How tough is the Model 19, really?

[Kivaari]

Over the years, I've heard all kinds of stories....not too many full house .357 loads, load 'em down for practice, shoot 38+P, etc.

I know Bill Jordon liked it as did Skeeter....Skeeter was always filling the cases with 2400 under heavy cast bullets, etc......

Any long time Model 19 owners out there that can comment?

Any pistolsmiths that can comment on long term strength of the Model 19?

[Kivaari]

Chris

How so? It sounds great that I can shoot only heavies and be ok...

...on the other hand pressure is pressure... how think ye?

..perhaps momentum?

[bigdaddytacp]

Over the years, I've heard all kinds of stories....not too many full house .357 loads, load 'em down for practice, shoot 38+P, etc.

I know Bill Jordon liked it as did Skeeter....Skeeter was always filling the cases with 2400 under heavy cast bullets, etc......

Any long time Model 19 owners out there that can comment?

Any pistolsmiths that can comment on long term strength of the Model 19?

...........My number 1 all around use revolver is a old,35yr old, four in blue Mod 19........dressed with w/0 rear, gold bead front, TH,TT and custom stocks......I carried it as a full time LEO for many years....and shot it a lot.....not too many 357's as duty ammo was limited to 38Plus P and I shot some of my own loaded 357's in it over the years.......it has had one cly stop replaced and wider hand to keep the timing crisp......a couple of end shake bushings added to keep that to a min......I shot PPC competition heavy for several years and dryfired the old 19 for quick pratice many thousands of times instead of getting the bull bbl gun out........there is slight flame cutting from the bbl/forcing cone joint and the cly alignment is still straight and smooth......I wouldn't pick a 19 for full time 357 heavy use........it was a duty and have with you type gun...the 28,27's and heavier Python guns could take a more steady diet of 357 full load shooting...and their added weight makes them easier on the hand/wrist than the lighter 19....but with the new light material small 357's now days ....the 19 might feel like a powderpuff with the 357's after those lightweights........I also shoot and keep a 357 Python in 6in. and have had a bunch of 28,27's and Troopers in 357 but kept the 19//.....and only quit carrying it all the time for another gun I know you like.....25-5....45LC.........hth..good luck and good shooting!!!

[popplecop]

Iwas a firearms instructor and armour for the state for a number of years.  We carried Model 19s and shot full throttle 158s & 125s in them.  We replaced hands in them, end shake, and occassionly cylinder stops.  Don't get me wrong they are a fine revolver, but we went to 686s and most of the above problems disappeared.  I have a pre Model 27 that I bought used almost 50 years ago, don't know how many rounds through it.  Except for slicking up the action a little never have had to replace anything in it.  Made a mistake we carried Md. 66s, some 19s.  Eithere one is a fine revolver.

[Mikey]

Kivaari:  The 19's are dang good revolvers.  I shot silhouette with one a number of years ago using 200 gn bullets over charges of 4227.  No problems.  Found out that the 19 prefers heavy bullets and slower buring powders.  The lighter weight bullets using faster powders just eat up any spacers at the end of the cylinder.  I've been a fan of the heavyweight bullets for a number of years and my revolvers do not show any excessive wear.  HTH.  Mikey.

[Mohawk]

I still carry a 19 for duty. A blued and a nickel. I've shot a few hot loads and around 200 or so factory magnums and haven't seen any problems. My primary gun, 19-3(mid ,70's make) does not even show a flame cut yet. Lucky find! But like the others said, from what I've seen it seems the 19 prefers heavier bullets. Better accuracy and less wear, at least in my two 19's. For me the 19/66 design of the gun is perfect. But, if I was gonna push consistant magnums it would be a 28 or 27 on that good 'ole .44 frame.

[Drilling Man]

The M-19 is one of my all time favorite revolvers!!!!  I bought one in the 70's and shot it many thousands of times, but it did finally get loose enough that it needed to be retimed!!    So i bought a second one, and instead of going through the first one and tightening it up again, i instead, had it turned into a 44 spl..!!!

  As a 44 spl., i've once again shot it a LOT!!!  I still have it, and still love it as much as the day i bought it new!!!

  The picture is of my M-19 next to my M-29

  Drilling Man

[IntrepidWizard]

MyMD 19 Combat MAGNUM is just turning 50 this year,never once let me down .

[LAH]

I've had my M-19 since the mid 70's. My standard load in mag. brass is the 170 Keith and 5.5 grs. of 231 for about 1050 in my 4 inch barrel. I also like 5.5 grs. of Unique. Both loads are very accurate in my sixgun.

My M-19 didn't fair as well with heavy loads. I loaded the above bullet with 15 grs. of H-110 and before I fired 500 of those the cylinder went. The cases wouldn't eject without beating out one chamber. Anyway it cost me a cylinder. My pinned and recessed S&W is now only pinned. Just my 2.

[S.B.]

Evidently, not tough enough. Rumor has it that Smith is going to quit making them orany K framed .357 mag?

[Drilling Man]

Well, if S&W was going to quit them for strength reasons, don't you think they would have figured that out MANY years ago??  They've been makeing them for one heck of a long time!!!!

  BTW, my Model 19, 44 spl. is holding up just fine, as is my M19 357 mag., and NO i don't run full house loads through them day in and day out...

  Here's M19 44spl. next to my M29 44 mag...

  Drilling Man

[S.B.]

I can't say that I disagree with your thought process but, check on the S&W forum with your question and they know more than I. You've got to remember that L frames are well established now. Rumor has it that they are going to drop them in 2005? I still like that 5 shot .44 special 19, too bad they aren't around anymore?

[S.B.]

Thanks, Chris, for setting me straight on this.
And I should of said on DrillingMans post, too bad the gunsmith who did this conversion for you isn't around any more.

[Drilling Man]

Hey S.B.,

  Then where the heck is he??  Lets find him and get him back in action!!!  :>)

  He built two custom "K" frames for me, and i still would like another...  One of these days i'll take some pictures of the second one to post here..

  Drilling Man

[S.B.]

Drilling Man, right now I don't own a model 19 but, if I could locate this shop and get them to do one, just like yours, I'd sure find a way to come up with one. I tried contacting them thru the internet and got nowhere. I thought about contacting Bowen to see if he'd consider something like this but, his barrel man is retiring, I've heard? Talk about a gun to use for timber tramping, this would definately be a great one! And No titanium or alloyed aluminum? If you ever run onto him again, please let me know?

[Tacoma]

I  have 3 mod 19's ( 2.5, 4 and 6") and a 13 frames. All bought used, all have seen a mix of 38/357 from me. All are great guns with teriffic handling charicteristics. In all my ( Considerable) time shopping for K frmes, I can't say I've seen to many that were shot loose/sloppy. They are well built guns that will likely outlive me.  As mentioned above the biggest problem with them is folks shooting newer fast moving 110-120 gr 357's that damage the forcing cones. S&W recomends  125gr or above loads for which the K frame 357 was origionally intended.

I've also heard the talk about discontinuing the 357 K frame, It's my understanding that this had little to do with design. It was a production decision based on the increasing sales success of the L frame and the cost of producing just a few K frame models in this cal.