I'm sure it's a fake. You should sell it to your Dad and cut your losses. 
New to me nickel 19 no dash, and some questions for the experts
- Thread starter glshuck
- Start date
OP
Thank you all for your insight in regards to this. The red ramp front sight has been confirmed as a factory selected option on this gun.
I think the only remaining question on this one would be the grips. Engine49 may be correct in that the checkering turn aught to be sharp. I suppose someone may have elected to throw a nicer set of grips on this one after the fact. Would you guys consider these to be the larger football cutout?
Thanks,
Garrett
I think the only remaining question on this one would be the grips. Engine49 may be correct in that the checkering turn aught to be sharp. I suppose someone may have elected to throw a nicer set of grips on this one after the fact. Would you guys consider these to be the larger football cutout?
Thanks,
Garrett
Here's what the original ones look like, this from K318XXX. The radius does appear to be sharper on these.
Kudos to Engine49 Guy, learned something here I didn't know and gained one more thing to be nervous about
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Owners are changing stocks all the time. I have a pair of K-frame diamond rosewood stocks that have an original finish and relieved area on the left stock panel that are quite similar to what is on the stocks on your Model 19. I believe they date to 67-68.
Bill
Bill
The relieved area on the left panel jumped out at me when I first saw it. I would question their originality. However, beautiful Combat Magnum.
Engine49guy
Member
Garret,
Imo a set of light Walnut rounded "Radius" (thanks GunRelics great descriptive word)
Would be more correct on a non magnum K target sight gun from around 1967-68 .
I love comparing SW diamond stocks and they had a neat evolution of changes over the years,
While there are no hard rules with anything SW, in my head besides the change in the checkering "Radius" and type of wood and it's color, the football cut which IIRC appears with the introduction of the Combat Magnum in 1956 does seem to be smaller in the beginning then get larger but again that's not a rule.
Woud love to have witnessed them being made , While I'm no woodworker I'm imagining some sort of spinning round router type tool carved it out and by driving that tool deeper the football cut gets larger but again that's just in my minds eye.
There was a very comprehensive thread on the evolution of SW stocks a while back, maybe someone can share a link.
My early 60's Model 19 target stocks look like the late 50's stocks, darker walnut and darker GA or Rosewood,
In the mid 1960's the Walnut gets lighter but you see mostly GA on post 1966 Model 19-2's with a lighter caramel coloring ( again no absolutes here just generalities).
The deep SS escutcheons go away with the diamond center, Iirc there is a brief use of a shallower SS escutcheon then a change to a shallow brass escutcheon in the late 60's (68-69?) But brass is standard by 1970 although the GA wood is still nice, this changes sometime in the mid 70's to a lighter orange colored wood although my suspicion is they used what was on top of the wood pile that day and perhaps as the supply dwindled they might dip into a vein of older darker GA, but just guessing here.
Ps, usually people sand or steel wool stocks before refinishing them, when this is done it removes the sharper more pronounce edges especially on the football cut, even more so when removing shallow imperfections/shell dings etc.
Imo a set of light Walnut rounded "Radius" (thanks GunRelics great descriptive word)
Would be more correct on a non magnum K target sight gun from around 1967-68 .
I love comparing SW diamond stocks and they had a neat evolution of changes over the years,
While there are no hard rules with anything SW, in my head besides the change in the checkering "Radius" and type of wood and it's color, the football cut which IIRC appears with the introduction of the Combat Magnum in 1956 does seem to be smaller in the beginning then get larger but again that's not a rule.
Woud love to have witnessed them being made , While I'm no woodworker I'm imagining some sort of spinning round router type tool carved it out and by driving that tool deeper the football cut gets larger but again that's just in my minds eye.
There was a very comprehensive thread on the evolution of SW stocks a while back, maybe someone can share a link.
My early 60's Model 19 target stocks look like the late 50's stocks, darker walnut and darker GA or Rosewood,
In the mid 1960's the Walnut gets lighter but you see mostly GA on post 1966 Model 19-2's with a lighter caramel coloring ( again no absolutes here just generalities).
The deep SS escutcheons go away with the diamond center, Iirc there is a brief use of a shallower SS escutcheon then a change to a shallow brass escutcheon in the late 60's (68-69?) But brass is standard by 1970 although the GA wood is still nice, this changes sometime in the mid 70's to a lighter orange colored wood although my suspicion is they used what was on top of the wood pile that day and perhaps as the supply dwindled they might dip into a vein of older darker GA, but just guessing here.
Ps, usually people sand or steel wool stocks before refinishing them, when this is done it removes the sharper more pronounce edges especially on the football cut, even more so when removing shallow imperfections/shell dings etc.
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OP
Again, thank you all for the assistance with this.
I suppose I'll keep my eyes out for a correct set. That said, I really like the set of grips that is on the gun and will patiently wait for a super nice set to fall in my lap. It'll be a challenge to find a set I like as much as these. If it never happens, so be it.
For the time being, I think i'm going to take some 0000 to the grips and knock of some of the sheen and make them look more correct. I really think someone took the time to hand fit these to the gun before they did the refin. There is no lip at the bottom of the panels or the front of the grips. The backstraps line up perfectly as well. Beyond the level of quality I'm used to seeing, but this is my oldest smith.
I suppose I'll keep my eyes out for a correct set. That said, I really like the set of grips that is on the gun and will patiently wait for a super nice set to fall in my lap. It'll be a challenge to find a set I like as much as these. If it never happens, so be it.
For the time being, I think i'm going to take some 0000 to the grips and knock of some of the sheen and make them look more correct. I really think someone took the time to hand fit these to the gun before they did the refin. There is no lip at the bottom of the panels or the front of the grips. The backstraps line up perfectly as well. Beyond the level of quality I'm used to seeing, but this is my oldest smith.
Engine49guy
Member
On the subject of K target stocks, they really have to be fit to the gun although if you get a set that are "Proud" and overhang the frame or tang they can be sanded down but I do not sand proud stocks, if they don't fit right I find a pair that does.
My guess is there was a final fitting done at the factory in the 50's-60's but not so much in the very late 70's and later.
I have a few Combat Magnums and stocks are not all exactly the same, some fit certain guns perfectly and some are shy on one gun but have horns that overhang the top or press the trigger guard underneath on another of same model but different year of manufacture.
My guess is there was a final fitting done at the factory in the 50's-60's but not so much in the very late 70's and later.
I have a few Combat Magnums and stocks are not all exactly the same, some fit certain guns perfectly and some are shy on one gun but have horns that overhang the top or press the trigger guard underneath on another of same model but different year of manufacture.
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Mr. Brad, Im not a m-19 guy and dont understand one word you are saying, but darn you do know your poop on 19s. Thanks for the read.
Oldengineer
Member
A most excellent thread with lots of esoteric details. I really enjoyed reading this.
Tom H.
Tom H.
This Combat Magnum was shipped in April 1961. I believe it has the original stocks, but don't know for certain. Click on the photo for a better look.
Bill
Bill
larryofcc
Member
OP
Based on the last two pictures posted by Doc & Larry, as well as some googling- I believe that Engine49guy is correct in regards to the sharp corners vs rounded corners in the checkering channel. I have not been able to find a gun as old as this one that has rounded corners like these grips. I think it is highly likely these are later model grips.
Thanks,
Garrett
Thanks,
Garrett
Hair Trigger
US Veteran
Wax it with Renaissance Wax after wiping it down and it won't show fingerprints.
OP
Went ahead and knocked the sheen off the grips. Subtle, but quite happy with how it turned out & I didn't gooch em up. Little before and after... Gray background being the after obviously.
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I think it's probably the coco bolo they used back then. Nice gun.
They look terrific!Went ahead and knocked the sheen off the grips. Subtle, but quite happy with how it turned out & I didn't gooch em up. Little before and after... Gray background being the after obviously.
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