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My new model 19 at least new to me


Timmy77

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I picked this up Wednesday @ my local gun shop. I paid $300 that i think is fair with both barrels and the extra set of grips. It seems to be in good shape with almost no wear on the 8" barrel or the small grips. The only strange thing is the long barrel is for a model 10 I believe in .38 but my smith says it's safe for the .357 that the gun is chambered for.

post-13544-1201924015.jpg

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So is it safe to shoot heavy .357 loads? Some say yes while others say no. I plan on using .38 for the range and .357 hunting loads for Deer. I can't wait to bring it to the range tomorrow to see what it will do.

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Nice gun. It brings back memories. I bought a 2 1/2 inch barreled M19 round butt--actually traded for it. Then had a local gunsmith put a 6 inch K38 barrel on it and a set of good grips. I used the gun to shoot PPC in the late 60s to early 70s. I finally wore the gun out with all the practice that I did.

I wouldn't feed it a steady diet of heavy .357 loads, but a few now and then for practice/sighting in and hunting shouldn't hurt it.

Shoot it have fun.

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The model 19 is my all time favorite Smith revolver. I have a 4" that I have had for 15 years that I had to have rebuilt in 2006. It had over 50000 rounds through it the hammer stud broke. When I sent it to Smith they set the barrel back, replaced the hammer nose bushing and the hand. I learn to reload with that gun. More than once in my young and dumb days I had to drive the cases out of the cylinder. I hunted with it, it was my daily carry gun for years. The first rubber Hogue grip I had on it was on it so long and carried so much the rubber bonded to the gun and I had to cut them off.

Your gun is very cool. I hunted picket pins in Oregon with some guys a few years ago, one guy was using a 8 3/8 model 14 it was hell on those little thing.

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So is it safe to shoot heavy .357 loads? Some say yes while others say no. I plan on using .38 for the range and .357 hunting loads for Deer. I can't wait to bring it to the range tomorrow to see what it will do.

And yes it is totally safe to shoot 357 loads.

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More than likely it is fine for the 357. I would however look at the forcing cone to check if there is a flat spot at the bottom to clear the yoke. I have split a couple of the forcing cones with the flat spots by using light bullets. I believe that is a weak point, but then again it could just be me and my gorilla hands. later rdd

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I have heard about the problems with the forcing cone but it seems to be fine. I am going to my gun smiths tomorrow to have him check it out to be safe. I didn't get a chance to shoot it today but I will be sure to tomorrow.

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The Model 19 was developed when the 158 gr lead nose bullet was supreme. Actually substantially hotter than today. Then it pushed as hot as 1400 fps. The forcing cone problems developed with the 125 gr and 115 gr pocket rockets which came about after the Model 19 was developed. As long as you stay with the heavier,l soft nose lead bullets you should be fine.

The 66 which is the stainless steel version seems to hold up to the hotter lighter loads better but the bottom line is these 125 gr loads is why the L frame was developed.

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Well the guns getting a rehaul. The short barrel is the original and the long barrel is from a .38 I traded both barrels to my smith toward a 6" round blank can't remember the name. He will be cutting down to a cooler shape with flat sides and be re bluing the gun and smoothing the trigger just a little. I will post pics when it's done in a month or two. I can hardly wait, and yes he is a very good smith that is always swamped. He says it will be a bullseye gun when it's done. B) I will be selling the pearl grips as soon as I have 25 posts or I will put them on ebay.

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