My first S&W: Combat Masterpiece 15-3 USAF

[rjmfarms]

Like you I am an Air Force veteran who appreciated his S&W 15-3 so much I also had to find one. Fortunately, I did about a year ago complete with standard issue swinging holster. I cheated on ordering the letter by contacting Don Mundell at the Historical Foundation to confirm the .38 was actual issue. It was issued to late to have been worn by me as I guarded the base perimeter with my K-9 partner.

 

[roundels]

Yes he was. I met him at a lecture years ago and shaking his hand was like trying to grab a rough hewn 2x4. He was the fighter pilot's fighter pilot.

 

[gunbarrel]

Greetings!

Just joined the forum and wanted to share my first S&W revolver.

Been patiently waiting almost 3 months for the letter to come in from S&W on my recently acquired 38 special.

Being an Air Force Pilot myself, I have been wanting one of these USAF contract 38's for quite some time.

Heres a great picture of Col Robin Olds flying a sortie in Vietnam with one of these pistols strapped to his web

My revolver:







I have also procured a period correct web belt, holster (1968), and ammunition pouch (1965).

Now you need a Jet Pilot Knife to go with the rig!

 

[gunbarrel]

Rifleman Q&A: Where Did the USAF Combat Masterpieces Go? | American Rifleman | Official Journal Of The NRA

 

[gunbarrel]

The USAF Is Finally Ditching The Last Of Its Cold War Revolvers For New Semi-Auto Pistols

 

[Model1567]

Congrats on your latest grab S52!
That looks like a really sweet little wheel gun.

 

[dpast32]

WELCOME To The Forum ! And secondly, THANK YOU for showing off your extremely interesting & awesome, 'confirmed' USAF RVN era Revolver !! In all my years of collecting & related pursuits, I've not come across very many of these particular USAF Models, so you are indeed very fortunate. Now, you'll need to pick up an USGI Box of RVN era .38 Special ammunition, the 130 grain FMC issue Ball.Although some very similar Loads are currently available, they tend to slightly different than the USAF Loads, in which the 130 gr. Ball projectile was seated quite deep in the case, enough so to be immediately noticeable when viewing it against a standard .38 All. Loading of the era. I used to recall the U.S. Military Nomenclature for that Load, but it's slipped my mind at the moment. A quick search on the Web will provide you with the data. Congratulations on your acquisition of a beautiful U.S. Martial Revolver.

Best, dpast32

 

[bgrafsr]

What a nice find. Us lowly AMMO troops generally carried our Model 10s or 15s with the same rig you have...The Skycops had some really nice leather rigs.

I had my leather rig redone with Corfam when in the Phillipines. Spit shine with no work on my part. Shoes were done also.

 

[ordnanceguy]

Now, you'll need to pick up an USGI Box of RVN era .38 Special ammunition, the 130 grain FMC issue Ball..... I used to recall the U.S. Military Nomenclature for that Load, but it's slipped my mind at the moment.

That VN era .38 Special ammunition would have been the M41 Ball ammo as seen below.



Regards,
Charlie

 

[7shooter]

Model 15's are nearly perfect revolvers. I had a very nice one which I gave to my son when he graduated from law school.

 

[islassoc]

AF Model 15

In 1995 I was working for the USDOJ Criminal Division and supervising a segment of the Haitian National Police Training Academy at Fort Leonard Wood MO. We got a call from the embassy in Haiti and they needed pistols for the newly minted Haitian police officers graduating there. We sent a couple of contractors to one of the USG arsenals in IL and they spent two days going through 100s of these S&W AF sidearms to get about 1000 operational ones. We packaged them up and sent then down to Haiti via Diplomatic Pouch on an American Airlines plane out of Miami. Given Haiti's troubles I am sure they are no longer in service or even in Haiti, but it was interesting to see these weapons in the flesh. Thanks for your pictures as they brought back memories.