SMITH & WESSON MODEL 19

[Pharaohawk27]

SMITH & WESSON MODEL 19
357 MAGNUM

I have this revolver with the four inch barrel and the original target grips. It must be a model of the late seventies, as the barrel is pinned and the chambers in the cylinder are chamfered for the head of the cartridge.

The cylinder is quite tight when at full cock and the bluing is pristine; based on this observation, I don’t think my father shot this gun much.
I haven’t yet had the opportunity to try this gun at the range, but I think I want one of the Pachmayr neoprene grips for the K frame on this gun. The shape of the target grips is all wrong for double-action shooting, flaring too much at the end and affording little grip for the last two fingers.

I think Bill Jordan had some special grips made that had a reduced diameter at the butt, but the guy still had enormous hands and could have gripped anything.
By the way, the model 19 was conceived with Bill Jordan's input on how a police revolver had to be made. In some circles he is considered the father of the model 19.

I put some dummy rounds in the cylinder and I cycled the gun a few times. The action feel very smooth and quick.
I like my revolvers with some kind of high-visibility colored sights; this one's are just black, the typical target sights, showing well in the buff and black targets but poor for street business.

The finishing of the parts and bluing is just perfect, the top strap and barrel sports an anti-glare rib that works really well and gives the revolver a touch of class. Great workmanship in general from a gun from the seventies.

Sincerely,
Pharaohawk

 

[depicts]

If the gun is in that good condition, you may not want to carry it "on the streets" and ruin the bluing. The 19 is a great shooter, but I agree with you, the grips don't work for me. I put Hogue rubber on mine, and they both shoot better with those grips.

Buy a little fluorescent paint at a hobby store (I like yellow) and paint your front sight for better visibility.

Quite a nice collection you've shown us so far.

Take care of that old P&R 19 (pinned and recessed) they are great guns, maybe even as close to perfect as a revolver can get.

 

[mark056]

The grips harken back to the day when most shooters shot their double action revolvers in single action mode.

Acutally, I'm not so sure I would want to shoot it either. Model 19's once one of the ubiquitious guns of law enforcement, while not scarce are starting to be get a little harder to find especially the older ones with the pinned barrels and the counterbored cylinders. Remember too, that the Model 19 was designed in an era when most cops trained primarily with light .38 loads, saving the .357's for duty (yeah, in retrospect it seems kind of dumb) consequently when more modern loads like the really hot 125 grain .357's were introduced and more training with the full powered ammo was initiated, it was found that the Model 19 couldn't hold up to a steady diet of .357's without forcing cone erosion and generally loosening up of the gun which is why the L frame guns were developed. I'd say that if you do shoot your Model 19 keep most of your rounds in the .38 special realm,

It sounds like you have a very nice revolver.

Mark L.

 

[ranger4-7]

Pharaohawk: Very nice Model 19. I just picked up a 70's vintage 19 myself. I've found that the Smith & Wesson forum is a great resource for all things S&W. In case you haven't found it yet, the web address is:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/

 

[TY43215]

Nice piece. Pachmayr Gripper stocks may be what you want. These revolvers were made to be carried and shot so enjoy it. Save the wood stocks as they go with the 19.

As for painting the sights, that is just blasphemy

To make it similar to how some left the factory, you can have the front sight inserted with red and get a white outline rear.

As for the S&W Forum, try This one I like it much better.

No matter where you look, there is a lot of bad information on the net so be very careful.

 

[Pilgrim]

Pinned and recessed SW's are bringing a premium today. They are very sought after. Please don't do anything to mess it up.

 

[Joe R.]

( The original opening sequence Battlestar Galactica music in the background ) There are those who shoot the gun for a purpose that says that one should own at least 1 S&W revolver in the collection. I finally broke down and did that earlier this year with a Model 19-5. I swapped out the grips for Houge's. It has spoiled me to both of the SIG's I own as to the DA trigger is WAY above either the P220 or the P226. I keep the ammo I shoot in it more biased to the .38 than the .357 but I use 158 gr for both. Mine differs from the original guys front sight as mine has the red insert in the blade. I don't like it as it makes it hard to see where the blade is in the rear sight. My 19 has the target trigger also.

Joe R.