New S&W MODEL 19

[riflenut]

I recently purchased a S&W model 19 4" barrel blue made in 1978. its 95% clean cond. I always wanted one of these ,when seeing them at gun shows back in the day, when revolvers dominated the market! I purchased a new Colt python blue 6" IN 1978 for 398.00 my wife had a fit!!! so here Iam in 2011 with the other revolver I wanted at that time. MY question I have heard from several people to be careful on what grain of 357 ammo I shoot.that some loads can crack the upper rail above the cylinder. Any truth to this, please let me know.Dont want to hurt my newest baby revolver!! thanks for any input. Chris L.

 

[Sport45]

I don't shoot a lot of the hot 125gr loads through mine. In fact 99% of what I shoot is cast lead .38 special loads.

You shouldn't hurt anything with 158gr and heavier cast or jacketed bullets in magnum loads. Heck, you probably won't hurt anything with the 125gr loads but why take the chance? They don't make guns like that any more.

 

[mnrivrat]

The story goes that shooting the hot lighter bullets will shorten the life of the forcing cone ,and/or eat thru the top strap with blame burn . Cracked forcing cones being I think the major concern.
I've owned a couple or more of the 19's but generlay shot target load 38's from them or heavy bullet 357 magnums. I have fired a number of the light hotter rounds also, but but they were the minority loads I used. I put thousands of rounds thru them without any problems.

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

I've heard forcing cone with a pretty steady diet. Not top strap, heard that one on Ruger BH 357MAX. There is a thread about chamber expansion you might want to check out. Theres some strong feelings on it. The 19 was for guys, weary of the 27/28 N frames in holsters. Naturally they stepped down to K frame to lessen the weight. So now its not as sturdy as 27/28.!!?? In comes L frame, Nframe cylinder frame with K frame grip.
Plus a lug for Python fans. I think most are happy with that one.

I really like 2 1/2, and 4" 19s.

 

[CajunBass]

If you load a pickup truck full of gravel and haul it around all the time, you will wear a pickup truck out faster than if you use it to haul the kids/grandkids to Little League practice. Sure, you can use it to haul gravel around from time to time and won't hurt it. You want to be careful not to overload it, but you can do it.

Same thing with K-frames (or any gun really). If you use maximum loads, you're going to wear it out quicker. Fact of life. How quickly? Can't tell you, any more than I could tell you how quickly you'll wear out your truck.

I don't shoot a lot of .357's period. In any gun. I don't like the noise and the recoil, or the extra expense. I don't need .357 to make a hole in a piece of cardboard. I shoot them enough to stay familiar with them, but I shoot 10 times or more that number of .38's.

I don't worry about wearing out a Model 19.

And to the OP. Congratulations. You've got a classic. My first handgun was a Model 19. I foolishly traded it off for something else thinking "I'll get another one, one of these days." It took 25 years, but I finally did.



A 19-4 also. I have the original target grips, but like the silver/black look on this gun.

 

[larryh1108]

I like the M19 S&W. It has good weight and balance. Very accurate with the 4" barrel. Here's a pic of mine with some wood grips and my daughter shooting it the other day. She loved it as you can tell by the smile she has. She owns a Springfield XD9c and is a pretty good shot with it.

 

[Lawdawg45]

Great choice! I carried one for the first half of my LE career.

LD45

 

[Colt Smith]

Model 19's are one of the most beautiful revolvers ever designed. But the forcing cone is an area of concern. Some people will tell you that they have shot lots of magnum loads and various hot rounds without any problems at all. The cautious shooter should stick to 158 grain loads however. Flame cutting of the top strap is always an issue with a steady diet of hot rounds but the issue with the 19 has more to do with the forcing cone. The FC is shaved at the 6 o'clock position to make room for the crane to swing into lock up position. This becomes vulnerable to cracking with some examples using lighter, faster bullets and magnum loads.

 

[huntershooter]

The (hot) 125 gr. loads were allegedly responsible for the FC/top strap issues. The shorter bullet allowed gas cutting worse than a longer bullet, from what I remember reading.
If I were concerned about this i would stick with 158 gr. (+-) loads.

 

[1911Tuner]

It's not the lighter bullet that causes topstrap cutting, but rather the slow burning powder that holds pressure peak for a longer time. Add to that the greater gas volume when you have to use a larger charge of powder...and it'll cut it. The final ingredient is the shorter bullet allows the gas to start escaping the gap sooner.

High volume+hot gas+longer dwell time+more area under the curve.

Model 19s and their fixed-sight K-Frame counterparts are wonderful revolvers. My favorite DA revolvers, in fact. They're not exceptionally strong revolvers, though. Be kind, and your Model 19 will serve you well for a long time.

 

[camar]

For the past 5yrs. I fire(my S&W 19) 200 rds. of .357 Mag.(173gr. LSWC/14.5gr. of H110) at least every month. Still solid as when I bought it.

 

[roaddog28]

Others have answered the question well. I have four K frame magnums. One model 13, two model 19s and one model 66. I do shoot more 38 specials than 357 magnums through these revolvers. But when I do shoot 357 magnums through them I use CCI Blazer 357 magnum hollow points. This round will not hurt a K frame magnum. They are 158 gr and velocity runs between 1100 to 1200 fps. I don't even have any frame cutting shooting this round in my K frames. I you reload then stay in that range and you should not have a problem.
Regards,
Howard

 

[stonecutter2]

Congrats

I love my snubby 19.

Go with 158gr rounds like others have said.

An S&W person also told me that if I catch any forcing cone splitting, it's possible for them to turn the barrel in a little further and redo the forcing cone - but you have to catch it early. Just keep an eye on that 6 o'clock position, otherwise shoot away and take good care of her.

Here's mine (made in 1980):

 

[1911Tuner]

In all things, there will be shining examples and there will be dogs. Neither is representative any more than a certain brand of automobile that hits 200,000 miles without ever breaking down or failing to start. Or...conversely...another example of the same car that spends more time in the shop than on the road. These are at either end of the extremes, and neither is representative of the model.

One man's experience with one gun only proves that his gun never failed. For those lucky individuals...know that the ballistic gods have smiled on you. For those who have cracked and blown forcing cones...stretched frames...and cut topstraps nearly halfway through...you've seen the alternate reality of .357 Magnum K-Frame revolvers.

The K-Frame began life chambered for the .38 Long Colt, and then the .38 Special. Low intensity rounds that the gun was eminently suited for. When Smith & Wesson ramped up to .357 Magnum at Bill Jordan's request...the game changed. Even with great strides in metallurgy...it's still a medium frame revolver with a chambering that was developed in a large-framed gun...with a sideplate that further weakens the frame...and a forcing cone that's necessarily thinned for clearance at the bottom.

The K-Frame was the reason that the ammo companies gelded the .357 Magnum cartridge, and brought it down to what we have today as opposed to the fire-breather that it was in 1965. Today's loadings are very close to the old .38-44 HD ballistics...which was considered too much for the .38 Hand Ejector Model...which later became the Model 10.

The ammo makers finally gave up and dropped the .38-44 loading from the lineup because Model 10 owners were ignoring the warnings to use it in large-framed revolvers only...and they were beating model 10s apart while-u-wait.

I consider the K-Frame Smith to be without peer. It's a fine revolver. My favorite double-action. It's just not an exceptionally strong, robust revolver.

 

[Ala Dan]

I don't shoot any 125 grain JHP +P or +P+ loads in my S&W K-frames; certainly not a model 19; as they are too hard to come by~!

 

[robctwo]

I bought a couple 19s last year, then a couple more. The neighbor liked them so well he bought one, then another. My buddy at work just bought one, he'll probably get another. We need the 4" and the 6" you know.

I'm shooting 125 gr lead with 2.9 Bullseye. Deadly on paper and clay birds. I've shot some 158 gr lswc in .357, mid and upper ranges. I don't like them much. Loaded some up with Hornady XTP for self defense.



I like the Ahrends retro combat, these are moradillo

 

[cyclopsshooter]

It's not the lighter bullet that causes topstrap cutting, but rather the slow burning powder that holds pressure peak for a longer time. Add to that the greater gas volume when you have to use a larger charge of powder...and it'll cut it. The final ingredient is the shorter bullet allows the gas to start escaping the gap sooner.

High volume+hot gas+longer dwell time+more area under the curve.

Model 19s and their fixed-sight K-Frame counterparts are wonderful revolvers. My favorite DA revolvers, in fact. They're not exceptionally strong revolvers, though. Be kind, and your Model 19 will serve you well for a long time.

Now thats internet info you can take to the bank!

 

[Sunray]

"... be careful on what grain of 357 ammo..." Hi. It's not the bullet weight. It's constant use of hot .357 ammo with any bullet.
stonecutter2, please reduce the size of your pictures.

 

[riflenut]

thanks on info!

Hey thanks everybody for all of the advise on my S&W Model 19,Thats what I like about this Gun Forum. There are alot of true gun enthusiast on here!!

 

[PabloJ]

I don't shoot any 125 grain JHP +P or +P+ loads in my S&W K-frames; certainly not a model 19; as they are too hard to come by~!

This weapon was made in large numbers including: blued, stainless and nickel plated variants. There is also fixed real sight/HB M&P variation out there. One of the best handling fighting revolvers ever made that unlike the sainted Colt 'Python' can still be found at reasonable prices. If one uses .38+P loads in one it will last very long time. Using full .357 loads will accelerate wear as one would expect.