Hello All,
I'm new to the forum and this is my first post. I need some help with a gun I inherited and I figured this would be the best place to go for help.

So my dad used to be a police officer in the 1970’s and 80’s and when he passed away about 10 years ago I inherited his old sidearm. The gun is a Smith and Wesson 357 magnum and the model number engraved says 19-3 and the serial number is 9k42264. The problem with the gun is that it’s not complete. I guess when he retired from the police department he disassembled his gun to keep it safe from my sisters and I. So needless to say, when he passed away 10 years ago the location of the missing parts was lost with him.

I’m not familiar with gun terminology at all but I know the gun is missing the cylinder and some of the extraction parts. This is where all of you Smith and Wesson experts come in. I need some help identifying all of the missing parts to the gun. Also, I’d like to know if there is a way to acquire the missing parts to make the gun functional again. I look forward to finding out more about this gun and hearing any information you can give to me.

Attached Images

model 19-3.JPG (137.2 KB, 518 views)

You are missing, at the least, the cylinder assembly and the yoke.

Cylinder assembly would be the cylinder itself, the extractor star, the center pin, the ejector rod and a couple springs.

The yoke is the part is pivots on.

I would call Smith and see if they can fit it up for you. It will not be a drop in fix. Try REALLY hard to see if you can find the original parts. I am guessing it will be over $200 for Smith to get you fixed up.

The gun was made in 1976.

Thanks for the information.

So if I send it to Smith and Wesson and have them fix it then it might cost over $200? Would that cost more than the gun is worth when it is fixed?

Do you have any idea where I might begin to look for original parts?

I'm willing to bet the missing parts are all together in a cigar box somewhere, is the front side plate screw in the revolver? (it is the one over the trigger) that screw would have been the only screw to be removed to dissemble what is missing. You and your Mother could do a scavenger hunt and possibly turn up these missing parts, hope they were kept in a controlled environment so as not to be rusted beyond use. Good luck with your search.

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Sam
S&WHF 333 S&WCA 2198

The complete gun is probably worth in the 4-500 range.If the replacement parts are not a good match in terms of finish or wear,adjust downward.
Obviously for sentimental reasons, it may be worth spending a few hundred.Otherwise, it might be an option to sell as is.I would imagine the 200 figure quoted is very likely-the shipping expense can be a considerable amount too.Fedex and UPS want them to go "Next day service".

It's your dad's gun. Do what it takes to get it running. Numrich might be a good place to start. A local shop should be able to make a list of the parts you need, maybe even put it together properly once you get them. I'd look through his stuff again, I bet he didn't can the parts. What a neat quest. Good luck. Joe

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Wisdom chases me; I'm faster

@Smitholdtimer, Yes, the front side plate screw is there. It looks like there are a couple little scratches around the screw from when it was taken out or put back in.

When my dad passed my family went though his stuff and didn't find any gun parts that I know of. I was too young at the time to go though anything. I've had this gun since I was 13 and just recently took interest in it. I'll ask my family if they know anything about the parts but I don't think I'll have any luck.

+1 Agree with the above. I would think the missing items would be near the same area as where the revolver frame was found. I'd check all your father's areas of the house; attic, garage, basement, etc.

IMHO: Anything handed down would again be handed down later on.
- Also, Your S&W Model 19-3 is a Great Revolver. You will not find anything currently made like the one you have. Worth keeping

Hope everything works out & Good luck. Please keep us posted.

Have a great one

Hi,

That revolver is a really nice one. Better yet, it was your dad's . . . and a strong link with him and his past that you'll come to treasure more and more through the years.

I too believe you may be able to find the parts. If not, there are a lot of good members here who may be able to help the "kid of a cop" get his dad's gun up and running again. Truly wonderful people here!

But first things first . . . if you can somehow talk to relatives and find that yoke and cylinder (the entire assembly was probably just removed via that one screw and simply backed out fully assembled and stored), you can reassemble that yoke into the gun in oh . . . about FIVE SECONDS if you are slow!

Truly, it is a simple job you can do and the gun would be PERFECT again. I'll bet your dad left that yoke+cylinder assembly intact so the gun could be reassembled and fired in seconds, should the need arise. After all, he was a cop!

Best of luck . . . and stick around. I believe that gun will get back in good working order in no time!!!

Tom

PS: If you can post some larger photos of the revolver it might help us see the condition of the revolver should you end up needing a yoke/cylinder assembly . . . so it could be best matched up with good used parts that might visibly match well! Keep in mind, with this second option, it is no longer simply a case of "dropping the parts in." Sure, it would only take mere seconds, but a gunsmith will have to set the gap correctly of the barrel and cylinder and this takes expertise . . . and a step that MUST be done.

Just to clarify things, the parts that are missing must be "fitted" to the gun. Which requires expertise and knowledge. For guns of this vintage, S&W refers to these items as requiring "factory fitting". Which means they won't sell you the parts, they will require you ship the gun to them. However, a very good gunsmith with the proper experience can also do this if you have one in your area.

Now for costs. A complete cylinder assembly will probably run in the range of 250 dollars if purchased all new. Haven't ever seen a Crane (or Yoke) offered for sale but suspect it's a 75 to 100 dollar part. Labor for fitting everything together will probably add another 100 dollars. so, ballpark to replace the missing parts is in the range of 400 to 450 dollars. Just about what your gun is worth on the used retail market. BTW, shipping it to S&W will require that it be shipped via UPS, 2nd day Air in both directions, so having S&W do the work will probably run an additional 100 dollars or so.

Is it worth doing this? In simple economic terms the answer is a big NO. However, it was your fathers gun and the model 19 is probably the single most noteworthy S&W of the last 60 years and one of the most desirable revolvers ever made. IMO, those two factors make it a worthwhile project even if is a loss in economic terms.

You probably have figured that you cant repair your gun for anywhere near what a complete used revolver costs.

I see two practicle options unless money is no object.

(1) If you want to fire your dads gun .
Look for a used model 19 with a bad barrel, bring the parts to a gunsmith and choose the most cost effective route to swap as many of your old parts so that you have a functioning firearm.

Model 19's had a tendency to split the barrel at the forcing cone and replacement barrels are very hard to find.
A used Model 19 with bad barrel should not cost more than $150 to $200.
You may be able to barter the leftover parts with the gunsmith or sell them on this forum .


(2) If you do not intend to ever fire the gun but want a piece of memorabilia that looks complete.

Buy a used parts kit for $99.00 that would return the gun close to its original appearance .

A cylinder and yoke from a 38 caliber Model 10 parts kit from JG sales should fit but it will never be able to fire.
Also would not require any gunsmith or dealers as it could be mailed right to you and installed with only a flat head screwdriver.


Smith & Wesson Model 10 "Parts Kit" - NO FFL

It would necessitate that you take steps to make sure it could NEVER be fired (like removing the firing pin) so nobody would ever mistakenly try to shoot it and be hurt.

For what it is worth I would probably put dads old grips on a new used gun.
Hope you eventually find the old parts.
Good luck either way.

Thanks all. There sure is a lot to consider. Is there anyone that could tell me all of the parts that are missing in a list or something? Or maybe, does anyone have a diagram of an exploded view of a model 19? I'm going to contact a gunsmith but I'd like to get a better understand of what all is missing.

Also, I won't post the link because I'm not sure if I can but there is this auction on gunbroker.com that has a lot of miscellaneous 19 parts and I was wondering what you guys think about that as an option. Thanks.

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Here's a schematic of the parts you need from Numrich website.

you need 1-9 and 31, I hope I didn't miss anything.

The parts you mentioned on gunbroker would be a real good start.

This is mentioned for a 19-5 but they're the same parts needed as yours.

Hope this helps.

schematic

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ASA/NSA 67-71
NRA Benefactor

If you can get those parts, it will give you what you need to work with. I doubt S&W has any M19 cylinders so finding good used parts is your best bet. A good S&W armorer can probably get your Dad's gun running again with a set like that. Sometimes the yoke does not match the contours of the frame. If proud, the two can be dressed together and of course, refinished. If the other way around, you just have to live with the mis-match (or actually remove metal from the frame in the dressing process).

If you absolutely cannot find the original cylinder and yoke, you are on the right track with buying a 19-3 or 19-4 parts set, in my opinion. I also agree with others that the cost of restoring the gun to working condition is worthwhile. Would be to me, anyway.

Since I noticed you are in Flagstaff you might try Gary Reeder Custom Guns. He does a lot of custom work and often times puts unfluted cylinders in his guns.
He might have what you need on a back shelf somewhere!

So if I can get these parts from the auction I could take them to Gary Reeder Custom Guns and they could fix it all up for me?

It looks like the extractor and a couple of it's parts are missing, in that gunbroker pic.

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ASA/NSA 67-71
NRA Benefactor

Gary (or Kase) Reeder can definitely fix it up for you.

Update!

I went ahead and and got those parts from gun broker that I posted above. They arrived today and I'm very pleased with the parts. As far as I know it has everything I need, including the extractor parts that appeared to be missing in the picture. The condition and finish of the cylinder is almost an exact match to my gun.

All I need to do now is take it to a gunsmith to have them assemble the gun and make sure everything is working properly. The gun hasn't been fired in at least 23 years and I don't even know how often it was fired before then.

This is pretty exciting for me and I'll post some new pictures as soon as I can.

Thanks to everyone that gave some input.

In my opinion, the 19-3 was the best of the model 19's made. Good luck in finding those used parts for sale. I'd take it as a sign that dad wanted his revolver working again. That is a piece of family history you can pass down to another generation. Just because it's marked .357 Magnum, you don't have to fire full house .357 loads in it. You can start out shooting .38 Special loads in it to get used to it. I have my dad's old service revolver, a Victory Model, (a pre-Model 10) which he had as long as I can remember, and I was born in 1950. It is one of the few guns I have that will NEVER be sold. There is nothing like family history. Once you hold that gun in your hand and fire it, you will feel that connection to your father. You may also get hooked on S&W's. -Ed.

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Shoot the CPU, not the monitor

I liked your story and I'm glad for you it is getting to a happy end!

I just found this thread. I am glad to read that you not only have your father's revolver, but that you now have the parts in hand by which it may be restored to service. I would encourage you to follow through by having a qualified gunsmith fit the parts to your revolver. Your satisfaction with the restoration of your father's revolver will be very significant.

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<><

Just be sure you get the gun to a competent 'smith. This is not a big job, but it needs to be done by someone who knows what they are doing. I would be inclined to send the whole mess back to S&W. It would be worth the extra expense of shipping, if you do not know a good S&W armorer in your area.

Let us know how things turn out.

So I took my 19 to Gary Reeder's shop today and there's some good news and some bad news. The good news is he said that all the parts looked like there but we would have to take it apart to be sure. Also, he said he would be able to get it fixed up and cleaned in about a week.

The bad news is that he said the gun wouldn't be as accurate as it should be due to the gap in between the cylinder and the barrel. He said that it's about 3 times wider than it should be because the cylinder is not custom made for that particular gun.

Gary said I could send it back to Smith and Wesson and they could fit a proper cylinder or I could just have him fix it. I decided to have him fix it up because it's the cheaper route that I was headed down in the first place. I figured that one day, when I have more money, I'll send it back to Smith and have them get it back to factory condition.

Here is a picture with the gun and the parts so you can see the condition and because pictures are nice.

Attached Images

19-3.JPG (120.0 KB, 201 views)

It sounds like your gun needs to have its barrel set back a thread or two, which is no big deal, but for some reason he does not want to do that. He may be worried he will crack the frame in taking the barrel loose, or something like that...

That's not likely, but I suppose it could happen. Since the gun would be hard to replace, I suppose he doesn't want to get involved in doing it.

The gun is not going to be satisfactory if the barrel-cylinder gap is too large.

Good to see you got all the part you need. I would strongly suggest you send it to Smith & Wesson. I know the gun has great meaning to you and I think you will be a lot happy with it being truly 100% complete and functional again.

"The bad news is that he said the gun wouldn't be as accurate as it should be due to the gap in between the cylinder and the barrel. He said that it's about 3 times wider than it should be because the cylinder is not custom made for that particular gun."

Something isn't right here. It may be between what you heard and what he said.

Gary Reeder knows that the cylinders were not custom made for that particular gun. They are not.

Unless there is some MAJOR problem with that cylinder, the barrel cylinder gap can be rectified by turning the barrel back a turn or two...unless, thats a .38 Special cylinder. Then, it would indeed be too short. (wouldn't it? I need to go home and measure a couple cylinders)

I think something got lost in the translation. Is there any difference in cylinder lengths between dash models? Gas ring on the cylinder as opposed to the yoke?

Maybe he was trying to tell me about how they correct the gap in every gun when it's manufactured and since that isn't the original cylinder for that gun then the gap would be incorrect because Smith and Wesson didn't fit those two parts together originally. Does that make more sense?

Yes, it does. Looking at the photo of the gun, I don't see the barrel sticking out into the frame opening like it should, or am I mistaken.

Sorta...but, if the cylinder is right for the gun, the only thing the factory would or could do, is turn the barrel back and recut it to close the gap. It has nothing to do with the cylinder. Interesting. Good luck to you, please put up some pictures when its all together.

I am interested to see how this all turns out. Please keep us posted when you get it back Efoehn.

I just found this thread and it is really exciting to see your project taking shape. Please continue to keep us posted.

I got my gun back today from the shop! Gary Reeder got it put back together, cleaned up, timed, and test fired it for me. He said that shot quite a few rounds and that gun shot well and didn't spit at all. Everything is functioning smoothly and the gun looks very nice. He only charged me $30.00 rather than the $70-$80 that I was quoted because he didn't have to do as much work as he previously thought. So I have about $160 invested in this gun so far, not bad right?

I talked to Gary about the b/c gap and he said that was within factory specs. Like I said above, he fired it and said everything was fine so I think I will leave it alone. He also said something about not being able to turn the barrel in because it has a pinned barrel. Does anyone have more information about that?

try Mike at Guns & Gun Parts, West Springfield, MA 1.413.732.9938. Smith & Wesson calls him for parts.

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Don Mundell

Well, he could turn the barrel in, it just takes drifting the barrel pin out before removing the barrel and cutting it on the lathe. However, if the b/c gap is within specs, there is no reason to do so, especially since it is a lot of work, and would involve not only cutting the barrel's shoulder on a lathe and facing the end of the forcing cone (opening into the barrel) to arrive at the correct b/c gap, as well as cutting a new pin relief in the top of the barrel threads to align it to its new position relative to the frame, all to, possibly, close the gap one or two thousandth of an inch. Just not cost-effective. If the b/c gap were out of spec, then, yes, he would have set the barrel back. Sounds like you're good to go - enjoy your Dad's 19!

How about before and after pictures?

You are fortunate to have this weapon as an heirloom . You will enjoy learning about the model 19 and its place in shooting history . Bill Jordan , perhaps the man most associated with the Model 19 , wrote of his experiences in law enforcement and made demonstration films and lectures for all posterity . I recommend his articles , books and video recordings .

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Idaho , Elmer and Milt

I think I would stop right there. "Within specs" can vary widely and, I have had guns on the far side of "within specs" that shot great and others that were on the short side of "within specs" that would bind in two cylinder fulls of shooting. If it shoots well, and a good gunsmith like Reeder says its good to go, I think I would call it a day. You did fine getting that thing together at a reasonable price....

Of course, now that you have gone through all that, you will find the original parts in a sock drawer or something.

What a great story! I love happy endings.

Thanks to everyone who has given some input during this process. I have learned a lot about revolvers since I started this project. I still have a lot to learn though and I still need to shoot it!

So the next bit of advice I could use is about ammo. What should I use to get started?

Here are some after pictures. My camera isn't that great so neither are the pictures.

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	Model 19-3_1.jpg (132.0 KB, 139 views)
	Model 19-3_2.jpg (121.9 KB, 136 views)

That gun looks great!

I like the wear on the muzzle. I wonder how many times your dad drew that gun? At a burglar alarm at night. A Robbery alarm at the bank. In the gun locker while booking a prisoner. I'll bet there were a few times it felt pretty reassuring in his hand.

I usually shoot whatever .38 Special ammo I have laying around. It will safely shoot as many .38 Specials, in whatever form you will generally find, forever. As far as Magnums go, I'm not as worried about the gun as I am my hands. Full house Magnums get old, quick. But, shoot a few through the old warhorse just for old times sake. Generally, it will cause less wear and tear if you stay with the 158 GR .357 Magnums. The 125 GR will cause the fastest wear. ("fastest wear" is a relative thing...it may shoot 125 grain .357 Magnums for 20 years without a problem, but, the general belief is it has the potential to cause quicker and more severe wear.)

Enjoy. You brought an old warrior back to life. Its still in the family where it belongs.

very good story I gald you got it up and running again.

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God save the SOUTH

I just read through this thread. Really interesting! And it couldn't have turned out better! Something tells me your Dad is as happy as you are!

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Misty

It looks great and I would not worry about the b/c gap. Take it out and shoot it, but stay away from .357 Mag 125 grain ammo. Shoot 158 grain .357 Mag ammo sparingly, and blast away with any of the .38 Special ammo you want.

If you find that the wooden grips are a bit punishing when firing .357s, consider switching to rubber ones from Hogue or other manufacturers. A good pair of shooting gloves will work wonders, too. If you do change the grips, do not loose the factory originals as they add to the value and personality of the gun. Lots of wheelgun guys have several sets that they change regularly; rubber grips for range use and wood grips when showing the toys at the family BBQ.

Thanks for sharing your story. Enjoy the 19!

Congratulations,
This is proof that there is a life after.
Great story and what an awesome ending.

That is great that all turned out well. Only getting charged $30 by Gary Reeder speaks well of him also.
Ed

i sure hope you get the parts to get it back running

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WILL WORK FOR AMMO!

This is such a nice thread. Great to see your dad's gun up and running. Thank you for sharing it with us. Please post about your shooting impressions after you take the revolver "out for a spin."