Md 19

D

DFS

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Has anyone out there seen a Md 19 3 1/2". Just saw one at a auction, 19-2, new in box. Box was also labeled 3 1/2". It went for 975.00.
 
Certain - I collect S&W and have several 27 3 1/2. I even to a ruler and measured the barrel. I wasn't really paying attention and should have purchased it.
 
I believe that prior to introducing the 2 ½” barrel length S&W made some prototypes with 3 and 3 ½ inch barrels to see what the market (read that law enforcement) was most interested in. The 2 ½” came out first so that’s what became standard. I suspect the high price at auction reflects how rare this length is.
 
There certainly was a run of 3" Model 19s, done for a police spec. contract (Michigan State Police?), which are considered to be very rare, and some 5" Model 19s, which are considered by collectors to be rare. There was also a much more recent run of 3" Model 19s, possibly for Lew Horton, but those don't command the prices that the original 3" guns do.

Supica and Nahaus make no mention of a 3.5" Model 19, nor does Jinks, so it would have to be something special, possibly a one-off prototype gun, or perhaps even a "lunch box" gun, made up by an employee and taken home in a lunch box.
 
The French have had some three-inch M19's, some made for the Presidential "Hunting Service", the President's bodyguard. These were ordered through the influence of Raymond Sasia, an official who studied handgun combat with our FBI.

Some years ago, the late Harry Archer, who I think was with US AID (Agency For International Development), had a three-inch M19 (nickled) in South America. He wrote up his experiences with it in Ken Warner's old magazine, "Gunfacts". With his handloads, it was quite effective on tapir, as I recall.

Lone Star
 
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