my Viet Nam Veteran Combat Masterpiece Model 15-2

[6GUNSONLY]

I'll bet it has extreme personal value. Cool old gun. Only about 600 6 1/2" Super BKHs made, if my memory serves.

 

[safearm]

Welcome to the Forum from another Kodak Killer.

 

[mg357]

Thank you for your service and welcome to the forum from illinois.

 

[Rhino1]

We had an instructor at my F-4 training who was shot down on his first tour. Said the .38 was a *** to reload when being chased through rice paddies. I decided a wanted to carry a semi auto. About all that were commonly available at the time (1972) were 1911s and Browning Hi-Powers. I opted for the Browning. How things have changed! When I left Houston for Travis AFB, I called the airlines and asked how to transport it. They said to just put in my luggage so stuck it in one of the (unlockable) pockets of my B4 bag. When I got to Travis, they just said the same. When I got to Ubon, they freaked out. I just stuck it in my locker. Before every mission, we went to the gun room where they issued us our assigned S&W M15. I carried it in the shoulder holster of our survival vest and carried my Browning in the regular hip holster that was supposed to be for the revolver. Never really cared for revolvers but have multiple semi autos, several being M&Ps (9 Pro, 40 Pro, 40C, and three M&P ARs). There is that strong nostalgia factor though, so have been looking for a M15 for a while. Met a guy at NRA convention who has a couple. Scheduled to meet him this Friday to make the sale.

 

[Silver Dollar]

Welcome to the forum and thanks for your service. Being in a medical group, I only got to shoot at the range twice in my 20 year career, once in 1991 when I failed to qualify and the second when I did qualify (I shot expert my second time- whoopie) a few months later. It was with a model 15. I was stationed in Hawaii during Desert Storm. Geneva Convention didn't allow me to carry a weapon unless my clinic was being over run by enemy hula dancers.

 

[Bat Guano]

Rhino1,

I pulled security at Ubon TOC, inside and out, in '66-67. Most crew carried the M15 but a few carried the 1911 and I do remember one BHP. No one seemed too concerned.

 

[sw282]

harris--How were you able to get 44mag ammo for your SBH over there ??

 

[Fox4Alpha]

Thanks for your service. I also carried a personal firearm in Viet Nam. I had a 2" Model 19 that I carried in a shoulder holster under my flak jacket. Then one day our Company came into the rear for R&R and we were basically strip searched. All personal weapons were taken, tagged and it was promised that we could have them back when we rotated home. I never saw it again. Rumor was that some crooked supply sergeant sold them on the black market for booze.

 

[Birddog2]

Bought my M-15-2 in 1962 from San Clemente ( CA) Camera and Gun for $82.
At Camp Pendleton in those days, we used to be able to get a box of ammo/day from the Battalion Armory and check out an empty range at lunch. Shot a bunch of issued WW Mid-range Match 148 gr wadcutter thru that revolver.
Carried that M-15-2 on deployments to Cuba, Okinawa, Phillipines, VietNam.
Still have it and it is still the best shooting revolver i own.

 

[Retired W4]

One of my gun show partners worked on a carrier on Marine RF's. Welcome home from an old, down in the dirt Slick driver.

187th AHC
190th AHC

 

[Rhino1]

Thanks to my comrades in arms. Intra service rivalries are fun but bottom line is less than 1% of population ever served. Thanks for your service, no matter whether an 11B or a clerk typist

 

[tommypotatoes]

Hey, Bat Guano...

Ubon security? 8th Air Police, Ubon RTAB, 1965-1966... Did I pass you coming in when I was going out?

 

[Rhino1]

No, I was a lot later. Were you there with Blackman and Robin? (Chappie James and Robin Olds)

 

[Wolfiesden]

View attachment 69216


I hope this worked, I've never tried an attachment on this forum before.

In any case this obviously isn't a Smith but it is what I carried as an Infantryman in VN. I don't remembar being angy but it was fired a lot more than it should have been because our rifles were so unreliable.

I didn't ask permission to take it and there were no enforcers where I was, so no problem.

If I am not mistaken it wasn't entirely the M16's fault. From what I have heard and read it was a change in the type of powder in the ammo due to funding cuts. Insufficient testing of the changed powder in the M16 resulted in ejection problems as well as increased fowling. They also changed the chrome lining in the barrels of some VN era M16s, also due to funding issues. These, coupled with improper or infrequent cleaning in the field caused most of the problems. Not weapon design.

If I take a Ruger 10/22 and feed it improperly designed ammo, this renound weapon will also have reliability issues.

So I don't think you can blame the M16 entirely for the reliability issues when you feed it ammo that contains powder that was never (or at least only very lightly) tested in it and that it was not designed for. Blame the ammo. Blame the bureaucrats that cut corners. Blame the politics that made it happen.

Your car is designed for a certain octane gas. Do you blame it for running rough if you put cheap **** fuel in it thats far below that rated octane?

Well thats essentially what happened to the early M16s. They loaded ammo with a different powder with a completely different burn profile and expected it to "just work".

Unfortunately, a lot of our young men had to die because of it, and THAT is the tragedy. And I thank God it got rectified before it turned into a complete disaster and I pray they take the lesson to heart for future engagements. None of our guys should die because their equipment is not properly designed and expendables correctly produced for them.

 

[tommypotatoes]

No, I was a lot later. Were you there with Blackman and Robin? (Chappie James and Robin Olds)

Absolutely! I was there with the 633 combat support group in mid 1965, before Robin Olds and the 8th TFW arrived, in 1966. I humped the ramps, bomb dump and base perimeter. I was part of a small Air Police detachment that was then absorbed by the 8th Air Police Squadron, and then became the 8th SPS.

Interesting times...