I grew up in the 60s and 70s. I liked Smiths, but I considered myself more of a Colt guy. You could actually afford them then.

After college I joined the Air Force and was a Security Policeman from 1983 to 1991, when I separated after Desert Storm and went into the FBI.

Though I ended with a Beretta, I started with the wonderful Model 15. I was immediately taken by its looks and accuracy and I became much more of Smith guy from then on.

I realized not long ago that I've never had a Model 15 just like the ones I was issued by the USAF. I had a nickel one, and I had blue Model 18s, and I think I even had a pre-15 once with the fish-hook hammer. But somehow I never had a regular blue 4" Model 15.

I changed that this week. This 15-4 has seen some wear, but the price was right so it lives with me now.

Here it is on my old work duds, now oddly shrunk over the years:





I suspect given the large number of former APs and SPs that hang out here, I'm not the only one so affected by what I consider to be the finest revolver made.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Great gun!! Does it shoot like you remember?

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

It does, but I don't!

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Nice M-15. The wear shows character. I wonder if it was an old LE duty firearm? The Smith K frames' outstanding handling qualities and accuracy surely converted many "Colt guys." Enjoy that M-15!

I grew up on S&W's long before I was a USAF Security Policeman.
My dad was a local cop, and was issued S&W's as far back as I can remember, back into the 1950's.
I've owned few Colts, but fired many. I never liked the Colt double action when compared to the smooth double action of the S&W.

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John

I was shooting a 15-4 and a 10-5 two weeks ago with another forum member. I found the same thing about the guns shooting great. I change to distance glasses and use a rest and they were both impressive.
Strange thing about the military uniforms shrinking. Mine did the same thing. Must be something with the material.

You can never go wrong with a Model 15, although the Model 10 will get the job done quite well if you don't need adjustable sights.

Nice revolver!

Tell us about the shooting medal? Not the common Air Force example, is it?

Its the "Excellence in Competition - Rifleman" medal, I think. It was for the M-16.

I actually shot well enough to get the same one with the Model 15, but the guy next to me put five rounds into my target, well away from my nice centered group. They scorer was sympathetic, but he took away five of my tens and gave me the other five so I was out of the running. Never got another chance before I got out.

The Airman who did it was more upset about it than I was.

Nobody knew the right way to wear it, so I just pinned it on where you see it. I figured it said Air Force on it and it had my name on the back, so I was gonna wear it.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Model 15's are excellent revolvers and that one is beautiful.

Thanks for sharing. I have one with a bit more "character" that I bought at a local gunshow. Funny thing is I have to date never seen another for sale. guess those that have them tend to keep them. Frank

I carried one of these as my duty weapon and used it to down a hostage taker. We transitioned to stainless revolvers and I never got my M15 back.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

My very first Smith and Wesson, at age 22, was a Model 15 4", a gift from my father after I obtained my first real job. I traded it back to him at some point for a gun I don't remember. I need to get another . . . Yours is a nice one. Enjoy!

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

( Here it is on my old work duds, now oddly shrunk over the years

Yes old clothes will do that, it must be the cheap materal they used back then.

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Don

I never cared much for the Smith when I had to qualify with it. I was like a pig in mud when they converted to the 92.

FF many years and I picked up a used model 10 in 4 in barrel. It is now my favorite weapon at the range. Go figure.

I remember wearing one of my old flight suits when I was working on a vehicle over at my good buddy's house. When I was taking a break, his daughter said "That is one of your old uniforms isn't it? It still fits????" She then gave one of those "looks" at her dad. We all fell out laughing.

Okay, where did you get your AP Shield? I was in from '63 to '67 and we were not allowed to keep ours when discharged.

I looked for years for one to put in my AF display, and finally, several years ago found one. It cost me a lot of money to acquire it, but it's now mine. It's stamped "Air Police" on it, instead of the newer "Security Police" stamping.

I became a cop in the early 80s. I saw the transition from K frames, mostly 19s and 66s, to L frames 586s and 686s mostly. Later I saw the transition to Glocks, Sigs, etc. I still shoot a S&W revolver better than I shoot anything. Well, maybe a 41, does that count?

My 15-4. When I left in '85 they didn't want the badge back. Still have it.

I inherited my mother's 15-2. It performs great and will stay in the family...

sigp220.45 There are a bunch of us who have fond memories of the USAF M-15s. My first experience with one was as a Butter Bar Lt with the additional duty of pay master back in the day when we paid in cash. Later, as an OSI Agent it was our issue weapon for a while until OSI adopted the M-36 3". I won my Excellence in Competition Medal (Leg Medal) in 1982 with a M-15 I had never seen before at Lackland AFB, TX. I was TDY down there and was a 'walk on' when they announced the match. I was a very happy camper to say the least.

My recollection of the history of the Excellence in Competition matches is that they stemmed from the old National Match Course. It was shot with 1911s with military hardball ammo, strong hand only. It was a 30 round course with ten shots at 50yards, 10 timed at 25 yards and 10 rapid fire at 25. In the late 1960s I was on the "B" team Lackland Base Pistol team. The National Match course was offered once in a while. There were Medals for the top 10% of the total entry, ie 150 shooters, the top 15 won medals. There were Gold and Silver medals that could be earned on an accumulation of points over several matches. When I was shooting on the team they used to tell us that if we were shooting 250-260 in practice we could probably win a Bronze medal. In my only National Match I got a bad case of matchitus and shot a 235, no medal.

Sometime later, the Air Force revived the concept of the match an started the Excellence in Competition matches with the issue Air Force weapons, the M-15 S&W and the M-16. I retired in 1988 so don't know if it continues or not.

Sorry about the length of this but I hope some find it interesting. The S&W M-15 is a grand old revolver and I was sorry when the Air Force replaced them.

PS--The revolver in the attached is an OSI Style M-36. PSS-You placed it correctly on your uniform. It used to be described in the old Uniform and Dress regs but it was not a common medal and I had to explain it to a number of people over the years.

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Keep Shootin' and check 6

Even though I don't have one at the moment, I am a huge fan of the Combat Masterpiece and its Model 15 descendants. I have long thought that a medium-frame .38 Special with adjustable sights on a four-inch barrel is perhaps the best general purpose revolver anyone could design. And that's a nice one. Congratulations on refreshing your acquaintance with an old friend.

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David Wilson

Shame, shame!

the M15 won me over too..... I fell in love with the target hammer/trigger, and every one i shot felt like buttah! I loved the 1911 also, and hated the m9 (they shot well, but didn't fit my hand well), but the M15 really made me giggle.

I've got one in the pistol category (using an M9). I've seen the gold version out there as well.

The sweetest, smoothest revolver I've ever handled, bar none, was a 15-3 I bought unfired from an estate consignment. I didn't have the money to buy its identical twin, which is too bad. I gave mine to my son a few years ago. He and his three boys (15, 12 and nine) all shoot it regularly. It was worth it to me to get two more generations hooked on Smith revolvers before I croak.

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Oh well, what the hell.

No military or LE experience but I do like the Combat Masterpiece a lot.

Have a set of pre-model guns in 22 and 38.




And a Model 15-3 that was shipped to a university's campus police department.




Um, I added the polished stags.

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No life story has happy end.

My wife's police model 15-3 Box is numbered to the revolver.DSCN0186.jpg

DSCN0187.jpg

I have very mixed emotions about giving up my Colt Pythons. I've had two in the safe since 1999 and I think production guns were made to shoot-not collect. I get more enjoyment from a day at the range punching wadcutter holes with them than I would- blithely drooling over them a few times a year while checking up on their well being.

Parts are another issue. With almost all 'consumable' parts now gone, they could become unshootable if they needed a new, uncut ratchet, hand, rebound lever, etc. Also, without a large box of new 'try' parts, the odds of your one part fitting easily is a pipe dream. Peening or filing is more the norm for a good fit, as these guns were pretty much hand made.

I bought the 4" Python LNIB for $600, put about 5,000 rounds thru it, kissed it goodbye and sold it for plenty.

My first Smith was a solid, used Mod 17 with the pretty scarce 4" barrel. The repairs and modifications, not to mention parts availability are a dream compared to the Colts.

My next two Smiths were a 'new no box' 1983 matte SS 686 snubby and a lovely 'new no box' Model 15. The 686 is a precision tank and overall, the 15 is better than the Colt. And I don't see many 'nice' ones around now.

The super-talented John Culina (Kurac) made me two Signature sets for the Pythons; as the original take-offs were lost between Arizona and Australia. I also have a K frame set still in the wrapping. All were bookend cut from one block of super dense Queensland Red Oak I hand carried from Sydney. (The wood is so exotic, John made a 4th set and kept them.)

The Model 15's grips i've never seen. If anyone knows what style they are, I'd appreciate a note?

So that's my Colt to Smith story and i'm sticking to it.

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Nice find ! I love older guns that show "character". Colt vs S&W, is like Ford vs Chevy (back in the day). I love Colt 1911's, just bought a new s/s govt. model. I also have a 1969 Det. Spl., actual police issue.
As far as S&W, I love my 66-1 and 649-2. Not a big fan of my M&P9, and I had an Airweight, 637? that was a total p.o.s.
I think both companies have their pros and cons.
Anyway, enjoy your 15 !!

In the 1980s I used to shoot NRA Hunter's Pistol Silhouette at the K.I. Sawyer AFB outside Marquette, MI.
M15s were carried by the guards at the gate.
One long-barreled one was quite rusty but the rest looked pretty good.

Never got a four-inch M15 but have two snubs. Both shoot real well.
If this winter ever quits I plan to put some more of my .38 reloads
through both.

I have a short M19 and a short M66 too. Like both but the snub M15s
feel a hair better to me than either of the .357s.

That brings back a lot of fond memories. When I first went in the USAF as an aircraft maintenance guy, I was on Mobility and would qualify with the M-15 yearly (I think). It was a great shooting gun. I went to the OSI Academy in 1981 and qualified with the 3" M-36; didn't really care for it but it shot ok. I went through the transitions from the M-36 to the cut-down 1911, Beretta M-9 and eventually the Sig M-11. All great guns (Even though the 1911 was a bit rough, it was my favorite). I'd like to someday find a nice clean 3" heavy barrel M-36 just for fun. Model 15s in my area don't come up for sale very often and when they do, they go quick. But, I was lucky enough to recently add a 4" blued heavy barrel Model 10-6 to the collection.