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April 23, 2022
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Good day gentlemen. Just picked up my first pistol pack and I was talking with another gentleman about just what it might be. The label on the case says “15-2VH” but when I started looking around the Internet, I am literally not seeing any guns that have the “357” caliber rolled on the frame in front of the serial number. Just trying to figure out exactly what I have here. It seems to be an extremely low serial number at B0012**. Any help would be appreciated. Oh and the 15” barrel at the bottom was a bonus!
DWF Supporters
July 12, 2020
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Welcome to the forum from PA! I'm sure one of the more knowledgeable members here will weigh in on this for you.
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Moderators
January 24, 2009
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to the
glad to have you here. 
AND thanks for posting 
of your new-to-you Pac, it looks schweet! 
Okay, so what you have is sort of a DW rarity. In Jan 1991, the Monson plant had been closed & the Palmer plant was now officially in production (info gleaned from Seth Wesson a few years back). When the Palmer plant began production, they had boxes of Monson rollmarked & serialed gun frames (and Monson marked shrouds) that were already rollmarked as Monson. So for whatever reason, they either decided (or were required) to rollmark the caliber ahead of the S/N. There were many guns rolling out of Palmer with Monson rollmarks. The caliber rollmark was done as a separate thing than the rest of the rollmark...it's not as deep.
So what I'm getting at is your gun was likely built in 1991 at the Palmer plant...but roll marked as Monson.
As far as the "B" goes, there was "B" for blued (which yours is) & "S" for stainless. Before the steel frames are blued, the steel & stainless sorta look the same, that's why they marked them with B & S. I don't know how many "Monson" guns were serial numbered this way, but I would guess it was only a few months, then they were all rollmarked as Palmer guns.
I hope that helps.
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January 24, 2009
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BTW, the Palmer plant really dialed in their bluing process, no "Barney" guns from them, that I've seen so far. All the Palmer guns I have seen (and own) have amazing bluing...the kind of bluing that if you look deep enough you can see your ancestors in there. 
Your gun looks like it has that "ancestorial" blue to it. Again, thanks for sharing your
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Dans Club
February 22, 2009
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CF nailed it...welcome to the DWF
Technically, the glass is always full; half liquid, half air....
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DWF Supporters
June 11, 2016
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Welcome to the Forum from Wisconsin. Nice Pack you have.
April 23, 2022
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Thank you so much for the reply. Lots to learn!
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