My New Model 19

[dilligaf]

OK, it's not "new" new, thank goodness, but it is in almost perfect condition.   It's a '77-'81 vintage, and I will be utterly thrilled when I finally get my sweaty little paws on it.

The new S&W Model 19 "Classics" are not classic.  They are built cheaper and use shortcuts that the old ones didn't.

 The old Model 19's are the true classics.

www.gunbroker.com/item/964771069?a=1

[cbisbig]

Jan 18, 2023 19:06:24 GMT -5 dilligaf said:

OK, it's not "new" new, thank goodness, but it is in almost perfect condition.   It's a '77-'81 vintage, and I will be utterly thrilled when I finally get my sweaty little paws on it.

The new S&W Model 19 "Classics" are not classic.  They are built cheaper and use shortcuts that the old ones didn't.

 The old Model 19's are the true classics.

www.gunbroker.com/item/964771069?a=1

A glock?
The link doesn't work

[dilligaf]

Jan 19, 2023 15:21:14 GMT -5 cbisbig said:

Jan 18, 2023 19:06:24 GMT -5 dilligaf said:

OK, it's not "new" new, thank goodness, but it is in almost perfect condition.   It's a '77-'81 vintage, and I will be utterly thrilled when I finally get my sweaty little paws on it.

The new S&W Model 19 "Classics" are not classic.  They are built cheaper and use shortcuts that the old ones didn't.

 The old Model 19's are the true classics.

www.gunbroker.com/item/964771069?a=1

A glock?
The link doesn't work

Sorry about that.

No, it is a S&W .357 revolver.   Here's a link that SHOULD work, but mine is in much better shape.
www.gunbroker.com/item/964861214
The Model 19 is the first centerfire handgun I ever owned, and it's the first handgun I used as a police officer.  I owned a few of them over the years, and their stainless steel cousin, the Model 66.   But they all "got away."

I finally decided I had to have another one, so now I do.  Cost me over $1000, but they aren't making them any more.

The new Model 19's that S&W is making now are crap.

[cbisbig]

Jan 19, 2023 17:03:09 GMT -5 dilligaf said:

Jan 19, 2023 15:21:14 GMT -5 cbisbig said:

A glock?
The link doesn't work

Sorry about that.

No, it is a S&W .357 revolver.   Here's a link that SHOULD work, but mine is in much better shape.
www.gunbroker.com/item/964861214
The Model 19 is the first centerfire handgun I ever owned, and it's the first handgun I used as a police officer.  I owned a few of them over the years, and their stainless steel cousin, the Model 66.   But they all "got away."

I finally decided I had to have another one, so now I do.  Cost me over $1000, but they aren't making them any more.

The new Model 19's that S&W is making now are crap.

That looks just like a gun i bought from a friend years ago, only it was nickle
Had a badge that said hiway patrolman or something like that.
Had a couple scratches on one side he told me had come from the leo laying down his bike while on patrol.
I can't confirm any of that, but it definitely had that badge and a hair trigger

[dilligaf]

Jan 19, 2023 17:20:25 GMT -5 cbisbig said:

Jan 19, 2023 17:03:09 GMT -5 dilligaf said:

Sorry about that.

No, it is a S&W .357 revolver.   Here's a link that SHOULD work, but mine is in much better shape.
www.gunbroker.com/item/964861214
The Model 19 is the first centerfire handgun I ever owned, and it's the first handgun I used as a police officer.  I owned a few of them over the years, and their stainless steel cousin, the Model 66.   But they all "got away."

I finally decided I had to have another one, so now I do.  Cost me over $1000, but they aren't making them any more.

The new Model 19's that S&W is making now are crap.

That looks just like a gun i bought from a friend years ago, only it was nickle
Had a badge that said hiway patrolman or something like that.
Had a couple scratches on one side he told me had come from the leo laying down his bike while on patrol.
I can't confirm any of that, but it definitely had that badge and a hair trigger

Yep, they were made in nickel finish, too.
S&W made a gun that was bigger, and was actually named "Highway Patrolman," so you might have had one of those.
Then again, many depts bought the Model 19, known as the "Combat Magnum" and had them engraved with the dept name and badge.
Without seeing the actual gun, it's impossible to know its history.

You are right about old model S&W revolvers.   Their triggers are excellent.  They might only hold 6 shots, but when you can hit a gnat in the left eye at 100 yards, 6 might be all you need.   And don't laugh at speed loaders.  With practice they aren't much slower than changing out a semiauto's magazine.

EDIT: I forgot to mention that I do own a S&W Model 64 that has "E.B.R.S.O." (East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office) engraved on the side.
I bought it used in a gun store for $400, and it is in great shape, too.  LEO guns are carried a lot, but shot very little.  They may look like shit on the outside, but internally they can be close to perfect.

[Panama pfRedd]

Congratulations!
My Model 13 3" is a '80 or '81 don't remember, but I'm pretty sure it's a 1980. Good stuff!

[dilligaf]

Jan 19, 2023 21:35:30 GMT -5 Panama pfRedd said:

Congratulations!
My Model 13 3" is a '80 or '81 don't remember, but I'm pretty sure it's a 1980. Good stuff!

Those 13's are good guns, and the dash number will give a manufacture range.

The 3" 13 is the last revolver the FBI issued.  It was first requested by NYSP so they could have a .357 to replace their .38's.

My 3" RB Model 65 is the exact same gun, except in stainless.

[Panama pfRedd]

Jan 19, 2023 22:25:01 GMT -5 dilligaf said:

Jan 19, 2023 21:35:30 GMT -5 Panama pfRedd said:

Congratulations!
My Model 13 3" is a '80 or '81 don't remember, but I'm pretty sure it's a 1980. Good stuff!

Those 13's are good guns, and the dash number will give a manufacture range.

The 3" 13 is the last revolver the FBI issued.  It was first requested by NYSP so they could have a .357 to replace their .38's.

My 3" RB Model 65 is the exact same gun, except in stainless.

RB ?

[dilligaf]

Jan 19, 2023 22:34:05 GMT -5 Panama pfRedd said:

Jan 19, 2023 22:25:01 GMT -5 dilligaf said:

Those 13's are good guns, and the dash number will give a manufacture range.

The 3" 13 is the last revolver the FBI issued.  It was first requested by NYSP so they could have a .357 to replace their .38's.

My 3" RB Model 65 is the exact same gun, except in stainless.

RB ?

Round butt, as opposed to square butt (SB) normally on the longer barrelled Smiths.

Oddly enough, my 4" Model 64 also has a round butt. It's the same gun except the 64 is .38 Special only and is engraved as having belonged to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office.

You probably already know what is discussed in that video, but others here might not, so I post it as kind of a PSA.

WARNING:
DO NOT BUY the stainless gun on the left.  It is one of S&W's guns made their new, cheap shortcut way.     They don't have the skilled craftsmen or the machinery left to make good quality guns any more.

[Panama pfRedd]

Mine is a round butt too. I actually found my original stock wood grips not too long ago that I've been looking for for years. Moving will do that but then again I can't find stuff that I knew where it was at the CA house. (smacks forehead)

[dilligaf]

Jan 20, 2023 1:08:18 GMT -5 Panama pfRedd said:

Mine is a round butt too. I actually found my original stock wood grips not too long ago that I've been looking for for years. Moving will do that but then again I can't find stuff that I knew where it was at the CA house. (dmacks forehead)

If those are the small wood grips that fit the outline of the frame, adding a Tyler T-grip makes them perfect for actually using.  It fills in the knuckle-busting area behind the trigger guard, forces the hand down lower on the butt, and adds finger grooves to the front.

I have T-grips on both my 64 & 65.

www.t-grips.com/TGrips.html

[Panama pfRedd]

Jan 20, 2023 10:42:23 GMT -5 dilligaf said:

Jan 20, 2023 1:08:18 GMT -5 Panama pfRedd said:

Mine is a round butt too. I actually found my original stock wood grips not too long ago that I've been looking for for years. Moving will do that but then again I can't find stuff that I knew where it was at the CA house. (dmacks forehead)

If those are the small wood grips that fit the outline of the frame, adding a Tyler T-grip makes them perfect for actually using.  It fills in the knuckle-busting area behind the trigger guard, forces the hand down lower on the butt, and adds finger grooves to the front.

I have T-grips on both my 64 & 65.

www.t-grips.com/TGrips.html

#3R flat black looks like the ticket!
I have the Pachmyer round butt rubber grip on it now.

[dilligaf]

Jan 20, 2023 11:06:47 GMT -5 Panama pfRedd said:

Jan 20, 2023 10:42:23 GMT -5 dilligaf said:

If those are the small wood grips that fit the outline of the frame, adding a Tyler T-grip makes them perfect for actually using.  It fills in the knuckle-busting area behind the trigger guard, forces the hand down lower on the butt, and adds finger grooves to the front.

I have T-grips on both my 64 & 65.

www.t-grips.com/TGrips.html

#3R flat black looks like the ticket!
I have the Pachmyer round butt rubber grip on it now.

I've gone through the Pachmayrs, Rogers, and several other grips, and I finally figured out that the S&W magna grips paired with the T-grip work best for me.
The black ones will work great with your Model 13.

I'll probably just keep the oversized football target grips on my Model 19 since that's how it came from the factory, and it won't be a carry gun.
Talking its history with the seller, I found out it has been a safe queen, hardly ever fired.

[dilligaf]

The gun arrived yesterday.

It is absolutely beautiful with its deep polished blue finish!    The exterior of the gun is almost flawless, and no way would you think this gun is 41 - 45 years old. 
I haven't shot it yet just because it IS so damn pretty and pristine.

The trigger pull is a bit heavier than I like, but the single action break is as smooth as glass.   I'm thinking of getting a set of lower powered mainipring and 3 different weights of rebound springs from Wolf.

[Panama pfRedd]

Jan 26, 2023 15:21:42 GMT -5 dilligaf said:

The gun arrived yesterday.

It is absolutely beautiful with its deep polished blue finish!    The exterior of the gun is almost flawless, and no way would you think this gun is 41 - 45 years old. 
I haven't shot it yet just because it IS so damn pretty and pristine.

The trigger pull is a bit heavier than I like, but the single action break is as smooth as glass.   I'm thinking of getting a set of lower powered mainipring and 3 different weights of rebound springs from Wolf.

Congrats! Always nice to take possession of a safe queen!!