After having it for a number of years and rarely doing anything with it, I finally forwarded my Texas Rangers Commemorative on to a friend who was very happy to buy it. And in just reading the recent thread on the other 19-3 4", it reminded me of a question that I have had for a long time and I wonder what the forum has to say about it...

The Texas Rangers 19-3 has, as one of it's "special features" an odd trigger guard that is sort of half-shaved in the front right side... seemingly to allow a slightly faster trigger to the finger (of course this seems ludicrous to me that it would actually make any difference, but...) it's still a neat feature on the Texas Rangers 19-3 and if you have owned one or seen one, you know the feature I'm talking about.

My actual question is that my 2nd Edition of the SCSW references some over-run frames that were not made in to Texas Rangers guns that actually had this same trigger guard feature, even though the revolvers were simply made, packaged and sold as "regular" 19-3 models.

So that is where my curiosity lies... Does anyone have a "regular" 19-3 with the special half-shaved trigger guard, or has anyone seen one out in the wild?

This is not a big deal... but it does seem like it would be a pretty neat nuance on your revolver that almost nobody else has if you were to find one.

And let me apologize ahead of time if NOW, you end up looking at every single 4" P&R Model 19 that you happen to see at a store or dealer table at a show... looking for the elusive feature!

I always like the slimmed trigger guard on the TR model 19. This feature is said to have been inspired by Ranger Capt. Manuel T. Gonzaullas aka "Lone Wolf." He used to cut the trigger guards on his 1911s in a similar fashion back in the 1900s
While I do not own one of the over run frames, over the past four+ decades I have handled two of them and seen photos or an ad of a third.

Any time a larger custom order of virtually anything is made, spares are produced. If during assembly and testing one of the products to be delivered fails or one or more are lost or damaged in transit, it is very expensive and time consuming to go back and produce one or two of something. It is much cheaper to produce 10,100 and deal with the left overs after the deliver has been received, inspected and accepted by customer.

I really did like the one I had... but I didn't love it enough to keep it. But if I found a 19-3 with the cut away trigger guard, I sure would want to make a play for it so it is really neat to confirm that they have actually been seen.

I'm not trying to be a contrarian, but the love affair with the 19 is a little bit lost on me. They are fine and all (all K-frames are fantastic) but I just find that .357 is snotty and unenjoyable from them, while a pure pleasure in my 686 and especially my 28-2. Which kind of left me shooting .38 through my 19 which is nice and all... but my 10 & 64 just seem absolutely perfect for that task.

Anyway, that's why I just don't seem to share the passion for a 19. I have a solid 6" Model 66 that has earned it's keep quite well, but I prefer .38 from it also.

But yes... it's impossible not to look at every 4" Model 19 in hopes of spotting that cool trigger guard!

I looked at a 19-3 with the cut-away triggergaurd at a local shop for about a month and tried to talk myself into buying it but I had a 4 inch Model 66 that did the same job and I was too poor...

To truly appreciate the Combat Magnum/Model 19, you may need some perspective. Before the Combat Magnum, if you wanted .357 Magnum power in a S&W, you had to buy an N frame. If you just shot your handgun on the range, the weight of an N frame .357 was a positive, but if you carried a gun all of the time, on your belt, the N frame was and is a burden. The K frame Magnum shaved enough weight that you felt the difference immediately, and felt it even more at the end of the day. Handgun hunters and law enforcement officers got it right off the bat.

The introduction of the Combat Magnum meant that you no longer had to choose between .357 Magnum power or the portability of the K frame.

The lines of the gun, with it's ejector rod shroud and nice, thick barrel became an instant classic.

Haha, I don't need the perspective, I have read that a million times and I do not professionally wear a sidearm for a living. I'm not trying to claim that the Combat Magnum is no good, I am simply saying that I don't share the love for it.

I have been collecting Combat Magnums for a little while now. I was unaware of the above mentioned shaved trigger guard on the Texas Ranger model. As to the the statement in regards to not loving the model I will admit that while it is one of my favorite models I do prefer shooting 357's in my pre model 28 4" much more. The 357 is just a snappy cartridge and IMO has a unique recoil that is better managed in a N frame revolver.

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S&WCA #3012

I agree with that but the secondary angle that I also find true is that I also enjoy the weight, balance, lines and overall feel of my 10 & 64 more than a 19. They are fine revolvers but -all- Smith & Wesson revolvers are fine -- they are just down my personal list from the top.