Air Force Combat Masterpiece

At our armory we currently have one Model 15 Combat Masterpiece with TT, TH. It is currently used by our K-9 folk to fire blanks and familiarize the dogs to gunfire. I have handled and drooled over it. It locks up tight and other than the rear sight blade being a bit dinged up it is in good condition. We are still issued badges but the badge number really doesn't mean anything. If you need a badge you draw one from supply.
 
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wogentry said:
At our armory we currently have one Model 15 Combat Masterpiece with TT, TH. It is currently used by our K-9 folk to fire blanks and familiarize the dogs to gunfire. I have handle and drool over it. It locks up tight and other than the rear sight blade being a bit dinged up it is in good condition. We are still issued badges but the badge number really doesn't mean anything. If you need a badge you draw one from supply.
Click to expand...

To get this post in context...I take it that you are still in the Air Force?

If so, are the current badges like that in the photo, or a new style? You say that you draw a badge if needed. When would it not be needed? (Pretend there's a Confused Smilie here.)

Thanks,

T-Star
 
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I am amazed at how sorry and inaccurate most autoloaders shoot in comparison to a revolver. My daughter and I were at the range yesterday and I let her shoot my Model15 and 28-2. She did really good with both. Preferring the 15 over the 28 because of the weight. My shooting ability is not great but I try. The ONLY autos I am able to shoot reasonably well are My Colt Gold Cup and a really hi dollar Browning GP Comp. Neither shoot as accurately as that old 28-2 for me at least
 
Texas Star,

Yes I am currently in the Air Force. One gets their badge issued at the completion of tech school however, if it is lost or damaged etc one can draw a new one from supply. The number is pretty much for accountability and not used in reports or given out etc. Also the metal badge is only worn in blues. The ABU/BDU badge is an embroidered patch that is sewn on so detail is not that sharp. We don't wear blues that often. Working flight and with deployments I only wear my blues and my badge maybe 10 times a year.

I would rather be issued the Model 15 over the M9.
 
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wogentry said:
Texas Star,

Yes I am currently in the Air Force. One gets their badge issued at the completion of tech school however, if it is lost or damaged etc one can draw a new one from supply. The number is pretty much for accountability and not used in reports or given out etc. Also the metal badge is only worn in blues. The ABU/BDU badge is an embroidered patch that is sewn on so detail is not that sharp. We don't wear blues that often. Working flight and with deployments I only wear my blues and my badge maybe 10 times a year.

I would rather be issued the Model 15 over the M9.
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Thanks.:)

I can understand why many would prefer the M-15 .38. I own a Beretta, and I like it, but the better finish and mechanical qualities of the revolver have much appeal.

But if I was in a situation like the AP flights were in during the Tet Offensive in Jan., 1968 (Ton Son Nhut Airport) , the greater firepower of the auto would make sense. And the issue 9mm load is hotter than the issued .38 ammo. I never had a lot of faith in it.

Of course, in the Ton Son Nhut battle, the M-16 and machineguns took precedence over sidearms. But had anything gone wrong with a rifle or it ran dry, the handgun might have made the difference. It has, for my son in Iraq.

Thanks for your info. I appreciate it.

T-Star
 
Most of the Model 15s I carried as a Security Policeman and later as an aircrew member were in excellent shape. The weapons we qualified with were "owned" by CATM; Combat Arms Training and Maintenance, a section of Security Police (I was in before the name changed to Security Forces). These were the practice weapons and they showed their use.
P.S.-I was issued my first badge when I graduated from tech school in 1981. Later, a smaller size badge was issued for wear on the shirt. We wore embroidered badges on our fatigues. I still have both the large and small metal badges; I retired from the Air Force in 2008.
 
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Check out these cool Jay Scott's:

sacguard.jpg


Nice doggie.......

041203-F-5508G-009.jpg


Oddly cute:

usafsp.jpg
 
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AF model 15

To bring the OP question back to the front, yes the AF did have many obsolete model 15 revolvers destroyed. I have seen them completely destroyed by a hammer press machine and there were NO useable parts. Even the wooden grips were left on as they were smashed. The last batch I saw was at the Knob Creek gunshow in Spring 2007, all packed into a crate, rusting, with the same USAF stamp as in the great pic posted here. The whole crate was for sale at a low price, but it was clearly all rusted scrap metal and nothing more.
 
"My understanding is that General LeMay disliked the M1911A1 and preferred revolvers. He was commanding officer of SAC from its inception around 1947 until 1957 and then became Chief of Staff until 1965."...

Actually not so sure about that. LeMay was responsible for the creation of the chopped down 1911s that became known as Officer's Models when produced by Colt. He also had input on the design of the "LeMay 4 Star Model" 1911s produced by the Randall Firearms Co. in the mid 80s. These were among the first workable production stainless steel truly ambidextrous 1911s made.

Below are a couple of links on some of this and Air Force Marksmenship.

http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/history/randall_history.htm

http://www.veritasgunworks.com/?p=6

http://www.sightm1911.com/lib/review/randall.htm

tipoc
 
sigp220.45 said:
Check out these cool Jay Scott's:

sacguard.jpg


Nice doggie.......

041203-F-5508G-009.jpg


Oddly cute:

usafsp.jpg
Click to expand...

Brad-

Many thanks for these photos. I had not seen the holster in the last photo. The ones I saw were swivel designs. Most of the fellows liked them, because the gun sat easier on a car/truck seat.

I bought my own holsters which were hi-riding Threepersons designs. The Border Patrol style like she has would be preferable to the older issued ones, I think.

You can see ANYTHING on TV, but I noticed a holster like this one worn by a Marine MP once on, "Magnum, PI". But it was for a .45. It may or may not have been used by Marine MP's in real life.
 
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Texas Star said:
Many thanks for these photos. I had not seen the holster in the last photo. The ones I saw were swivel designs. Most of the fellows liked them, because the gun sat easier on a car/truck seat.
Click to expand...

Texas Star, the holster in the last photo was being issued when I started in late 1971.
It was made by S&W, and pretty much sucked for a couple of reasons.
I, too, used my own. I had a Safariland high-ride and a Bianchi border patol style. Nobody cared much in those days, lots of guys had their own holsters, especially overseas.
 
Muley Gil said:
On a similar note, I saw female MPs at Ft Benning carrying M15 S&Ws. This was in the '70s.
Click to expand...

Are you sure they weren't M-10s? During my Army MP service in 1973-76, I only saw female MPs carry newly purchased M-10 M&Ps.
 
A.f.p.g.

My brother has one that is marked A.F.P.G. and was a 6 inch barrel but has been cut down to a 4 inch. Someone told him the stamping stands for Air Force Precision Grade and some were actualy sent to Smith and cut down to 4 inches. Not sure of a value but it shoots great. Anybody have any info on the A.F.P.G.'s?

J.B.
 
"Are you sure they weren't M-10s? During my Army MP service in 1973-76, I only saw female MPs carry newly purchased M-10 M&Ps."

I'm 99% sure they were M15s, as I remember commenting to the passenger in my car that the revolvers had target rear sights.

The military kept all sorts of stuff in inventory. The .38 Long Colt cartridges were still on the books as being available in the '70s, though I never saw any.
 
Nard said:
My brother has one that is marked A.F.P.G. and was a 6 inch barrel but has been cut down to a 4 inch. Someone told him the stamping stands for Air Force Precision Grade and some were actualy sent to Smith and cut down to 4 inches. Not sure of a value but it shoots great. Anybody have any info on the A.F.P.G.'s?

J.B.
Click to expand...

The initials stand for AIR FORCE PREMIUM GRADE and was used on the guns accurized at the aforementioned facility at Lackland.

Good shooting!
 
As a lawyer, I'd say that the statute of limitations on theft has probably run out on a 1960s gun by now (not legal advice though).
 
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