Thoughts on a 15-3 4" barrel....

W

WVsig

New member
Looking at this 15-3. It has some finish wear but it is tight. Lock up is good and everything else checks out. It has a 4" barrel and is pinned. Most of the wear is one the right side but there is some pitting on the left. Grips are correct but not marked.

Anyone know what S&W charges to refinish a revolver these days. What is a fair $$$ given the finish.





 
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That looks like a 4". And S&w charges 275 to reblue a gun plus you gotta pay for shipping. And they're quoting 3 months at minimum to do the job.
 
Um...don't get mad at me but that's a 4" barrel. Correct measurement is from face of cylinder to muzzle. If you measure from the frame or the crane you get about an inch less.

The 15-3 was only made in 4" and 2" as far as I know.

I hate to estimate value because there are so many variables including where the gun is being offered. I would think a shooter 15-3 would bring $350-$400 in most cases.

As always, refinishing is a financial loser. The gun isn't worth what you have in it when you're done. If you want a new looking gun buy a new looking gun. Cheaper in the long run.
 
You guys are correct now that I am looking more closely at it. Clearly a 4" on well showing my S&W novice status! :p I changed the OP and thread title.

Yeah seller is asking $400 OBO. If I could get it for $300 I might consider it.
 
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A 15 was a common revolver. You can probably find one in excellent shape for 550 or so. But you gotta find it first. And if it's online you gotta pay to ship it and then pay the Ffl fee. So you'll have 625 or more into it IF you find one. So if he's firm on 400, and you want to get it reblued, you'll have about $700 into the gun. If S&w does the reblue, they'll give the gun a thourough once over and fix anything that needs it. That's a bonus right there. If you can knock him down to 325 I would take it and reblue if it bugs you.

So $700 for a model 15 is high. But the gun is local an you can get it now. Life is short. If the gun is calling to you, go for it.
 
I picked up a Combat Masterpiece (pre 15) and I paid around $350.00 for it. Mine is about 95% on the finish and doesn't have the original grips but does still have a set of Smith wood grips. It's a great shooting revolver. I've seen others in the $400 to $500 range as the price seems to be going up - whether they sell or not is another story.

If I was looking for a good Smith 4" to shoot, I'd have no problems snatching the one you show up for $350 or even the $400 - but that's me.

I'm curious as to why you'd want to re-blue it? If you want a "pristine" Model 15 - they are out there but you'll have to pay the price for them. Re-blueing it is going to affect the value - i.e. you pay the price of the revolver plus the cost of the re-blue and if you sell it, it will be worth less that if it had the original blueing on it. If you are "collecting" - then save your pennies and find a "pristine" one. If you are a shooter - then some good honest wear doesn't hurt a thing. If it's in good mechanical shape - offer him $350 for it. You can't even go out and buy a new Ruger LCR for less than that in most places. This is a Smith and it will be a good steel revolver that will shoot well for you.
 
Bedbugbilly, it is my understanding that a refinish by the factory, S&W, does not diminish its value.

Be that as it may, OR MAY NOT, $350 to $400 is an OK price for the gun as is.
Hey, it's a Combat Masterpiece and the name alone used to drive .45 guru Jeff Cooper up the wall.
 
I'm with bedbugbilly,,,

Any refinishing of a gun detracts from it's collector value,,,
It doesn't matter if it's by the factory or not.

I am convinced of this by hard experience. :o

Offer $350 in cold hard cash,,,
$400.00 for that one is way too much.

But then just shoot it,,,
Don't worry about how it looks.

I have a Model 18 Combat Masterpiece,,,
The same exact gun but in .22 LR,,,
Mine is well used and worn.

I considered sending it in to S&W for a rebuild and blue job,,,
But then I got to thinking that if I made it pretty,,,
I might be hesitant to shoot the dang thing.

The Combat Masterpiece is one of the finest .38 revolvers ever made,,,
There are some folk (like me) who consider it the finest.

Don't worry so much about pretty,,,
Or keep looking and find one in better condition.

Aarond

.
 
They made tons of Model 15's. They're never gonna be collectable. Some people like their guns to look good. I have a Model 10 being reblued as I type this. Never gonna sell it so don't care about resale value. All in, I'll have close to $600 in this Model 10. But it was made in a pivotal year of my life has the pinned barrel. So I got it. Thought the bluing loss wouldn't bug me, but it did so I'm fixing that. Sure, I could have found another one from that year in better shape, but that would take time and this one was available now.
 
Compared to this 15-2 I picked up last summer, that thing looks new.
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You have been given good advice here. Most of the time refinishing a gun results in one that is worth less than what you have in it. I recently bought a pretty much NIB 15-3 for $400 from a LGS.
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I would have paid more, but that is what they were asking so I just broke open my wallet and gave them what they wanted. I would pay $350 for that one, but that would be about my limit.
 
If you aren't planning on selling it, I, for one, never can understand factoring how much the cost of working on a gun compared to it's value makes any difference whatsoever. If I buy a Python and refinish it, and buy a beat up model 15 and refinish it, the difference is purely psychological. If you want to keep it, all.that matters is whether or not you want a nice gun or not. That $275 is for a high polish bluing, and will make it a beautiful gun. It's not like your M15 that cost $400 will somehow be worth LESS than that after a factory bright reblue. Buy it and shoot it, and if you like it, have it refinished. You'll lose a little maybe if you sell it but hey, extra money is useless if you don't spend it on things you want.
 
I am going to pass unless I can get it for around $300 which I do not think I will. I will keep looking. It will be a shooter not a collector but I am not in a hurry. It does seem like the cost of the S&W revolvers are going up.

Until I get one I will just continue to shoot my 19-3.
 
That would be a fun gun.

IMO, the rough ones go about $300-325. 99% fired withbox and papers are like $650-$700.

I like the near perfect shooters at $500ish. A reblue might see $600 resale, but little more, unless you find that guy!

To me, it looks like you could buy it, rub it down with good oil and have a shooter worth $350-$400. I can't see it well, but from pics, I'm thinking $350.
 
Around here it would be tagged at $400.00. Depending on how long it stayed in the case, it would probably sell for $350-375.00.

If I had it, I'd clean it, then take some Flitz to the exterior and lightly polish it. Maybe do that a couple of times. Then wipe it down with a oily cloth and call it good.
 
I'd ask what's the least he'll take and buy it, even it's $400. Asking prices on Gunbroker are higher for examples in poorer condition. And that one will clean up like new with some oil & steel wool. And even if you change your mind about it later, you'll probably be able to get all your money back if you decide to sell. The prices of those older models aren't going down.
 
WVsig, my local FFL has a much better looking 15-3 nickel plated for 500 that's been there for a while. Can probably be had for 425/450 range. If that interest you, let me know and I will take a picture and send it to you.
 
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