S&W Mdl. 19 barrel change?

[bud45]

I'd been wanting to swap/trade in my 2" revolver for at least a 4" model to take on the Management Areas (nothing under 4" per rules), but the local gun shops seemingly discourage trade-ins and always point to a chrome- or nickel-plated model for $500-600 that I can't use hunting. When I explain I want something not quite so shiny for hunting/back-up purposes, the usual response is to shrug their shoulders, say, "That's all I got" & go back to watching their football game!

After seeing a parts schematic of the S&W 19, I noticed the barrel screws off...is it possible, or even legal, or both, to change the barrel to the length I need? Or should I try to save my precious pennies & try to find something else in a 4"-6" .357? I no longer like carrying the 19 concealed, which was the original idea, since it's 2-1/2 lbs...I carry a high-cap 9mm nowadays that's only 1.4 lbs, so the 19 is not carried much nowadays, although I belt it to my day pack when on our hunting club.

Ideas? Thanks, Bud

 

[Jim Watson]

It is quite possible, I have a 4" roundbutt M19 made by replacing the barrel on a 2.5".

You need a barrel with latch, extractor rod, and extractor rod center pin. And a gunsmith to change them out, it is not as easy as it looks. The old hammer handle through the frame has bent some guns into pretzels.

 

[BluesBear]

A S&W 19 with a 2½" barrel is very desirable.

Since S&W has just announced there will be NO MORE K-frame .357 the prices are going to start rising.

You won't have much trouble trading your 2½ for a 4". Or selling it for enough money to buy a new 4" .357.

My suggestion is to post in in the THR Trading Post. You'll probably get several offers to chose from.

 

[PinnedAndRecessed]

I did that back in the late 70's. I wanted a round butt 19 with a four inch barrel. Shipped two revolvers off to Smith and wound up with a square butt 2.5 inch 19 and a round butt four incher.

But the frames didn't match. The 2.5 inch barrel had more of a slope and looked weird.

Sent them both back to Smith to return them to their original configuration.

I'd sell what you've got and then buy what you want.

 

[stans]

Yeah, this is not a do it yourself job, it requires skills and specialized tools, otherwise you will have $50 worth of parts instead of $400 worth of gun. Finding a good condition 4 inch barrel is the first hurdle. If you find one, you then need to find a qualified gunsmith to do the work or send it to S&W. By the time you pay for all of this, you could have sold the 2 1/2 inch model 19, and they are very desireable, and bought a four incher. If you are on good terms with a local FFL holder, you might want to check out http://www.gunbroker.com/ it's one way to sell the 2 1/2 incher for what it is really worth and pick up a four incher.

 

[Morgan]

I'll trade you straight up for one of my 4" or 6" model 19's, all in like new condition.

PM or e-mail me if you're interested...