Model 15 - For the USAF SPs

[8th SPS USAF]

Mod 15 USAF

I carried one for my time 1971/1974. I shot on the SAC R/P team
at SAC HQ, then the PACAF one in SEA. Loved it. Had same 15 before I went in.

 

[bgrafsr]

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.

The first night I was at Ben Hoa AB, VN, we were hit by mortars. I was put in charge of about 20 personnel, and we were stationed along a fence line. The personnel were cooks, clerks, etc., and most of them didn't know what to do with an M2 carbine or an AR15. I told them not to load their weapons, which some did not know how to do, and prayed a lot. One Ssgt was given a new AR15, and he knew absolutely nothing about it and had never seen one till then. It was a long night, but fortunately all we got were mortars and not ground troops coming in afterwards.

 

[VaRecon]

I have a Pre Model 15 K-38 blued with very little wear I'd love to get rid of.
It's a beautiful gun, and shoots well, but as I learned from my blued Norinco, my house is just too humid to avoid spot rust without daily maintenance.

 

[SpectrePilot]

I have been looking for a M-15 2" like I was issued as aircrew up through Desert Storm. Would love to find one, especially stamped USAF, but realize probabilities are low. I did just find a pristine M10-7 2" at the Orlando gun show but alas no M-15 2" guns found.

 

[SpectrePilot]

It's been pointed out that the 2" K frame I remember being issued as a C-130 pilot in the 1987-1992 timeframe may have been an M56 rather than an M15. Perhaps so, I can't recall for certain. I did read in Supica's book that the M56 guns were made in 1962-1963 for USAF. The ones I drew from the armory were in pretty darn good shape and if they were 25 years old then, well they had not been to Vietnam! Maybe 15, maybe 56, I don't know. I would be very happy with a 2" M15 for myself though as the now very rare M56s are quite expensive...most were destroyed apparently!!

 

[Slufstuff]

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

It was actually an F-104A Starfighter. That is one of my favorite Star Trek episodes. I think they did a pretty good job equipping the AF personnel, probably as close to authentic as they could get.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

My 15-3 2" Nickel

What a GREAT thread!

Bought my 15-3 2" Nickel from a buddy who said it was his "back-up" while he was "guarding the B-52's during the Cold War".

His favorite boast was that "we never lost a single B-52 on the ground" while he was on duty...

He asked (& I gladly paid!) $100 in 1992, as I recall: have the original wooden grips (would these be Goncalo Alves?), case hardened trigger and hammer.

Cheers!

 

[murphydog]

What a GREAT thread!

Bought my 15-3 2" Nickel from a buddy who said it was his "back-up" while he was "guarding the B-52's during the Cold War".

His favorite boast was that "we never lost a single B-52 on the ground" while he was on duty...

He asked (& I gladly paid!) $100 in 1992, as I recall: have the original wooden grips (would these be Goncalo Alves?), case hardened trigger and hammer.

Cheers!

Walnut stocks at that time. We like photos .

 

[getoff]

that is a beaut for sure. love when a firearm is like a time machine. any time i pull my old 870 pump and rack the slide its just like setting down into a duck blind. i can almost feel the nip of autum and smell the marsh just thinking about it.

 

[Shooting Padre]

I carried the venerable model 15 for my four years in the USAF SPs. Of course, when I went in, we were called Apes, (Air Police). I really enjoyed the model 15 and like so many here, have finally obtained one for myself. Not a USAF model, but a 15 nonetheless. Good to hear so many love this gun. Keep your powder dry.

 

[LOBO]

Is this the correct holster and ammo pouch that was issued for use with the model 15's?

 

[Combat]

I have a holster like Lobo's except mine is still sealed in a box. It has the same stock no. and says .38 caliber holster underneath that. I bought it at the gunshow in Columbus Ga. last week for $15.00. The seller had several opened or unopened for sale. Now I have two AF holsters.

 

[hunterdeneugene]

check out this video. good shot of the sidearm of the unit. Is it a nickle Combat Masterpiece? Stags were the grips for sure....

SAC Elite Guard

 

[hunterdeneugene]

I believe after pausing it on the part showing the weapon it is a M&P..... non adjustable rear sight.

 

[goldenbb]

Can one of you explain how the dump pouches work? I don't know why, but I am fascinated with those things. If you put them on the belt with the snap pointed up, how do you dump out the ammo?

 

[Joe in SC]

I have enjoyed this thread. It brings back some good memories from my days as an airman. I was at Robins AFB from NOV 73 thru Mar 76 assigned to the 52nd Bomb Wing, SAC.

I had a great first shirt that was aware of my love of handguns and although I did not have a requirement to be qualified with the handgun he would schedule me for qualifications at the base range about twice a year. Naturally, the handgun we used was the great model 15 with TT/TH. We also used the high end W-W 148 grain match wadcutter. I was a bit surprised we used the good stuff. The course of fire was the standard police qualifier with b-27, out to 50 yards with barricades at 25. Double action was fired at the closer yardages with single action at 25 and 50. I don't know if it was that way AF wide.

The chief that ran the range at Robins was a great gun guy. He became a friend and when I bought my reloading outfit he gave me a big ammo can filled to the brim with that great W-W match brass. I still have about 6 to 7 hundred of them I never got around to reloading.
I must have had at least a couple thousand.

The guys in the wing "war" room all wore either model 15's, 10's or 36's. It was a controlled entry point with electronic locks and I was sent there a couple of times to deliver some communications or something. Some of the guns were equiped with the plastic "stag" grips. Some of the guys wore them cross draw. Others strong side in a hip holster. There was snub guns and 4 inch guns. I never could figure that out because SAC was so strict about haircuts, uniforms and appearance. Would have thought all the guys in the Room would have to be uniform. Go figure.

I've always wanted one of those AF marked model 15's. I saw one once or twice at the gunshow. They were priced way beyond my ability to pay at the time. One would be hard pressed to find a more accurate and easy to shoot 4 inch revolver by any name. I have owned 3 or 4 model 15's over the years but one never stuck like glue. If I ever find a AF marked gun it will stay with me and get passed to a family member.
GOOD THREAD!

 

[MSgtJimmy]

Goldenbb, there are two options when wearing the fixed type of dump pouches. Some people wore them upside down so that you could snap them open and allow the round to drop into your palm. I also saw plenty of speed strips in use. That way, you could wear them with the snaps at the top and just open it and pull the strip out.

And yes, those are the issued holsters, at least from 1981 onward.

 

[Texas Star]

Lobo-

That was one issued holster, but there was an earlier version that had a swivel above the holster. A lot of the guys liked that one because it made it easier to sit in vehicles.

I personally wore both Threepersons and Jordan holsters, one for a .38 and one for a .45 auto. Had a Bianchi .45 holster,. too, basically a Treepersons. All private purchase

My first was a typical sportsman's holster. Retaining strap went over the trigger guard, not the hammer. I had to buy it in downtown Denver, because the supply room was out of holsters. A classmate from AP school and I went shopping for them, and that's what we found. My Bianchi was later mail-orderd, and a Dallas shoe repair shop made a couple of holsters for less than major manufacturers charged.

In Newfoundland, no one paid much attention, and I sometimes wore a personal Colt Gold Cup .45 on duty. All our sidearms up there were .45's, as we had some agreement with the Canadians that they'd get the base and contents eventually, and the USAF wasn't eager to send our newest stuff there.

Until enough Model 15's were available, they had priority for higher ranking NCO's and officers and for combat zones. (Vietnam) Lower ranks had a mix of Victory Models, Colt Commando and Official Police guns. The Colts were far fewer.

T-Star

 

[Clark B]

While not an AF marked M15 this one has got me anxiuosly awaiting my next bonus check to buy some more S&W wheel guns.

This holster worn old workhorse had some currently serving Soldiers giving it high praises this past weekend. The trigger pull just amazed them.

I am seeing a lot of new interest in revolvers amongst the gun crowd I run with.

 

[Shooting Padre]

Holster

Is this the correct holster and ammo pouch that was issued for use with the model 15's?

There may have been many styles of holster by what I see on this post. We had the holster with the swivel on it, so it would lay down when in a vehicle. It was sometimes referred to as the "Barney Fife" holster. The ammo pouched were the same as pictured. If you had a new pouch issued, the rounds were almost impossible to get out. Not the best system in the world, but that was back in the mid '60s. Back in the day, we were not allowed to use any non issue holster, and at Kadena, after a weapons incident, we were not allowed to cut them down to expose the trigger guard. Seems by this post that there was more leeway in other theaters of operation.