Revolver value

J

jlflegal

New member
A neighbor who is a retired sheriff deputy is selling his early 1970's S&W model 19 combat .357. Its in impeccable condition with very little use (he said he only needed to use it once).
Should I jump for it?
What would you guys say is a fair price?
 
Blued or nickel?

Anywhere from $200 - $300, with small premiums added for 4" or 6" barrel, nickel finish, and white outline on the rear sight.

They're fine guns.
 
Prices in Gun List for excellent examples of model 19's have risen to $300 or slightly higher over the past few months. They are great revolvers. Given the choice I would rather have a model 19 over a Python. But then I'm a Smith person and not a Colt person. ;)

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Gunslinger

I was promised a Shortycicle and I want a Shortycicle!
 
I as at the Astrohall gun show in Houston last June and a gentleman had two blue 4" mod 19s, NIB. One made in 1965, the other in the early '70s. Both RR, WO, TT, TH, for $315 a piece. I shouda but I didn't.

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Join the NRA.
 
Get it while you can; S&W 19's in pristine
condition are drying up!!! :( As always, buy
as cheap as possible, and sell for the most
you can get!!! :) That's called "The Fair
Trade Act".

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
You guys wanna hear something sick? (Well, it had a happy ending, at least) Back when law enforcement rushed to autopistols as a result of the Palm Bay, FL shooting, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources had their game wardens trade in their Model 19s for 9mms. The "used" Model 19s, showing slight holster wear and the occasional dirty chamber from yearly qualifications, were sold for $125.00 each, to offset the price of the wardens' new guns. My mom, who was a state park administrator, snagged three of them. She kept a 2" M19, I got the 4" M19, and Dad got the 6" M19. Just a nice, all-around, well-balanced .357, I used mine one summer for IHMSA Silhouette competitions under the Field Pistol category, running factory .357 Magnum 148gr Silvertips. The steel went down handily, even at 100 yards. My hand felt like it was gonna fall off, though!
 
Offer him $275 and see if he will bite on it.

Simply put, I believe the Model 19 to be the greatest revolver ever to see use.

It has it all, light weight, power, great ergonomics, accuracy, ability to put an incredible action on it, and versatility.

I've got two, a 2.5" and a 4", and I'm always on the prowl for others.

A collector I know has them all:

2.5", the ultra-rare original 3", a 4", a rare 5", a 6", and the Holy Grail for Model 19 collectors, one from the factory with an 8 3/8" barrel on it that was either assembled as a prototype or as a mistake.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
Mike;

I've never seen the 3" model 19? Please give
us a history lesson, regarding it's birth and
use!!! :)

Regards,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Ala Dan:
Mike;

I've never seen the 3" model 19? Please give
us a history lesson, regarding it's birth and
use!!! :)

Regards,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member[/quote]

There are actually TWO later 3" variants, by the S&W Performance center and also Lew Hortons (? I think it was Horton).

OK, I don't have my Jinks book in front of me, so this is purely from memory...

The Original 3" Model 19 was made at the request of the Massachusetts State Police (I THINK), who wanted a smaller barreled gun that their troopers could use off duty.

S&W didn't think it would be a winner, so only produced a few hundred with 3" barrels.

I think that was in the late 1950s.

However, more and more groups began calling for a short-barreled 19 so in the early 1960s ('63, IIRC), S&W brought the gun back out with a 2.5" barrel.

Why they chose that length instead of 2" or 3" is beyond me.

I'll see if I can dredge up the Jinks book and see if my memory is correct.

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Beware the man with the S&W .357 Mag.
Chances are he knows how to use it.
 
I totally disagree with Mike Irwin, the Model 19 is a piece of junk. Stay away from it and if your neighbor keeps trying to pawn it off on you, give me his phone number and I'll take care of it for you. ;)
 
My 19-3, 6", all Ts that cost about 110 new is still the ruler of my hand guns. It is the creme of my covey of Smith wheelguns. It is worn but not tired and still a tack driver double or single action.

Sickening, in 70 I traded a 19new for a 39new, the 39 lasted a couple of months and got traded for a real gun.

Sam...beware the man with a wheelgun, he can probably count.
 
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