Hi guys my name is Justin and I am writing in from Delaware! So i hate being this guy on forums but i have come here for help. I have a model 19-4 that seized up a while back. sent it back to s&w and of course they no longer manufacture parts. Apparently i have an expanded cylinder and a cracked barrel, also new to my knowledge and prolly not knew to you guys but its not a good idea to run actual full power .357 through this gun according to smith and wesson... Sooooo i can find the cylinder on ebay for about 65 bucks, not bad. now my issue is the barrel... 6" nickel plated and i cant find it anywhere.. Any suggestions???

Keep an eye on the Accessories for Sale section, you might get lucky. And find a good gunsmith that knows how to work on Smith and Wesson revolvers.

__________________
Even older, even crankier....

Welcome to the forum

We have a "Want To Buy" section here on the forum. Post what your looking for in there and don't be surprised if you find one. I guess a 4" barrel would work too.

__________________
Get off my lawn!

Welcome, Justin!
I can't help with a replacement barrel, but posting a 'want to buy' add in the forum would be a good start.

I've gotta ask: What ammo were you shooting that caused all this mayhem? Factory .357 magnum ammunition should not be a problem for a model 19.

When shooting magnum ammo in the model 19 (or model 66), it is recommended to use 158-gr ammunition and stay away from the lighter 125-gr stuff, as that ammo has been blamed for occasionally cracking the forcing cone at the 6 o'clock position. I don't know how real that concern is, but I've read accounts of it happening, so take that for what it's worth.

However, even 125-gr ammo would not account for a damaged (expanded) cylinder.
That sounds like over-pressure reloads.

The model 19 (and model 66) are great revolvers but were manufactured with a lighter frame than the model 686. My personal recommendation would be to stick with lighter magnum loads if you're handloading, and maybe even .38 Special loads for most of your shooting.

Nothing wrong with occasional use of full-power 357 mag loads, but I would personally keep it to a minimum out of respect for the gun.

As you are finding out, spare parts can be difficult to come by for out-of-production guns.

An "expanded cylinder" doesn't happen due to the use of full power 357 Magnum ammunition, it comes from the use of Reloaded Ammunition purchased from a stranger at a gun show or some acquaintance. As for the cause of this type of event, that is the result of a cartridge with 2 to 3 TIMES the correct amount of powder. Yeah, that is quite possible if someone gets careless and yes it will blow a gun apart, in some cases into many impressively small bits and pieces. So count yourself fortunate.

The rule for any firearms owner is to never shoot reloads that you have not made yourself and when reloading do not EVER stop in the middle of charging a case. Something as simple as answering a telephone can result in a double charged case.

I would advise you to consider making that mistake a wall hanger. Because any cylinder you find will require "fitting" by a professional, which will likely cost 100 dollars or more. In addition if you look closely at the yoke cutout in the frame underneath the barrel you will probably find that your frame is cracked and even if it's not there is a good chance removing that damaged barrel will crack the frame. Cracked frames are NOT repairable. Then there is the matter of finding a nickel plated barrel, best bet for that is Gunbroker and you may have some years of watching before one comes up for sale. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but you'll probably spend less and find it much easier to simply purchase a replacement.

Welcome to the forum from North Dakota. Good luck with your project

__________________
John

also new to my knowledge and prolly not knew to you guys but its not a good idea to run actual full power .357 through this gun according to smith and wesson... " this has been debunked over and over. Problems came from using lead bullets and not cleaning the lead buildup off. User negligence got blamed on the gun. There us a user here with a well known model 19 that looks like New with over 50,000 rounds through it during his law enforcement training career and counting.

Justin, welcome to the forum. All in all it may be easier to put your current model 19 away and look for replacement. You buy used parts you don't know the condition of them, how long it will take to locate them, or what a qualified gunsmith would take to fit the parts or the final cost.

__________________
Always Stay Strong!

First off thanks for all the replys! I can't speak for the first 20 years of the guns life when my grandfather opened it. But since the early 90s my father has owned it and never run reloads or lead. Always jacketed. None the less, here we are. I understand all the guys saying make it a wall hanger and move on but it haseems been in the family since the day it was bought in the late 70s, so it's a bit sentimental so I don't mind spending the money on a gun smith to get it up and running again. I will try the WTB section and thanks again for all the replies!

Welcome Justin, I'm also from Delaware.

I understand that it has that "family sentimental" value to it, but I suggest you give more thought about what to do with the handgun.

scooter123 has offered you valuable advice, and I would suggest you think about it long and hard.......................
"I would advise you to consider making that mistake a wall hanger. Because any cylinder you find will require "fitting" by a professional, which will likely cost 100 dollars or more. In addition if you look closely at the yoke cutout in the frame underneath the barrel you will probably find that your frame is cracked and even if it's not there is a good chance removing that damaged barrel will crack the frame. Cracked frames are NOT repairable. Then there is the matter of finding a nickel plated barrel, best bet for that is Gunbroker and you may have some years of watching before one comes up for sale. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but you'll probably spend less and find it much easier to simply purchase a replacement."

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you good luck!