Checked the Blue Book and they do list 9mm for the SP101 but no mention of US marked.
The Revolvers of USAF Base Security, 1940s-1992
I wonder, is there any database on the types of revolvers that SAC and the US Air Force issued to base guards during the Cold War? They seemed to be really into them. Also, I wonder if the gov't still has stocks of them salted away? They had some nice six-guns and some nice holster rigs as I recall.
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Charlie Petty,
Well, I have NO clue. = Curiosity nearly made me buy one, especially since I could get all the 9mm ball that I could shoot-up that that time, free.
yours, sw
Well, I have NO clue. = Curiosity nearly made me buy one, especially since I could get all the 9mm ball that I could shoot-up that that time, free.
yours, sw
FWIW: The OSI pistols and the M15 General Officers pistols were not the same configuration. While both pistols had reduced length slides and barrels, the OSI models had a shortened frame. Chuck Karwan wrote up the OSI modifications for Gun World many years ago, and it was reprinted in the 1983 vintage Gun Digest Book of Autoloading Pistols.
The OSI pistol I handled seemed to be about the size of an Officer's Model.
As an aircrewman in the 1970s they handed me an M15 2-inch, but when qualifying it was with an M15 4-inch.
do you remember how it was marked? I know the 2" was issued, but they are quite rare today/
According to...
...Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson: 3rd Edition, the 2" Model 56 (USAF exclusive) was marked "U.S.," on the smooth back strap and the 4" Models 15-1, -2 and -3 were marked "U.S.A.F." on the left side of the frame. I see no mention of markings for the 2" USAF Model 15's.do you remember how it was marked? I know the 2" was issued, but they are quite rare today/
spwenger,
When I was last stationed at Ft Pickett, we had a group of USAF Air Commandos who requested a "private training area" from the Post Commander's office. Such a 3,000 acre "dedicated training area" was quickly granted to them, as we had MANY THOUSANDS of unused & even "seldom visited" portions of the post.
(The SF folks out of Ft Bragg already had already "signed for" a "rather remote private area".)
After watching some of the things that those USAF guys were practicing, I wouldn't call ANYBODY "crazy".
(CHUCKLE.)
ROTFL, sw
When I was last stationed at Ft Pickett, we had a group of USAF Air Commandos who requested a "private training area" from the Post Commander's office. Such a 3,000 acre "dedicated training area" was quickly granted to them, as we had MANY THOUSANDS of unused & even "seldom visited" portions of the post.
(The SF folks out of Ft Bragg already had already "signed for" a "rather remote private area".)
After watching some of the things that those USAF guys were practicing, I wouldn't call ANYBODY "crazy".
(CHUCKLE.)
ROTFL, sw
Did you know the Smith 29 .44 Mag was a USAF-issued weapon? Strange but true.
The AP head NCO at my base (who fancied himself a bit of a gun nut as well as a Procurement Ace and Supreme Scrounger) told me this one day and I didn't believe him. So he showed it to me in the TO and there it was, big as life. I saw it with my own bulging eyes. It read something like, "Smith & Wesson M29, .44 Magnum caliber, 4 inch barrel, 1 each authorized for Pararescue Team Leaders when operating in areas with dangerous game animals." I assume they were talkin' 'bout Griz here. It had a FS number and everything. (I didn't think to go looking for the ammo in the TO.)
Anybody ever encounter one of these, or know anyone who claims they did?
The AP head NCO at my base (who fancied himself a bit of a gun nut as well as a Procurement Ace and Supreme Scrounger) told me this one day and I didn't believe him. So he showed it to me in the TO and there it was, big as life. I saw it with my own bulging eyes. It read something like, "Smith & Wesson M29, .44 Magnum caliber, 4 inch barrel, 1 each authorized for Pararescue Team Leaders when operating in areas with dangerous game animals." I assume they were talkin' 'bout Griz here. It had a FS number and everything. (I didn't think to go looking for the ammo in the TO.)
Anybody ever encounter one of these, or know anyone who claims they did?
Snake45,
I'm NOT surprised at anything that the government has bought/issued at some time or other.
During Desert Shield (while I was stationed at Ft Mead, MD), I had to "find" a pair of .22 Short over 2.5 inch, ".410 over & under", "Special Purpose Shotguns", for two small USAR detachments that could NOT deploy to Saudi Arabia without all of their "Mission Essential Task List Equipment".
(YEP, the "Special Purpose Shotguns" had a FSN/NSN & were ON the METL for those units. = They had been "on order" for over five years but never delivered. - We called the manufacturer & were told that NONE of those firearms had been built in nearly 15 years!)
NOTE: For those who haven't read this "weird story" from "the run-up to Desert Storm" (I posted this "odd story" about 10 years ago.), we ended up sending a C-12 to TAMU's Vet. School , in College Station, TX & "hand-receipting" the school's two "Special Purpose Shotguns", so that the two detachments COULD deploy to combat.
(Unfortunately, given their "classified nature", I cannot even now tell you SOME of the "singularly peculiar, weird, odd & "just plain 'nutty' stories" from the Desert Storm era. = Some of the things are just HILARIOUS & nobody could "make them up" & tell them as "war stories" W/O being openly RIDICULED.)
yours, sw
I'm NOT surprised at anything that the government has bought/issued at some time or other.
During Desert Shield (while I was stationed at Ft Mead, MD), I had to "find" a pair of .22 Short over 2.5 inch, ".410 over & under", "Special Purpose Shotguns", for two small USAR detachments that could NOT deploy to Saudi Arabia without all of their "Mission Essential Task List Equipment".
(YEP, the "Special Purpose Shotguns" had a FSN/NSN & were ON the METL for those units. = They had been "on order" for over five years but never delivered. - We called the manufacturer & were told that NONE of those firearms had been built in nearly 15 years!)
NOTE: For those who haven't read this "weird story" from "the run-up to Desert Storm" (I posted this "odd story" about 10 years ago.), we ended up sending a C-12 to TAMU's Vet. School , in College Station, TX & "hand-receipting" the school's two "Special Purpose Shotguns", so that the two detachments COULD deploy to combat.
(Unfortunately, given their "classified nature", I cannot even now tell you SOME of the "singularly peculiar, weird, odd & "just plain 'nutty' stories" from the Desert Storm era. = Some of the things are just HILARIOUS & nobody could "make them up" & tell them as "war stories" W/O being openly RIDICULED.)
yours, sw
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