S&W 15-4 .38 Manufactured 1977

5416 Views 21 Replies 9 Participants Last post by Stlhockeyfan73, Jun 25, 2020

Stlhockeyfan73

Discussion Starter · Jun 17, 2020

Looking to possibly purchase this revolver from an individual. He states it has a manufacturing year of 1977. I'm not really familiar with old Smiths and would like to make sure this is legit. What kind of condition it looks like it's in and a decent price range. I'm including several pics. I don't have the serial number. Thanks

Firearm Gun Trigger Revolver Gun accessory

Gun Revolver Firearm Trigger Starting pistol

Gun Revolver Trigger

Gun Revolver Firearm Trigger Starting pistol

Gun Revolver Firearm Trigger Starting pistol

Firearm Gun Trigger Revolver Gun accessory

Gun Revolver Firearm Trigger Starting pistol

Gun Revolver Trigger

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Breakaway500

· #2 · Jun 17, 2020

Target trigger,target hammer..looks like stock service grips..some chips..overall condition looks very nice. I'd be a buyer up to $700 as I love clean model 15s with fat stuff.

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Stlhockeyfan73

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 17, 2020

Breakaway500 said:
Target trigger,target hammer..looks like stock service grips..some chips..overall condition looks very nice. I'd be a buyer up to $700 as I love clean model 15s with fat stuff.

Thanks I really appreciate it!

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cp1969

· #4 · Jun 17, 2020

1977-1982, anywhere in there.

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jonesy814

· #5 · Jun 17, 2020

Yep, it could be a 1977, as the dash 4 variant was made from 77-82. In my area that would be a $500-550 dollar gun, but prices can vary quite a bit from region to region.

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Curt360

· #6 · Jun 17, 2020

Welcome to the forum! The revolver looks to be in great shape. Good luck and keep us up to date.

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BobbyMac

· #7 · Jun 17, 2020 (Edited)

I don't see a pin in the barrel. And the S&W logo is on the left side. The target trigger looks to be the .400" variant. These factors indicate a birthdate post 1982.

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WendyZXZ

· #8 · Jun 18, 2020

Welcome to the forum!

Great looking model 15!

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Stlhockeyfan73

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 18, 2020 (Edited)

Thanks for all the help. I picked up the revolver today. The serial number is ACWxxxx. I was wondering about the logo being on the left side of the gun as well. Just talked with Smith and Wesson and it was manuf. sometime in 1983.

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Stlhockeyfan73

Discussion Starter · #10 · Jun 18, 2020

WendyZXZ said:
Welcome to the forum!

Great looking model 15!

Thank you!

Hanshi

· #11 · Jun 18, 2020

Many owners consider the M15 to be the the best .38 spl holster revolver extant; I can concur. Light weight, strong "K" frame and adjustable sights make this accurate .38 spl a joy to carry and a joy to shoot. Mine is a 15-4 and has a pinned barrel with target accuracy. You will have a very fine holster piece in that revolver. And the .38 spl is NOT the weak has-been it has been made out to be.

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Stlhockeyfan73

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jun 18, 2020

Hanshi said:
Many owners consider the M15 to be the the best .38 spl holster revolver extant; I can concur. Light weight, strong "K" frame and adjustable sights make this accurate .38 spl a joy to carry and a joy to shoot. Mine is a 15-4 and has a pinned barrel with target accuracy. You will have a very fine holster piece in that revolver. And the .38 spl is NOT the weak has-been it has been made out to be.

Thank you for that! The revolver is even better looking in person than the photos I posted. Pictures really didn't do it justice.

Stlhockeyfan73

Discussion Starter · #13 · Jun 21, 2020

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cp1969

· #14 · Jun 24, 2020

If that's an '83, then my $225 M15-4 is even newer. I'm assuming that my AHP prefix was used later than ACW.

That would mean the Supica/Nahas book is wrong about the M15-4 being produced 1977-1982.

Stlhockeyfan73

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jun 24, 2020

cp1969 said:
If that's an '83, then my $225 M15-4 is even newer. I'm assuming that my AHP prefix was used later than ACW.

That would mean the Supica/Nahas book is wrong about the M15-4 being produced 1977-1982.

That's coming from Smith and Wesson customer service.

Wiregrassguy

· #16 · Jun 24, 2020

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! There are some dichotomies in your serial number, Model number and physical configuration of your revolver. Our reference bible is the Standard Catalog of S&W by Supica and Nahas, 4th Edition. While it has a substantial database of serials, those after S&W began the alpha numeric numbers around 1980 are not complete. Your serial prefix of ACW is not listed. However, prefixes after ACW are listed in 1983 and just prior in 1986. The Model 15-4 had a pinned barrel which was eliminated with manufacture of the Model 15-5 in 1982. If your gun is a Model 15-4, it is a "transition gun." S&W is notorious for using every scrap of production. So, if it was made in 1983 as Customer Service says, it was probably a frame that didn't get used before the barrel pin was eliminated.

Take a picture of the inside of the yoke area in front of the cylinder with the cylinder open. It should say MOD 15-4 there if that's what it is.

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Stlhockeyfan73

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jun 24, 2020 (Edited)

ThanK you for the kind welcome! It does say 15-4. So since it's a transition gun is it worth considerably less???

cp1969

· #18 · Jun 25, 2020

Mine, which is like his, except no TTT, is stamped Mod 15-4. No pinned barrel, S&W logo on left side.

jonesy814

· #19 · Jun 25, 2020

Stlhockeyfan73 said:
ThanK you for the kind welcome! It does say 15-4. So since it's a transition gun is it worth considerably less???

Nope, not worth considerably less, and some find transitional guns to be desirable.

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Wiregrassguy

· #20 · Jun 25, 2020

No real difference in value. It's just an example of how the general understanding of the configuration at a particular time can be skewed by how the company decided to manufacture the gun.

Guy

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