I have a Model 19 that I purchased in 1970. I used it for about a year when I first got it then it was stored for the next 40+ years. Recently started shooting it again. I have never taken the side plate off and cleaned and oiled the mechanisms. I saw a you tube on how to do it but it looks like it is not real easy to get the side cover plate off. Should I do this or just let well enough alone? Thinking that the cleaning and oiling might make the trigger pull even better ?

Use a fitted hollow ground screw drive if you do and don't pry the sideplate off.On most of mine,I just hose it out with an aerosol cleaner,let it dry then dribble a little oil in and work the action.

What arjay said.

If the revolver is functioning properly (cylinder not binding, trigger action working smoothly, etc) I would continue to shoot and enjoy it just as it is. I am speaking from my own personal experience and practice.

The side plate is under spring pressure (tension). It can be removed by simply tapping on the butt with the wood handle end of a small hammer, or with a small plastic mallet (which I use). It will dislodge itself very easily.

Now if you want to avoid the "deer in the headlights" look afterwards, this DVD is invaluable: Complete Revolver Disassembly & Reassembly with Jerry Miculek (DVD)

I've been through this DVD over a dozen times and I still can't go through the process as easily as Jerry does.

The Model 19 is a great revolver. I'm glad that you still have yours to enjoy!

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That's what we do!

Do you do the cleaning and oiling once every 3 or 4 years or on a more regular basis?

If it's not malfunctioning then there's no need to take it apart. I have revolvers from the 30s - 70s that have never been taken apart and all shoot fine

Don't do it yourself . . .

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Wisdom comes thru fear . . .

If the gun is operating properly there is probably no need to disassemble. A couple drops of good gun oil or CLP in the hammer and trigger recess's then manipulate the action a few times.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

If your gun is pristine probably best not to mess with it especially if your not a mechanical person .

If you have an old beater K frame take that one apart following the Youtube tutorial so you get the hang of it,
After taking one apart and putting it back together a few times it becomes very easy and you learn the pitfalls.

If you have no interest in learning best left to someone in the know or you can damage the gun.

What they ^^^^^^^said. My 19-2 was made in 1965. The side plate has never been off.

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Life Is A Gift. Defend it!

If it's working OK there's no reason BUT a 10 year old kid could do it. I've messed with a lot of guns and the S&W is about the easiest gun in the world to take apart and reassemble. I'm betting there's a UTUBE video too.

I've taken the sideplate off a couple of mine to flush them out with gunscrubber, but I really couldn't tell it did much better than just blasting the stuff in through the openings in the frame, then just putting a drop or two of oil here and there.

I also chipped a sideplate back in my younger days. We didn't have anything like this to learn from and I just took the screws out and pryed the plate up. Don't do that. The people who tell you not to, know what they're talking about.

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John 3:16 .

I have Model 38 J frame I purchased in the early '70s that's never had the side plate off. It was carried as a back-up to my duty weapon and after retirement in '97. The sideplate has never been off and the gun runs fine.

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

Suppose it's part of my OCD, but if I own it, the sideplate's coming off, a detail strip and a good toothbrush scrub with solvent on all parts before reassembling and lightly lubing moving parts HAS to be done.

But that's just me.

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Ret'd LEO
SWCA #2275

If it aint broke, don't fix it. That is my policy and I've taken the time to learn how to properly tune a S&W medium and large frame revolver. Because my 610, 620, 625, and 617 were all in Factory Tuned condition when purchased, so all 4 had DA triggers that featured a Lawyer Friendly 12.5 lbs trigger pull in double action. Yesterday I picked up a 2 1/2 inch 19-3 and because it had already been tuned to exactly how I like my revolvers tuned I have no intention at all of taking off the sideplate. Because there isn't any need to do that.

Doing anything more than routine cleaning/maintenance is beyond my meager abilities. If I took the sideplate off I'd wind up w/some parts left over after reassembly. I'm not mechanically inclined. To quote Dirty Harry/Clint Eastwood; "A man has to know his limitations."

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Old Cop
LEO (Ret.)

If you simply remove the front sideplate screw and then remove the yoke and cylinder assembly then you can remove the cylinder from the yoke and clean the yoke barrel and the cylinder so that the cylinder rotates freely on the barrel. Keeping this part of the gun clean will make your double action pull as it should be and may reduce a little wear and tear on the hand and ratchet.

Removing the sideplate is simple but maybe not so necessary unless your gun has a bunch of congealed lubricant. S&W revolvers do not like to swim in oil and should not be subjected to that, but they do like to be clean and tidy. I'd be more concerned that your cylinder and yoke are clean than worried about the lockwork. If you have cleaned those areas and the trigger is still not like it should be, then remove the sideplate and have a look there.

I'm sorry for asking this question but, what is the # after the model # ( 19-1,19-2,19-3....) designate? I believe that it was the year that is was produced but that is just a guess. Thanks.

pspez, those are "engineering" changes and supposed "up-grades" to the revolver. Not really an indicator of year produced; except in a given range of "dashes". The greater dash numerical value, the later in years the gun was produced.

Generally speaking, the low, or NO dash models are seemingly more desirable to hard-core S&W collectors, but the "dash-numbers" are not the only reason. Most feel the older revolvers with more "hands-on" attention paid to them, exceed the newer model's quality, and looks.

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wanna do right-- not right now

Pspez, it specifies the "engineering change order" that the gun was produced to, thus a M19-3 will have undergone at least three major changes since the original M19 that S&W considered sufficiently important to write up and implement formally. An engineering change order could involve a single change or more than one in the same order.

Thanks guys. It was confusing but clear now.

I completely disassemble all my revolvers (and Auto's too) every few years or so depending on how much I shoot them. The ones that routinely get shot with lead bullets and are hand loaded get done more often. My EDC gets done pretty much on a yearly basis as there always seems a way for dust, lint and powders residue to find its way in. I have been doing this for long enough (35+ years) so I do not even have to think about it and the whole process takes less about 45 minutes including a good scrubbing.

NOW....... if you are not familiar with the disassembly and reassembly and you have little to no interest to learn you have two other viable options. You can but some Rig #2 Oil or Remoil and use the straw that comes with them to spray the heck out of the revolver fully assembled (minus the grips) and let the very thin fluid flow through the gun cleaning and lubrication. There are areas to get the oil in and it will flow all over the inside. The reason I suggest these two chemicals is that they are both very very thin, evaporate quickly but leave lubrication and rust protection behind after carrying out lots of dirt. Neither will gum up or attract dust. Shake the gun or use an air compressor to rid it of excess oil, let it dry for a day or so, then you should be good to go. Make sure the chambers are dry and all excess oil has been removed before inserting ammo. The second option would be to visit a qualified Gunsmith. No matter which method you choose, I would suggest doing something as a gun that old is either surely dry, gummy and or a bit dirty. You can also check for rust and remove any that has formed. Like anything else made of steel, moving parts & metal need cleaning & lubrication.