Old detective and his S&W wheel guns

T

Trooper Joe

New member
Smith and Wesson Model 19-6, 2.5" barrel, Model 19 with new Altmont grips



S&W, Model 36-1, 3" "Chief's Special"



S&W, Model 36-1, 3" "Chief's Special", original box, grips, rubber S&W grips (great find in Florida)



Just got back from Florida and started to really admire some of the guns I found down there.

The model 19 had some real crappy grips on it, no box, etc, but was a great deal at $300. So I had the dealer ship it to my dealer in Michigan. Just installed some Altamont grips on it along with a recent manufactured "Tyler" grip adapter. Sort of reminds me of my detective days in the 70s. Can't wait to shoot it and show it off at the range.

The Chief's Special is one I really have fallen love with. I knew they had made some 3" model 36s, but I am not sure I ever saw one. Got the gun (almost unfired condition), original grips, box and papers [for somewhat more than the Model 19 :)]. Bought some original S&W rubber grips (allegedly original) and a set of aftermarket wood grips (shown installed on the gun). The rubber grips are the most comfortable to shoot the gun with (158 grain ammo, non+p of course). It is very accurate and a lot of fun to bring to the range (just got to keep the drools off of the gun.)

Just some thoughts from an old "wheel gun" detective ,

Trooper Joe

PS: My greatest fear is that if I have a stroke or die, my wife will sell my guns for what I told her I paid for them.:o
 
I'm a fool for snub Combat Magnums. Have a 19-5, 66-1, and 66-2!

Using Buffalo Bore 158 grain .38 loads (1050 fps from that 2 1/2 inch barrel) it is plenty for self defense and makes a good trail gun.

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My 66-1 is on the left! On right is a Ruger Security Six and altered to round butt. Note the Eagle Secret Service grips. Best concealment grips I have found.

Deaf
 
For many years my "uniform" gun was a 4" Model 19 (usually loaded with the issue .38 Special); my off duty gun was a Model 36 3" barrel, steel square butt, a rather rare combo and one few people have ever seen, though S&W sold a fair number of square butt models that used a wood filler grip.

I still have both guns and consider the combo near ideal. I know some folks like the idea of "gun of the day", carrying 20 or more different guns (even 3 or 4 at a time). I have quite a few guns, but the idea of playing guessing games on what I am carrying has never appealed to me. I keep thinking that I could collect serious bodily harm before realizing that the Luger safety works differently from that of a 1911.

Jim
 
Some of the guys on one forum pointed out that the Tyler grip adaptor just didn't look right on my Model 19. I agreed and took them off. The new Altamont grips look much better without the grip adaptor. We did, however, use a lot of these Tyler grip adaptors when I was on the job in the 60s and 70s. We also ran a lot of the rubber grips that were just becoming available.



I guess for a long range session I could install these Hogue grips that actually came with my Model 19.



I moved the grip adaptor (after all I just paid almost $30 for it from the fellow in Oklahoma who is re-popping these/ If I remember they used to cost about $5 to $10 back in the day) to my model 10. They actually look better there. (If I remember, we all used them for our heavy barrel model 10s when we were still in uniform.)



By the way, I found this almost new model 10 last year in Florida (for some reason I did not keep mine when I retired from the State Police in 1987).



Thanks for the critique of my wheel guns guys. Lot of good ideas on these forums.

Trooper Joe
 
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