19-3 Texas Rangers

Waveform · Dec 13, 2012

Hey all - picked up a nice shooter grade 19-3 recently. It's a Texas Rangers commemorative from 1973. No box, no knife, no tools, no papers...you get the idea. But it was priced fair and is in decent shape. The bluing still has a lot of luster and there's little holster wear. Timing, lockup all good and nice trigger. Stocks have their share of dings, etc. It has been "previously enjoyed" and will be enjoyed more to come!

Wave

TexasRider · Dec 13, 2012

Very nice.

Out of curiosity what is the approximate price range of these type issues?

I am sure the Texas Rangers use other handguns, and have used the S&W's too, but I dont think I ever saw a Ranger with anything other than a Colt 1911

.

rbmac52 · Dec 13, 2012

I've always admired these guns. I like the special touches unique to them; i.e. the narrowed trigger guard, smooth combat trigger, and the 5-point-star grip medallions.

Congratulations on a fine acquisition.

Commemoratives are hard to value sometimes, but I would think this gun would be somewhere in the range of $500 to $750, depending on the level of desire of a particular buyer. Most people shopping for these will want the full package (presentation case with knife, etc).

nipster · Dec 13, 2012

I bought mine for $300 cash at a gun show, gun only. But it was refinished at some point, solidly in the "Shooter" category. Does have the original grips.

One thing odd about it, I guess they were all like this, but I dont know why they did it. The backstrap is smooth like a model 10.

colt_saa · Dec 14, 2012

TexasRider said:
I am sure the Texas Rangers use other handguns, and have used the S&W's too, but I dont think I ever saw a Ranger with anything other than a Colt 1911 .

Back in the nineties, when I was working in Dallas County, the issue sidearm of the TDPS is the P226 in 357SIG. The P239 was eventually offered as an option.

Rangers often chose to purchase their own firearm. 1911s have been classic through the years, but not exclusive.

I know of one Texas Ranger out of Waco that carries a 3" Colt Python. I know of another that used to carry a SIG P229 Sport in 357SIG.

Commemoratives have nothing to do with what an agency carried.

colt_saa · Dec 14, 2012

Waveform said:
Hey all - picked up a nice shooter grade 19-3 recently. It's a Texas Rangers commemorative from 1973. No box, no knife, no tools, no papers...you get the idea. But it was priced fair and is in decent shape. The bluing still has a lot of luster and there's little holster wear. Timing, lockup all good and nice trigger. Stocks have their share of dings, etc. It has been "previously enjoyed" and will be enjoyed more to come!

Congratulations on a nice revolver. I always like the slimmed trigger guard on the TR model 19. This feature is often said to have been inspired by Ranger Capt. Manuel T. Gonzaullas aka "Lone Wolf." He used to cut the trigger guards on his 1911s back in the 1900s, much like a Fitz Special.

kennyb · Dec 14, 2012

my my my....if only those prices were accurate today

Waveform · Dec 14, 2012

I should add the serial number is in the 3000 range (not being secretive - too lazy to get it out and look at it) so that's where it falls in the production run of 10,000. There's not much "gold" left but if you catch the light right you can tell it was there. I don't know what they used for the gold fill but it doesn't seem to hold up well. I've seen photos of the NIB sets and the gold doesn't "pop" out on those like the advertising piece photo would have you think.

Cool ad - thanks for posting it. $250 for whole set! Sigh. 1973 doesn't seem that long ago but it was 40 years now isn't it. I tried to get this one fo $400 - $450 but ended up at $500. Wasn't going to let $50 keep me from a nice shooter grade 19-3.

Wave

colt_saa · Dec 14, 2012

Advertising photos are a wonderful thing.

Look at a Burger King or McDonalds add, the meat overflows the edge of the bun, the lettuce is crisp and leafy, etc. . . . . . . . I never bought one that way in the store.

The seal was not gold filled like you think of in jewelry terms. It was a gold wash. A solution deposited a gold colored metal into the roll-mark and then the liquid evaporated away leaving the metal behind. Solvents like Hoppes clean the metal out of the roll-mark leaving it eventually plain. So no matter how good yours was at the time of sale, eventually it would go away.

You an freshen it up yourself if you like. There is a product called Bonanza Gold that will refill the roll mark.

Personally I would have been thrilled to pay the $1000 retail price for my Texas Ranger Deluxe Commemorative. Only 50 of the 10,000 were master engraved.

Nipster,
The back-strap was left smooth for engraving. It was not uncommon for a Texas Ranger to have his name engraved down the back strap. The Deluxe version had the back-straps hand engraved.

A commemorative coin was included with the Deluxe package.

Waveform · Dec 14, 2012

Wow....just..wow....

nipster · Dec 15, 2012

colt_saa said:
Nipster,
The back-strap was left smooth for engraving. It was not uncommon for a Texas Ranger to have his name engraved down the back strap.

Makes sense!

The Deluxe version had the back-straps hand engraved.

Impressive. Out of the blue, I saw an unfired complete commerative set (dont remember seeing a coin though) today with 1 grand on it. Had all the gold on it.

Walthernut · Dec 16, 2012

Some of these did not include the knife.
I have one that came off the used firearms shelf at a LGS. It has the original cleaning rod package (unopened), an advertisement for S&W ammo and the original application for warranty service. The wooden presentation box has more wear than the gun. I think the original owner had it for show & tell and it appears to be unfired (except factory proofing).
I bought it a little over a yr. ago. Got two boxes of .357 and two boxes of .38 spl. and have yet to fire it.
IIRC either Elmer Keith or Bill Jordan had something to do with the design of the trigger guard.
Can't figure why S&W put smooth grips on it. I think the checkered grips would look a lot better IMO.
My avatar is a photo of mine.

TexasRider · Dec 16, 2012

Very nice. I dont remember ever seeing one. Of course I wasnt looking so much at the SWs either then. But I will have my eyes open if I see another one. That is a great set with the Bowie knife. Thank you for the pics and the ad copy.

colt_saa · Dec 16, 2012

Walthernut said:
Some of these did not include the knife.

Correct.

Of the 10,000 Model 19 Texas Ranger Commemoratives produced. 2,000 were the model 50104 without the knife. The remaining 8,000 all shipped with a matching serial numbered knife. Of those 8,000, 7,950 of them were the standard model 50101. The remaining 50 revolvers were the Deluxe, master engraved model 50102

The knife could be purchased by itself in a nice little french fitted wooden presentation case.

h2oboywp · Oct 22, 2014

Nice piece, I remember building these guns and the "Gold" was actually a crayon type of application. You would rub it into the stamping and wipe it off with a polishing cloth.

jrandyh · Oct 23, 2014

Just found one at Gunshow last weekend. Bought it mainly for the beautiful 19. Did not have presentation case.
JR

19-3 Texas Rangers

Waveform

Member

TexasRider

Member

rbmac52

nipster

Member

colt_saa

colt_saa

kennyb

Waveform

Member

colt_saa

Waveform

Member

nipster

Member

Walthernut

Member

TexasRider

Member

colt_saa

h2oboywp

Member

jrandyh

Member

Similar threads

Latest posts