22-rimfire
Member
You did real well on the buy. I have paid more for them.
Good price for SW Model 19-4
- Thread starter kyarcher
- Start date
- Status
They show $190 for Blue, $235 for Bright High Polish Blue or Bright High Polish Nickel.
doc540
Member
deal!
Colt Smith
Member
I was in my LGS yesterday and they had a 4" dash 7 for $349. It was in great shape. It was about all I could do to walk out of there without reaching for my wallet. My 2.5" is my favorite. You got a nice deal on a classic. Enjoy it and never sell it. You will kick yourself later.
Johnny Guest
Moderator In Memoriam
Outstanding find!
kyarcher - -The vast majority of Model 19 revolvers produced were the four-inch barrel version. It was introduced to allow uniformed peace officers to cary the powerful .357 with somewhat less burden than the big N-frame versions, those that came to be known as the Models 27 and 28. Next most popular was the 2.5" type, originally to give plainclothes officers more concealable version of the powerful revolver. While I'm away from my reference works and don't have production figures, some research would indicate that the six-inch barrel was the least common. This type was popular with some state patrol agencies and rural deputies. A great number were purchased for use in police combat matches as well. Back in the 1960s and -70s, it was not unusual for an officer to own a trio of models 19: his duty four-inch, an off-duty 2.5-inch, and a six-inch match gun.
In a time when a plain-Jane Model 10 in that nice shape will fetch $250+, your six-inch M19-4 with no visible holster wear is a tremendous value.
Post the serial number (substitrute XX for the past two digits) and someone with the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson can give you the probable year the number was assigned at the factory.
Best,
Johnny
kyarcher - -The vast majority of Model 19 revolvers produced were the four-inch barrel version. It was introduced to allow uniformed peace officers to cary the powerful .357 with somewhat less burden than the big N-frame versions, those that came to be known as the Models 27 and 28. Next most popular was the 2.5" type, originally to give plainclothes officers more concealable version of the powerful revolver. While I'm away from my reference works and don't have production figures, some research would indicate that the six-inch barrel was the least common. This type was popular with some state patrol agencies and rural deputies. A great number were purchased for use in police combat matches as well. Back in the 1960s and -70s, it was not unusual for an officer to own a trio of models 19: his duty four-inch, an off-duty 2.5-inch, and a six-inch match gun.
In a time when a plain-Jane Model 10 in that nice shape will fetch $250+, your six-inch M19-4 with no visible holster wear is a tremendous value.
Post the serial number (substitrute XX for the past two digits) and someone with the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson can give you the probable year the number was assigned at the factory.
Best,
Johnny
X-Rap
Member
- Joined
- Sep 23, 2006
- Messages
- 6,657
I regret the sale or trade of every K frame Smith that has passed through my hands as well as the Js',L's, and N's for that matter but the 19 especially is the nicest revolver I have ever carried and the blued ones can be slicked up to butter smooth.
Back when you could buy them for $200-$300 I sold a couple in 2.5" & 4" that hurts still today but at the time I thought turning $75-$100 was big money.
Today if I see one for $350 or under its sold and if I need another safe just for them so be it.
Back when you could buy them for $200-$300 I sold a couple in 2.5" & 4" that hurts still today but at the time I thought turning $75-$100 was big money.
Today if I see one for $350 or under its sold and if I need another safe just for them so be it.
I really loved the two that I had, especially liked the orange ramp sights and white outlined rear blades. Deeply regret selling them, but it was necessary at the time. I bought both of them through newspaper ads in my hometown back in OK, paid $225 each for them. Sold them of course for far less, guns shops just LOVE to screw people who have to sell their toys. The second one I sold was in some yahoo's hands before I even got to the door, it never made it to the case. He nearly shoved me out of the way to get to it. Made me sick.
orrwdd
Member
Oh man I feel your pain. But I still have my 4" 19-2 that I bought new in 1971-72 and will never part with it.
Bill
mbopp
Member
I've been out of shooting for 25 years but got back into it. Got a 19-3 4" that I bought in '74 or thereabouts. If I'm going for a casual walk in the woods this is the gun I take. Accurate too - 5 shots (benched) into a B-16 X-ring at 25 yards.
pittspilot
Member
Very nice purchase. I'd snapped that up in a second.
bullturkey
Member
- Joined
- Jul 26, 2009
- Messages
- 140
I put one on lay away at my local gun store yesterday. About one third of the finish is gone. It has some minor pitting on the sideplate. Model 19-5, with target grips in good condition. 250 plus tax. I was elated. The gun is tight with hardly any burn on the top strap. Shot little carried a lot. I always wanted a 19 that I could parkerize and not feel guilty.
Whats the difference in a dash 4 versus the dash 5??
mesinge2
Member
Last edited:
mesinge2
Member
kyarcher, here you go:
19 (1957): Stamping of model number.
19-1 (1959): Change extractor rod, right to left-hand thread.
19-2 (1961): Cylinder stop changed, delete triggerguard screw.
(1963): Introduce 6" barrel.
(1963): 50 manufactured with 2.5" barrel, serial range K544672–K544721.
(1966): Introduce 2.5" barrel as standard.
19-3 (1967): Relocation of rear sight leaf screw.
(1968): Delete diamond-insert grip.
19-4 (1977): Change gas ring from yoke to cylinder. (Not really an "improvement". It did make it slightly easier to clean if there was heavy leading, but basically was a cost-cutting measure.)
19-5 (1982): Eliminate cylinder counterbore.
19 (1957): Stamping of model number.
19-1 (1959): Change extractor rod, right to left-hand thread.
19-2 (1961): Cylinder stop changed, delete triggerguard screw.
(1963): Introduce 6" barrel.
(1963): 50 manufactured with 2.5" barrel, serial range K544672–K544721.
(1966): Introduce 2.5" barrel as standard.
19-3 (1967): Relocation of rear sight leaf screw.
(1968): Delete diamond-insert grip.
19-4 (1977): Change gas ring from yoke to cylinder. (Not really an "improvement". It did make it slightly easier to clean if there was heavy leading, but basically was a cost-cutting measure.)
19-5 (1982): Eliminate cylinder counterbore.
Confederate
Member
Just be careful about putting too many .357 rounds through it.
The 19 is a phenomenal gun that could have been vastly improved by increasing the cylinder size and barrel cone, or forcing cone. S&W also increased other dimensions, which was great, but they added that blasted underlug because they wanted it to look like a Python. I have a 6-inch 686 that's a great gun, too, but it's too muzzle heavy. If you can take your time to line up the barrel on target, fine, but if your target is moving from side to side, you've got a huge problem. The lighter barrels of the 19 make it a more desirable gun in many ways, at least to me, but S&W had to grind off the bottom of the forcing cone to get it to fit the frame. And that area just loves to crack under relentless stress of full throttle rounds. Now some Ruger Security-Sixes also have ground off areas like that, but they don't have a reputation for having the same problem. Why? Who knows?
Use the 19 as a .38 Special that can shoot .357s and hot +P loads, but don't get carried away by just shooting heavy magnum loads as a habit. Even though my Ruger and 686 will take the hot loads, I find myself shooting mostly .38s anyway because magnum loads are expensive. You also have to run quite a few hot loads through a 19 to do the kind of damage you see below. Stainless holds up a bit better to this because hot loads leech the carbon out of steel. Stainless has a chromium content that largely resists this leeching.
The 19 is a phenomenal gun that could have been vastly improved by increasing the cylinder size and barrel cone, or forcing cone. S&W also increased other dimensions, which was great, but they added that blasted underlug because they wanted it to look like a Python. I have a 6-inch 686 that's a great gun, too, but it's too muzzle heavy. If you can take your time to line up the barrel on target, fine, but if your target is moving from side to side, you've got a huge problem. The lighter barrels of the 19 make it a more desirable gun in many ways, at least to me, but S&W had to grind off the bottom of the forcing cone to get it to fit the frame. And that area just loves to crack under relentless stress of full throttle rounds. Now some Ruger Security-Sixes also have ground off areas like that, but they don't have a reputation for having the same problem. Why? Who knows?
Use the 19 as a .38 Special that can shoot .357s and hot +P loads, but don't get carried away by just shooting heavy magnum loads as a habit. Even though my Ruger and 686 will take the hot loads, I find myself shooting mostly .38s anyway because magnum loads are expensive. You also have to run quite a few hot loads through a 19 to do the kind of damage you see below. Stainless holds up a bit better to this because hot loads leech the carbon out of steel. Stainless has a chromium content that largely resists this leeching.
mesinge2
Member
Actually, most of the forcing cone cracking problems were caused by using overly hot 357 Magnum rounds such as SuperVel ammo.
I fire a tamer 357 load (Speer Gold Dot 357 short barrel 135gr) through mine and have never had a problem.
I fire a tamer 357 load (Speer Gold Dot 357 short barrel 135gr) through mine and have never had a problem.
Confederate
Member
And you won't have a problem unless you shoot thousands of rounds. As I think I mentioned, the gun is quite capable and versatile and can handle the .357 load just fine. It just shouldn't be the preferred caliber for the gun. Even Bill Jordan realized the gun wasn't going to replace the larger .357s. He just didn't want to lug around a larger gun that he wasn't going to fire that many magnum rounds through. Because of its size and weight (and its barrel configuration), it's an astounding home defense and outdoor gun.
- Status
