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December 3, 2012
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Greetings,
I am new both to this forum and handguns in general. I have done some research and determined that a good first gun is a .357 due to its versatility in ammo for both range and home protection.
I was looking at an S&W 686, but a friend offered his Dan Wesson instead. He says it is a model 15-2, but I am not positive about that. He is asking $400.
I was hoping someone could chime in with an ID on the gun and whether it is worth the asking price.
Thanks Again.
Jeremy
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November 17, 2008
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Welcome to the DW place. Yes that is a model 15-2 with a 2.5 standard barrel. The paint on the sights is an add on. Is it worth $400.00 probably. But that is not a steal either. Others will chime in soon.
LB
Wisdom is merely the realization of how little one knows, therefore I am wise.
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December 4, 2011
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Welcome! Take a look on Gunbroker.com at recently completed auctions and you can compare your prospective gun to them. Depending on your area of the country, it could be a good value or possibly not.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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I'd say that is a 1977 gun (maybe 1976) and the finish looks very good. I has a "2" shroud, actually 2 1/2" with a solid (non-vented) top rib.
The painted dots on the rear sight are a little funky, the red paint on the front sight is something some shooters did because they did not have the slightly later colored front inserts.
This gun does have the very desirable Pachmayr Grippers, definitely not original, and no longer manufactured. They regularly sell for $40 or more on auction sites.
Bottom line, this is a good gun if a snubbie .357 mag is the right gun for you. This will be a tough, reliable, quality gun.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
February 29, 2012
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It sure looks like a model 15-2 to me.
I would personally take the paint off the sights, but it wouldn't keep me from buying the gun. If it bothers you badly enough, know that both sights are removable and not staked in. They can very easily be changed or replaced.
I would want to know if it came with anything else, like perhaps a barrel wrench, or any other barrel and shroud combinations, since they would also add to the value of the gun. If you do desire a 2.5 inch snub nose revolver, it's not a bad gun, or a bad deal IMO. If you decide you want a different barrel length, you can always get one for it later. If the gun does not come with a barrel wrench, plan on adding one of those as well. EWK sells a great barrel removal/installation tool for $23.00
http://www.ewkarms.com/zencart/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=1
While not the best place to shop for great deals, I do notice that Cabela's has a blued Model 15 with a 2.5 inch barrel priced at $529 dollars for sale in their gun library right now.
I would say that's a bit much for what they are offering, but If I really wanted one, and just couldn't find it, I might be willing to pay a little more.
I would expect to pay between $300 (low) and $450 (high) for a model 15 like that. Figure that prices will vary by location, and condition by a fair amount as well. Still, that's a lot cheaper than a used pre-lock Smith 686, or a brand new one in my area. I think the Dan would serve well, but the final decision is up to you.
Best of luck.
- Bullwolf
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March 2, 2008
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The pictures on that Cabela's gun are not at a good angle for this, but that shroud looks a little 14-2 to me.
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
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December 4, 2011
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I agree with Steve, that looks like a 14-2 at Cabellas.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
Dans Club
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April 20, 2010
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Welcome from PA. Like the guys said, that is a 15-2, a fairly early one. If it looks as nice in person as it does in the pics, I would say $400 is right on the money. That bluing looks nice! You can look at Gunbroker auctions as a guideline, to me it is always a benefit to buy a gun you can hold and check out in person first.
If you have read other threads here, you know the barrel is interchangeable on that Dan Wesson. You could pick up a barrel tool and a 4" or 6" barrel assembly which would be nicer for target shooting and still be under the price of a 686.
-Lonwolf
"The lion and the tiger may be more powerful, but the Wolf does not perform in the circus"
August 28, 2009
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I'm with lonwolf....if it is as nice as it looks in the photo's., it's a $400 gun all day long.
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March 2, 2008
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SCORPIO said
I agree with Steve, that looks like a 14-2 at Cabellas.
The Gun is a 15-2, adjustable rear sight, but the BA looks very 14-2
I went to a bookstore and asked the saleswoman "Were is the Self Help Section?" She said if she told me, it would defeat the purpose.
George Carlin
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December 4, 2011
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Yea, 14-2 shroud on a 15-2 frame.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
December 3, 2012
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Thanks a bunch for all the input, it has been really helpful.
While I haven't seen the gun personally yet, I am sure it is in at least as good condition as it appears. The current owner is somewhat of a gun junky and takes good care of his weapons.
That said, I am still on the fence. I'm not big on the 2 1/2" barrel, and would have to immediately go in search of a 4" replacement. Once that was on I would not likely change it again. If I don't come up with something else this weekend, I will certainly go and check it out.
In the meantime there is a gun auction this weekend and they have (among other items) an S&W 686-2 with a 4" barrel in stainless. If I can pick it up cheap I'll go for it instead.
If I wind up with the 15-2 I'm sure I will be haunting the forums gathering information and asking questions.
Dans Club
October 17, 2008
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This would be a 15-2 from 1975 or early 1976, colored interchangable sight blades were introduced in 1976. This style shroud with fixed sight blade followed the pork chop style for a short time before the colored sight blades, not a model 14 shroud.
Nice Dan but 400.00 is top value for this one.
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December 4, 2011
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Learned something today, thanks DanFan. I have a barrel like that I got somewhere and I always thought it was a 14-2 shroud.
Anything worth doing is worth doing well.
My father
If a man designed it, and a man built it, then a man can fix it.
My grandfather
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