357 dilemma...opinions please.

Both guns have strong and weak points. The Colt is the stronger of the two guns and can shoot any .357 Magnum ammunition you like in it, but Colt no longer makes DA revolvers so factory support and gunsmiths familiar with them is getting scarce. Also, the Trooper Mk. III should not be dry fired without snap caps as the firing pins are prone to breakage when dry fired and replacement is a factory-only job.

The M19, on the other hand, is such a popular revolver that, while no longer made, most repairs can be done by any competent gunsmith and parts are usually not problematic to find. The drawback to the M19 is that it's not very tolerant of full-power magnums with lightweight (<140gr) bullets. Lightweight magnums are prone to cause erosion and eventually cracking of the forcing cone in S&W K-Frames and S&W's stock of K-Frame magnum barrels ran out long ago. If you stick to .38 Specials or .357 Magnums with 140gr or heavier bullets, however, a M19 will likely give you several lifetimes of reliable service.

As to the prices, both revolvers would be high in my area unless they had a particularly uncommon barrel length, finish, or other feature. That being said, prices of used guns can vary substantially from one area to another and I do not know what said guns would normally go for in your area.
 
I would go for the Model 19, nothing beats a K-Frame for what you want to use it for. It's a better gun than the retro's that S&W is putting out now. A used gun will go for much less and as soon as you shoot it it is a used gun. If I wanted new and planed on keeping the gun forever and there is nothing like getting a new gun, I could see me paying the price.
 
If you plan on shooting these guns up to 2000 times a year, I would not buy new. I would only buy the two guns you mentioned new if I was going to keep them unfired. So, since you plan on shooting them, I would look for a gently used one that should be $200-300 cheaper than the prices you quoted.

I can not tell you how many 19s/66s I have seen, used but in good shooting condition that looked they have seen less than 200 rounds, for $500 or less; though I can not say the same thing for the Colt.
 
Prices seem to have gone up considerably since I bought my Trooper ($325 LNIB- box had some wear but the gun sure did not.) a decade ago.... I was looking to pick up a Ruger GP100 that I had been eyeing for months .... and there was that ponygun for $25 less!

The only issue I can see with the Colt is that there are not a lot of parts or qualified 'smiths to work on them ..... the trigger, in both DA and SA, is superior to all the stock Smiffs and every Ruger I've pulled..... I have certainly run quite a lot of lead down the pipe of that gun...... Bowling Pin, IDPA, plinkin' with the kiddoes, even a little deer hunting. I don't regret it all. Plus, you can't swing a short tailed cat at a range without hitting three guys with Rugers and a couple of Smith owners. Not very many people shoot a Colt, if they are fortunate enough to have found one!
 
If your budget is $700 to $900, you could buy something better such as a pre 1970 trooper, or a vintage 19/66 or even a S&W model 27 or 28. Neither one of those guns is anything special IMO. A 19-7 might be pre lock, but its also not P&R'd. A trooper MKIII was how Colt cheapened the trooper. Before that, Troopers had the same basic lockwork as a python, and were great shooters.

There are better deals to be had. Both guns are common.
 
I recently bought a S&W model 520, which is the replacement for the model 19 in the larger L frame.
It comes with a titanium cylinder.
These can handle magnum loads without a problem, and certainly any amount of 38's.
These were also made in SS in model 620, which replaced model 66.
I also own 2 model 19's and 2 model 66's.

SW520Collage.jpg
 
I think the prices are too high for either. I'd walk. I think you would be better off with a M27 Smith than the M19 for a range gun.

I will however tell you that my favorite 357 mag revolver for shooting is a 6" Trooper Mark III and I own a GP-100 too.
 
The OP doesn't say where he's from, but around here (Mid-Atlantic) $700 wouldn't be all that high for a LNIB 19-7 with papers and tools. I paid $595 earlier this year for a 95% 19-4 6" w/o box. Admittedly, P&R, but not easy to find any 19s locally.
 
Appreciate all the input, guys. As it turned out, this was all just an academic exercise after all. The shop owner doesn't want to budge on his prices and even said he thinks his Colt may be priced a little low. Not sure where he's getting his info, since both revolvers have been in his display case for the better part of a year, but after reading your comments and other similar threads I'm content to keep on shooting my reliable old GP100 while I wait for a better opportunity to appear.

Thanks again.
 
"I recently bought a S&W model 520, which is the replacement for the model 19 in the larger L frame."

Seriously?

They called it the 520?

Now they're not just using the old names (Chief's Special used to be only a revolver, but now it's a revolver, a semi-auto, a rifle, a bicycle, a folding knife, and 17 items from their damned gift shop...) but the old numbers, too.
 
The prices are probably a bit high, but since the seller won’t budge, and you have already decided to pass on them, you will find a better deal if you are set on those models.

I have a 19-3 with 4-inch barrel I bought used in 1984 for about $250 and my other half inherited a 19-4 with a 6-inch barrel last year. Her heavier longer barrel and thicker grips help with recoil.

Should you end up with a Model 19-x, stay away from the 125 grain bullets. Over time they can damage the forcing cone. If you look around you will find some good articles on that. Stick with the 158 grain bullets and any load of .38 Specials, including +P and have fun with it.

I know nothing about Colts, so no comment on the Colt.
 
The prices do seem high, for the Colt especially. The first handgun I ever bought was a Trooper Mk III with a 6" bbl. I still have it, it is a wonderful revolver. I also have a Colt Python with a 6" bbl and I still shoot them both regularly.

If money is not an object, I would go with the Colt.
 
If money is not an object, I would go with the Colt.
Click to expand...

And if money is an object (which I suspect is the case with most of us), go with the Smith-but offer at least $100.00 under the current "asking" price.
 
If money is not an object, I would go with the Colt
Click to expand...

Trooper now, S&W later. Colts are really rare now.
Click to expand...

Thats the kind of logic that dealers love. The blue MKIII 357 6 in trooper is about as common as can be. So the dealer has an easy time getting one, gives it the Colt markup, and sells it for immense profits because some guy saw it had a pony on the side. Not every Colt is equal.

Colts also are not rare, you just have to know where to look. I love when dealers slap a "Colt price" on something and then price some S&W or a gun from WWII too low. I laugh all the way to the bank.

You can't just buy "colt" and do well, it depends on which Colt it is, and several other factors.
 
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I really like my Trooper III. It doesn't stack much with that geared trigger.
$500 is closer to a real price. The attraction with model 19's is the recessed cylinders and the pinned barrels. $500 should get you a real nice one. $900 might get both of them. HBDC
 
IMO...pass on both gun's. Both way overpriced. If it's going to a shooter the box and papers are not that important. Think more in the range of $350.00 to no more than $500.... Both guns are great ... the colt tends to be a bit more fragile, and will be harder to get repared. Dont worry about the whole .357 flame cutting erosion thing... Unless you can afford to plink and target shoot with full house light weight ammo... it wont be an issue. IMO Both guns can do tripple duty. Fun/range gun, self protection, put meat on the table.
 
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