Need Some Opinions on a S&W 19-4 .357

Oops! I meant to have a pic. Tried again, won't happen for some reason.

The 19-anything to -4 is one of the finest out there. The only issue as mentioned many times earlier is the 125 gr. bullets and the forcing cone cracks. Mainly caused by a combination of 2 things and it doesn't happen to all of them.
1st) the 125 gr is a hyper velocity bullet that is shorter than the heavier loads.
It seems that it pushes a nose first air wall shock wave into the forcing cone.
2nd) the barrel is milled down on the bottom to allow the larger and larger diameter magnum cylinder fit into the K frame. This obviously weakens the barrels forcing cone.
I just traded my 2-1/2" Model 19 for a Model 69 4" and the barrel/forcing cone is the same design. I won't shoot any of the lighter 125 Gr. loads out of it either.



Just a simple note. It was designed for the longer casings of the .357 Magnum.

If you do decide to shoot the .38 Specials in any load size, pay special attention to the powder and lead fowling in the front end of the cylinder. It's caused by the shorter casings and longer cylinder wall.
Some shooters use a spent .357 casing, ground razor sharp, and push it thru the front of the cylinder to scrape away the buildup and keep it under control.

Enjoy your revolver.

That revolver and an Ultrux revolver holster from hoffners will make you a happy camper.

If you do change the grips back to an original design, you'll want a T-grip as well.

Outstanding find and an outstanding choice for an all around handgun. I have four different 19's and one of them routinely is carried for CCW. No disrespect intended for previous comments posted but I think the "Don't shoot hot 125 grain loads" warning has grown into legendary urban myth proportions. I don't doubt the facts that there have been some cracked forcing cones but you can discount the notion that one box of hot 125 grain loads and "poof" your forcing cone is cracked. If someone did have the mind to pump thousands of rounds of hot 125 grain loads throught there K frame and did crack the forcing cone a replacement bbl could be found at Gun Parts or Jack First with relative ease. Factory ammo loaded a few decades ago was loaded hotter than what is currently produced. The Federal 125 grain personal defense load is still one of the best, (if not THE best), hand gun round for self defense. For short bbls it would be worth while to check out some of the various factory loads engineered for short bbl'ed guns. Any stuff factory loaded today will be fine. Any revolver or semi-auto will have accelerated wear if lots of Super +P +P Screaming Hot Loads are run through it. Run cheaper/lower pressure 38 Special range ammo for practice and fun. Sight in the revolver with higher pressure defense loads for carry and shoot occasionally for sight check/refamiliarization than you should have no problem passing this revolver on as a functioning heirloom. Hogue Bantam grips for K Frame Round Butt are excellent grips for CCW as they offer a good grip and are concealable. Reloads for CCW can be easily toted around using Bianchi Speed Strips. Enjoy and good luck with the new find.

Just traded my 19-5 2" barrelled blue for a 19-5 4" with better bluing . Did i make a mistake? Really liked my shorter one but didn't like shooting the occasional Magnum through it. I figured the 4" would be more versatile . And don't have a CCW so the concealibilty of the smaller isn't a issue. Any Input? Thanks Jon

Also never noticed on the old one but the 4" has two different numbers stamped on the frame and the cylinder housing . The frame read ADR 4XXX and the cylinder housing is stamped 56XXX with a big E15 by it. I never noticed on my short barrel but is this normal or has the gun been rebuilt?. Thanks Again. Jon

The number on the grip frame is the serial number. The ones in the cylinder opening are assembly numbers and mean nothing to anyone except the guys building the gun.

Your gun was probably built in 1984

Picked up this 19-3 for $260.00. I feel like I stole it. The owner was asking $225.00, I told him I didn't have change.

Thanks . I know I can't go wrong with a S & W 19-5 but I just wanted to make sure and thanks for the serial number info. This will take its place next to my 100% Python and my Colt Trooper. Drool Drool. I am a lucky man .

I'd like to confirm all of the above. I purchased a 19-4 blue in 4" a few months ago for 400. I had to choose between a GP100 $500 or the 19. After much internet search and readings as well as THR, I opted for the 19. It's been the gun that I shoot the best. You can't go wrong. I't like driving a classic car from the 70's. Stick to the 158's. S&W doesn't have replacement barrels. FYI.

Good choice. I have a 2 1/2" model 66, a 4" model 19, and a 6" model 19. I love shooting them all.

Outstanding! The S&W Combat Magnum is still an excellent choice. I have 3 with the short bbl's. The "don't shoot 125 grain ammo" theory is nothing but a steaming pile of horse puckey, (no disrespect intended to previous posts). S&W had a multitude of reasons for forcing cone cracks on the K frame. At that time most LEA agencies carried the K frame magnums and used 125 grain ammo. There was literally a ton of Combat Magnums in LEO holsters shooting this load but very few failed with forcing cone cracks. Was there an unmerited correlation to this combination? Yes, of course. Enjoy it, love it and shoot what ever load is most accurate and gives you confidence. The Federal 125gr SJHP is still a step above everything else as a self defense load. Bianchi Speed Strips are an excellent way of carrying reloads and with some practice they are speedy.

On the M19 and .357 Magnum ammo:
A shooter can fire many thousands of rounds of .357 through their M19s without problems provided that you keep the area of the forcing cone clean and free of lead and the gun properly tuned.

When the Combat Magnum (M19) was introduced the idea behind it was that a fella would shoot primarily .38s through it and sometimes .357 loads. Now even though S&W beefed up the area of the yoke on the M19 there is not a lot of meat on the frame in the area of the forcing cone. That area of the frame is tapped to accept the threaded barrel and is thinner than it looks.

Some problems with some guns began to arise in this area. Most of the problems were connected with two things. One was lead build up in the area of the forcing cone combined with the widespread use of hot jacketed rounds and the other was shooting guns that were out of tune. Shooters who fired a lot of lead bullets followed by jacketed rounds experienced some problems when the lead was allowed to build up and not removed from the area. When jacketed rounds went over the areas where lead was it increased the pressures in the thin area of the forcing cone.

Many shooters have experimented with the M19 and various loads of .357 over the years and published their results in gun mags etc. (there has been a thread running for about 4 years over to the S&W forum where a fella has been firing nothing but 125 gr, JHP loads through his M19 and reports now and then on where he's at with it.) The results generally are this: Keep the guns clean and free of lead build up and properly tuned and they can last many thousands of rounds on any .357 you may want to put through them. If shot while out of tune they take more of a battering in the area of the forcing cone then L or N frames and this can lead to cracking as well.

tipoc

It is an absolute pleasure to shoot... This is a gun you will never part with

Bflobill69