19-2 at LGS need sn help

[mbliss57]

I just came from the shooting range and they had a Model 19 sitting in their gun case amongst all the junk they usually sell aka auto loaders.. It's a 19-2 4" blue in really good shape with box and papers. What doesn't make sense is the SN K780xxx was made in 1968. The -3 started production in 1967. Anyone know if this is possible? I would like a -2 as there weren't that many made in comparison to the -3. But I wonder if there is something amiss . I didn't spend a lot of time looking at the gun so I didn't notice whether it had the diamond magnas or not. They also stopped those in 1968. All info according the the SWSC Any help would be helpful.
Mike

[bigmoose]

Things overlap during transition years. "really good shape with box and papers", if price is right scoop it up before it's gone. According to SCSW the only difference between the -2 and -3 is location of rear sight leaf screw.

[snw19_357]

Although the -3 engineering change was approve in 1967 (end of it I believe), it took awhile until frames marked -3 showed up.
That is a very late -2 so it may even have the -3 rear sight leaf screw already.

Since it's a 4", it shouldn't have come with magnas.

[mbliss57]

Thanks.. I thought maybe there was transition. The leaf screw change had to be very subtle. Anyone have a pic of the -2 vs -3?

[mbliss57]

Price is $650. I have 3 model 19's (2 ) 19-3's and a -4. I payed a little more for one that has not been fired outside of factory. Less for the others. Much less for the -4

[snw19_357]

K-frame -2 rear sight leaf screw, directly over the barrel/cylinder gap.


K-frame -3 rear sight leaf screw, right over the forcing cone.


I think it’s pretty neat that moving the screw that tiny bit (the width of the screw) resulted in a ‘dash number’.

(Yeah, I know the screw is loose on the -2. the factory fit it so well, you can't see there is one unless you back it out.)

[mbliss57]

Wow. I can't believe with all the engineering changes that take place without a dash change that this one actually was.
Thanks for posting.