Model 15 - For the USAF SPs

[Bat Guano]

They were nice guns, especially compared to the "US Navy" marked Victory Models that were still in circulation in the mid-60s. I took some handloads over to SEA with me--12 grains of Unique and a cast 150 grain SWCHP to load in the M15. I would load up the 130 grain FMJ ball ammo at guardmount and later on post swap in those Keith loads.

I had a nice ex-police one that I put Spegels on for a while but my son pried it away from me. I need another.

Concur that we need a USAF commemorative but S&W would probably make them with MIM parts, a lock, and a Liddy light.

 

[Bat Guano]

ERRATA: Not 12 grains of UNIQUE (!) but 12.0 of #2400.

It's been a long day.

 

[WyoStillhunter]

Thanks for the quick correction, BG.

I nearly gagged on my coffee when I read 12.0 gr. Unique. Currently, I am developing a Unique load by edging upwards toward 5.0 gr. Unique/158 gr. SWC and the thought of 12.0 was a shock.

Honestly, my first thought was, "Obviously this guy never fired one of those rounds because he is still alive!" ;-)

 

[TAROMAN]

Many years ago, when I was stationed at Ft. Huachuca, I recall an event when the SPs on gate guard at Davis Monthan were screwing around playing "quick draw". Guess this was was with their mod 15s. IIRC, the one who was hit did not make it. Guess that was with USAF issue loads, too. RIP

 

[SgtSam]

Never used an M15 during my 21 years USAF active duty. A lot of my Air Police (later Security Police) friends did, though.

However, when I was a flying as the Electronics Maintenence Technician on USAFSS flights, we were issued an S&W short barreled K-Frame in our survival vests. Had 6-rounds of hardball, and 6-rounds of tracer ammo provided . Don't remember what the model number was.

Later, when I was with AFOSI as a Technical Agent, we had S&W M36s with 3" barrels. Unfortunately, they didn't hold up very well to the USAF issued hardball ammo.

But, yes, the M15 was a very nice gun. I almost bought one some years ago, but decided instead to buy my M66 no-dash, which I still have.

Nice to read through this thread. Even brought back memories for me, even though I wasn't in the APs/SPs. Like I said, a lot of my friends were. When you're stationed on an AC&W Radar Site, we all got to be friends, just wasn't enough of us there to not be.

 

[safearm]

I was a civilian LEO in 1978, issued a NIB 4 inch Model 15. I was also a Security Specialist in the ANG and shot Expert with the 4 inch Model 15 at the Medina Annex ranges at Lackland AFB. After commissioning and navigator training, I was assigned a 2 inch Model 15 to carry in a survival vest during deployments and alerts. The gun was issued by the Life Support/Personal Equipment shop. When I deployed to Desert Shield, I carried a 4 inch Model 15 and converted to the M9 while in Saudi Arabia. I still have my original AF blue web belt, swivel holster, and (a replacement) drop box that I carried as a Security Controller, as well as a replacement 4 inch and 2 inch Model 15. The 4 inch gun has the target trigger and hammer just like I carried at my first LE job. Great memories of and with those guns.

 

[JWM]

Went thru SP/LE Tech school at Lackland in Aug-Sept 1979 (6 weeks, 3 days as I recall). First three days of school, you board a bus to firing ranges at nearby Medina. Model 15 with target hammer/target trigger. Lots of .38 wadcutters. The "Red hats" taught us. I can't remember the course of fire, but I do remember them encouraging us to shoot the gun "single-action" as much as possible. Holster said "Oklahoma Leather" products stamped on back. Green nylon web belt; dump pouches. That's about all I remember. Then on to 5 weeks of Air Base Ground Defense school at nearby Camp Bullis. But thats a different story.....

 

[florange]

As the Maintenance Support / Supply Officer in SEA, Udorn 68-69, I saw my share of Model 15's. Previously I had purchase a Model 18 ($88.00 in 67) for my own practice since we had very little range time stateside at Shaw. (When you were making $303.90, that $88.00 was stiff.) I wanted my own Model 15 but they were a little hard to find in the late 60's. At last I found a new one in Lubbock, TX in late 1970 just before leaving active duty. Price $108.00 at Furr's. Fortunately, both are still with me. But I am still looking for the right USAF marked one.

My brother was an AP/SP in the early to mid 70's. He is very sure that at some time he carried a Model 14 in 4 inch. If any one else remembers carrying a Model 14, please let us know.

Thanks and enjoy that really nice 15.

 

[Texas Star]

As the Maintenance Support / Supply Officer in SEA, Udorn 68-69, I saw my share of Model 15's. Previously I had purchase a Model 18 ($88.00 in 67) for my own practice since we had very little range time stateside at Shaw. (When you were making $303.90, that $88.00 was stiff.) I wanted my own Model 15 but they were a little hard to find in the late 60's. At last I found a new one in Lubbock, TX in late 1970 just before leaving active duty. Price $108.00 at Furr's. Fortunately, both are still with me. But I am still looking for the right USAF marked one.

My brother was an AP/SP in the early to mid 70's. He is very sure that at some time he carried a Model 14 in 4 inch. If any one else remembers carrying a Model 14, please let us know.

Thanks and enjoy that really nice 15.

I knew an officer at Lowry AFB in Denver who carried a Model 14, but I'm pretty sure that it was his own gun. It had the usual six-inch barrel. All the M-15's I saw were the usual four-inch.

Your friend could have seen a Model 15 that was mismarked, using a Model 14 frame. Otherwise, I suspect that his memory is off a digit.

 

[Texas Star]

Beautiful 15.
I made this set up to match what I carried in the early '80's at Grissom AFB.

What goes in the green webbing pouch behind the holster? I wasn't issued that setup. I had the black swivel holster on the leather garrison belt. But I mostly worked law enforcement posts, not flightline security.

I did work as an access controller at sensitive posts like the Nuclear Weapons School and the Air Intelligence School. But I wore khakis and the black gear. White hat, before the blue beret was issued.

 

[Goldstar225]

Very nice looking model 15 there. I too needed a model 15 as my nostalgia gun from my days as an SP. Although the vast majority of my time I carried either an M-16 or M-60 doing nuclear security, I carried the M-15 on special occasions and used it to compete as a member of the base rifle/pistol team (don't bother looking for me in the record books).

My son and I recently picked up a pair of shooter grade model 15's. On our first trip to the range he shot his better that any handgun he ever fired. He's hooked!!

Oh, BTW the green pouch on the web belt above looks like what we used as a lensatic compass case. They were also quite handy to keep a pack of smokes in so your shirt pocket stayed flat.

 

[Engine49guy]

Just remembered an episode of Star Trek from 1969,
Looked it up and its Part 36 "Tomorrow is Yesterday"

They basicly go back in time and get caught by Air Force security .

I viewed it on You Tube,
Weird thing is they are wearing white plastic imitation stag handled Model 10's turned backwards on their left hips.

Here is a link for those who are fans.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOvSH-X_R90&feature=related

 

[kwill1911]

Here's why: http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/77275-nickel-plated-victories.html

 

[Shooting Padre]

I found a ex police Model 15 and grabbed it. It has some holster wear but it is mechanically tight. I carried one of the as an SP also. I was carrying on when SPs were still APs. Oh how we grow old. The gun shoots better than I do, very accurate. I just obtained a K22 Model 18 See Dream Realize in the 1896 - 1961 Thread. It's the same weight and size as the Model 15.
Enjoy your 15, they are really classic firearms.

 

[cjtraining]

SAC AP

I was stationed on a SAC base, '63-'67 as an AP. I remember seeing a picture of an AP w/ an AF blue wool shirt, white ascot w/ a SAC w/ emblem on it, blue beret, a black leather belt, silver belt buckle and cross draw black holster. His M15 had stag stocks. I believe this was the dress of AP's at SAC Hg, Offut AFB.

 

[S. Hammer]

What goes in the green webbing pouch behind the holster? I wasn't issued that setup. I had the black swivel holster on the leather garrison belt. But I mostly worked law enforcement posts, not flightline security.

I did work as an access controller at sensitive posts like the Nuclear Weapons School and the Air Intelligence School. But I wore khakis and the black gear. White hat, before the blue beret was issued.

It was supposed to be a compass pouch, but we were issued them for our handcuffs. They were a good fit for the issue cuffs.

 

[bgrafsr]

I was in from Jun 63 to Jun 67, and carried a Model 15 when I worked Town Patrol while stationed at Clark Air Base, PI. I also carried a Model 15 when I worked Law Enforcement at Webb AFB, TX. I do not remember if the guns had TT & TH though. Back then we were called Air Police whether we worked Law Enforcement or Security.

 

[Texas Star]

I was in from Jun 63 to Jun 67, and carried a Model 15 when I worked Town Patrol while stationed at Clark Air Base, PI. I also carried a Model 15 when I worked Law Enforcement at Webb AFB, TX. I do not remember if the guns had TT & TH though. Back then we were called Air Police whether we worked Law Enforcement or Security.

In the immortal words of Gary Cooper...yup.

And at the bases where I was, I worked law enforcement one day and security the next. Same uniform. I never wore fatigues on duty until I was transferred to a base in Newfoundland. The only post we had there was Desk Sgt./Access Controller to the radar room.

Most of our security augmentees barely remembered how to work the .30 carbine, and didn't care. None of them knew how to operate the .45 auto, which was still the issue handgun there. I worried quite a bit about what would happen if a Soviet sub landed spetznaz forces to take us out before their bombers came. The purpose of our radar site was to detect incoming enemy aircraft, and they often tried to find holes in our defenses. When they were spotted, the Weapons Control Officer in the dome called F-106's down from Goose Bay to run them back out to sea.

 

[Texas Star]

Just remembered an episode of Star Trek from 1969,
Looked it up and its Part 36 "Tomorrow is Yesterday"

They basicly go back in time and get caught by Air Force security .

I viewed it on You Tube,
Weird thing is they are wearing white plastic imitation stag handled Model 10's turned backwards on their left hips.

Here is a link for those who are fans.

YouTube - ‪Tomorrow Is Yesterday - Kirk interrogated‬‏

I recall that episode well, and think the liberal producers presented the AP's as being pretty stupid. But the F-101 driver came off pretty well. (I think I remember the fighter as being an F-101.)

T-Star

 

[safearm]

The SAC Elite Guard was only at SAC Headquarters, Offutt AFB, NE.
SAC Elite Guard