre-war grips on it now, and they are pretty expensive for good ones! I had a 1951 pre-15 in my watch list but the grips were slightly damaged and a previous owners SSN was scratched in the frame opening. I had messaged and made an offer of $600 but they didn't bite, so I got this one that had only $20 for shipping and no CC charge.

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PeteB

· #9 · 19 d ago

This was a good price and then some. I expected it to go for more. Agreed about the grips being hard to find and $$. Your Pre-10 (If between 1952 and 57) may have had a DIFFERENT version of Magnas though. PC version, with the slightly rounded bottom. The Pre-15 and Pre-17 and 18 would have the SB version with a flat base (I think).

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guntha45

Discussion Starter · #10 · 19 d ago

PeteB said:
This was a good price and then some. I expected it to go for more. Agreed about the grips being hard to find and $$. Your Pre-10 (If between 1952 and 57) may have had a DIFFERENT version of Magnas though. PC version, with the slightly rounded bottom. The Pre-15 and Pre-17 and 18 would have the SB version with a flat base (I think).

My pre-10 has Pre-war grips on it. As an aside, this is the second gun I got from gunbroker that had the flat headed sideplate screw in the center location instead of the far left position. Here it is-

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PeteB

· #11 · 19 d ago (Edited)

I think the last time those grips were used on K-frames was the 1920's, at least according to the SCSW book. Your model has the 4-line address, so it should date from between ~~1946 and 1957~~(edit: 1948~1957, corrected thanks to @K22). I think it went from the SB Magnas with sharp shoulders and flat base to PC Magnas with rounded shoulders and slightly rounded base, in about 1952, around s/n C 224xxx, maybe (?)

The problem with all of this is that if one goes by the serial numbers stamped on the grips, and not by the style, the date ranges do not match up. Some of this can be accounted for by the fact that S&W continued to ship stocks (end boxes) past the date when the new style was introduced. Not like they had expiration dates!

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PeteB

· #12 · 19 d ago

For anyone else wondering what in hell we are talking about, a pic of the two grip styles. On the left, the PC version, also referred to as "Plain Clothes", or "Public Carry", installed on a model 10. On the right, the square butt (SB) version. with the later, rounded shoulders.

Wood Blade Metal Wood stain Fashion accessory

Left: PC Diamond-Center Magnas, used 1952~1967, also called "Plain Clothes" or "Public Carry".
Right: SB Diamond-Center Magnas, used 1953~1967, with round shoulders.

Both versions have flush escutcheons which help to avoid chipping around the screws, and look a little neater. After 1967, both were replaced by versions without the diamond center, and other small changes, but continued to ship for maybe another year.

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Big Larry

· #13 · 19 d ago

Here's another example of PC stocks. 22 M&P from 1958. Numbered to the revolver. Big Larry

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Wiregrassguy

· #14 · 19 d ago

And, this is a picture of a .38 M&P from 1948 with "sharp shouldered magnas."

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Big Larry

· #15 · 19 d ago

Same O, Same O. but 1947.

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K22

· #16 · 19 d ago

PeteB said:
I think the last time those grips were used on K-frames was the 1920's, at least according to the SCSW book. Your model has the 4-line address, so it should date from between 1946 and 1957. I think it went from the SB Magnas with sharp shoulders and flat base to PC Magnas with rounded shoulders and slightly rounded base, in about 1952, around s/n C 224xxx, maybe (?)

The problem with all of this is that if one goes by the serial numbers stamped on the grips, and not by the style, the date ranges do not match up. Some of this can be accounted for by the fact that S&W continued to ship stocks (end boxes) past the date when the new style was introduced. Not like they had expiration dates!

The 4 line address was implemented in 1948.

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PeteB

· #17 · 19 d ago

K22 said:
The 4 line address was implemented in 1948.

Thanks for the correction!

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K22

· #18 · 19 d ago

PeteB said:
Thanks for the correction!

No problem. I learned that on this forum as well. Paying it forward.

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Collects

· #19 · 19 d ago

Nice revolver! Thanks for showing it to us.

"SUPERMAN HAMMER?!?!?!?!?!" I have never heard of that before. Could you please describe what makes it a "superman hammer?"

Although I do not know anything about superman hammers (even though I may own some), I DID learn to fly by instruments and to perform aerobatics at the same flying school, at the same time, and using the same flight instructor as Christopher Reeves, aka SUPERMAN! I used to see Chris Reeves on the ramp, and chat with him, a couple times a week. He was just as nice a guy in person as he appeared to be on TV. Chris always wanted to go home to his girlfriend, whom he later married, instead of going drinking with the many of the rest of the student pilots after we put the airplanes away for the night.

PeteB

· #20 · 18 d ago

Collects said:
Nice revolver! Thanks for showing it to us.

"SUPERMAN HAMMER?!?!?!?!?!" I have never heard of that before. Could you please describe what makes it a "superman hammer?"

I believe S&W called it the "Speed Hammer" or "High Speed Hammer".
Excerpt from another online article:

With the first revolvers after WW2 S&W introduced the "speed hammer" with an interesting upsweep... [It] matches the M&P in the opening sequence [of some episodes] of the Superman TV series in 1952.

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