"The Perfect Sidearm

[Buford57]

..for a police officer: everything you need and nothing you don't."

That was the opinion of the Range Officer at the first department I worked for that was large enough to have a range officer on the Model 15 S&W. He advised all rookies to buy one each of the 4" and 2" version so they would have the same manual of arms, speed loaders, grips for their duty weapon and OD/BUG. He carried one equipped with a Tyler T-Grip and factory magnas. I came from another department and was used to my M28, so I ignored him. I did carry my wife's M67 briefly while the sights on my gun were being repaired. I thought the K-Frame felt like a toy and went right back to the big .357, although we were issued and limited to .38 +P.

Years later I recovered a M15 that had been stolen from an Orange County (CA) Marshal and marveled at how slick an action it had. Maybe the RO was on to something. Add another 20 years and I came into a 15-3 in a trade and while it wasn't quite as slick it carried and shot well and sometimes found its way into my bag on road trips. When my younger son married he did not have a suitable house gun so the 15, wearing walnut Hogue combats, went to the happy couple with the understanding that if he ever tired of it, I would buy it from him. He is a black rifle and SIG kind of guy, but after 8 years I have given up on its return.

So I did the GB thing and found this bedraggled thing, which showed evidence of a lot of time in a holster, exposed to the weather. but had W/O, RR, 0.5 inch target hammer, wide, smooth trigger and a pull that makes the Marshal's gun feel like it had sand in it.







It has cleaned up well, so far, and I found some magnas and a T-Grip in the garage. I'll finish cleaning the gold paint out of the markings with a little acetone, probably while cleaning it after a trip to the range.






As an added bonus, at church last Sunday a friend passed on a full box of the old SUPER X (yellow X) FBI load he had no use for.

In these days when every perp takes 34 rounds to stop it may no longer be perfect, but 40-odd years ago the RO might just have been right.

 

[sigp220.45]

If you can't/don't carry .357s then the Model 15 is the way to go. It is also the best looking revolver ever made.

My first-ever issued handgun was a glorious Model 15. It turned me from a mostly-Colt person to a mostly-Smith person.

 

[mikeruns]

Sweet acquisition!
I love these and have 4… one is the beloved model 18 rimfire, and one the 2" version of the m15, the other two- a dao retired LAPD gun so very mint, once belonging to a detective, leading me to think maybe he carried something else and reserved the m15 for ceremonies in blue or funerals, etc…..the 4th is just another sweet 4" m15 with the red ramp and white outline rear…the two inch model is interestingly also equipped with those sights….combat masterpieces are maybe my faves although I love some others where I have several in same model L frames and highway patrols…. I hear use with that fbi load, one per customer in self defense, and they shoot fine as wine in my k frames

 

[Hawg Rider]

You did a nice job with that Model 15. I only have one, a snubby 15-2 that was my wife's grandfather's duty revolver. He was a Chief of Detectives during the 50s thru 70s in the Republik of Kalifornia. Mine dates to 1962 (per the s/n), but the 2" bbl. wasn't introduced until 1964- I expect it sat at S&W until someone ordered a 15-2 with a 2" bbl. This one also wears a Tyler-T Grip. That's a fine example, enjoy!

 

[Engine49guy]

The Combat Masterpiece is a great gun and an interesting one to collect because of all the little changes made through the years.

IIRC it first appeared around 1948-49 and was first cataloged in the 1950 AMC, it's interesting the factory chose the older narrow rib Pre 14 to base the CM on as the new wide rib K38 also appears around the same time, I suppose there was no need to add weight to the CM and the older narrow rib version was still in production so it made sense but when the narrow rib K38 was discontinued (around 54) they kept making the CM in the older style narrow rib frame barrel design, this is likely because it made the gun slightly lighter but also meant that Model 15 frames were cosmetically different than Model 14 frames so could not be interchanged without it being an eyesore.

On a side note, many years later the Model 15 ( IIRC in the dash 5 or 6 revision) did finally change to using the same frame and barrel style as the wide rib non underlug Model 14 and was offered in three different lengths 4", 6" and 8,3/8" , at the same time the Model 14 got a new full underlug barrel and was available in the traditional 6" length but also offered in a 4" Combat length barrel ( don't think they made an 8" full lug Model 14 but they did offer them in the 22 counterpart Models 17-6 and 617 ).

Always wondered why they didn't just continue the Model 14 line and give the Model 15 the full underlug barrel since the new full underlug L frame was named The "Distinguished Combat Magnum "
But then again that makes too much sense.

Ps, I did a thread years ago detailing the design changes , here is a link if interested, scroll down to post 25 to start the tour

Some Combat Masterpiece eye candy

 

[rockquarry]

Maybe with a very few noted exceptions, "perfect sidearm" seems to fit the Model 15 more than it does many other handguns, new or old. Fine shooting guns, close to ideal size and weight. Hard to beat a straight-out-of-the-box example as they came with Magna stocks and no adornment or modifications.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Bill Jordan described the Combat Magnum as "the answer to a peace officer's dream" while at the same time acknowledging the 38 Special as the most powerful round the average man-i.e., most of us-could hope to master. So I suppose that's an apt description. Have only 1, a 1953, all matching numbers.

 

[7shooter]

I gave a Model 15 to my son when he graduated from law school. He loves it. He keeps it loaded during hurricane/looting season.

 

[UncleEd]

Seems to me, what with this thread
and several others now currently
running, too much emphasis is
being placed on the Combat
Masterpiece/Model 15.

I see this as a reason so few are on
the market and I don't like that.


Why don't you folks bug off and
allow the market to cool down so
more are readily available at
more reasonable prices.

And then I can gobble them up!

 

[Old cop]

The 4" Model 15 was issued to all uniformed officers in my agency. They're the Cadillac of the S&W .38 line.

 

[rockquarry]

Bill Jordan described the Combat Magnum as "the answer to a peace officer's dream" while at the same time acknowledging the 38 Special as the most powerful round the average man-i.e., most of us-could hope to master. So I suppose that's an apt description. Have only 1, a 1953, all matching numbers.

That's a very factual statement, depicting the .38 Special as being the most powerful cartridge the average person could handle well. It's seldom mentioned nowadays, but gunwriter Elmer Keith (I'm not much of a Keith follower) pointed out the quick recovery from recoil when using a .38 Special revolver. Even the gunfighting theorists should take note.

 

[Mule Packer]

Y'know, your former range officer may have been on to something. Here's my Model 15-3. I bought it used from Cabela's in Lehi, Utah several years ago. I don't know who owned it previously, but whoever did, sure took good care of it. The action is "slicker than snot on a marble," and its accuracy is nearly nail-driving perfect. It's not too heavy. Not too light. It rides easy on the hip or fits in a saddlebag. Bottom line...what's not to like?

 

[Wrangler Rich]

I was issued one in Viet Nam, and fell in love with Smith & Wesson then. I've been an accumulator since 1970. Although my 57 is probably my favorite my 15 is close.

WR

 

[K Frame Keith]

Our issue sidearm was the stainless version, the Model 67. For duty carry it was the ultimate carry revolver, IMHO.

 

[Birdgun]

I too am a fan of the venerable Model 15 "Combat Masterpiece." I have one that I bought used a few years ago that must have been a safe queen as it was in pristine condition. My wife and I took it to the range and when the wife shot it, it was no longer my revolver. Wife loves her Model 15-4. But, she wanted it to look more feminine and "pretty" so she had me put Altamont Pearl grips on it. She carries it in the vehicle when on road trips and it normally resides in the end table on her side of the bed. She lets me look at it from time to time.

I am happy, for all the obvious reasons, that the Model 15 is her handgun of choice.

My wife's Model 15-4 "Combat Masterpiece" in .38 Special.

Thanks for looking.

Birdgun

 

[LPD256]

I have a 15-3 that is a special part of my collection. Here is a couple of photos of the gun as I received it. Shipped to LAPD in 1973, it is double-action only. It was carried by a LAPD Sergeant wearing the old style Hogue grips. Shoots great. Enjoy.

 

[StrawHat]

I carried one on duty and competed with it in the duty leg of the PPC Matches. While I understand what you are saying, my idea of the perfect duty revolver was this one I built in the eighties,

And, if I were to go back on duty, I would want that one or this one,

Both 45 ACP, one with movable sights and one fixed.

Kevin

 

[Aircrewman]

In my opinion, one of the finest 38 specials ever designed and built. Bar none. And any Peace Officer issued one was never outgunned or inadequate in any respect. I love mine. One of Smith and Wesson's best. EVER.

 

[Uraldriver]

This Is my Air Force M15, I didn't really appreciate it at the time. I have one of my own now. It's simply a great revolver.

 

[chief38]

I like the M15 enough that I have 2 of them. Probably shoot them better than any other revolvers I own.