Strange 19-5 Smith 2.5" 357

L

Lead shooter

New member
Was out at some pawn shops today looking over the local goods. Came across a really nice Smith and Wesson 19-5, snub nose 357 in a strange black finish. (Dull finish like a 28-2) On a whim I bought it (cheap)
Serial number is ANE6***, snub nose, has pachmayr grips (replacement) and a round butt.
What the heck is this thing? Could it be a DSS gun?










 
I don't know, that's a nice little shooter you have there though. I've got a hankering for an old Smith 357 and that is not helping me.
 
DSS?

Looks like a bead blast then blued finish, not factory to my eye. Side plate is enough off I would guess was treated in a manner diffirent than rest
 
DSS?
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I believe the OP is referring to the batch of S&Ws ordered by the State Department for the Diplomatic Security Service.

They were snub-nose 19-5s finished in a black matte factory finish.

A couple other special orders were taken by S&W I believe for other agencies and police forces (such as the Connecticut State Police), so it would be brash on my part to assume this is a DSS gun.

I believe a little over three hundred units were issued with a serial number prefix of ANN. This would exclude your gun. I think AYY was a prefix as well for a later run.

Best thing you can do is to request a letter of authenticity from S&W. It might cost a couple bucks.

Is the trigger smooth or serrated? Can you measure the width with a pair of calipers?
 
Is the trigger smooth or serrated? Can you measure the width with a pair of calipers?
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From one of the pictures, it looks like a smooth combat width trigger.

I saw a few law enforcement agencies reparkerize those back when they were duty guns. That's probably what you've got.
 
Probably a Connecticut State Police or Massachusetts State Police gun. None were marked as such just made that way by S&W
 
Found out this dates to 1986, which predates the CSP guns (1988) and possibly the DSS guns. I need to letter this to verify, but S&W historical is offline till the new year to catch up on orders. Have to wait till the new year unless someone knows more.
 
If you shoot it be sure to keep it very clean. The 19-5 is the one famous for cracking the forcing cone. A theory I find plausible is that carbon build up in the cone causes hot spots that crack the metal.
 
I communicated with a guy who cracked his 19-5 with mid range wadcutter 38s. Doesn't seem to be the power of the load.
 
I traded for a 2-1/2 19 a few months ago, it had a non shiney finish. In daylight after I got it home, it's a reblue and not a very good one. it shoots well and I bought it to shoot but I would not have bought it if I had paid attention. I won buy another without looking at it in good light first.
 
Mines a 19-3 has that great S&W blue! If I had one as noted and there wasn't a historical reason for the finish I'd have a quality ruble done to it. I don't know it Smith still does it or not.

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