Are Blued 2.5" 19-3s and earlier hard to find ?

[bushmaster1313]

Awhile back I got a 2.5" nickel 19-3 and was very pleased.


Fast forward to the present and for a bit I was thinking of getting a similar gun in blue. Could not find it with original box and grips. Hot a Colt DS instead and closed my WTB post in the Wanted to Buy Forum. Not looking for any guns at the present.

1) Is a blue 2.5" 19-3 or younger a rare gun?

2) With what dash iteration and year did S&W start selling blue 2.5" Model 19's ?

Thanks

[Alk8944]

Originally Posted by bushmaster1313

Awhile back I got a 2.5" nickel 19-3 and was very pleased.


Fast forward to the present and for a bit I was thinking of getting a similar gun in blue. Could not find it with original box and grips. Hot a Colt DS instead and closed my WTB post in the Wanted to Buy Forum. Not looking for any guns at the present.

1) Is a blue 2.5" 19-3 or younger a rare gun?

2) With what dash iteration and year did S&W start selling blue 2.5" Model 19's ?

Thanks

The 2 1/2" Model 19 is hardly rare, there were many thousands of them built because they seem to have been the most popular variant. The reason they are infrequently seen for sale is because of that popularity, people who have them keep them!

[JP@AK]

Originally Posted by bushmaster1313

1) Is a blue 2.5" 19-3 or younger a rare gun?

2) With what dash iteration and year did S&W start selling blue 2.5" Model 19's ?

There were some Model 19-2 units made with the 2 1/2" barrel prior to 1966, but in 1966, that barrel length became a standard option. As Alk8944 mentioned, that barrel length is quite common, beginning with the dash 3, which came along in 1967.

Here's one of mine, a dash 3. The ivory stocks were added after I owned the gun for a while.

[Alk8944]

Jack,

Nice 19-3, just a bit cleaner than mine. Love the Ivory stocks! Mine has smooth rosewood that I made.

Al

[OutAtTheEdge]

My 2-1/2" Blue 19-3, alongside it's brother-from-a-different-mother 66-1.
IMG_5131.jpg

[6string]

Wow, that’s nice! I don’t recall seeing one in nickel, and in such fine shape. The deep case colors on the trigger and hammer look quite stunning against the nickel. Pretty cool to see it has the K-38 style trigger stop, and that it hadn’t been removed (and lost!).

It’ll be a handful to shoot with 158 gr Magnum loads!!

[03hemi]

Yes, any 19 P&R's in good condition are hard to come by.

[snw19_357]

Originally Posted by JP@AK

There were some Model 19-2 units made with the 2 1/2" barrel prior to 1966,

I have heard and read that in a few places but in all my years of studying the Model 19, I have not heard of or seen one with a 2.5" barrel before that length became a standard option.

If anyone has or knows of one made prior to 1966 or has a serial number lower than K684xxx please contact me. I would love to add it to my database.

Originally Posted by JP@AK

but in 1966, that barrel length became a standard option.

August, 1966

[BAM-BAM]

At the beginning of this Century I wanted to replace the 2 1/2" Model 19 I traded away a decade earlier after getting a 3" 66.

Took me several years to find one in the condition I wanted locally.

Thems who has them, keeps them!

Can't tell you the last time I saw one for sale locally!

[A10]

They are hard to find because people don't part with them. They are very well balanced and packable firearms.

[bushmaster1313]

^^^
All of the above is much appreciated and makes good sense

[Truckman]

Originally Posted by A10

They are hard to find because people don't part with them.

Grudgingly sometimes...I recently was separated from my last 2 1/2" 19-3 with RR/WO by a whining, pleading old friend...Embarrassingly enough I'm down to this one boxed 2 1/2" 19-6, shown here with it's Ken Driskill smooth stags...Time to go shopping I guess, either that or take the hacksaw to some of my 4" and 6" guns......Ben

[A10]

Ken's grips really make a blued revolver elegant!

[paplinker]

I was at a gun show yesterday and saw three snubby M19s

One nic boxed -3 for $1750.00 that's been for sale over two years.

One nic unboxed -3 for $975.00

One blued 19-2 for $1400.00 no box 99%

They are out there, You just have to be at the right place on the right day.

[4T5GUY]

Originally Posted by A10

They are hard to find because people don't part with them.

I’ll also quote A10 because I won’t part with mine.

At one time I had quite a few S&W revolvers and zero semi’s. That changed 25 yrs ago and I sold off all revolvers except two. One is a 66 no dash, (black rear sight,) and my 19-3. I had no idea that eventually they would be “sought after”. I just thought they were perfect for me.

I have several options but really like the Ahrends Cocobolo’s. They seem somewhat “sought after” now also.

Jim

[Retired W4]

I believe Kim is no longer making his beautiful grips. I especially like the dark cocobolo on that 19.

[SS336]

My 19-3, from 1970. Great revolver and every year it gets harder to find one like it. 54 years old. This picture was taken 13 years ago.



This one a couple of hours ago

[4T5GUY]

Originally Posted by Retired W4

I believe Kim is no longer making his beautiful grips.

Yep. It’s probably hard to deal with a broken heart and still try to run a business.

Kim suggested the Cocobolo with hand rubbed tung oil for my 19-3. Obviously this was some years ago and before Cocobolo was listed as an endangered species.

Jim

[Model19man]

Originally Posted by bushmaster1313

Is a blue 2.5" 19-3 or younger a rare gun?
Thanks

Interesting question. I guess I don't know. I was interested in purchasing a Model 19 2 1/2" barrel in nickel a few years ago (maybe 15 years ago) and at that time I found lots of them for sale but none within my budget.

I don't recall seeing any in blue - those must be pretty obscure.

[Artyldr01]

You just gotta look and be patient. I was looking at a different model of Smith at a pawn shop, and it reminded me I really wanted a 19 or 66 2 1/2". Low and behold, I find MY perfect 19-3. Made in 1970 (my birth year). Tyler T grip adapter installed. Provenance as a former LEOs gun and commensurate wear. Original box. All for less than $900 shipped. I added a period correct Roy's Pancake holster. That was only a few months, less than a year ago. The moral of the story is to keep your eyes open and a bit of patience.

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

[M29since14]

In my neck of the woods, I’ve seen way more blued guns than nickel. In fact, I can recall seeing only one 2-1/2” nickel 19-3 and one -5. I’ve probably seen at least 10-times that many in blue, and I am not much on attending gun shows. Most of the blued 2-1/2” guns I have seen appear to have been cop guns. Pretty well worn.

[Retired W4]

Originally Posted by M29since14

In my neck of the woods, I’ve seen way more blued guns than nickel. In fact, I can recall seeing only one 2-1/2” nickel 19-3 and one -5. I’ve probably seen at least 10-times that many in blue, and I am not much on attending gun shows. Most of the blued 2-1/2” guns I have seen appear to have been cop guns. Pretty well worn.

I have had my blue 19-3 for quite a while now. The nickel -5 is a more recent pick up. I bought the 66-1 new in 1978. All great guns and easy to carry. The -5 (top right) was a US State Dept. Security Detail gun. Probably one of the last issue revolvers for them.

[H Richard]

This is one I had, I found it in a small gun shop, with rust from being left in a wet gun rug. It was just enough it had a few pits. I elected to have a industrial hard chrome finish put on it. That surface wears like iron. Kind of wish I still had it.

[45NUTT]

While they are not rare, they are higher than a cat's back! On GI, they start at $1,300.

I am currently browsing for one. I saw a well used blued 19-3 at a gun show recently for $800, but it had a lot of bluing loss and dents & dings. It looked like somebody's truck gun. I'm not a condition snob nor do I have to have the original box, etc, but this one was too rough for me.

EDIT: Revise that $1,300 to $1,400 +!!