Beautiful piece. The Model 15 Combat Masterpiece is a classic for a reason that pinned 4” barrel and the glass-smooth S&W double action are hard to beat. The walnut grips with a Tyler T really complete the period-correct feel too.
Tyler T-Grips are definitely remembered simple, effective, and they transform the handling without ruining the lines. And you’re spot on about PPC; the Model 15 dominated for years. That progressive DA pull is exactly why so many shooters shot them so well. True old-school craftsmanship.
I am 78 years old and grew up in Connecticut. Below is a list of the firearms companies in my home state and adjacent states. Literally I was raised in a “Firearm Heaven”. My first car was a salt rusted out 56 Chevy hand me down and my first trips away from the family dairy farm were to the Colt Factory tour and the Winchester museum.
I recall when Sturm-Ruger came on the scene. They pioneered and mastered investment casting and OHH what a new-old world of fine firearms they offered shooters. Such integrity.
Here a list of companies whose firearms filled the used gun shops I was visiting growing up. I have had one or more from every company.
Colt, Winchester, Ruger, Charter Arms, Marlin, Mossberg, Hopkins and Allen, Lyman, Iver Johnson, Connecticut valley arms
And in New York Remington, Ithaca, Savage/Stevens and up in Massachusetts Smith and Wesson And Springfield armory, and in New Hampshire Thompson Center.
Most recently I bought a second-generation Colt 1861 Navy percussion revolver made by Iver Johnson with full Colt oversight. Miles in front of the Italian made reproductions.
What gets my wallet out are firearms that are graceful in design, have a sense of superb workmanship being just obvious and lastly have an inherent history of ethical use.
I never for example had the slightest desire to own any WW2 era German Military firearms.
Obviously, my model 15 Smith and Wesson fits that to a “T”. A police officers duty revolver “par excellance”
I also have a pinned barrel model 60, the “Chiefs Special” and a stainless version of the model 13 S&W 3” barrel .357 once used by the FBI. That was the revolver that successfully ended the infamous 1986 Miami shootout when the FBI agents went up against criminals with semi-auto carbines.
My last revolver is a 4” barreled model 629 44 magnum very much like the sidearm carried my Yellowstone National Park Rangers. All “good guy” guns.
On this 629/44 mag I have a pair of pre WW2 factory S&W hand finished "coke bottle grips" with a palm swell.
Ever so many years ago I was doing my best to become really good with an early Colt Trooper, which had the same action as Python. I shot a lot at a police qualification range that most of the time allowed the general public to use half of the range unless some official event was happening.
At some point the range master seeing I was serious and took me under his wing of instruction, under on condition, get rid of the Colt. I balked until he let me fire a few rounds with his K frame model 15 Smith. I put my Colt up for sake that day and bought a 4-inch Model 13 in 357.
The old trooper and all Colt Pythons inherited their actions from the Colt Officers Match revolver, which was a great single action target revolver, but the double action was reversed. Started easy and stacked going near let off. Nobody could ever win a PPC course with a Colt like that. It took 40 years to wear that model 13 six gun out to the point where the frame developed a beginning crack.
Almost all double action shooting.
Fortunately, I bought another long ago. A more vintage model 13 with a pinned barrel and recessed cylinder. If it ever came down to just one handgun that would be it. I do not shoot much anymore. I do not need to. My eye muscle memory has a great reserve.
My most enjoyed place for that six gun, is when horseback riding in the back country.
I could live off the land with that fine revolver. Really cool to have some light loads in it and come back from my horseback ride with a few grouse tied to my saddle horn.
Semi autos cannot operate with such light loads nor can you really develop your trigger skills by skip loading to get rid of a flinch.
Revolvers have a place still,,,,right on my hip,,,, then in my hand.
MR
