Sorry to come late to this thread.. but it brought back memories. I was an advisor (MACV) to the backwoods south vietnamese troops and often didn't know who was the bigger threat, the VC or my counterparts. I was in a remote area (think "apocalypse now"). I carried a Combat masterpiece mod 15 during that part of my tour and it served me very well, even saving my bacon at least once. I always slept with it in my hand. Got it off an Air force doctor who did remote medical civic action program trips to my district. He was a "boob man" and always wanted to go to the far out Montagnard villages and see the topless girls pounding rice. We had some tight times because of that fondness of his, and going so remote with little to no security. He wanted a 1911 so we traded (for the duration). I loved that gun. Shot some wild hogs with it. Slept (very lightly) with it every night. I had good intel on many of the VC cadre in my district, one of whom was the only barber in town. There was no power, except my generator. He used hand operated clippers. He knew I had a dossier on him, but of course always denied being VC. When it came time for him to shave around the edges & ears, I always took the 38 out of the shoulder holster and cocked it, laying my hand in my lap with it. He always laughed but was very careful and never even nicked me with that straight razor.
Turning it back in after my tour was like a divorce. I Later found S&W was making it in stainless (mod 67) and bought one that I kept a long time and foolishly traded off. A few years back I got one from Germany in a shipment of guns that I imported. That one, with the German proofs, will be in my estate. definitely my favorite revolver.