New(to me) Model 19-4 - What's with the gold lettering?

R

RodTheWrench

New member
Picked this up today. Serial 68K05XX.

As some of you may know, I've been pining for one lately. Sold one just like this during the "starving student" days, I figured it was high time I got another. Now, of course being a young dude at the time, I didn't know what I had back then other than a 6" Model 19. It did seem to have a wider hammer than this one, but that could just be a false memory.

So, point of the post - Why does this one have gold lettering? Or is it just dirty white lettering? I don't know that I've ever seen the lettering filled in.

This looks to have been taken care of, just a bit of muzzle bluing worn off and a pretty good drag line on the cylinder. I bought it for a shooter, I think it'll do just fine. :)

I like "pinned and recessed", how long was that a feature on these?

I'm guessing these are original grips. I like them!

I'll let you guys guess what I paid - WITH a Bianchi holster, case and box of ammo...
 

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More pics.

Sorry some of these are upside down!

I just went back and checked, the "pitting" on the cylinder "ear" (what is that called anyway?) was just dust. Whew!
 

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My model 19 has a wider hammer and trigger than this one. Mine is also nickel plated. Love your new purchase. They're awesome shooters
 
Thanks Bill!

From what I can tell, this gun was made in 1980. How long did they do the "pinned and recessed" thing?

On the wider hammer and trigger, was that a custom add-on or a Target model or...? Looking at it again, I'd agree with bledsoeG19 that these really ARE narrower than my old one. Not bad, just not the same. Should I start pining away for one of those as well? :D
 
Paint thinner, toothpicks and rags.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't mess with trying to clean up the gold lettering. It was a fad, and it looks a bit outdated because of it. But so what? It has a past. That's okay. Leave it be. It looks fine. She's a fine shooter, I'm sure. Enjoy it.
 
If the finish is nice (it appears to be, but pictures can LIE! :p) I would also leave it as is. Obviously, you can end up with something that looks far worse when trying to remove it. But that's just me not wishing to wreck a gun by using the wrong method, others (with experience!) may disagree.

I would love a six-inch K-frame magnum, there's kind of a hole in my cache for exactly that. I have three six-inch K-frames, but two are Fourth Change Hand Ejectors and the other is a 17-6. I'm pretty much needing a 15, 19 or 66, six-inch. ;)

Nobody has guessed at the price you paid yet. I would say, in my opinion, with the market in my area, that you would have done a FINE job if you managed to bring that home for $500 out of pocket, out the door. At $600, it is -not- a bad buy, as long as it's 100% functional and the timing is terrific and it locks up tight. Higher than that and it starts to sound a bit pricey for my tastes. If you walked away for any money UNDER $500, you really got a super buy.

Pinned & recessed ceased around 1982.
 
I would never knowingly suggest using a "wrong method." I pretty much keep my mouth shut if I don't know what I'm talking about.
But Sevens has a good point. It seems on the internet people just jump in with random ideas, so you have to be careful.
 
Your serial number dates the gun to 1980.

S&W eliminated the cyclinder counterbore and pinned barrels on the model 19's with the model 19-5 engineering revision beginning in 1982.
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I've never seen the gold lettering on a S&W revolver .../ but I think I'd just leave it alone unless it really aggravated me ( and if it aggravated me, I wouldn't buy it )....but Bills comments seem prudent ( but I've never tried it )...
 
As I remember, the gold paint stick stuff was harder to keep in (likely because my guns were always oily when I applied it), than it was to remove it...as I remember, I had to re-apply it occasionally inasmuch as it wore off easily.
 
gold

Looks like bronze powder that's mixed with emulsion and pressed into lettering with a fine rag and rubbed excess off minutes later.
 
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