I have a S&W MOD 19-3. Serial #2K90548, 4 " BBL. .357. 3 screw, Square Butt and I think maybe larger stock S& W grips unless this model came with bigger grips. Kind of untouched with the probability it has had a trigger job. My brother was a good Amateur pistolsmith - did it for fun. I have a trigger weight tool and the single action is about at 1.3 - 1.5 lbs and @ double action pretty close to 5 lbs. Also has adjustable sites! (forgot that had to edit) Unless Smith sold them this way it got a good trigger job. Wondering when it was MFG or shipped & what you can tell me about it. Is this referred to as HI Way Patrol or something similar. Curious about value & I know you want a photo. It was My Fathers. I know it has been shot but not much, probably a few times then wrapped up and put away. Blue is all there, no nicks or scrapes, no holster wear just about as clean as you could get one. My brother had a match to this pistol and shot it a lot. I'm pretty sure Dad shot his a few times then decided he needed to have one just like it but didn't much like the hot .357 rounds. Not for sale just curious of today's value.

Thanks Larry McPhail

Larry
That trigger pull is too light for any defensive type senerio

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Paid $400 for this one at cabelas in mid October. I did OK pricewise, if I was to sell mine I'd expect between $500 and $600, though with the current panic might luck out and go a bit higher.

The model 19 is known as the Combat Magnum. I is built on the medium K frame. The Highway Patrolman is the Model 28, built on the large N frame. It's also a .357 Magnum, and it will have "357 CTG. Highway Patrolman" roll stamped on the right side of the barrel. See picture below.

A good condition Model 19-3 with the large target stocks and 4" barrel can go for $750-$900 generally. Having the original box helps with value. I agree with RGNewell that the trigger pull is too light. You should test fire it for consistent ignition. Many "trigger jobs" will create issues causing failures to fire and light primer strikes if they aren't done properly.

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In my opinion, anything less than 2.5 lbs. Single action pull is dangerous.

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I paid $661 for mine this summer. Great shooter. My girlfriend prefers this to the tarus 605 i have laying around

1.5 pound SA pull is dangerously light, too much potential for an accidental discharge when shooting a SA pull that light.


5 pounds DA is also way too light and may not ignite primers.

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It would be helpful to know just what was done to the gun to lighten the trigger pull, especially the SA release. Have you checked the gun for "push-off"? If the sear has been messed with, the hammer could possibly drop without pulling the trigger. To test for push-off, cock the hammer back to single action, with the gun UNLOADED. Finger off the trigger, use your thumb and push forward on the hammer spur with light to moderate pressure. If the hammer releases, the gun is unsafe to fire.

Has the strain screw been loosened? That's the screw near the bottom on the front of the grip frame, usually covered by the stocks. It should be screwed in all the way, but some people will loosen it to lighten the trigger pull; it isn't an approved method and usually causes light hammer strikes, reducing the reliability of function.

A S&W firing mechanism, especially on these older guns that have a lot of hand-fitting, doesn't need a "trigger job". They are already light and smooth.

Don't dismiss the possibility of the strain screw having been filed shorter.

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I agree wholeheartedly with the above responses. I would never touch the single action sear surface, not even with the Power Custom jig. S&W single action trigger weights are just fine as they come from the factory. I prefer my double action trigger pulls to be pretty "firm" so that misfires due to light mainspring are eliminated. To me, the only practical real light double action pulls are found on "speciality" PPC slab barrel guns and have been built by accomplished gunsmiths who tune the hammer for the expressed purpose of firing thin primers during matches.

Thanks. I added the trigger pull just because I just got a Lyman digital trigger gauge and tried it out w/ new batteries. I understand the concern. What I was really looking for was when it was mfg or as I understand it where S&W is concerned -when it was shipped. Having said that I did go back and check the trigger pull again. 6 times on both single and double action and checked and the push off. As far as push off goes - single action finger off the trigger and of course unloaded. I could not get any push off lightly pushing off all the way to hard pushing it off. It would not push off at all. I'm actually not sure the gauge is even accurate. First single action test was 3 or 4 test pulls and the first 2 were over 4 lbs then dropped to 3. I cleared the gauge and then started again - 6 pulls some spread but average was 2.56 lbs. Then to double action 6 pulls again some spread but average was 7.4lbs. Here's the numbers Single Action was 2.81, 2.60, 2.93, 2.01, 2.63 and 2.35. The Double action was 8.84, 8.65, 6.26, 7.76, 6.38, then 6.64. I tried to be consistent on where I held the rod on the trigger and how I pulled the gauge. It sure seems to me to be inconsistent. I don't know there was a trigger job just thought there might have been because it looked like the pull was so light. It does not feel that light. I see where one of you said anything less then 2.5 lbs was bad this seems to be pretty close to that 2.5. What about the Double action?? What should it be?

Actually I'm convinced now this tester is whacked. I went back and tried double action again - a couple of 6 pull tests and in double action it is now saying it's 4 lbs. I've shot a lot of pistols and while I can't tell how heavy it is I can tell if it is Normal or light. The double action trigger pull feels consistent and it does not feel light the single action is consistent and feel normal light for a single action but crisp. I know it has not been shot anywhere enough to even break it in. I also know that my brother would never do any kind of work on any of Dads guns that would ever be dangerous to him. I opened a can of worms. I think I'll take the pistol to town with me the next time I go and see if a "smith" can run a trigger pull test for me. Thanks. LBM

It probably shipped in 1972. The 19-3 was introduced in 1967, and production ended c. 1977.

The Combat Magnum, including the Model 19, normally shipped with target stocks. For most of the -3 production period, they would have lacked the diamonds, which were phased out beginning in 1967.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I, too, am thinking your trigger pull gauge is inaccurate. I can't see how you could ever get a DA pull down to 4 pounds.

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Thanks. By Diamonds are you talking Diamond Checkering?? This one has a panel in the middle of the grip that is diamond checkered. Looks Just like Waffles photo near the beginning of this thread.

Thanks

No. Until c. 1967-68, the checking pattern had a diamond shaped smooth area around the screw location. That went back to 1899 on the walnut stocks. Those are called "diamond" stocks. All checkered service stocks (including Magna) and target stocks had the diamond.

Here's a photo:

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I will bet your trigger gauge is messed up. Mine is not a digital, but a spring type gauge from Wheeler Engineering. But I have been messing around with Smiths a long time, and I have two that are right at 2 1/2 pounds and neither has had a trigger job. I have just shot them an awful lot, and they have honed down over the years. Most seem to run between 3 and 3 1/2 pounds.

OK I recognize it now. Learning every day. Thanks

So much for Lyman. I have to eat this one. I've only used it a few times bout I've had it just over 90 days.

I went ahead and ordered a Wheeler digital I think it is a different design and should work. I've got enough pistols and rifles to use one and I always wondered what the pulls are. - I think it also has a better warranty.
.

Most likely shipped around March 1973.

Thanks. I'd been gone from home about 5 years at that point. I don't remember when he told or showed me he had it - kinda seems like I always knew. Pretty clean for 47 years old. LBM

I finally made it to a Gun Smith and had them check trigger pull on this Mod 19-3. Boy and Howdy those electronic gauges were way way off. She used an actual set of weights. I'd seen photos of them but never actually seen one up close. Single action was 2 1/2 lbs and double was 8 1/2 lbs. I have an old Model 36 that I've had for 40+ years and shot it a lot in the early days. I had them check it for curiosity and comparison. It was single 2 1/2 lbs but a heavier 9 3/4 lbs on Double action. Glad to find out Dad's old gun was stock and not messed with. Thanks for the help.

Glad you determined the true trigger pull on that Model 19-3. My trigger pull gauge is very basic. A large, metal coffee can with two holes punched into it just below the rim. A metal clothes hanger wire bent and twisted so as to run through the holes in the can and the hook is placed on the face of the trigger. I then add lead bullets, usually 230 grain 45 caliber, as I usually have plenty around, but fishing weights will do, until the trigger breaks. Then I weigh the can on the kitchen scales. Crude, but effective and pretty darned inexpensive.

Oh, and no batteries required, unless the kitchen scale is digital, which mine is not.

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Does anyone actually use single-action in a defensive situation??? I doubt it.

I was referring to on the range or plinking

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I have a model 19-3 that was unfired when purchased. BTW, it had a short hammer nose and would not fire at all except in single action with CCI 500 primers. Solved that issue with a new hammer nose from Power custom. Yeah, earlier pinned and recessed S&W's did ship with quality issues.

Anyhow I also have a Lyman Digital trigger gage. My factory original 19-3 shipped with a 9 lbs. DA trigger pull and a 4 lbs pull in single action. Didn't bother with doing any tuning on the action because my preferred trigger pull in a revolver is 9 lbs.

[QUOTE=RGNewell;140950198]In my opinion, anything less than 2.5 lbs. Single action pull is dangerous.

Common for those trying their own smoothing out the action jobs to remove too much metal on the contact areas. Depending, some afterwards if the gun thumps on something solid the hammer can fall unintentionally.

[quote=Jersey Doug;140965513]Yes, but if the hammer falls without a finger on the trigger and anything but the weakest rebound spring, the gun won't fire.

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When a gun leaves saw how many rounds are fired for testing, I have a P&R 19-4 that is unfired, spotless, Ive heard three rounds from the factory, 1 bullet 2 empty 3 bullet 4 empty 5 bullet 6 empty to test the timing, from that there is the faintest sign of a ring on the cylinder, how true is my info, I got this info from a few members at the 06 and 08 swca meetings.

S&W's standard procedure for test firing is to fire a live round from every other chamber, so a six-shot revolver will have a cylinder face with burn rings around three chambers, each separated by a chamber without a burn ring.

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Thank you Stan, after hearing this years ago and having this thread running I thought it’s a great time to reaffirm.