[CmdrSlander]

It used to be that when you ranked up to general in the army you got one of these babies: the M15 General Officer's Pistol http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e7/M151911.jpg

I just thought this was interesting, I guess you have to be a general to get high profile sights :)

[CapnMac]

If I remember rightly, for a while, General Officers were given Colt 1903 in .32acp.
Quite a few flag officers are well-off enough to get whatever they want, too.

[predator20]

Here's a great video on one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0QZU6l0M980

[1911Tuner]

Ayep. I even cobbled one up out of a 1918 Black Army Colt frame and a Commander slide. Shoots good.

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e243/1911Tuner/BlackArmyCommander-2.jpg

[Onmilo]

MrColt45 states that 1004 of these handguns were made.
I have heard that not more than 500 were actually produced and not all were issued before the Beretta M9 became general issue.

The M9 in a slightly gussied up version then replaced the M15 as a General Officer issue sidearm and the remaining M15 pistols were destroyed during the Clinton era purge of excess military weaponry held in reserve stocks.

MrColt45s M15, serial number 348 is the highest number M15 I have yet seen.

[SharpsDressedMan]

About 6 years ago, I had contact with a guy that used to work for Rock Island Arsenal, and he claimed to have most all the parts necessary to make up some M15's. He was way too greedy on prices, though, and I passed (especially since he got them for free.......:rolleyes:). I guess that is what the government calls "destroyed".:p

[Texasred]

That first gun is ugly. Interesting though.

[1911Tuner]

Bet it ain't nearly as ugly as mine, Tex. :D

[Onmilo]

All the hoo-ha aside concerning the guns beauty or lack thereof, this pistols remains one of the rarest and most uncommon handguns ever issued to modern forces personnel.
Two others being the S&W 'Hush Puppy" and the silent revolver used by tunnel rats and based on the S&W Model 29.
It is estimated that less than a hundred of either of these guns were ever made.