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Post by Encore64 on Aug 14, 2023 13:25:21 GMT -5
Forty Four Years Ago this month, barely 15 Years Old, I purchased my first centerfire revolver.
I was torn between the S&W 19 and Ruger Security Six. I settled on the Ruger and never had a single regret.
At that age, $187.50 was hard to come by. So, buying both was out of the question.
Today, I finally was able to add The S&W 19. I posted about this gun when I put it on layaway. After bringing it home, I find the gun absolute perfection.
Fit and finish are impeccable. Barrel Gap is a consistent .003" on all six chambers.
Throats start out at .359" but taper to a tight .358" on the exits. Barrel slugged just shy of .357" best I could measure.
Max COAL is a remarkable 1.727". This gun screams to be fed cast bullets.
The "Classic" or 19-9 has the additional cylinder latch up front. Supposedly this helps keep the guns from shooting loose.
All I modified on the gun was to polish the latch to minimize cylinder scoring and replaced the Thumb Latch with the Excellent Tromix Replacement that covers the stupid safety. But, the Tromix Latch is easier to operate anyways.
This is absolutely one of the finest, if not the single finest, Double Action Revolvers I've ever held.
Pictures and range reports will follow. Hot here in the evenings, but I'll get there...
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Post by paul105 on Aug 14, 2023 13:59:16 GMT -5
Sixty yrs ago (jr yr in HS), I traded for a S&W M19. It replaced a Ruger Blackhawk .357 which had replaced a Smith M10 .38 special. With summer work money, I bought a Bianchi basket weave holster/belt combo and a set of fancy walnut Herrett Jordan Troupers. Had a Lyman "nutcraker" loading tool from the Ruger days. Side note - most of my hearing was compromised in those early days. Took the M19/rig with me when I went in the army - had a CO that worked on me for over a year trying to buy it - wouldn't let it go. Alas, it was stolen in a home burglery in the mid 70s. Replaced it about 10 yrs ago with a dash 3. The new M19-3 shown here with the original Bianchi holster (belt long since worn out) and a set of Grasshorn elk stags.  .  . Brought back a few memories. . Sorry for the hi jack. Paul |
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Post by Encore64 on Aug 14, 2023 14:05:55 GMT -5
HiHack Away!!! So many of us have followed similar paths...
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Fowler
.401 Bobcat
Posts: 3,663
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Post by Fowler on Aug 14, 2023 14:20:19 GMT -5
My 2 1/2" 19 is my favorite double action handgun I own. Old Tom Richardson decided I needed to have it and made me a silly deal on it and it is just as much fun to shoot as any revolver can be.
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Post by tdbarton on Aug 14, 2023 15:48:18 GMT -5
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Post by Encore64 on Aug 14, 2023 16:03:58 GMT -5
Thanks Tim...
Quality on the gun is apparent even in pictures. Of course, dimensions are not so clear.
I loaded up some ammo and hope to shoot it soon.
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Post by Encore64 on Aug 14, 2023 16:29:14 GMT -5
As can be seen, the pinned latch for the extractor is history.
These new guns have a much stronger lock on the yoke...
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tj3006
.375 Atomic
Posts: 2,080
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Post by tj3006 on Aug 14, 2023 21:45:25 GMT -5
Look Forward to a shooting review...tj
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Post by Encore64 on Aug 15, 2023 19:35:53 GMT -5
Shot this gun earlier this morning. Cast bullets only over 6.0 grn Unique.
Groups ranged from 1.5-2", so I'm well satisfied.
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Post by rjm52 on Aug 16, 2023 5:47:40 GMT -5
Nice gun...
In 1970 I was 18 years old and just graduated high school. Connecticut had CC licenses at that time and I got one.
Next was a trip to the gun store with my father as the 1968 Gun Control Act had upped the age of purchasing a hand gun to 21...I guess that would be a Straw Purchase now..
With the money I had saved was able to buy a 19-3 4" blue for $89 and a matching 18 .22 4" for $68....
Sold the 18 a few years later when it was replaced by a 53 6". The 19 had 20k rounds through it in 1980 when it was sold... Only 6 rounds of .38 Special were ever fired from it...all the rest were handloads.
Closest thing I have to it now is a 3" 66-2...
Great guns...
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Post by cddogfan1 on Aug 16, 2023 6:47:07 GMT -5
IS it a 2 piece barrel?
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Post by x101airborne on Aug 16, 2023 6:50:47 GMT -5
From the pictures the fit and finish of that revolver does appear to be quite exquisite. Congratulations.
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Post by Encore64 on Aug 16, 2023 6:53:27 GMT -5
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mattyb
.240 Incinerator
Posts: 75
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Post by mattyb on Aug 18, 2023 23:26:17 GMT -5
I’ll add my M19 experience too, I suppose.
I’ve had mine for a touch over 2 years. I cut off the hammer spur almost as soon as I got home as is my SOP with DA revolvers. My springs are all stock.
I put an SDM gold bead front sight and a DL sports fixed rear and IDPA-legal thumb piece/cylinder latch from revolver gea on it not long after.
It is the easiest gun to shoot that I own out to 50 yards. I have somewhere around 4 gallons of rounds through it, mostly “38-44” loads. After around 400 rounds, the DA trigger became really nice.
I know it’s popular to trash newly manufactured revolvers, but this thing is a fantastic shooter. I’ve killed mountains of paper and steel (and a handful of hogs) with it and I can hot rod it to some degree with 38 SPL loads (LSWC AND XTPs). It’s my main competition gun with Safariland Comp III speedloaders and if I were a pretend end-of-the-world guy, this would probably be my main pistol.
It’s never given me trouble and I suspect it won’t for a long time.
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gtojim
.30 Stingray
Posts: 222
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Post by gtojim on Aug 19, 2023 6:19:25 GMT -5
Nice gun... In 1970 I was 18 years old and just graduated high school. Connecticut had CC licenses at that time and I got one. Next was a trip to the gun store with my father as the 1968 Gun Control Act had upped the age of purchasing a hand gun to 21...I guess that would be a Straw Purchase now.. With the money I had saved was able to buy a 19-3 4" blue for $89 and a matching 18 .22 4" for $68.... Sold the 18 a few years later when it was replaced by a 53 6". The 19 had 20k rounds through it in 1980 when it was sold... Only 6 rounds of .38 Special were ever fired from it...all the rest were handloads. Closest thing I have to it now is a 3" 66-2... Great guns... |
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