Smith 915?

January 04, 2018, 08:39 PM

wolfe 21

Smith 915?

I have very little experience with Smith autos, but I found what is listed as As New in Box 915. 2 mags, warranty card, manual, blue box. Is $400 too much? Will be a shooter unless that is just sacrilege or some such.

One more thing, is the rear sight a Novak cut on these? I am thinking a set of better sights would make it a lot more fun.

January 04, 2018, 08:49 PM

jljones

quote:
Originally posted by wolfe 21:
I have very little experience with Smith autos, but I found what is listed as As New in Box 915. 2 mags, warranty card, manual, blue box. Is $400 too much? Will be a shooter unless that is just sacrilege or some such.

Nah that’s fair. Third gen guns have been going through the roof in the last bit.

January 04, 2018, 08:59 PM

kritter

as new in the box, with everything maybe? and a hard maybe..it would really have to be perfect.

value line of the 5900 series guns, an if just looking for a "shooter" there's a bunch listed on that auction site for a buy it now of 225.00 and up.

January 04, 2018, 09:10 PM

egregore

quote:
Smith 915?

An "economy" version of the Third Generation. Its equivalent in that line would be the 5904. Less fine finishing, a SIG-like barrel lockup (square chamber shoulder instead of two locking lugs, so the slide is more "blocky" instead of round-topped) and some plastic parts. With the two magazines and original packaging, that is a, if not spectacular, decent price.

January 04, 2018, 09:42 PM

Texas Bob C.

915? Great 'utility' pistol. Super reliable. I have two of them.

January 05, 2018, 05:43 AM

arfmel

The 915 I have came equipped with a plastic magazine release mechanism and button. Replacement parts are apparently no longer readily available. Mine is either broken or worn out, and doesn't reliably retain a loaded magazine when the pistol is fired.

I'd advise you to out for a non Value Line model with a metal mag release mechanism.

January 05, 2018, 05:48 AM

triaxle

That is a good price . They do not make them anymore and they keep going up.

January 05, 2018, 06:30 AM

CD228

quote:
Originally posted by arfmel:
The 915 I have came equipped with a plastic magazine release mechanism and button. Replacement parts are apparently no longer readily available. Mine is either broken or worn out, and doesn't reliably retain a loaded magazine when the pistol is fired.

I'd advise you to out for a non Value Line model with a metal mag release mechanism.

Will the 915 take a 59 series metal magazine catch? If it can, Numerich arms has the parts in stock.

January 05, 2018, 06:52 AM

18DAI

Great pistol at a good price. Buy it, shoot it love it.

Mine belonged to the Chief instructor at the S&W Academy. He sent it through the Performance Center - back when that meant something.

It wears Novaks night sights and has an outstanding trigger on it. The 915 was always an underated pistol and a best but in the wondernine class. Regards 18DAI

January 05, 2018, 07:08 AM

Sig209

Good gun. But that's too much IMO. Nothing special about it - in fact its a 'budget' offering from a few years ago.

And not supported anymore.

Solid gun though. Bore axis is high if that matters to you.

Offer $350 cash.

------------------------------------

January 05, 2018, 08:19 AM

jackimoe

I thought those guns had plastic sights too?

January 05, 2018, 08:32 AM

RogueJSK

quote:
Originally posted by CD228:
quote:
Originally posted by arfmel:
The 915 I have came equipped with a plastic magazine release mechanism and button. Replacement parts are apparently no longer readily available. Mine is either broken or worn out, and doesn't reliably retain a loaded magazine when the pistol is fired.

I'd advise you to out for a non Value Line model with a metal mag release mechanism.

Will the 915 take a 59 series metal magazine catch? If it can, Numerich arms has the parts in stock.

Yes. Plastic parts on the "Value Line" models can be swapped for the metal parts from an equivalent standard 3rd Gen.

In this case, a mag catch assembly from a 3rd Gen 59XX (5906/5904/5946/etc.) model will work.

There are four parts you'll need: the catch itself, the catch nut/button, the catch plunger, and the catch spring.

Numrich has all of them. Look for parts 34, 35, 36, and 37 in the 59 Series parts list.

(Note that only some of the Value Line models came with plastic magazine catches.)

January 05, 2018, 09:27 AM

CD228

quote:
Originally posted by RogueJSK:
quote:
Originally posted by CD228:
quote:
Originally posted by arfmel:
The 915 I have came equipped with a plastic magazine release mechanism and button. Replacement parts are apparently no longer readily available. Mine is either broken or worn out, and doesn't reliably retain a loaded magazine when the pistol is fired.

I'd advise you to out for a non Value Line model with a metal mag release mechanism.

Will the 915 take a 59 series metal magazine catch? If it can, Numerich arms has the parts in stock.

Yes. Plastic parts on the "Value Line" models can be swapped for the metal parts from an equivalent standard 3rd Gen.

In this case, a mag catch assembly from a 3rd Gen 59XX (5906/5904/5946/etc.) model will work.

There are four parts you'll need: the catch itself, the catch nut/button, the catch plunger, and the catch spring.

Numrich has all of them. Look for parts 34, 35, 36, and 37 in the 59 Series parts list.

(Note that only some of the Value Line models came with plastic magazine catches.)

Thanks Rogue.

January 05, 2018, 09:51 AM

arfmel

quote:
Originally posted by jackimoe:
I thought those guns had plastic sights too?

Mine does

January 05, 2018, 10:10 AM

RogueJSK

Many of the Value Line models have plastic sights, plastic guide rods, and/or plastic magazine catches.

Some have all three. Some have none.

The plastic parts can be swapped for their equivalent metal versions.

January 05, 2018, 11:10 AM

roberth

Thank you RogueJSK

January 05, 2018, 12:41 PM

wolfe 21

Rogue, do these have the same sight cuts as the nicer 59 series guns? I would like to use the same sights that Piedrarc? put on his modded 4006. I believe they were warrens for a Novak cut?

Mag release is good info to have. I had plans to add a 745 extended button, so I guess I can just add the rest of it as well. Either way, I will have it by next weekend.

January 05, 2018, 01:41 PM

RogueJSK

quote:
Originally posted by wolfe 21:
Rogue, do these have the same sight cuts as the nicer 59 series guns?

Yes, with a caveat.

They will use the same sights as the 3rd Gen 59XX guns. However, there are two styles of 915 rear sights (as well as two styles of 59XX rear sights). The two types are not interchangeable, at least not without modifying the sight base and/or slide dovetail. So the type of compatible sights will depend on which style your 915 is cut for.

Some 915s have more square rear sights, like those on early pre-1989 3rd Gens.

Some 915s have Novak rear sights, like the Novak sights on post-1989 3rd Gens.