Set-up of USAF M-15

[Laurent]

Hello,

I've always been a great fan of S&W K-frames and own a 4" M10, a 2" M15 and a 4" M19. When I picked my M15 at a dealer among several other used snub M15, I chose specifically this one:

M15 with wide serrated trigger and wide hammer.

First, I love this contradiction: a target gun with a short barrel. Second, I believed it was the exact set-up of the ultra rare USAF M56.

From the posts and pics here about these USAF guns, it seems the 4" M15 had the wide trigger and hammer but the 2" M56 came with normal service parts.

Can anyone confirm this difference? In this case is there an explanation?

What about the grips? From my knowledge, the USAF 4" M15 came with magnas with flat base and the M56 with round PC magnas.

And one more question about the markings: the USAF 4" have "USAF" stamped on the frame under the cylinder, the M56 seems to lack this stamp and have instead "AF" on the backstrap. Right? In this case, is the backstrap plain on the M56?

Thanks in advance.

L.

 

[Gunsandguitars]

Hello,

I've always been a great fan of S&W K-frames and own a 4" M10, a 2" M15 and a 4" M19. When I picked my M15 at a dealer among several other used snub M15, I chose specifically this one:

M15 with wide serrated trigger and wide hammer.

First, I love this contradiction: a target gun with a short barrel. Second, I believed it was the exact set-up of the ultra rare USAF M56.

From the posts and pics here about these USAF guns, it seems the 4" M15 had the wide trigger and hammer but the 2" M56 came with normal service parts.

Can anyone confirm this difference? In this case is there an explanation?

What about the grips? From my knowledge, the USAF 4" M15 came with magnas with flat base and the M56 with round PC magnas.

And one more question about the markings: the USAF 4" have "USAF" stamped on the frame under the cylinder, the M56 seems to lack this stamp and have instead "AF" on the backstrap. Right? In this case, is the backstrap plain on the M56?

Thanks in advance.

L.

I can tell you that from 1975 to about 1988 or so, the Model 15's we had in the USAF Security Police came in bright blue AND parkerized, with target triggers/target hammers AND with standard hammers and triggers, with magna's AND some (very few) with target grips. I figure the parkerized ones were rebuilds and were refinished with the more durable (but very ugly) parkerizing job.

I can't speak to the backstrap markings on a Model 56. Never saw one.

 

[DCWilson]

I have a Model 56 with non original stocks and a worn finish, but it shoots very accurately. Many if not most of the Model 56 units came with a stamped "U.S." on the ungrooved backstrap. I have been told by an individual who handled M56s during his AF service that many he encountered had no U.S. stamp on the backstrap. It is possible that the stamp on my gun was polished off; there is no blue on the backstrap and fingers can feel what the eye can't see -- a flat spot or very subtle curvature inconsistency where a U.S. stamp may once have existed.

The M56 was produced to AF specs in 1962-63: ungrooved backstrap, ungrooved sight foot and front sight base, but horizontally grooved Baughman ramp sight blade. Grooved trigger. The top of frame and barrel rib (so short it is really just a base for the front sight) have a matte finish rather than the finer blue finish on the cylinder and frame. The hammer spur is no wider than the hammer body.

It was the existence of the M56 that drove the public clamor for a two-inch Combat Masterpiece, and S&W introduced the two-inch M15 a year later. This model was consistent with the the company's design standards for its Masterpiece guns -- grooved surfaces in some places where the M56 was flat, for example, and a semi-target hammer with a wider spur. When the AF ordered additional target-sighted service revolvers in subsequent years, I believe the orders were all produced to the commercial design standards. Only the M56 revolvers had the specific mix of features that the AF originally ordered.

There are some M56 photos in this thread:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...0-final-update-i-did-buy-rare-model-56-a.html

It took me a while to warm up to the two-inch K-frames, but I now like them a lot with both fixed and adjustable sights. I need to get a two-inch 15-2 or 15-3.

 

[mkk41]

Since I see the Century Arms imports stamp where the U.S.A.F. is usually stamped , and you say it's stamped AF on the backstrap , I'm thinking this might be one of the thousands of S&Ws released by the Austrailians.

Just a guess.

 

[Stu Honea]

DCWilson,nice rundown on the production history of the 15's and 56's.

 

[snipershot1944]

I had a model 56 once briefly. I collect WWI and WWII primarily and came across it at a used gun price. Sold it to a well known Colt and S&W dealer in CA, with the initials DB for about 20% of value when he told me it was not worth much of anything. You live and you learn.

 

[xray 99]

Great post. I had forgotten about the M56.

 

[Laurent]

Thank you very much all for the informative answers. Australian 2" M15, that's interesting!

In the past, I had a 4" M15 too, but was disappointed by several problems (ignition, timing) and finally sold it. I'm in the marked for another one but they are rare here in Switzerland: you see more often M10 (a lot made, used by some agencies or security firms here in Europe), M14 (bought for competition), M19 (the .357 glory), M29 (the .44 glory), J-frames (carried by some security firms) and L-frames (the standart for 30 years now).

L.