Need help from the "old timers."

[1 LT MPC]

The 26 edition of Fjestad's Blue Book says this gun doesn't exist. Is it true?
According to the author, 4 inch model 19's have square butts. This is a 19-7 version. Is it real?

 

[XavierBreath]

Fjestad and Supica's Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson disagree. The square butt was discontinued in 1995-96. The Model 19-7 continued until 1998 when it became the 19-8.

If the serial number is intact on the butt of the gun, there is little doubt that this one left the factory as a round butt. A conversion will show in the serial number.

 

[1 LT MPC]

Thanks 'Breath. The number is intact on the butt and starts with CAPXXXX.

 

[Checkman]

I think the round-butt K frames with the 4" bl and the magna grips just looks wrong. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I'd put some nice older stype target grips on that Model 19. But it isn't mine is it.

 

[1 LT MPC]

Those grips fit my hands perfectly--and the gun is a tackdriver. To each his own, eh? Ever see the grips Jim Crillio uses on his Smith.

 

[burrhead]

I have a 19-5 four-incher with a round butt. Came like that from the factory. Magna stock with a Tyler-T. Fits me just fine.

 

[dogngun]

LT: I have a 4" 586-3 roundbutt that's not supposed to exist, either.
S & W has been a great company for making guns on special order, in small batches, that get overlooked and than become "impossible".

Mine fits my hand very well, and is my all time favorite .357 mag.

Enjoy it.

Mark

 

[Marko Kloos]

There were several runs of 4" M19s made with round butt grips. My old four-inch M19 came with a round butt from the factory and was made for the US State Department in the 1980s. They also made runs of the 4" round butt 19s for the Navy's ONI. They're not all that common in factory configiration, but they're out there.

 

[isp2605]

Marko is correct. Rd butt 4" Mod 19 were issued to the NIS in the early 70s. In the mid 70s when the FBI field offices were forming their SWAT teams the agents on the teams were issued the 4" rd butt Mod 19, many stamped with NIS.

 

[BluesBear]

The 2½" Model 19 was always a round butt. Up until S&W standardized the round butt on all revolvers the 4" and 6" Model 19s were square butt.

Usually.

However, S&W did make several batches of 4" round butt Model 19's prior to "the change" and I have even seen one factory square butt 2½".

Up through the 1980s, you could special order just about any K-frame with the "wrong" butt if you were willing to wait until they produced another batch of that particular model.