I was reading a few older posts and noticed some of your comments. I have several older S&W's from when I was an officer in Okla back in late 60's and early 70's. I used to hunt and run around with Dan Combs of the Okla HP and Bill Jordon ("No Second Place Winner") of the Border Patrol. I have a Model 19 that Bill gave me and a Model 10 HB that Dan reamed to a 357 Mag and tricked out. Bill carried a 19 and Dan did for years till he "found"the 10 HB reamed to 357 fitted his purpose better. I think the 13 came later and was just a 10HB chambered in 357. I also own one of the S&W Dan Combs Commemorative's which is a 686. My carry was the 10HB that Dan fixed for me.
Probably my favorite S&W's of all that I own are the Model 17 22 4" and the Model 51 3" 22 Mag. Needless to say, I am an old S&W fan.
Also, I have an older Nickel Model 19 with a 2 1/2" barrel and the "square" butt. It's the only one I have ever seen with the square butt. Is this one considered "rare"?
Bill Jordan had a great idea when he talked S&W into putting the 357mag in the K frame didn't he. When I started as a rookie in 1976, my first carry was a Colt Diamondback (38 special), but then I saw for the first time the Model 19 Smith. WOW! I went and traded for a new one with target hammer and trigger. Back then it was not unusual for me and my partner to shoot 1000 rounds a day EACH, and the gun eventually went out of time. I replaced the cylinder hand and kept shooting. By the time this gun was too loose, I was shooting aerial targets and went to yet another Model 19. A few years later the Python bug bit me, and I tried two, but always went back to the 19. In between times I got into a scrap with a guy, and won the altercation with a Model 28. I hit what I shot at, but the gun was just too heavy for me for every day use. I had gotten into customizing 1911s, and my second altercation was with a Lightweight Commander I had customized. Beautiful gun, shot good, but out of the 5 rounds I fired 3 did not penetrate the opponent's cover, where the 357 mag would have easily done so. I won the fight, and immediately went back to the Model 19. Never fired another shot on the street, and eventually went back to the 1911.
I miss those old Smiths with the firing pin on the hammer nose, (which I like better), and in my old age, have considered selling the 1911, and finding an older 66, and perhaps a 13. I have always believed that instead of switching to the auto pistol, law enforcement would have been better served with more practice ammo, and more training. I NEVER felt the disadvantage gun writers PHILOSOPHIZE about in fight. Most all of them have never fired a shot in defense of themselves or any one else. To me the 357 mag 125 grain hollow point IS the measuring stick of a one shot stop, and no, I DON'T consider the 357sig it's twin. It is nothing more than a souped up 9mm, with less surface on the nose, totally reliant on the hollow point working. The REAL 357 mag was not only a penetrator, but also a BONE breaker.
As a side note, Jordan was an absolutely amazing shot, and his dexterity was equally amazing for such a large human being. He was a man cut from the old cloth, and hard to not only find, but impossible to replace. I knew men like him, and am proud to have been considered their friend, and at times their fellow combatant.
