S&W Model 15 .38 as USAF Commemorative

[ltdave]

i did some LE augmentee duty once in cali and then a couple of times in oklahoma...

i carried the M15 in cali and the M9 in okla...

i served in the base honor guard in california and we used to occasionally carry and M15 with us in a white holster since we were taking anywhere from 7 to 21 M1 Garand rifles with us off base...

i was a 'cargo courier' so i had an additional reason for qualifying with the pistol, although i never couriered any cargo that i can recall...

the first time i had to qualify was in the middle of the "global shield" (1988). i was in an ad-hoc OPFOR team and we were doing a 16-18 hour Night-Op. about 0630 i told my fire team (i was driving a 'pig) that i had to go and they thought i had to take a leak. i got up in the middle of this firefight/assault on the ABGD cops and double timed it about 900yds back to the OPFOR camp. i cleared the M60, checked it in and went home to shower. 28 minutes later i showed up at the small arms range and fired a perfect 40 for 40...

my base was ideal for ABGD training and CivEng and Hosp training in that it was 86,000 acres (down from WWII size of 128,000 acres) of mostly scrub brush, and grassy knolls. there was a nice wooded area with a river that ran through it that we used during Hospital field training week twice a year...

anywho, ive got an M15 i got some time ago. it needs cosmetic work done and im torn between a reblue or a parkerized 'air force' rebuild. im certain we had (in the unit or in the sps) both blued and parked versions...

United States Air Force
23151/23132
(graphic artist and still photographer)
1985-1993
Beale AFB, California
Altus AFB, Oklahoma

 

[Gatofeo]

Never saw a parkerized M-15 myself. All those I saw were blued.
We got a shipment of new ones while I was at Panama. They had the least polish of any blued gun I've ever seen. Not parkerized, but obviously not much polishing of the metal before bluing. Certainly not like the ones we had been using.
And those new ones had rough actions. We were surprised at their lack of fit and finish, because the S&W had been so well made, even for military models.
They were probably made in 1976 or 1977, because I recall our 24th Security Police Squadron getting them in 1978.
I was offered a new one, being an E-4, but hung onto my old one. It had the finest action I'd ever seen. Popping the sideplate off one night revealed that someone prior to me had gone in it and polished all surfaces. They knew what they were doing, to be sure.
Its finish was thin, from holster wear, but the bore and chambers were mirror-like.
Even now, more than 30 years later, I wish I could have purchased it and taken it home with me. I almost weep to think that when the M9s appeared, it likely fell to the cutting torch because it looked worn.
It wasn't worn ... it was just broken-in!

 

[bigc45]

Count me in also for a SAC M-15. Malmstrom Afb 341st Security Police. 1974-1978. I'd buy one.

 

[Goldstar225]

Count me in too. Security Specialist '75-'89 when I became a 1st Sgt. Though the M-16 was my primary arm the Model 15 served me on occasion and I put lots of rounds down range with it for the years I was on the base rifle/pistol team.

 

[WWhunter]

EX-SP here also. I used the Combat Masterpiece while on the AF Security Police Marksmanship team. Awesome pistol and I would Love to have a commemerative.
WW

 

[captainjohnsofd]

To all Vets, thank you for your service to our country. My son is an E-4 in the US Navy and my nephew is in the Air Force in Iraq as we speak.

 

[gatekeeper]

Ex Law Enforcement Security Police, the Model 15 was the best pistol either in 2" or 4" barrel. They were accurate at 25 yards and shot expert many times with both. Would like to find any surplus 2" barrel but doubt it is possible.

Rickenbacker AFB, Clark AB, Camp O'Donnell, Crow Valley Bombing Range, US Forces Police Station (Town Patrol) in Vogelweh Germany, Dover AFB.

 

[Bellzy]

I also would go for a M-15 with a SAC stamp although I was in the missile field and carried a M-16 and no side arm.

 

[dave2010]

I carried an M-15 as an officer in PACAF (not an SP). I have been trying to find one and have seen several on the market with -1, -2, -3, and -4. Anyone have any idea which would be closest to the one I carried on active duty. (it was a few decades and many beers ago.) Also, I still have the serial number from my old hand reciept and sent it into S&W to see if they could tell me the model rev but haven't heard back.

What is a good price for one in decent condition? (I'm seeing most in the 350-450 range.)

 

[skycop2150]

USAF OSI Mod-36

I was assigned to the OSI in 1972 (special duty AFSC 999X0) from Security Police. Our issued weapon was the S&W Mod 36 OSI, These were special order from S&W. They were 3" square butt Mod 36's with wide target triggers, and stamped "OSI" of the side plate. We carried them in inside the waste band holsters (at least at Edwards). We did qualify with the old wad-cutters but I can't remember if we carried the standard jacketed ball like we did in SP or round nose lead.

 

[Racklover]

Carried one while at McClellan AFB, Kunsan AB, and George AFB. Drove the Armorers nuts by putting my own grips on the 15... Would love to have a M15.

 

[JayCeeNC]

LE Specialist 1971-1975, SSGT E-5.
Kadena AB, Okinawa--Armed Forces Police Detachment; Pope AFB, NC; Utapao AB, Thailand with side trips to RVN and Cambodia.
Loved my Model 15 and shot well with it.

Here's the genuine article:

 

[S. Hammer]

SP from '82 through '85. Grissom AFB and Homestead AFB. I'd buy one too. Here's my homage to what we carried back then.

 

[WPWarhawk]

F-15 Avionics troop here, Eglin and Bitburg 84-88. Entered a handgun shooting competition at Eglin where they gave medals to the top two shooters. We used USAF owned Model 15s. I finished 3rd behind two special ops helicopter pilots.

When I got to Bitburg they need me to be a classified cargo courier and I was issued a model 15 every time I got that duty. When I made SSgt I was also made a Security Police augmentee and issued an M15 again for that duty.

Funny thing is, I never formally qualified with a handgun.

 

[mag318]

Good to see so many 77150 MOSs here on the forum. I was in the Air Police from 1966/70 and was heartbroken when they changed from Air Police to Security Police. The Model 15 will always hold a special place in our hearts and it's good to see S&W still producing it, although our early ones were better, no MIM parts or lawyer locks. A USAF Commemorative is a great idea.

 

[deenb]

Bat Guano,

I too had a Victory Model and carbine during my tour at Clark in '68. While in Nam we were issued M15 sidearms and M16s.

I agree, an Air Force commemorative would sell a LOT of 15s.

 

[deenb]

The 15 was great but the Victory model I carried in the 1st Mob out of Clark had it beat hands down with the low velocity stuff we were issued. Would stand in line for a commenderative.

 

[Gatofeo]

Shortly after I started this thread, I sent a letter to Smith & Wesson urging them to produce a USAF Model 15; indeed, a Model 15 for each of the services.
That was in November, 2009. I have not heard one word from S&W, so I'll resend the letter. Any "Wish List" item that gets this much response, from such a tiny sampling, must represent a worthwhile larger market.
I'd guess that Smith & Wesson could sell 10,000 such revolvers outright, judging from the response here. There are many former USAF members who recall their service .38 fondly and would be proud to own such a revolver.
I'll resend an updated letter, emphasizing the response here.

 

[Uraldriver]

I was a Law Enforcement SP from 86-90, I carried the M-15 for almost 2 years until we got the M-9. We always qualified/Carried the PGU 12 rounds. We would qualify with factory fresh ammo and carry stuff with a 77 headstamp! The stuff was so tarnished and stained after a decade of use! I wanted a M-15 for a long time and bought one the J&G sales DAO guns they had a few months ago. I also scored 2 boxes of PGU 12 a couple of years ago. They were manufactured in 89. I didn't have a 4" gun at the time but out of my 3 1/2" 27 I was getting 970fps, so it was much hotter than regular 38 ammo.

I am pretty lucky as I work with a bunch of former SP's spanning from before my time to recent discharges. We get swap SP stories.

I might be interested in a commemorative gun also.


Dan

 

[Samuel Adams]

+1,000,000 from another former 81170 -> 1982 - 1990.