It's old. It's worn. I think it's beautiful.

[CajunBass]

Saw this one a few weeks ago at Ali-Babba's House O Guns, and put it on layaway. Picked it up today.

It's a Smith & Wesson Model 19 (no dash), four screw, 4" barrel, diamond target grips. The finish is well worn, but all the mechanicals check out. Actually the macro setting on the camera makes it look worse than it does in the real world.





I had to give it a good wipedown with a silicone cloth to get some crud (fingerprints, dust, old oil, etc) off it, and whoever owned it before must have never cleaned the chambers. A couple of them wouldn't seat a 357 magnum cartridge. That's been corrected. A couple of drops of oil made it feel like a trigger job had been done on it.

I think this will be a good match for my 19-4.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I think its beautiful too.
Leave that thing just like it is and shoot the snot out of it.

 

[David N]

It would be educational for us newbies to know what a fair price is for one of those.
THANKS!

 

[CajunBass]

These days, around here, a Model 19 starts about $500.00. You might find one for less but I don't. They don't stay on the shelves long. Depending on barrel length, condition, box, papers etc, they just go up.

 

[Vodoun da Vinci]

Fantastic gun and congrats on your find! I think it's beautiful as well...inherited a 4" M19 and was amazed that a trigger could be that good stock. Those are fantastic revolvers.

VooDoo

 

[Lucky Derby]

Very nice. Congrats!

 

[SleazyRider]

I think it's beautiful too.

But I've seen quite a few "worn" guns that were, in reality, simply abused guns. Guns that have been improperly handled, deliberately misused, or simply neglected. There's nothing prettier than a well-maintained gun that shows its age through typical handling marks and years of reliable service.

 

[Iggy]

That is a dandy. Just barely broke in.
Enjoy it.

 

[Waveski]

Lots of character. I too am curious as to price.

 

[Zcarp2]

Very nice! I tell the proprietors to show me the cheap ugly guns first. Sell the pretty ones to the collecters at collector prices.
Amazing how some of the ugly ones clean up real pretty with just some tlc.
If you got that for $500, I'd say you are on the high side. But you are correct, they don't sit on the shelves for long at that price. No-lock smiths are commanding a premium.
You are happy, so congratulations! I've spent more than I should on a gun I wanted because I got impatient.

 

[bannockburn]

CajunBass

Nice find; looks worn and somewhat neglected but not abused. Let us know how it does at the range.

 

[tubeshooter]

Nice looking gun there! Congrats!

I have an old NM Blackhawk that I bought used, serial number dates it to 1974. It was actually so well worn that it was shot out; I sent it to Ruger and they re-timed it and replaced a number of parts (thx again, Ruger). No telling how many rounds that gun saw before I got it. It has that same worn look as your gun, and I think it's a fantastic look.



It's funny how most of us enthusiasts admire a gun with character marks, yet we do all we can to avoid making them...

 

[S&Wfan]

Very nice M19 no dash. If the "diamond" (stocks) are original (and I do believe they are), you are looking at no later than a 1966 date, and probably earlier than that.

The inside of the right side stock (wood grip) should have a serial number on it, and if it is numbered to the gun as I suspect it is, you've really made a good score.

Those original Model 19 revolvers had the recessed cylinder design that was subsequently dropped later to save money. Thus when you drop the cartridges in, the head of the cartridge is fully supported inside the cylinder. Later S&W Model 19s and other models have the head of the cartridge sticking out behind the cylinder, even later .357 and .44 Magnums. Thus the original Model 19 revolvers shared the recessed cylinder design with the famous Model 27, their larger framed .357 "Cadillac" model.

As is often said, "They don't make 'em like this anymore." When I see S&W "Diamonds" (diamond stocks) and the barrels are pinned too, I know it is a vintage revolver nearing 50 years old or older . . . the GOOD STUFF!!!

Enjoy a well-made piece of history, and don't be surprised if it is a "tackdriver" with a great trigger!

PS: The old revolver had been shot a lot with 38 Special ammo rather than with ..357, so the old residue stuck to the cylinder walls just ahead of the end of the shorter .38 Special brass. NOT A BAD THING EITHER . . . for it shows the previous owner shot more gentle rounds in the gun. A good clean up to remove the residue and you'll find the longer .357 cartridges will drop right on in.

Then again . . . if you shoot a lot of .38 Spl. and don't clean it often, it will create tight fits in the future when you pop in the .357. No big deal whatsoever!

 

[bamabiker]

Since that's a no dash it should come from 1957/58 as the M19-1 started in 1959 but it could have been later in that year.
Some of the early Combat Magnum's target stocks were numbered to the gun but most targets were not numbered.
Congrats on getting what should be a good old shooter.

 

[CajunBass]

The S/N indicates that it was made in 1961, but it's marked as a "Model 19" with no dash number. A couple of sources have indicated that the -1's started in 1959. No big deal to me either way really. I've been around these things long enough to know you never say "never" with Smith & Wesson.

The stocks are period correct for late 50's, early 60's but don't number to the gun. As a matter of fact they don't have any numbers at all.

I don't shoot near as much as I used to, but even when I did, I almost never fired 357 ammo. Didn't seem to be necessary for punching a hole in a piece of paper. I doubt it will ever see another round of magnum ammo.

 

[skidder]

Nice Model 19! I like the way it looks.

Didn't seem to be necessary for punching a hole in a piece of paper. I doubt it will ever see another round of magnum ammo.

I'm with you on the 38s. I treat my 66-1 the same way. When I go hiking I'll throw in some full powered 357 loads, but they never get shot.

 

[lowercase]

Four screw Model 19 with lots of character?

I LOVE IT!

 

[Deaf Smith]

Yea I know. Finding and older one, even well used, and rehabilitating it is fun.

Mine cost $400 even, tax included, but the trigger would not pull. I disassembled it and found the bolt's spring and plunger was burred. Fixed that and then two chambers would drag when the cylinder rotated. Ejector rod bent. A bit of work with a plastic mallet and cylinder was spinning freely. Added a 8 dollar cylinder stop that fit the cylinder notches tight and YEP, a real sweet shooting S&W Combat Magnum back in the running.

The Eagle Secret Service stocks were from another K frame (3 inch Lady Smith 65.)

Deaf

 

[bwdilli]

Old, worn, and beautiful? Check, check, and check. It's not a 19 but it's the same feeling.

 

[CajunBass]

Since that's a no dash it should come from 1957/58 as the M19-1 started in 1959

WARNING!! Boring mineutia alert!!

I've been told by people here and on the Smith & Wesson board the S/N indicates 1961, but my understanding is those dates refer to the time it was shipped, not necessarly the time it was manufactured.

The chage from "no dash" to -1 was a result of a change from right had to left hand threads on the ejector rod. I'm told (I'm FAR from an expert on these things) that the way to tell is by looking at the end of the ejector rod. If the knurling goes up flush with the smooth part of the rod, it indicates right hand threads. If there is a slight gap between them, they're left hand. (Or was it the other way around. ) I get confused at my age. I just know the end of the ejector rod is different from the one on my 19-4.

This is the 19-4. I can see a little "gap" there between the knurling and the smooth part of the rod.



This is the ejector rod on the 19. It does appear to stop flush with the smooth area.



So what does all that mean? Absolutly nothing to me, and probably bores most everyone here to death. I just like mineutia like that.

The gun is marked as a Model 19 (no dash). I suppose it's possible that it sat in a warehouse at Smith&Wesson for a couple of years before being shipped, especially if it was made just before the switch over to -1.

Tomorrow we'll discuss how many angels can dance on the head of a pin.

 

[Dframe]

That gun is "drop dead gorgous". I LOVE guns with character that I can take out and shoot! I'd take that one in a new york minute. Then I'd shoot the heck out of it.

 

[Hometeached1]

Very nice!

You have a great shooter and carry gun that your only worry about will be your ammo budget!

 

[joed]

The model 19 has always been my favorite S&W. Of all their revolvers it fits my hand the best and points naturally.

My advice to you is stay away from mag loads shooting the 125 gr bullets. Not sure how much you know about the model 19 so I'll tell you the weak point. It was designed as a .38 Spl that can occasionally shoot magnum loads. The weak point of the gun is the bottom of the forcing cone by the cylinder. This is where they develop cracks. If the barrel cracks there are no replacements.

I no longer own any model 19s as I started buying stainless, I now only have a model 66. But the 19 is still my favorite.

 

[Phaedrus/69]

Very nice pickup! If I had that little gem I'd thoroughly test it then get a good IWB holster for it.

 

[Jim K]

That looks like an ex-cop gun, which usually means carried a lot, shot very little, perfectly OK unless you want a museum piece.

The "gap" in the ejector rod behind the knurled part indicates that the ejector rod has a left hand thread and is unlikely to unscrew itself in normal use.

Jim