Stephen A. Camp
Staff In Memoriam
Hello.
I've always had a "thing" about this particular version of S&W's "Combat Magnum." Foolishly, I let a couple of older ones get away in trades and currently have the 2 1/2" Model 19-6. While I do like the little thing and it has a very good DA pull, I do kind of miss the pinned bbl and recessed chambers. Oh, well, at least it came with a smooth trigger-face.
This one's not been shot much over the years I've owned it; it seemed that simply "having" it was enough. Today, I decided to try some "serious" work with it.
The Revolver: Other than sticking a set of Eagle Secret Service checkered stocks on it, the gun's stock.
With a proper holster, the gun can be easily carried and concealed, but have kind of a "business-like look," should it have to come out.
Ammunition Used: The following loads were used today at distances from 10 to 25 yards.
Two full-house .357 Magnum loadings were used:
Remington 125 gr SJHP
Federal 125 gr JHP (Both of these are advertised at 1450 ft/sec. I suspect they're doing around 1350 to 1375 ft/sec out of this gun.)
One mid-range .357 Magnum load was fired:
Remington 125 gr Golden Saber (About 1150 ft/sec)
One handload was tried. It's a moderate load that can be used quite a bit for practice, but feels like a "magnum" rather than a light thirty-eight.
158 gr CSWC
Starline Cases
Winchester SP Primer
7.0 gr. Unique
Est. Velocity: Around 1100 ft/sec
Since some folks prefer to carry a hot .38 Special load, I also tried the gun with Remington's +P .38 Spec 158 gr LSWCHP.
Shooting: Except for the double-action 10-yard "test," all shooting was done single-action, two-hand hold, standing.
The first thing I needed to do with this revolver was to determine where the POI would be for the various loads as there's quite a bit of latitude in both velocity and bullet weight. I fired 3 shots at this target from 15 yards. The pistol's sighted in for the Remington 125 gr SJHP and I wanted to see where to hold for the groupings to follow. While it kind of looks like "hen scratching," you can see the varying POIs for the same POA.
10 Yards: Now knowing the slight variations in POA, I fired single-action groups at 10 yards. Each group consists of a cylinderfull.
Note that the lightest-recoiling round of all made the largest group! Don't know if this particular revolver just doesn't "like" dead soft lead or if it's a combination of that plus the slight "jump" the shorter .38 makes in the .357 Magnum's cylinder chambers. I'm sure there's some human error in there, too.
15 Yards: Also 6-shot groups fired single-action, standing w/2-hand hold. Note that the .38 Special load at the lower right doesn't quite group as tight. Yup! I did let a couple of the other loads go when I shouldn't have, but I knew it at the time. ALL of the .38 shots felt "good."
Top left moving clockwise: Handloaded .357, R-P 125 gr SJHP, R-P .38 Special +P 158 gr LSWCHP, R-P 125 gr Golden Saber, with the middle group being Federal 125 gr JHP.
25 Yards: Twelve shots were fired at this distance in the same manner described previously. Six were Remington 125 gr SJHPs while the other six were the handload. You can tell which were the SWCs by the cleaner cut holes in the target and even if you can't, it becomes obvious that the human error is greater than the difference in the two loads' points of impact.
10 Yards, Double-Action: There's little doubt that this revolver's primary purpose is self-defense. For that reason I fired two 6-shot groups with it double-action @ 10 yards. The loads are again the Remington full-house 125 gr JHP and the handload. At this distance, one can see some differences in POI vs the same POA, but unless shooting at 1" dots, it makes little difference. Accurate shots can still be had allowing for use of the hotter factory JHP while practicing with the handload. At least that's the way I see it.
It was still kind of wet at the range from previous rains, so I fired a round or two for "scientific mud testing" for expanision! As stated in previous reports, this has little validity I'm sure, but I find it interesting and perhaps others do, too.
The expanded bullet/cartridge @ left is the Remington while the other's the Federal JHP.
Sorry, forgot the toothbrush to clean off the mud!
Observations: While I do like this little thing, one might ask if the K-frame snub in this caliber is an anachronism? After all, with the mid-range defensive .357 loads, ballistically we're in the 9mm +P "ball park," with some of them beating us in velocity from 3.5 to 4" bbl pistols. Many handguns, including some of the 9mms, are flatter, lighter, and easier to shoot well. For me, this revolver's too large for any hope of pocket carry and the adjustable sights go against that as well as they could truly snag coming out of a pocket. If carried as a belt gun, I do think the 4" version is just about as easy to conceal unless one insists on waist-length jackets and that extra 1 1/2" of bbl makes the gun MUCH easier to get good hits with. Yet, one could also carry the light, flat Commander in .45 ACP...
Hmmmmmmmmmmm? What's it good for, then?
Well, some folks just like 'em. "Right" or "wrong," I just plain like this thing. I'll bet there are some others out there, too. Whether it's ego or whatever, I just plain enjoy trying to kind of keep my "hand in" with various types of handguns.
While it would NOT be my first choice as a defensive arm, I'd much rather have it than many other handguns commonly toted for protection. The gun's versatile as are all revolvers in this caliber; one can shoot everything from mid-range .38 wadcutters to std velocity .38, to +P .38, to mid-range Magnum, to the real thing! Select the load that's right for you and set the sights. Nice.
Some folks just don't trust automatics. While I think a 4" gun has more to recommend it, this one MIGHT be the choice and it can be shot fairly accurately. It made me "work" and that might just be a benefit when shooting my other longer-bbl'd revolvers.
....and you can roast weenies in the muzzle flash if you're hungry!
Bahahahahahhahaha!
This one's on constant "house duty." I trust it and think it would do fine in the home defense scenario. I can lay my mitts on this one pretty quickly and think it would handle most felonious assault type situations.
The full-house magnums are the way to go in my opinion. Yes, they do have sharp recoil, but really are not all that bad. Mine stay's loaded with either the Federal 125 gr JHP or the Remington 125 gr SJHP. IF that's too much, go with the mid-range defensive loads, but I'd sure try and stay at least at that level. The step downward to the .38s is just a bit much, at least to me, in an all-steel, K-frame revolver.
Best.
I've always had a "thing" about this particular version of S&W's "Combat Magnum." Foolishly, I let a couple of older ones get away in trades and currently have the 2 1/2" Model 19-6. While I do like the little thing and it has a very good DA pull, I do kind of miss the pinned bbl and recessed chambers. Oh, well, at least it came with a smooth trigger-face.
This one's not been shot much over the years I've owned it; it seemed that simply "having" it was enough. Today, I decided to try some "serious" work with it.
The Revolver: Other than sticking a set of Eagle Secret Service checkered stocks on it, the gun's stock.
With a proper holster, the gun can be easily carried and concealed, but have kind of a "business-like look," should it have to come out.
Ammunition Used: The following loads were used today at distances from 10 to 25 yards.
Two full-house .357 Magnum loadings were used:
Remington 125 gr SJHP
Federal 125 gr JHP (Both of these are advertised at 1450 ft/sec. I suspect they're doing around 1350 to 1375 ft/sec out of this gun.)
One mid-range .357 Magnum load was fired:
Remington 125 gr Golden Saber (About 1150 ft/sec)
One handload was tried. It's a moderate load that can be used quite a bit for practice, but feels like a "magnum" rather than a light thirty-eight.
158 gr CSWC
Starline Cases
Winchester SP Primer
7.0 gr. Unique
Est. Velocity: Around 1100 ft/sec
Since some folks prefer to carry a hot .38 Special load, I also tried the gun with Remington's +P .38 Spec 158 gr LSWCHP.
Shooting: Except for the double-action 10-yard "test," all shooting was done single-action, two-hand hold, standing.
The first thing I needed to do with this revolver was to determine where the POI would be for the various loads as there's quite a bit of latitude in both velocity and bullet weight. I fired 3 shots at this target from 15 yards. The pistol's sighted in for the Remington 125 gr SJHP and I wanted to see where to hold for the groupings to follow. While it kind of looks like "hen scratching," you can see the varying POIs for the same POA.
10 Yards: Now knowing the slight variations in POA, I fired single-action groups at 10 yards. Each group consists of a cylinderfull.
Note that the lightest-recoiling round of all made the largest group! Don't know if this particular revolver just doesn't "like" dead soft lead or if it's a combination of that plus the slight "jump" the shorter .38 makes in the .357 Magnum's cylinder chambers. I'm sure there's some human error in there, too.
15 Yards: Also 6-shot groups fired single-action, standing w/2-hand hold. Note that the .38 Special load at the lower right doesn't quite group as tight. Yup! I did let a couple of the other loads go when I shouldn't have, but I knew it at the time. ALL of the .38 shots felt "good."
Top left moving clockwise: Handloaded .357, R-P 125 gr SJHP, R-P .38 Special +P 158 gr LSWCHP, R-P 125 gr Golden Saber, with the middle group being Federal 125 gr JHP.
25 Yards: Twelve shots were fired at this distance in the same manner described previously. Six were Remington 125 gr SJHPs while the other six were the handload. You can tell which were the SWCs by the cleaner cut holes in the target and even if you can't, it becomes obvious that the human error is greater than the difference in the two loads' points of impact.
10 Yards, Double-Action: There's little doubt that this revolver's primary purpose is self-defense. For that reason I fired two 6-shot groups with it double-action @ 10 yards. The loads are again the Remington full-house 125 gr JHP and the handload. At this distance, one can see some differences in POI vs the same POA, but unless shooting at 1" dots, it makes little difference. Accurate shots can still be had allowing for use of the hotter factory JHP while practicing with the handload. At least that's the way I see it.
It was still kind of wet at the range from previous rains, so I fired a round or two for "scientific mud testing" for expanision! As stated in previous reports, this has little validity I'm sure, but I find it interesting and perhaps others do, too.
The expanded bullet/cartridge @ left is the Remington while the other's the Federal JHP.
Sorry, forgot the toothbrush to clean off the mud!
Observations: While I do like this little thing, one might ask if the K-frame snub in this caliber is an anachronism? After all, with the mid-range defensive .357 loads, ballistically we're in the 9mm +P "ball park," with some of them beating us in velocity from 3.5 to 4" bbl pistols. Many handguns, including some of the 9mms, are flatter, lighter, and easier to shoot well. For me, this revolver's too large for any hope of pocket carry and the adjustable sights go against that as well as they could truly snag coming out of a pocket. If carried as a belt gun, I do think the 4" version is just about as easy to conceal unless one insists on waist-length jackets and that extra 1 1/2" of bbl makes the gun MUCH easier to get good hits with. Yet, one could also carry the light, flat Commander in .45 ACP...
Hmmmmmmmmmmm? What's it good for, then?
Well, some folks just like 'em. "Right" or "wrong," I just plain like this thing. I'll bet there are some others out there, too. Whether it's ego or whatever, I just plain enjoy trying to kind of keep my "hand in" with various types of handguns.
While it would NOT be my first choice as a defensive arm, I'd much rather have it than many other handguns commonly toted for protection. The gun's versatile as are all revolvers in this caliber; one can shoot everything from mid-range .38 wadcutters to std velocity .38, to +P .38, to mid-range Magnum, to the real thing! Select the load that's right for you and set the sights. Nice.
Some folks just don't trust automatics. While I think a 4" gun has more to recommend it, this one MIGHT be the choice and it can be shot fairly accurately. It made me "work" and that might just be a benefit when shooting my other longer-bbl'd revolvers.
....and you can roast weenies in the muzzle flash if you're hungry!
Bahahahahahhahaha!
This one's on constant "house duty." I trust it and think it would do fine in the home defense scenario. I can lay my mitts on this one pretty quickly and think it would handle most felonious assault type situations.
The full-house magnums are the way to go in my opinion. Yes, they do have sharp recoil, but really are not all that bad. Mine stay's loaded with either the Federal 125 gr JHP or the Remington 125 gr SJHP. IF that's too much, go with the mid-range defensive loads, but I'd sure try and stay at least at that level. The step downward to the .38s is just a bit much, at least to me, in an all-steel, K-frame revolver.
Best.
