Hi Everyone-

I just turned to the dark side and picked up my first S&W revolver. I'm a semi-auto guy (Beretta/S&W/Browning), but I just couldn't walk away from this prize after I saw it. I will post pictures when I get home tonight.

The revolver is a nickel S&W Model 19-5 w/ a 2.5" barrel in great shape. The serial number (on the base of the grip) is 212K552. Can anyone tell me the date of manufacture?

Thanks

YOM = 1982.

Welcome to the forum.

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You're shy a few manners.

Looks like 1982.
Oh, after you've been here a while you know which is the dark side.
Welcome.

Well, we think of this as "The Light Side," but we'll forgive the erroneous impression.

The dash-5 variant of the Model 19 was introduced in 1982, and the next variant came long in 1988. A new serial numbering system was introduced fairly early in that time frame, so I would imagine your gun is from 1982/83.

Welcome to the forum. There are many here who think the Model 19 is the best general purpose .357 S&W ever produced.

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David Wilson

I didn't do a great job with the pictures. The revolver looks 10x better in natural light. The nickel finish really glows with out the dang flash. Sorry they're so big.

I'm not a big fan of nickle, but that's a really nice gun for a first on the dark side.

You did good there. It doesn't look 28 years old, for sure.

vry nice, congrats!! that 19 is much prettier (and more reliable) than the tupperware. enjoy.
remember the date of purchase of your first S&W revolver, because you will want more. and years from now you will be talking about when you bought your first of many Smiths

I am a big fan of nickel guns. Be careful what you use to clean it as some of the more aggressive stuff will hurt the plating. There are threads elsewhere with (too many) recommendations on what to use.

Nice gun! For comfort's sake, you may want to consider some rubber grips if you're going to be doing a lot of shooting.

Take a look again;
Browning vs Nickel M19
It's easy to tell which side is dark
Welcome!

Kind of think I would have popped for that one also. But then I'd buy about any 2 1/2" K Frame. Think that 19 is nice, find an older 2" Mod 15 and try that for awhile.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

Thanks for the feedback guys. One more question, though. I paid $475 OTD, too much or about right. The pictures really don't do it justice.

Ash

To you, she's the prettiest gal at the dance. You paid what it took to get her to go home with you. Worth every penny, IMO ...

I think that's a fair price indeed. You will find it will increse in value as you enjoy it.
I prefer adding the Tyler T-grip adapter to the factory stocks. Its how I carry a blue 2.5" 19. Rubber grips "print" and I have found my scores go down a little with them too.

Nice, I have one a bit younger, blue finish. Great shooters. Just stay away from the 125/110 grain hot loads.

Stick to the 135 grain or heavier bullets in the magnum loads, or .38 +P's. Model 19's have a weak spot on the underside of the forcing cone (the flat) that will crack with hot loads, and the supply of replacement barrels (factory) is non-existent, I hear.

That gun will shoot .38SPL all day long, and very comfortably, for lots of practice.

As mentioned above by gkitch, the Tyler-T grip helps the comfort, or you can get aftermarket grips with a "fuller" profile from Spegel, Ahrends (my choice), or even S&W if you want the medallions. Just make sure you specify that you have a round-butt gun. I like the Ahrends grips myself, for shooting, and they look great, too.

OTOH, the last set of factory grips I got from S&W were pretty good lookers,(and still are), but I had to strip them and fit them to the gun, then re-finish them. They came out great, but you have to remember you can't put the wood back once you take it off. Kind of hurts a bit to start sanding on a perfect set of new factory grips before you use them, just because they aren't a perfect fit on 'your' gun.

Hope this helps.