Square Butt Snub Model 19???

Etalksalot · Jun 3, 2018

Hey everyone,
I have a question, I know Smith didn't produce SB snub Model 19's. I have seen a picture I found online (these guns pictured are NOT mine) of a snub 19 with a SB and it looks awesome!! It's probably just a 4 inch that had the barrel replaced with a snub barrel instead, but it's really cool. I didn't think I'd like SB snubs, but now I own 3 of them. After owning my snub Model 15 for a while now, I live the SB. I wish Smith would've made them with the option of RB or SB.

Anyhow, this brings me to my point. Does anyone have a snub Model 19 OR 66 with a square butt?!?!? If so, please post pictures and give some info on them. I'd love to have one of them one of these days, but I have to buy myself a snub 19 to begin with. One day though, I'd love to have both round and square butt versions. It would be a really nice piece to add to the collection.

NOTREDAME · Jun 3, 2018

19 SNUB SQUARE BUTT

I would post some pictures, but you already have them.

I got
this one off gun broker about 10 years ago.
The square butt gun was originally a 4" i believe. Can't put my
hands on the factory letter as i write this. Usually you can tell if the barrel was switched out. the frame on a 2.5 is straight across the top and longer barrels have a slight drop before the barrel.
If i get a chance. i'll take some better pictures.

Etalksalot · Jun 3, 2018

NOTREDAME said:
I would post some pictures, but you already have them. I got
this one off gun broker about 10 years ago.
The square butt gun was originally a 4" i believe. Can't put my
hands on the factory letter as i write this. Usually you can tell if the barrel was switched out. the frame on a 2.5 is straight across the top and longer barrels have a slight drop before the barrel.
If i get a chance. i'll take some better pictures.

Ha! That's awesome! I wondered if they belonged to a member! I took a screen shot of those a year ago or so, and have always wanted one since I saw it! Hope you don't mind me using it as an example. That is an awesome gun. One of these days I have to have one made. I bet that feels great in the hand!

Etalksalot · Jun 4, 2018

NOTREDAME said:
I would post some pictures, but you already have them. I got
this one off gun broker about 10 years ago.
The square butt gun was originally a 4" i believe. Can't put my
hands on the factory letter as i write this. Usually you can tell if the barrel was switched out. the frame on a 2.5 is straight across the top and longer barrels have a slight drop before the barrel.
If i get a chance. i'll take some better pictures.

I just found the post where I saved those pictures from. It was a post about someone who ran into a snub nickel SB 19. Even found my old comment.

El Biblioitecario · Jun 5, 2018

I always thought these were regular production models because Melvin Tyler used a picture of one on his T-grip boxes.

I have tried the round butt version and much prefer the square butt, which changes the ergonomics. With the same size butt as the four inch version there is no gain in concealability ,and an increase in recoil, so one could question the practicality.

WCCPHD · Jun 5, 2018

As I have posted before, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol had a small number of square butt model 19, nickel plated guns made in the late 1970's. They were issued to the "command staff" and helicopter pilots. I do not know how many were done by S&W for them. The SHP also had a few square butt model 36's which were issued to commissioned officers.

Moo Moo · Jun 5, 2018

Clint Eastwood uses a 2.5" Model 66 with a Square Butt in his 1977 movie The Gauntlet.

Gauntlet, The - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games

Andy Lowry · Jun 5, 2018

You could always get a round butt and then put on a set of RB-->SB grips. That's sort of what S&W did with the early Regulation Police models. I say "sort of" because there's a notch in the backstrap on those to facilitate the grips, but modern grips are available that do the same thing.

Art Doc · Jun 5, 2018

Skeeter Skelton wrote about creating a pair of RB 4" M19s by swapping barrels with a couple of 2.5" 19s. That left 2 SB 19s with 2.5" barrels that he sold. Likely still out there somewhere...causing confusion.

16thVACav · Jun 5, 2018

El Biblioitecario said:
I always thought these were regular production models because Melvin Tyler used a picture of one on his T-grip boxes.

I have tried the round butt version and much prefer the square butt, which changes the ergonomics. With the same size butt as the four inch version there is no gain in concealability ,and an increase in recoil, so one could question the practicality.

You're saying square butt guns have more perceived recoil than identical guns with round butts?

El Biblioitecario · Jun 5, 2018

Sorry I was unclear. I am saying that to me, the 2 1/2" square butt M19 has relatively more recoil than the 4" square butt M19.

scout II · Jun 5, 2018

I have a square butt model 19-2 made in 1967. When I bought this gun it had rubber grips on it and I shot it that way for a few years. I then decided I wanted to put on some combat grips on it and I removed the rubber grips to find a square butt. So I am guessing someone changed a 4" barreled gun into the 2.5" gun and probably added the gold wide target trigger and hammer at the same time. I like the target hammer and trigger just not so much the gold. I also like the looks and feel of it of the square butt.

.

Etalksalot · Jun 6, 2018

El Biblioitecario said:
I always thought these were regular production models because Melvin Tyler used a picture of one on his T-grip boxes.

I have tried the round butt version and much prefer the square butt, which changes the ergonomics. With the same size butt as the four inch version there is no gain in concealability ,and an increase in recoil, so one could question the practicality.

Yeah, it wouldn't make a great concealed carry option, I agree. However, I just love how it looks. I have a snub 15 and thought I wouldn't like the square butt before I ever ran into the one I bought, but after owning it, I love it. I love the feel of it. I like round butt K's better on snubs, but I have grown to appreciate the SB now. I really like SB 10's as well now. I'd really like a RB Model 15 snub as well, but back in the days of the pinned barrels, not a newer one. Seen a picture once of one and it looks awesome too. If I found a Model 19 snub with a SB, I wouldn't hesitate a second if I had the money. I'd love to own one.

Etalksalot · Jun 6, 2018

WCCPHD said:
As I have posted before, the North Carolina State Highway Patrol had a small number of square butt model 19, nickel plated guns made in the late 1970's. They were issued to the "command staff" and helicopter pilots. I do not know how many were done by S&W for them. The SHP also had a few square butt model 36's which were issued to commissioned officers.

I belive I saw your post in an old thread and that's what made me bring this up to see if anyone had one or had pictures of one. I'd like to see those HP nickel 19's!

Etalksalot · Jun 6, 2018

Moo Moo said:
Clint Eastwood uses a 2.5" Model 66 with a Square Butt in his 1977 movie The Gauntlet.

Gauntlet, The - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games

I have heard of this as well.

Etalksalot · Jun 6, 2018

Art Doc said:
Skeeter Skelton wrote about creating a pair of RB 4" M19s by swapping barrels with a couple of 2.5" 19s. That left 2 SB 19s with 2.5" barrels that he sold. Likely still out there somewhere...causing confusion.

Haha, I'm sure! One day I hope to add to the confusion by having one converted myself. I'd really really like to take a Snub 15 and a snub 19 and swap barrels and ejector rods. I belive that should be all that's needed. Now I don't know how the 15 barrel would hold up with Magnum rounds, but being a heavy barrel, maybe it's possible. That would give me a SB 19 snub that only shoots 38 special and a RB 15 that can shoot mags (if that makes sense?) I think that would be pretty cool. I'd love to have a RB 15 either way. Even if I just shot 38's out of both of them.

Etalksalot · Jun 6, 2018

scout II said:
I have a square butt model 19-2 made in 1967. When I bought this gun it had rubber grips on it and I shot it that way for a few years. I then decided I wanted to put on some combat grips on it and I removed the rubber grips to find a square butt. So I am guessing someone changed a 4" barreled gun into the 2.5" gun and probably added the gold wide target trigger and hammer at the same time. I like the target hammer and trigger just not so much the gold. I also like the looks and feel of it of the square butt.

.

Yeah I don't like gold triggers and hammers, but DANG that is a beautiful gun!! That is awesome!! I love the look of that, I really do, thank you for posting!! I want something just like that, minus the gold. Very very nice!

steelslaver · Jun 6, 2018

Etalksalot said:
Haha, I'm sure! One day I hope to add to the confusion by having one converted myself. I'd really really like to take a Snub 15 and a snub 19 and swap barrels and ejector rods. I belive that should be all that's needed. Now I don't know how the 15 barrel would hold up with Magnum rounds, but being a heavy barrel, maybe it's possible. That would give me a SB 19 snub that only shoots 38 special and a RB 15 that can shoot mags (if that makes sense?) I think that would be pretty cool. I'd love to have a RB 15 either way. Even if I just shot 38's out of both of them.

The barrel 15 barrel wouldn't be effected by the 357 rounds being fired down, same material as a 19 barrel just a different stamp, BUT, it has a slightly longer barrel shank because the 19 cylinder is slightly longer (about .05 not counting the recess on a 19 cylinder if was recessed) than the 15 cylinder. The 15 barrel shank could be trimmed and cone recut so the 19 cylinder fit, but the 19 barrel would need to be removed and the shoulder set back 2 turns so it could be long enough to be fitted fit to the shorter 15 cylinder. In other words, its not a good plan. Be better of to switch barrels to. Or just get conversion grips.

How do I know this? I made a model 10 38 (same cylinder as a 14 or 15) into a 357 using a 19 cylinder. I eventually replaced the 4" 38 barrel with a 2 1/2" 19 barrel.

max503 · Jun 6, 2018

I've said this before and I'll say it again; Two-inch K frames make me drool. Someday I'll have one.

CLASSIC12 · Jun 6, 2018

I almost had one : the barrel on my 6 inch 66-3 cracked not once but twice, so I hesitated to put a 2.5 inch barrel on it and transform it into a snubby. Finally decided to keep it with the second cracked barrel and shoot .38 specials only (and later bought a 586-1M).

http://smith-wessonforum.com/138517693-post13.html

Square Butt Snub Model 19???

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