S&W Model 19 – The Police Officers Perfect Revolver
Note: For a fine selection of 38 caliber & 357 ammo please visit Guns For Sale.com
If there was ever a perfect revolver it was the S&W model 19. A revolver in medium weight that has excellent handling, fires a powerful cartridge with wonderful accuracy. You just can’t ask for more in a revolver.
The .357 cartridge was created by Winchester for S&W in the 1930’s and used in the “N” frame S&W. In the early 1950’s there was a perceived need for a new .357 by Bill Jordan. Jordan was a famed Border Patrol agent and a genuine gunfighter down on the Mexican border. Armed confrontations were commonplace back in those days so if any one knew what type of revolver was needed for police officers it was Bill Jordan.
Jordan was retired by this time and spent a year with S&W developing the revolver that was to become the most popular revolver in police officers holsters until the trend toward the “wonder nines” of the 1980’s. Sure there was the model 10 and the newer 686 but the 19 was the preferred revolver of the bunch.
As it turns out the model 19 was scaled down to a medium “K” frame with all the features and overall shape of it’s “N” frame big brother. The development wasn’t without challenges since existing steels of the time wouldn’t handle the pressures of the 357 in the “K” frame. After much experimenting with various steels a blend capable of handling the pressures involved was created. Both S&W and Bill Jordan were very pleased with this new medium weight revolver. In fact S&W presented Jordan with the first “Combat Magnum” in 1955.
Bill Jordans book autographed for me in the 70’s. He has a model 19 in the cover picture.
The initial name of this new revolver was the “357 Combat Magnum”. S&W tooled up and began turning out Combat Magnums in blue and nickel finishes. The first were sold in 1957 and renamed the model 19. The standard models were 4 inch barreled with 2-½ inch barreled models coming out a bit later.
With the exception of a few very large police departments most officers of the time had to purchase their own duty revolvers. If they could afford it they bought model 19’s. Many Detectives purchased these with the 2-½ inch barrel when they became available. The Border Patrol was one agency that provided duty weapons and the model 19 was standard issue for many years.
As it turns out there were a few problems with the model 19 when digesting lots of full power 357’s. Small cracks began to appear at the six o’clock position of the forcing cone along with some cutting of the top strap. These problems weren’t considered a big deal with owners at the time. Not that many people shot 357’s all the time anyway. 38 special ammunition was cheaper and most departments had plenty on hand. Officers adapted and practiced with 38’s with the occasional practice and qualification with 357-magnum ammo. 357 rounds were the obvious carry round on duty. This adaptation solved the problem with the forcing cone and top strap issues.
The model 19 in these photos is my personal gun. I’ve owned it since the mid 1970’s and carried it on duty a good number of years before switching to a semi auto. Even today I wouldn’t feel out gunned carrying it for protection. Using Federal 125 grain JHP it’s a formidable gun. This load is rated at a 97% one-shot stop if you do your part.
This particular example is a 19-2 that dates it between 1961 and 1967. This was also during the time S&W made a beautiful deep blue finish unlike those finishes we see these days. Even after all these years of use and carry the finish still looks good.
There is an interesting story behind my model 19. I happened to arrest an individual and relieved him of this revolver. I placed it in the property room and went through all the usual court proceedings checking it out and back in each time for my court appearances. What most people aren’t aware of is back in the mid 1970’s if an officer arrested someone for a felony offense, which included a weapons charge in this case, once all the appeals are exhausted and the suspect is a resident of the state for some years the officer making the arrest could ask the judge to release the gun from the property room and give it to them if the original owner could not be located. No I’m not kidding☺ Not a chance of that these days but it was a different time. Anyway, the judge would write an order releasing the gun to the officer who then presented it to the property officer who logged it out. It was now the officer’s property. You would be surprised at how many officers got new duty guns in this way. The only stipulation was the officer could never trade or sell the gun. It had to remain the officers’ property forever. Of course all of this could take a year or more but in this case it was worth the wait. This gun had seen very little use. I qualified with it and into my duty holster it went. My issued model 10 stayed at home. I’ll grant you this has nothing to do with the review but I thought it would be interesting for most of you.
If you check local gun shops and find older S&W revolvers with pinned barrels and a counter sunk cylinder that encloses the case head you’ll spend at a minimum of just under $500. Less common models can be close to $1000. Not that many years ago a used model 19 could be purchased for $250. Since the changes in S&W’s with frame mounted locks etc. the older guns are more desirable. There are also fewer of these old guns out there.
Most model 19’s as well as other older S&W revolvers are very accurate. I hit a home run with this particular revolver. It’s the most accurate revolver I’ve ever owned with groups of ½ inch standing unsupported at 15 yards being about average. From a rest at 25 yards the groups are about the same as the 15 yard standing groups. The load used were handloads in 38 special firing a 148 grain semi-wadcutter. Every now and then you find a S&W that just comes out from the factory better than most.
I know that many shooters believe that revolvers are obsolete and only have a place in hunting and revolver competition. While there is some truth to this my personal belief is they are still a viable option for defense. I’ll go out on a limb here and say if I had a one on one defensive situation I would probably choose my model 19 even over my 1911’s. The problem in the current world is there are more situations that arise where there are multiple attackers in say a home invasion scenario. This calls for a weapon with more ammunition capacity.
Conclusion
If any readers ever have a chance to shoot one of these fine old revolvers I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised and will enjoy the experience. Defense aside they are just fun to shoot. There’s not much sweeter than a nice trigger job on a fine handling revolver.
As far as a home defense gun a revolver can be a very good choice for a novice shooter or a person who practices very little. Let’s face it when your awakened in the middle of the night you can be pretty groggy. A revolver is so simple to operate with no safeties and a long trigger pull. It just makes it safer during those seconds when you retrieve your gun and begin to get your wits about you.
Whichever gun you chose go out and practice. Meet some of the nicest people around in your fellow shooters and enjoy the experience.
My uncle Was california highway patrol for many years. when he first started he couldnt afford the colt python he wanted so he bought a 6″ ruger security six. as years went by he managed to procure himself a 6″ model 19, then my aunt as a birthday present bought him a python which according to him he carried for almost a whole week before going back to his trusty k frame. when I was a teenager we would go shoot his numereous handguns and I have many a fond memory of being blasted with hot lead and powdwer from his k frame. he would handload hardcast 158gr. lead semi wad cutters with gas checks to maximum potential. Report and recoil were obscene. one of the saddest days of my life was the day he passed. shortly after, I recieved the three service revolvers, all except the python were very holster worn with nicks out of the grips. I carry the old k frame in the woods to this day. god knows how many rounds i’ve shot through the old k. I know I just got done loading 500 170gr. keiths and they will most likely last a month and a half. I guess nobody told the K it was time to wear out. with a clean bill of health from the gunsmith I contiue to shoot the old k every weekend almost. I just wish old uncle doug was with me to do it.
I think this is a real great blog article.Much thanks again. Fantastic.
I married in July of 1970 and went to work for the local PD in December. The following July, I talked my wife into getting me a model 19 for an anniversary present and the issued model 10 went into a drawer.
You are 100% correct in your assessment of the model 19. My only regret is that somewhere along the line, I let it get away in a trade. The PD later issued model 586′s and then 686′s through a Federal grant. Nice, but I just did not like them as well as the model 19.
The only other Smith I thought as much of, other than my model 29 with 6 1/2″ bbl. is my model 13, 3″ heavy bbl. with round butt. I got it shortly after the FBI went to them. I bobbed the hammer, as I only shoot double action and installed a combat rebound spring. At 15 yards offhand, with a 200 gr. lead round nose hand load, it exceeded the accuracy of the model 19. I still have it, and intend to pass it on to my son in my will.
The model 19 and 13 will not hold up to extended firing of magnums without shaking loose a bit, but they will shoot .38 loads forever.
I got to meet Bill Jordan a couple of times at some matches while I was shooting on the pistol team. He was a great man and very friendly. Nice article. Wish I had another 19.
Correction: I originally meant to state the year 1993, not 1983, was
the final year the S&W Model 10 (K-Frame) .38 Special Military and
Police revolver was standard issue to the New York Police Department
(NYPD). The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) likewise retained
the S&W Model 10 as standard issue until 1996. But this article is
about the Model 19. Yet, if the original S&W K-Frame Hand Ejector
and .38 Special weren’t developed concurrently in 1899, the Model
19 and 66 “stainless” both wouldn’t exist today. Neither would the
Models 15 (Combat Masterpiece), K-38 Masterpiece (Model 14), K-22
Masterpiece (Model 17) or the stainless .38/.357 versions of the
Model 10: the Models 64, 65, and 67, respectively.
I place all these classic, venerable, and historical revolvers within the
same class as the Winchester Model 97 “hammer” pump shotgun (1897-
1957) as designed by John M. Browning, the .300 Savage (Model 99 lever
action rifle), and other firearms of a bygone America. Despite the advent
of Glocks, Berettas, Sig-Sauer, etc. these historical firearms will work
and perform just as well today, as they did during the 20th century.
My emotional attachment to the historical, versatile, and venerable
Smith and Wesson (K-Frame) Model 19 .357 Combat Magnum revolver
commenced in 1975-76 while an explorer scout with the Klamath Falls,
Oregon Police Department. There were several S&W (N-Frame) Model
28 .357 Highway Patrolman revolvers too, as were Several Colt Python
.357 Magnums. Yet, the majority of the officers carried Model 19′s in
their belt holsters. Today going on age 55 I own three classic Smith
and Wesson .357′s: both a Model 19 (19-4) and 66 (66-1) “stainless”
with 4″ barrel, and an original 6″ S&W Model 28 Highway Patrolman of
1965 vintage, with diamond walnut target grips.
I agree that the S&W Model 19 was the perfect police revolver of
American law enforcement. Like the S&W Model 10 (K-Frame) .38
Special Military and Police revolver via the New York Police Dept. or
NYPD until 1983, Model 19′s were the quintessential .357 Magnum of
the lawman. However, not only for law enforcement. Also, for the
honest voting age free thinking American citizen. Self defense/house
protection is only half the reason to own a .38/.357. For the outdoors
person no handgun remains more versatile. As a companion sidearm for
fishing, camping, hiking, hunting: (to supplement a rifle during deer/elk
season), gathering wild berries, wild plums, etc. an S&W Model 19 or
66 4″ barrel is mighty convenient life insurance and protection in the
great outdoors.
Finally a .38 Special 148 grain lead target wadcutter (next to a .22
or .32) is highly practical, formidable, and effective against small game:
rabbit and squirrel, or for dispatching vermin: skunk, raccoon, possum,
etc. CCI’s classic shot or “snake” load in .38 Special is highly useful in
killing rattlesnakes up close with a head shot. I don’t feel under gunned
at all with a double action revolver with 5 or 6 shot swing out cylinder.
Very good article.
The Model 19 is a all around great gun with the caveat that others have pointed out here, its not great with a steady diet of full house .357 magnum rounds, especially the hot 125 grain loads.
If you need a gun for that, one is better off with the MR73 as mentioned or a Ruger Security 6 which is a meager amount heavier and much more robust if a bit less refined.
However given the immense muzzle blast and report of the .357 magnum, most shooters are better off with hot .38 specials anyway. This model gun will happily shoot those without issue.
abprosper,
I surely agree with firing to many full house 125 grain 357′s. I used that load on duty but always practiced with my hot handloads in 38 special.
My wife, Mary, carried the 19-2 for many years as a reserve deputy sheriff in New Mexico. She consistently shot expert with the gun and will not part with it. Today she shoots a Springfield XD9-SC for fun, but loves her Model 19, having turned down almost $1K for it…. no sale. Our daughter or son will inherit that gun someday in the distant future. GREAT ARTICLE – The most definitive that I have ever read on the Model 19.
BTW, Mary is the Woman’s Editor for Guns and Shooting Online in the US and is leaving for an alligator hunt in two weeks in Florida.
Dr.,
Dr.Clary–Thank you very much for your kind words on my article. Mary sounds like my kinda lady:-) Tell her to stay safe in Florida!
Phil
Phil, the next time you come to Hollywood, drop by to shoot nearly every MR73 and Korth .357 Magnum variant ever made. Regrettably, my old school SIG P210-5 must remain in pieces until our “assault weapon” ban gets overturned on Constitutional grounds. But the SAN P210-5LS can stand proxy for that classic Swiss target gun.
American handgun designs peaked in the late Thirties. Since the end of WWII, we’ve made nothing to equal the SIG P210, the Manurhin MR73, or the Korth revolver — or, for that matter, the Beretta 92 or the Glock 17.
Michael,
Now that would be fun. I seldom get that far west but I may just have to the next time I go to Arizona:-)
@Phil White: There is no shortage of Manurhin revolvers in Old Europe. Getting them exported out of France is like pulling teeth with a wet noodle, so I buy mine in Germany via eGun.de. The only S&W revolvers I have are prewar Kit Guns and Registered Magnums, a late production Bekeart, and a Triple Lock target in .44 Special. Nothing else comes close to the MR73 for fast double action shooting, not even an early Python or a Korth. With all due respect for Bill Jordan, by the time S&W collaborated with him in making the Combat Magnum, most of his shooting was done with wax bullets. Slinging lead with Magnum ballistics out of a K-frame is a swiftly self-limiting endeavor.
Michael,
I fired a Manurhin one time many years ago and it was indeed a fine revolver.
My 66 takes the top shelf in my gunvault, over my FNH .45. I just think when the chips are down I’ll end up grabbing the wheelgun instead of the auto….
Josh,
I think a good number of people feel the same way Josh!
I picked up a minty 19-2 owned by a friend who passed away. It had a few quirks so I sent it to Hamilton Bowen who tuned it with wonderful results. It doesn’t get shot, just picked up from time to time. I’ve never regretted the purchase and like the Author I’m glad to have it.
carter,
You know I look at mine as a family heirloom which will go to my son at some point. I saw a 2/12 inch blued model like I carried on duty but at the time I didn’t have the $495 for it. The thing looked brand new. Maybe one box of shells through it! Ah well I’ll find another!
Excellent post. I’ve been wanting to add a classic revolver to my collection but I haven’t been able to choose one but now I think I might try to find one of these.
Zac,
Good deal Zac! A good place to start is Gunbroker.com and Guns America.
Beauty — I think the .357 is the perfect caliber. I especially like that it also makes a fine caliber for a lever gun. Combine this with the Model 19 and you’ve got both hand and long gun and only stock one caliber.
Im lucky Phil but I know what you mean.
Very nice…But I’ll stick with my old Ruger GP-100. It cost about $100 less IIRC, and it shoots like a dream. I can get half-inch groups at 15 yards too…and my wife is downright scary with her accuracy. I think I’ll keep both of ‘em.
M.G., We all have our favorites huh:-)
Got one that can beat a 19 fast….. Colt Python!
Python was the best .357 magnum revolver ever made had best trigger pull and accuracy. Dont get me wrong a S&W is a great weapon but the Pyhon was just such a hard sweet shooter.
Lance,
I owned more than a few Pythons and always enjoyed them. I sure couldn’t afford one now!
Lance,
They are nice no doubt. I just never cared for the two stage trigger pull for a duty gun.
*sigh* I love .30 special revolvers.
David, Just plain fun aren’t they?
I have a Smith TRR8 revolver and I find that I keep coming back to it despite having SIG, H&K, Springfield, Walther handguns. It has lots of bullets, lots of power and the balance & trigger are perfect!
David,
You can sure tune them like a Swiss watch as well!
An old shooting buddy of mine had one. It truly was a pleasure to shoot. He later asked if I wanted to buy it, I declined not needing a revolver. I still kick myself for that.
Russ,
Ouch well hindsight is 20/20 isn’t it. I’ve done the same thing.
The first pistol that I owned was a model 19-2 purchased in 1974. It was one that a police officer ordered and never returned to the gun shop to claim.
The owner told me that if it wasn’t claimed in two more days I could buy the piece. I went back, two days later, and bought the 19 for $124.95. I still have it and the box it came in along with a 2 1/2 inch and 6 inch model 19 purchased a few years later.
While the price seems low in today’s dollars, I was making about $5.00 an hour at that time. I couldn’t pass it up.
ROger.45,
Nice collection there!
Love the story about this revolver found a goodhome. I also couldnt agree more about revolverd being more then viable tools for slef defense. I was raised on semi-autos and have a nice burgeoning collection of them, but i love my wheelguns. For the record, there is nothing finer than a nice revoler with a smooth trigger.
Stu,
There’s just nothing better than a tuned trigger on a S&W—
I’m sure it’s a great pistol and all but the idea of adopting a criminals gun which could have a few notches(bodies) on it is just too distastful for me. “But to each his own”
Arifonzie,
Yea but he took it from someone else I just gave it a job on the good side:-)
Very excellent write up. I thoroughly enjoyed it, as I really have been longing for one of these old beauties for a while now. Very cool back story on your specific weapon too!
CEOofEVIL,
Thanks—glad you enjoyed it!
That’s a heckuva story about getting your 19. I can’t imagine being able to grab any of the weapons I’ve seized these days. Thanks for sharing!
fw226,
I thought some officers these days would get a kick out of that story. Can you even imagine asking these days?
SW makes perfect revolvers… for a world where Ruger and Colt don’t exist.
For anyone who absolutely HAS TO have an M19, do yourself and other enthusiasts a favor, and get a vintage one without a frame lock.
Burst,
Very true the pinned barrel models are better guns and have better fit and finish all around.
great article about a fine gun, i’ve owned a couple of smiths, one an N frame m1917 .45 someone had cut down to a 4 inch barrel and soldered on a ventilated rib. not pretty but serviceable, that one eventually got sold. the other is a model 10 bequeathed by a friend who has passed on. that one will not be sold, i sent it down to springfield for a factory refinish and it came back looking like brand new, and i carried it as a duty gun when i went to work driving an armoured truck, until i bought a SIG p220 .45, the model 10 and i are both retired now but we still go out to the range every so often and burn a few rounds.
“gunner”,
Even retired an old duty gun can still provide a good afternoon of shooting.
The S&W M19 is a great revolver.
Bill Jordan of the US Border Patrol was also known as their first officer to have a accidental discharge with the Model 19. It took place in his office and the round went into through a wall and into the filing cabinet of his supervisor.
His supervisor was impressed by the bullets performance but not by the files shredded or the cabinet that was ruined.
Bill was then ordered to keep his weapon holstered at all times while in the office.
jim,
ouch–it happens to the best
Very good post; an interesting and informative read. I think I need to show my Colt Python more love after reading this
D,
There ya go. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Speaking as a lifelong 1911 guy- my first gun was a Combat Commander on my 21st birthday- but who shoots revos in action pistol kind of a lot, and who carries (where legal) a Detective Special, and most of whose handguns sport ponies on the sides and not ampersands…
The author here is absolutely correct. Though it pains me to say as a lover of a Colt .357, the 19 is indeed the best carry revo ever.
What a terrific gun. Versatile, reliable, fast, perfectly- I mean perfectly- balanced, and gorgeous to boot. Just the best ever.
WPZ,
I sure couldn’t agree more.
Beautiful. Thanks for the great review. I’d love to get one of these classics.
I regularly shoot a 327PD 2″ bbl, and a 627 V-Comp 6″ bbl; both have 8 round capacity. 8 rounds rivals standard capacity 1911s. The 327 & the 627 have the same N frame.
I put a lot of .38 Special through both those wheelies for volume practice, but also shoot a lot of .38 +P 110gr., and .357 in 110gr & 158gr.
The 110gr .357s are decidedly tamer than the full load. 38 Special +P defensive rounds strike me as a good choice too.
The 2″ snubbie N-frame 327PD is a hoot to shoot with 158gr .357, but once you get used to it, the thing is surprisingly controllable and accurate.
I dunno..I think the 581/681 series had more to offer in terms of Police Officer’s Perfect Revolver. Fixed sights that wouldnt catch on objects or get damaged, full underlug for more weight up front, larger L-frame for a steady diet of .357, stainless finish for low maintenance, etc, etc.
Raoul,
The only thing I didn’t like when I tried carrying the 686 for a few weeks was the weight over an 8 or twelve hour shift.
Great Article. The Model 19 is not the first revolver I owned, but it is the first revolver I LOVED and the one that made me love revolvers over autos. Because of this model, I read Bill Jordan’s “No Second Place Winner”, Elmer Keith’s “Sixguns”, and Ed McGivern’s “Fast and Fancy Revolver Shooting”.
I, for one, abhor shooting .38 in a .357, since I bought so many used ones where a ring was cut into the chambers just forward of where a .38 special’s case mouth sits, and no, it will not scrub out. Even low pressure .38′s will eventually make your .357 chamber a .38 chamber, but for the model 19, that’s okay, because they really don’t like a diet of .357 Magnum factory ammo. I feed mine “Maglites”, which are reloads that I make which are loaded to .38 +P or .38 +P+ pressure to extend their lives as much as possible. S&W doesn’t make K-Frame Magnum barrels anymore so if you crack your forcing cone, that’s it. Gun is done. Evidence for the round count that this happens at is purely anecdotal, but I’m sure S&W has some internal engineering reports on this that will either assuage fears or amplify them. Either way, they ain’t talkin’.
It’s a real shame they never found a good solution to this problem, because it really is quite possibly the perfect handgun.
armed_partisan,
I wish S&W still offered barrels but that will never happen. You read the same books I have and read them many times:-)
Working around the failures of the S&W M19 with .357 Magnum ammo by reserving it for carry on duty and occasional practice and qualification, while practicing with .38 Specials, does nothing to prepare the shooter for its deafening report and wrist-twisting recoil in a life-or-death defensive scenario. The true answer to the issues Smith & Wesson had in cramming .357 Magnum into its K frame is the dimensionally similar Manurhin MR73. I have seen these revolvers surplused after hard constabulary use, showing no significant wear of action parts or structural damage to major components.
To consider one telling trait, every S&W revolver I ever saw suffer a high round count has had its cylinder notches thoroughly peened by the action of the cylinder stop. Nothing of the sort is evident even in hard worn GIGN MR73 revolvers. The only kind of wear I find in them is forcing cone erosion, with none of the barrel fractures, frame flame cuts, and cylinder misalignments that plague K-frames with high Magnum round counts.
The MR73 was designed and built for an administrative market that formally required extreme precision and durability orders of magnitude greater than that expected from and built into contemporaneous U.S. police sidearms. By contrast, Smith & Wesson throughout its history specialized in sporting goods and service sidearms meant to be surplused after firing several thousand rounds. Although the latter is no longer the case owing to the worldwide decline of revolvers in constabulary use, S&W never had an economic incentive to forge its gun parts out of tool steel. It’s far more cost effective to sinter and machine softer materials, replacing the products under warranty in the rare instances of their being put to hard use. That was not an option for Manurhin in making deliveries to the French police agencies. If you want a medium-frame .357 Magnum revolver built to last, get an MR73.
Michael,
MT73′s are rare birds. It’s been many years since I’ve seen one. GSG9 still uses the model 19.
Funny. I posted about this very model revolver on my blog earlier today.
great minds think alike?
You’re lucky to still have yours.
DVC
George
guffaw,
It sounds like it George-LOL! I’ll never let this one go except to my son down the road.
Had a Model 66 for years and absolutely love it. Whilst it wouldn’t be my first choice for a HD scenario (that’s what boomsticks are for), it’s all purpose applications, accuracy and ergonomics make it a fantastic choice for any shooter from beginner to expert.
I really can’t recommend this revolver enough.
I have 6 of them. 2 1/2, 4, and 6 inch in blue and nickel. I used to have yet another 2 1/2 nickel, but sold it to my stepfather. He also has 4 and 6 inch blued models.
I also have about 10 other K-Frame Smiths in the safe. I just seem to keep buying them.
Sean,
Nothing wrong with buying more. Keeps the others company.