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April 18, 2010
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Well Here they are. Tag says "Made exclusively for Ronald F. Rose". As per the story goes he was supposed to be a machinist for DW.
"Your best shot is only as good as your best ammo. Reload accordingly"
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January 24, 2009
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That is a really cool find, thanks for showing it off!
I haven't seen one like that before, with a personalized tag.
Also, it looks like you've got three examples of the Powerwood grips, that doesn't happen every day either.
November 14, 2009
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Very Very nice. I like the grips, very nice. What is in the wood block???
Happyness is a Hot DW and a pile of used brass!!! Rich
May 17, 2010
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That is one heck of a find
Congratz!!!!
Soap Box, Ballot Box, Ammo Box
in that order.
4 Monson Model 15's
1 Palmer FB 15
1 Rossi 357 Model 92 (lever)
1 CZ 75B
February 11, 2010
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Sweet ! What a unique pistol pack. Did you find this in PA. ?
Never see many unique or "one of a kinds" come out of PA. 
-Blacktop
April 18, 2010
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Yep in Pa. Bought it at a local gun store. Big Buck in Wexford, PA. The wood block is a blank so that you can whittle out your own grip if your feeling froggy. I paid aprice for it but it is super clean. Seems to be about going rate on Gunbroker though for a pac so I dont feel so bad. Looks to be fired very little. I could not pass it up. Especially after i had just sold my '01 Mustang and had the money in my pocket.
"Your best shot is only as good as your best ammo. Reload accordingly"
Dans Club
December 5, 2008
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Congrats - very nice catch!
Can you tell me if the front sight is changeable (screw in front of shroud to remove)?
The reason I ask is that I have a 15-2 pistol pac with a similar case (no cloth covering foam) and the front sights have no colored inserts and are not easily changeable like most DW revolvers that you see.
In this photo you can see the front of the shroud demonstrating the lack of a screw for sight changing:
The grip "blank" was also missing when I purchased the pac.
April 18, 2010
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As per the info that I have learned fron this wonderful website of DW info the long and short of it is no. The interchangeable sight didnt happen unil later in 74 twords 75. Our guns w/o the interchangeable sight is probly late 73ish era. Dont quote me on the dates exactly but its pretty much the long and short of it. This opinion is based on some of the info and DW articles posted by various users of this site.
If you want complete your set and get a blanck Gunbroker usually has some grip blanks for sale that I have seen for relitively cheap prices (under 20 bucks). BTW nice looking pac. I cant wait for a Stainless one to match my current hehe.
"Your best shot is only as good as your best ammo. Reload accordingly"
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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Because these both have a straight shroud (not Porkchop), the are 15-2 models, introduced in early 1975. The early -2's did have pinned front sights rather than the interchangeable front.
I have only ever seen the blanks on GB for $60-80, if I can find them for $20, I'm buying a half dozen or so. I have contacted Hogue twice now to see about getting a special run of blanks done for DWF, with no response.
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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January 24, 2009
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I am under the impression that the 15-2 came along in early '76.
Darn, now I've gotta go re-check my facts.
BTW, if either of you guys would like to offload your pinned front sight Pacs, just let me know!
Dans Club
October 17, 2008
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Hey Guys, Guns & Ammo did a gun review in Jan 1976 featuring this very type of pack title of the article was "Four-in-one .357" I have a copy of the reprint from the magazine. To put the article in the Jan '76 issue they would had to have a 1975 produced gun.
My thoughts are it's a 15-2, the colored removeable sights came along in 1976 maybe somebody has more info on a timeline.
This is before the brown case with gold fabric, these had a 2 pc barrel tool , the barrel gauge was a smaller rectangle shape, Powerwood grips have a small W medalion ,plus a wood blank to carve your own to fit your hand.
I have one of these Packs NEW UN-FIRED just like the day it left the factory.
February 11, 2010
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Ok, just when I thought I had it straight 
Gotta raise my hand here.
I thought the model 15 was the porkchop with adjustible rear sight.
The 15-1 was the straight barrel with pinned front sight.
and the 15-2 was straight barrel with removable front sight .
Where did I go wrong ? 
-Blacktop
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January 24, 2009
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DucatiRon, please forgive my thread hijack here.
Dan Fan, I've got that same article...
You're right, for the article to have been printed in January '76, the gun would have to be made at least somewhere around October-November '75...maybe even earlier than that. I didn't think about that angle before. The magazines usually receive a new model before they are available to the public & I think it was/is the norm to have the pics and write-up done about 2~3 months before it goes to print.
BTW, in case anyone's interested, the gun in the article is serial #54314. I've been watching s/n's on 15-2 auction guns for a while now, trying to determine where the 15-2 came along in the number sequence...the lowest number I have is #52837. I think Steve's gun may be an even lower number? One of these days, I'd like to know how many guns they cranked out per month.
On the DWCA, there's an article written by Skeeter Skelton for the Feb. 1975 Shooting times, titled "Two new DW .357 Magnums". http://dwcollectors.org/dwca-content/articles/1975_Feb_ShootingTimes.PDF
The guns in the article are Porkchops...a M15 with a flush barrel nut & what I've known as a M14-1 (one day I'd like to know for sure if there were really ever any -1 designations made, or if the first of the "dash" series came along with the -2 & everything prior was merely rolling improvements to things that needed changing).
So what I'm getting at here, is that somewhere in between these articles, there had to be time for the 15-1 (small rear sight Porkchop) to come into play. According to High Standard's DW involvement, the 15-1 should have been made for at least 2½ solid years...mid '73 thru late '75, or right up to when they changed tooling for the 15-2.
Soooo many unanswered questions, that so far, only lead to speculation.
February 11, 2010
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DucatiRon,
Could you please post a closeup pic of the grip with a medallion ? I would
like to see what that medallion looks like.
Thanks !
-Blacktop
April 25, 2008
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That is a great find and a very nice pac. 
The Savantist
Dans Club
December 5, 2008
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There is a letter posted by Jody on the History forum
that helps to explain some of these issues.
Dans Club
March 2, 2008
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This stuff is always a little hazy. It seems that the defining visible characteristic of the -2 is the straight shroud, and that clarification from Rash about the sights is pretty clear. The Serial Number Registry contains two lower numbers than mine that were presented as 15-2's, which they likely were, at 5127x and 5778x.
I know that my 7261x was a mid 1977 purchase.
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 11, 2010
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My 15 has the pinned sight is serial #5415X and had the middle powerwood grip
in DucatiRon's pack. I am guessing all original but who knows.
DucatiRon, Dose that bottom
power wood grip have that small silver DW medallion that eparts is selling ?
I bought 2 set's from them and they about the size of an eraser head.
Here a link to pics:
https://www.gunpartscorp.com/catalog/Detail.aspx?pid=1048930&catid=1987
-Blacktop
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January 24, 2009
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snake-eye said:
There is a letter posted by Jody on the History forum
that helps to explain some of these issues.
Thanks Snake-Eye, I had forgotten all about that letter.
That does help with the interchangeable sight issue, along with answering the question as to when the buckles first started appearing in the Pac's. One of these days, I hope to see an official letter like that regarding the release of the 15-2 guns on the general public.
Steve, I don't know why, but I was under the impression that yours was in the 51xxx range. That's what I get for not keeping very good notes, I guess.
Blacktop, I'm guessing this is what DucatiRon's medallion looks like...although this one isn't in the greatest shape.
April 18, 2010
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No. The silver one that ChargerFan posted is what mine looks like. Sorry I've been out for a few days working. All silver and just a W in the emblem. Btw my serial number is in the
544xx range.
"Your best shot is only as good as your best ammo. Reload accordingly"
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