Smith & Wesson Model 15

Smith & Wesson Model 15 .38 Special

The Model 15 Combat Masterpiece was in common use with police and private security officers from the 1950's to the 80's. The four inch barrel configuration was manufactured throughout its production history (1949-1999).

At various times it was also available with a two inch barrel (1964-1988), six inch barrel (1986-1992)and the eight and three eights inch barrel (1986-1988). The last two longer barrel lengths were issued after Smith and Wesson ceased production of the Model 15's target version the Model 14 Target Masterpiece in 1982.

The Model 15, and later the Model 67, was issued to officers of the L.A.P.D. for many years.It was, at the same time, a standard issue to pilots in the United States Air Force as well as the Air Force Security Police.

It was a counterpart of the Smith & Wesson Model 10 with adjustable sights and a "target" action. It is also the "duty" version of the Smith & Wesson Model 14 Target Masterpice. The biggest difference between the Model 15 and Model 14 was the Model 15 had a four inch barrel and the Baughman quick draw front sight while the Model 14 was initially only available with a six inch barrel and the Patridge front sight. The Patridge was not conducive to a "snag-free" quick draw while the Baughman was.

It was discontinued in 1999, but a stainless version,Smith & Wesson Model 67 is still in production. Chambered in .38 Special only, it has only 25% power of the modern .357 Magnums. This gun is the ancestor of the Smith & Wesson Model 19.

The Smith & Wesson Model 15 Combat Masterpiece Revolver was a K Frame revolver chambered for .38 Special. The Model 16 was a target model chambered for .32 S&W Long (and is not a common revolver). The Model 17 Target Masterpiece was a .22LR Model based on the same frame but for most of its production was made only with a six inch barrel. The Model 18 Combat Masterpiece (.22 LR) is a duplicate of the Model 15 with a four inch barrel.

Specifications

Type: Revolver

Caliber: .38 Special

Capacity: 6 round cylinder

Fire Modes: Single shot (Double Action Revolver)

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The Smith & Wesson Model 15 revolver can be seen in the following films and television series used by the following actors:

Smith & Wesson Model 15

Smith & Wesson Model 15 with factory target grips - .38 Special

Smith & Wesson Model 15-4 Combat Masterpiece with Hogue Grips - .38 Special

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
Mean Streets	Robert De Niro	Johnny Boy		1973
The Dove	Joseph Bottoms	Robin Lee Graham		1974
Shriek of the Mutilated	Jimmy Silva	Policeman		1974
Mr. Majestyk	Taylor Lacher	Gene Lundy		1974
Two-Minute Warning	Charlton Heston	Capt. Peter Holly		1976
Two-Minute Warning		LAPD officers		1976
Halloween	Donald Pleasence	Dr. Sam Loomis	Target Grips	1978
Halloween II	Donald Pleasence	Dr. Sam Loomis		1981
Sharky's Machine		Atlanta City Police Patrolman		1981
The Star Chamber		Police officers		1983
The Terminator	Arnold Schwarzenegger	Terminator	Nickel-plated	1984
The Terminator		LAPD officers		1984
Death Wish 3		Civilian		1985
To Live and Die in L.A.	John Turturro	Carl Cody		1985
To Live and Die in L.A.	William Petersen	USSS Agent Richard Chance		1985
To Live and Die in L.A.	Jack Hoar	Jack		1985
To Live and Die in L.A.	John Pankow	Vukovich		1985
To Live and Die in L.A.		Airport Police officer		1985
Cobra		Police officers		1986
Cobra		Security guard		1986
Iron Eagle		USAF Security Police		1986
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home		Police officers		1986
Lethal Weapon		LAPD officers		1987
The Monster Squad	Ryan Lambert	Rudy	Loaded with silver bullet	1987
The Monster Squad	Bryan Kestner	Rookie cop		1987
The Monster Squad		Police officers		1987
Beverly Hills Cop 2	Brigitte Nielsen	Karla Fry		1987
Beverly Hills Cop 2		Security guard		1987
Extreme Prejudice	Dan Tullis Jr.	Sgt. Luther Fry		1987
Extreme Prejudice		Bank guard		1987
Die Hard	Reginald VelJohnson	Sgt. Al Powell		1988
License To Kill		Seaplane pilot		1989
Batman	Jack Nicholson	Joker	15-3, with custom 21" telescoping barrel	1989
Bullet in the Head	Waise Lee	Little Wing		1990
Bullet in the Head	Tony Leung	Ah Bee		1990
Bullet in the Head	Jackie Cheung	Fai		1990
Fire Birds	Nicolas Cage	CWO Jake Preston		1990
Fire Birds	Sean Young	CWO Billy Lee Guthrie		1990
Fire Birds	Bryan Kestner	CWO Calvin Breaker		1990
Fire Birds	Dale Dye	Col. A.K. McNeil		1990
Fire Birds	Scott Williamson	CWO Scott Buzz		1990
V.I. Warshawski	Kathleen Turner	V.I. Warshawski		1991
Ricochet	Denzel Washington	Officer Nicholas Styles		1991
A Perfect World	Kevin Costner	Butch Haynes		1993
A Perfect World	Keith Szarabajka	Terry		1993
Cop and a Half	Burt Reynolds	Det. Nick McKenna	With pearl grips	1993
Natural Born Killers		Police officer		1994
Nick of Time	Christopher Walken	Mr. Smith		1995
Village of the Damned		CHP officers		1995
Eraser	James Cromwell	William Donohue		1995
Se7en	Morgan Freeman	Det. Lt. William Somerset		1995
L.A. Confidential	James Cromwell	Cpt. Dudley Smith	Combat Masterpiece	1997
Conspiracy Theory		Security guard		1997
American History X		Employee		1998
Spider-Man		Mugger		2002
Survival of the Dead	Julian Richings	James O'Flynn		2010

Television

Title	Actor	Character	Note	Date
The Dukes of Hazzard	James Best	Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane	(ivory grips)	1979-1985
The Dukes of Hazzard	Sonny Shroyer	Deputy Enos Strate		1979-1985
The Stand	Patrick Kilpatrick	Ray Booth		1994
Firefly	Tracy Ryan	Petaline		2002-2003
The Kill Point	Adam Kroloff	Henry		2007
The Kill Point	Frank Grillo	Albert "Mr. Pig" Roman		2007

Smith & Wesson Model 15 Snub

Smith & Wesson Model 15 with a 2 inch barrel .38 Special

Film

Title	Actor	Character	Notation	Date
Raw Deal				1986
The Hidden				1987
The Package				1989
Heaven's Prisoners	Vondie Curtis-Hall	DEA Agent Minos P. Dautrieve		1996
Blow		Undercover agents		2001
We Were Soldiers				2002

Television

Title	Actor	Character	Notation	Date
NCIS: Los Angeles			With nickel finish	2010

See Also

• Smith & Wesson Model 67 -Stainless Steel version of the Smith & Wesson Model 15.
• Smith & Wesson Model 19 -.357 version of the Smith & Wesson Model 15.