I was a USAF Security Policeman from 1971-1975 in the US and SE Asia and carried the Model 15.
I never saw any issued hollow point ammo.

Nor did I and I did two tours in Nam as an SP retiring in 88 as a SMSgt. All I ever saw for issue was the fmj rounds, we actually had hotter rounds for qualification but not for carry

Carried a Model 15 for years as an AC-130H Spectre Gunship crewman...never had anything issued other than the 130gr FMJ stuff! When we went to M9s in 1987, still only had FMJ 9mm.

Ron

USAF Security Police K9 from 67 to 71. Never saw HP; FMJ only.

I'll have to do some more research (or perhaps someone else who is in a better position can), but there exists a DODIC of A412 for .38 semi-jacketed ammunition, as well as A413, which is is a "semi-cutter HP" .38 round. Whether or not either of these is the round in question is up for discovery, but I would not dismiss it out of hand.

Perhaps those two numbers relate to carry ammunition for the OSI agents when they were issued revolvers?

I put over 20 years into the Air Force (1968-1991)and I never saw any 38 special ammunition other than target wadcutter, M1943 Ball 130 grain FMJ, or PGU-12 130 Grain FMJ issued for use in the S&W Model 15s.

Well , I was Navy , but in the early 80s , we were issued Ruger Service-Sixes at air bases for ramp & hanger watches and SP. We were issued the same 130gr .38 Special. my bro was an Embassy Marine , and was issued the same Rugers , but with Winchester commercial box hollow points.

A DODIC means that the DoD has identified an item, but not necessarily that the Air Force ever bought it. During my time on active duty, the OSI usually carried .45s special-built at Lackland, and issue ammo was ball. But the OSI did from time to time do their own procurement of small quantities. I know of one time they did it for 9mm, with HQ USAF involvement(me), and that was for 147 JHP subsonic.

Check Paragraph 19.19 Ammunition.
HERE
This is post Viet Nam, but the same basic policy was in effect in the 70s when I was stationed in Alaska. The KC135 tanker crews usually loaded three hollow point rounds and 3 "short Stop" (beanbag with lead shot) rounds, however some carried ball ammo.

SixWillDo,

He is the paragraph your talkin' about. The document is dated 1993.

19.19. Ammunition. Ball ammunition is issued for exercise or contingency actions. The quantity is at the commander's discretion. Munitions are not to be carried loose in flight suits; however, munition pouches or small containers of munitions may be carried. Hollow point ammunition is carried for antihijack purposes only (six rounds for the .38 or ten rounds for the 9mm PDW handgun). (Reference chapter 7, paragraph 7.5.6)

Aircrew USAF for 15 years. NO hollow points for my Model 15. Ever

quote:

Originally posted by sigp220.45:
I know SAC aircrews were issued hollowpoint ammo for their Model 15s as late as 1986. I was a Security Police officer at the time, and we had to carry that crappy 130 grain ball ammo with the bullet seated way deep in the case. It really used to piss us off when the aircrews jumped the line at the armory window (their privilege) and it really torked us to see them getting hollowpoints. I have no idea what brand they were, though.

Fast forward 20 years, and nothing has changed. I too was USAF Security Forces (Police) and worked the armory. Aircrew were issued 147 grn JHP for their M9, while were had the the 124 FMJ.

I asked about this and was told the JHP was more appropriate for aircrew as it would be less likely to penetrate the aircraft from the inside.

Crazy logic, but you gotta love the good 'ol USAF!

USAF Security Policeman (law enforcement) 1975 to 1979, at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colo., and Howard AFB in Panama.
We carried S&W Model 15 .38 Special revolvers, with 4-inch barrel. For duty use, we carried the standard 130 gr. full metal jacket bullet.
This load is still produced and sold today by Winchester. Judging from internet posts, it's a popular load for practice.
We qualified with Winchester 148 gr. wadcutter loads, out to 25 yards, against full-sized human silhouettes.
The 148 gr. wadcutter had more stopping power than the 130 gr. full metal jacket load, according to sergeants I worked with, who carried the M15 in Vietnam. They preferred to load their .38s with the wadcutters, and use the 130 gr. FMJ for quick reloading.
If there HAD been any hollow point ammo available, I believe they would have mentioned it. I'm sure it was available to special units, but not to regular Air Police and the later renamed Security Police.
One sergeant told me he shot at a fleeing car at Clark AFB in the Philippines with the standard 130 gr. load. Three bullets bounced off the trunk and rear window, never penetrating to the interior.
Nonetheless, I think the 130 gr. full metal jacket bullet would be a good load for small game such as grouse and rabbits. It would carry more energy than the .22 Long Rifle bullet, yet not destroy much meat.
But as a defense round? Forget it.
The S&W Model 15 was and remains an excellent revolver. Sadly, it was hampered by a pipsqueak load.
I never met anyone who carried one that disliked it.
Interestingly, it was required issue for dog handlers, even in other services that carried .45s. Why? Because a dog handler typically had a dog's leash in one hand, and couldn't easily rack back the slide on a .45 Auto.
The military foolishly had its troops carry the .45 with an empty chamber, contrary to how John Browning designed it to be carried (round in the chamber, hammer back, on SAFE).
The .38 was quickly operated one-handed, since it required no second hand to prepare it for firing.
I liked the S&W Model 15 revolver. It was light, accurate, pointed well, absolutely reliable and easy to maintain. Too bad it wasn't issued with more powerful ammo, such as a 150 gr. jacketed semiwadcutter bullet at 900 fps.

Air Police at Lowry AFB in the mid 1960's sometimes had Hi-Speed 150 grain RN jacketed .38 ammo. I think our NCO in the armory bought it locally, from unit funds.
We qualified with wadcutter, and carried either the 130 grain ball or the Hi-Speed stuff, for which the Victory Models and M-15's we had were not intended. I think that ammo was loaded for .38-44 guns. But there were no problems with it, to my knowledge. I don't think we had any shootings, which may be just as well, considering the overall standard of marksmanship.

T-Star

I was a USAF Security Policeman from 1971 - 1980 and carried a Model 15 on a daily basis for 8 of those years - in US, Thailand and Germany. I never saw anything other than FMJ.