By my comment I certainly don't mean the K frames the military used were bad guns--I've got a collection of them myself, and I've even Model 13s and Model 19s. I love everything about Smith wheel guns, even the current production ones. That said, at a time when the 1911, Hi Power, Model 39/Model 59 Smiths and plenty of other military grade semi autos were available, it's hard to see the point of anyone in the military carrying a 6 shot revolver. I believe in WW2 the issue ammo has a basic 158 grain semi wadcutter, but I know in the Vietnam era and after the issue ammo was the the M41 ball, which was pretty pathetic. I believe it was rated as something like 700fps out of a 4 inch barrel--that's crawling, even for a standard pressure .38 and pretty horrible option if you actually have to use the gun. I get 1000fps out a of a 2 inch barrel with my +P 158 grain carry ammo, for reference--M41 is loaded lighter than most commercial .380.
As for the Air Force guns, the Model 15 was by far the most commonly issued Smith, while the Army and Navy had M10s. The AF also had a couple of the highly collectable Model 56s, and I've heard rumors of a few J frames being used for some things. I'm just old enough that a lot of my instructors when I first came in the Air Force were retired Vietnam era dudes, and all of them remembered carrying M15s as their issued gun. I tend to think the reason that revolvers hung on with aircrew, and with the Air Force in general, was because they could shoot flair ammo and be used as a signaling device. Personally, I don't think the USAF really took personal weapons particularly seriously until well in to GWOT era. I know guys that were carrying GAU-5s w/A1 lowers in 2006. Now things have changed a lot for the better, obviously, with the ASDW and the M18.
OEF / OIR / OFS
Delete, double post
Last edited by TBAR_94; 09-15-20 at 12:04.
OEF / OIR / OFS
Reminded by the remark about the updated safety in Smith.
The older Smiths had rebounding hammers, with the foot of the hammer supported by the rebound slide. In order for the gun to fire, the hammer, or its axle, would have to break.
The newer hammer block really isn't a problem, nor does it adversely effect trigger pull, but it does seem a belt and suspenders.
Moon
When I served in Army Military Police, we carried our (M1911A1) .45’s in Condition 3 (stupid, but those were the rules). The thinking was female MP’s wouldn’t have the strength to rack the slide in an emergency (thus the Model 10’s). I agree, a 9mm auto pistol would probably have been a better choice.
I never spent much time around the Air Force but I as I understand it their Security Policemen were issued Model 15’s. (When the Model 10’s and later female MP’s arrived in the ROK our supply sergeant got ahold of some AF swivel holsters as there were no flap holsters to be had.)
I never understood the U.S. military using the underpowered 38 Spl. ball. 130 grain FMJ at 700 FPS when the original black powder loads were 158 grain and 800. FPS. I think the military ammo was more of a problem than the Model 10 and 15 being 6 shots and slow to reload.
My bump in the night/CCW are 9mm, but my wife's home defense gun is a 5" M&P 38 Spl built in 1948.
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Last edited by AndyLate; 10-06-20 at 07:28.
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