Posted: 6/20/2014 8:07:37 AM EDT
|
The US military bought hundreds of thousands of revolvers over the years, well into the 70's. Other than WW2 Victory models and earlier, you never seen any on the market. No USAF Model 15's, no Smith Model 10's from Viet Nam, no Ruger Service Six (yes, they actually bought some).
Where did they go or where are they now? Checked with my friend who does the DRMO stuff for his department. He's never seen wheel guns on the shopping list. Did they all get Capt Crunched? Sitting in deep storage somewhere? As best I can tell none went to foreign aid but that can be hard to track. Enquiring minds want to know. |
|
CS1 THE LAST GOV ISSUED SMITH EASY TO FIND
i HAVE A US MARKED MODEL 10 its the snubbie above the m9 
USAF MODEL 15'S ARE BETWEEN 3,000-4,000 I have seen 2 for sale my model 15 usaf substitute is above the model 10 it's just a mod 15 ith the 1/2 trigger and hammer and diamond service grips TRY MODEL 56 ETA the S&W catalog mentions several models bought by the USAF each listing ends with most destroyed in bruswick ga between 83-86 . The S&W 56 (KTX-38 USAF)was specced by the USAF in 1963, ... majority were destroyed in Brunswick,Ga. by the Gov't but this hasn't been confirmed. 
|
|
The vast majority of post ww2 era revolvers were never surplused out and got crunched. With the passage of the 1968 gun control act the dcm could no longer release pistols to civilians. Since the revolvers were still standard issue at the time they would have been in service until the beretta took over.
You do see the rare mod 15 with USAF markings. I suspect these may have been part of a police assistance load program got mixed in with regular civilian model 15's and when police transitioned to autos they were mixed together when surplused instead of returned to the Feds |
|
Quoted:
years ago the S&W M1917s were pretty flush in the market. They could be had for just a few 100$ from what I've heard . I ended up with one, but a lot of the finish is gone, and to get one in VG condition they are now up over a grand.i think those were brazil's contractI have been in since the late80's never seen large numbers of surplus 1917s |
|
Quoted:
years ago the S&W M1917s were pretty flush in the market. They could be had for just a few 100$ from what I've heard . I ended up with one, but a lot of the finish is gone, and to get one in VG condition they are now up over a grand.The 1917 was made by S&W and Colt, about 150,000 each. Used to be very cheap. Around $30.00 to $40.00 in the 60ties. |
|
Quoted: The 1917 was made by S&W and Colt, about 150,000 each. Used to be very cheap. Around $30.00 to $40.00 in the 60ties. Quoted: Quoted: years ago the S&W M1917s were pretty flush in the market. They could be had for just a few 100$ from what I've heard . I ended up with one, but a lot of the finish is gone, and to get one in VG condition they are now up over a grand.The 1917 was made by S&W and Colt, about 150,000 each. Used to be very cheap. Around $30.00 to $40.00 in the 60ties. Gratuitous USGI revolver prøn  |
|
Quoted:
Gratuitous USGI revolver prøn https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t31.0-8/10256666_10202797770159933_7979582060357805965_o.jpg Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
years ago the S&W M1917s were pretty flush in the market. They could be had for just a few 100$ from what I've heard . I ended up with one, but a lot of the finish is gone, and to get one in VG condition they are now up over a grand.The 1917 was made by S&W and Colt, about 150,000 each. Used to be very cheap. Around $30.00 to $40.00 in the 60ties. Gratuitous USGI revolver prøn https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t31.0-8/10256666_10202797770159933_7979582060357805965_o.jpg Yeah baby, that's the stuff. Is your S&W M1917 refinished? The lighting makes it look duller than it should be. |
|
Quoted: Yeah baby, that's the stuff. Is your S&W M1917 refinished? The lighting makes it look duller than it should be. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: years ago the S&W M1917s were pretty flush in the market. They could be had for just a few 100$ from what I've heard . I ended up with one, but a lot of the finish is gone, and to get one in VG condition they are now up over a grand.The 1917 was made by S&W and Colt, about 150,000 each. Used to be very cheap. Around $30.00 to $40.00 in the 60ties. Gratuitous USGI revolver prøn https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t31.0-8/10256666_10202797770159933_7979582060357805965_o.jpg Yeah baby, that's the stuff. Is your S&W M1917 refinished? The lighting makes it look duller than it should be. If you are talking about the 1917 on top, look at the cylinder latch a bit closer  ... And if that isn't enough of a clue, I suppose that I could go and get a close-up of the pony picture someone put on it...The one underneath it, is a USN issued Smith Victory Model
|
|
Quoted:
years ago the S&W M1917s were pretty flush in the market. They could be had for just a few 100$ from what I've heard . I ended up with one, but a lot of the finish is gone, and to get one in VG condition they are now up over a grand.Even the Braz. contract guns are usually well over $400 these days. |
|
Quoted:
If you are talking about the 1917 on top, look at the cylinder latch a bit closer ... And if that isn't enough of a clue, I suppose that I could go and get a close-up of the pony picture someone put on it...
The one underneath it, is a USN issued Smith Victory Model Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
years ago the S&W M1917s were pretty flush in the market. They could be had for just a few 100$ from what I've heard . I ended up with one, but a lot of the finish is gone, and to get one in VG condition they are now up over a grand.The 1917 was made by S&W and Colt, about 150,000 each. Used to be very cheap. Around $30.00 to $40.00 in the 60ties. Gratuitous USGI revolver prøn https://scontent-a-sea.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/t31.0-8/10256666_10202797770159933_7979582060357805965_o.jpg Yeah baby, that's the stuff. Is your S&W M1917 refinished? The lighting makes it look duller than it should be. If you are talking about the 1917 on top, look at the cylinder latch a bit closer ... And if that isn't enough of a clue, I suppose that I could go and get a close-up of the pony picture someone put on it...
The one underneath it, is a USN issued Smith Victory Model I know enough to know the top one was a Colt, but I mistook the bottom one for an M1917. Haven't seen enough victory models to tell them apart. |
|
Quoted:
Even the Braz. contract guns are usually well over $400 these days. Quoted:
Quoted:
years ago the S&W M1917s were pretty flush in the market. They could be had for just a few 100$ from what I've heard . I ended up with one, but a lot of the finish is gone, and to get one in VG condition they are now up over a grand.Even the Braz. contract guns are usually well over $400 these days. Exactly, and those used to be pennies compared to the standard 1917s. I am still kicking myself for not buying everyone I could find even 5 years ago. |
|
AF still has some M15s in inventory. They're not general issue, but each base will have at least a couple that are used for gunfire training for the military working dogs. The M9 doesn't handle blanks very well.
As for what happened to the rest of them, I have no idea. |
|
I carried a S&W Model 10 until we got the M9. We also had Rugers, in most units (Army Aviation). Usually there were enough of both that you had a choice of either. I think the DoD had around a hundred thousand revolvers at the time, about a third of the sidearms in service.
The DoD always had a hard time supporting the revolvers because they were non-standard, bought in batches from different companies, and even with different features over the years. So as they wore out, they weren't repaired or replaced as fast. When they adopted the M9, all support ceased and they used attrition and shuffling of the existing revolvers to meet needs as units replaced them with M9's and later M11's as well. I would assume the serviceable ones went into storage, and the broken ones were simply destroyed. Maybe even the serviceable ones were destroyed as well, but they probably have a bunch sitting in some warehouse somewhere. I think the law changes over the years is why you don't see many for sale. I've seen a few out there for sale, but they aren't really all that desirable except to a serious collector. They were pretty much just off-the-shelf revolvers, just like an PD would buy. The Rugers had lanyard loops. There was a US stamp on some guns, but some didn't have any markings that I can remember. There wasn't anything as far as the gun being better than anything you can buy in a gunshop. They were simply and off-the-shelf buy to meet shortages. |
|
Quoted:
I carried a S&W Model 10 until we got the M9. We also had Rugers, in most units (Army Aviation). Usually there were enough of both that you had a choice of either. I think the DoD had around a hundred thousand revolvers at the time, about a third of the sidearms in service. The DoD always had a hard time supporting the revolvers because they were non-standard, bought in batches from different companies, and even with different features over the years. So as they wore out, they weren't repaired or replaced as fast. When they adopted the M9, all support ceased and they used attrition and shuffling of the existing revolvers to meet needs as units replaced them with M9's and later M11's as well. I would assume the serviceable ones went into storage, and the broken ones were simply destroyed. Maybe even the serviceable ones were destroyed as well, but they probably have a bunch sitting in some warehouse somewhere. I think the law changes over the years is why you don't see many for sale. I've seen a few out there for sale, but they aren't really all that desirable except to a serious collector. They were pretty much just off-the-shelf revolvers, just like an PD would buy. The Rugers had lanyard loops. There was a US stamp on some guns, but some didn't have any markings that I can remember. There wasn't anything as far as the gun being better than anything you can buy in a gunshop. They were simply and off-the-shelf buy to meet shortages. this appears mostly true the military value book has us marked model 10s valued at 600 but most were destroyed in bruswick.ga. |
|
S&W Model 10 'Victory' revolvers in both .38 Special and .38 S&W are not common, but are relatively easy to find if you really want one.
Some are marked 'United States Property' and have the ordnance flaming bomb symbol and some do not. Some lend lease guns that were sent to England have been re imported. Those guns have 'Not English Make' and british proofmarks pounded all over them. 
Either many guns went home in duffle bags or the government must have surplused quite a few Victory .38's and 1911's because US property guns are out there. Again, uncommon and expensive, but out there. Like the 1911's, after the movie Saving Private Ryan came out interest in Victory .38's increased and the prices went up as well. |
|
Quoted:
AF still has some M15s in inventory. They're not general issue, but each base will have at least a couple that are used for gunfire training for the military working dogs. The M9 doesn't handle blanks very well. As for what happened to the rest of them, I have no idea. Came here to post this. Also, my boss is a former core CATM instructor who joined circa 1992-1993; he has told me a few times bout teaching revolver classes after he joined up. He claims the USAF .38 revolvers were so broken in most of the instructors could qualify on an AF course of fire firing the M15 upside down, pulling the trigger with their little finger. |
|
Quoted:
I qualified with the .38 at Cherry Point in 86, wish I could remember what model it was... I was on the west coast at the same time. We had S&W Model 10s & Rugers. And the Guard armory actually had some Winchester trench guns, although I never saw any issued, only 870s. |
|
Quoted:
S&W Model 10 'Victory' revolvers in both .38 Special and .38 S&W are not common, but are relatively easy to find if you really want one. Some are marked 'United States Property' and have the ordnance flaming bomb symbol and some do not. Some lend lease guns that were sent to England have been re imported. Those guns have 'Not English Make' and british proofmarks pounded all over them.
Either many guns went home in duffle bags or the government must have surplused quite a few Victory .38's and 1911's because US property guns are out there. Again, uncommon and expensive, but out there. Like the 1911's, after the movie Saving Private Ryan came out interest in Victory .38's increased and the prices went up as well. I think I paid all of $150 for mine. [38 S&W caliber] I don't see the .38s getting the coin the .45s do unless they are the rare one's like the AF aluminum models and such. None of the common models will pull what a 1911 or A1 will in the same condition. |
|
Quoted:
I think I paid all of $150 for mine. [38 S&W caliber] I don't see the .38s getting the coin the .45s do unless they are the rare one's like the AF aluminum models and such. None of the common models will pull what a 1911 or A1 will in the same condition. Quoted:
Quoted:
S&W Model 10 'Victory' revolvers in both .38 Special and .38 S&W are not common, but are relatively easy to find if you really want one. Some are marked 'United States Property' and have the ordnance flaming bomb symbol and some do not. Some lend lease guns that were sent to England have been re imported. Those guns have 'Not English Make' and british proofmarks pounded all over them.
Either many guns went home in duffle bags or the government must have surplused quite a few Victory .38's and 1911's because US property guns are out there. Again, uncommon and expensive, but out there. Like the 1911's, after the movie Saving Private Ryan came out interest in Victory .38's increased and the prices went up as well. I think I paid all of $150 for mine. [38 S&W caliber] I don't see the .38s getting the coin the .45s do unless they are the rare one's like the AF aluminum models and such. None of the common models will pull what a 1911 or A1 will in the same condition. Recently? They may not be pulling what a 1911 will, but they are way more than they used to be. |
|
I saw a Victory revolver in VG condition just as the owner was entering the police station to turn it in for destruction. I offered to buy it, he declined. I doubled my offer and again he declined. Even the cop at the front desk said he should find a good home for it and earn a few bucks but still he declined and turned it in
|
|
Quoted:
I saw a Victory revolver in VG condition just as the owner was entering the police station to turn it in for destruction. I offered to buy it, he declined. I doubled my offer and again he declined. Even the cop at the front desk said he should find a good home for it and earn a few bucks but still he declined and turned it in  you should keep stories like that to yourself
|