The gun that turned me from a Colt guy to a Smith guy

[sigp220.45]

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.

 

[boykinlp]

Great gun!! Does it shoot like you remember?

 

[sigp220.45]

Great gun!! Does it shoot like you remember?

It does, but I don't!

 

[John P.]

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!

 

[JayCeeNC]

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.

 

[wetdog]

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.

 

[shawn mccarver]

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!

 

[gkitch]

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

 

[sigp220.45]

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.

 

[fyimo]

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

 

[Frank46]

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

 

[Old cop]

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.

 

[Muss Muggins]

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!

 

[Salty RI]

( 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.

 

[Clovishound]

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.

 

[bgrafsr]

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.

 

[lowriderfxr]

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?

 

[S. Hammer]

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

 

[686-380]

I agree

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

 

[galena]

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.