Looking for any information or ideas. Any that was dumb comments I deserve. Should have come to the forum first and will not make that mistake again.
At a local gun show I spotted a model 19 wearing Pachmayers. it had holster wear that I could live with and some light rust. When I saw it was a 19-2 4" it needed a new home. Took the Pachmayers off at home and saw it was a round butt. Thought it might have spent time in law enforcement.

It was nice and tight, timing was correct very smooth double action, light trigger pull. Rust not so good. Bubba and his buffing wheel would just be worse. I don't own a nickel finish gun and thought this could be the time.


Gun came back and I shaw the 4-14 thread about ONI and FBI 4" round butts. Gun is not marked but 622709 S/N, from 1965 fits in. Mabey I should have tried to find a very good bluer. Well let me know what you think Thanks for your time Bil

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So it's a 19-2 that may have been an FBI issue gun if I'm reading your post right.
It was blue, with holster wear and some rust. So I wouldn't think there wouldn't be much collector value, but IDK. The gun was / is mechanically fine. That's a plus. You had it refinished in nickel because you didn't own a nickel gun.
Your gun, finished the way you want. Can't see anything dumb about that. Enjoy the gun and if you think you made a mistake do a bit more research next time before you jump into something you can't reverse.
Heck I make plenty of "mistakes" .

Hello Bill, post a pic of butt with Sn. and side shots without grips.

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

The gun looks great to me. Enjoy it!

Well, other than that small pile of hundred-dollar bills you torched, it looks pretty good.
Don't worry. Lots of folks have made errors with firearms. Not usually that pricey, of course but inflation is killing all of us. Just don't tell the wife.

Nothing dumb about what you did. Looks great to me and those Herretts are very nice/comfortable grips.

I wish every time I screwed up I ended up with a gun like that. Enjoy what you got.

You didn't like the original looks of the gun. Now you have a 6 FOOT, nickeled M19 that looks fantastic from 6' away. What is your problem?

Be proud of what you now have -- a quality built, tight shooter that will enjoy a trip to the range. You done good!

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S&WHF 366

Heck, I own a Model 25-2 that started with a 6.5” barrel. Prior to me someone used a chop saw to cut it to 3.5” and rounded the grip frame. When I got it I spun a 4.25” barrel in it and converted it to double action only. One member told me before I bought it, it was only good for a boat anchor!! Well, his boat anchor is one of my most accurate revolvers. And don’t even start me on the Model 28-2 I converted to 45 ACP, and the chopped Model 1917 and…

Bottom line, life is too short to own an ugly revolver. Make it your way!

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Would love to see a set of grips that set off that scarce round butt 19-2

Maybe some combats or presentation magnas.

Guts. Man you got guts.

For nickel plating an M-19 no way. For admitting you may have made a mistake, yup. That makes you a hero in my book. Listen we've all made a mistake or two, don't sweat it. That's a fine looking shoot'n iron and if you really can't live with it, send it my way and I'll be happy as an ant in a honey jar. Looks great to me. Now shoot 'er.

If I took that to the range, I sure wouldn't try to hide it if there were others there. Shoot it knowing you have something unique. A good looking unique at that.

Can you post a picture of the grooves on the back of the grip frame

The ONI issued model 19s had RB frames but also a yellow front sight insert, so this gun is less likely to be an original example of that variant.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I would like to thank all of you taking the time to respond to my post. The observations are much appreciated. I really like the 19 and felt bad that it was left to get in that condition by someone. I will try to post the pictures requested. Well the range opened May 1 and I have many 38 wadcutters for the 19 to send down range. Good shooting to all.

19-2A.jpg

19d.jpg

19e.jpg

I like it!

I shot the FBI Firearms Instructor course at Quantico with a 4" RB Model 19, one of several kept at the gun vault in the New Orleans Field Office where I was stationed at the time. It was marked ONI, and I think at least one of the others was marked NIS. All were marked, though.

I think it looks great as-is.

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“What you got, ain’t new.”

Definitely not dumb... it's educational... We learn from our mistakes, at least we should... most of us should be WAY smarter than we are..

Not a mistake. I'm no expert, but if that gun indeed had some special provenance, and had you reblued it, it would be at the lower echelon in terms of value as a collectible.

As it is, you have something unique, and you can always strip the nickel back off.

Back in 1979, I bought a new M19 4" blue. I round butted it and carried it to the police academy, where I shot NRA Expert.

I like T112-4's Combat Magnum!

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John 3:16
WAR EAGLE!

I like it!

The nickel came out great.

Yup!

I round butted several guns to carry on duty at about the same time frame, including a 1960's era 19. Round butts just shot better for me. Would I like to have the same guns back unmolested today? Sure.... but that was then, this is now. Didn't hurt the value at the time. I may have even got 10 or 15 bucks more when I sold/traded them.

Looks great. I carried an ONI gun for several years. They were the very first FBI SWAT firearm. It was probably the finest general duty sidearm I ever had. Like Sigp220.45, I too sailed through Firearms Instructor School with an ONI. To add some clarity to the issue, the FBI took possession of both red and yellow insert pistols. Red being far more prolific. The ONI 19’s were replaced by the 459, then the P-226, the Springfield 1911 and finally the Glock 17. They were all SWAT Program guns. That’s not to say SWAT Team members didn’t carry other weapons such as the P-220, 1076, G-22… as long as they were Bureau Approved.

For a refinished gun that one looks pretty darned good to me.
The markings aren't washed out from over polishing.
The sideplate seam still looks pretty tight.
The trigger and hammer aren't nickle-plated.
Those 3 things alone tell me that whoever did the nickel finish knew what they were doing.
Looks like the next-best-thing to a factory refinish to me. I would be proud to have that one in my safe. AND I'd shoot it at every opportunity!

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

I wouldn’t worry what anyone else thinks. You did it for yourself and you’re happy so that’s all that counts. I did the same with a rough 15 about thirty five years ago except I had the front sight changed and had it electroless nickel plated. I still have it and I’m still happy with my decision. Who cares what anyone thinks.

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I had my 4" 66-(3?) round butted by BMCM. No longer original (about which I do not care), but a far better revolver for carrying and shooting. Load that thing up and enjoy.

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NHI, 10-8.

P&R'ed, 4"and a round butt ...... GREAT EDC.... IMHO

Great Score; looks OK to Good for a 60 year old duty gun!!

I round butted a 4" 686 and 617 back in the 80s, found a Factory round butt 586-5 in the 00's and over the years acquired some round butt 3" 65s, and 2 1/2" and 3" 66s.

I have a 2 1/2" 19 round butt with the same Herretts grips you have on your 19 & I wouldn't trade them for anything. Shoot the snot out of it and enjoy that fine revolver.

Al

It would be welcomed in my house!

It is most likely not an FBI "ONI" revolver. That said, it looks very much nicer than I expected from your initial description. Congratulations!

Bill, I like the 'old school' Herrett grips on it.

Hmmm...sounds familiar, lol.

All you need now is a fancy leather holster and a BBQ.
But do they even know what BBQ is in Wisconsin?
Wear it to a fish fry, maybe?

Looks fine to me! It’ll never be worth nothing. Shoot it and enjoy that handsome revolver.

OP you should letter this one.

Those Herrett RKR Stocks should work out great for you. One of my favorites. Bob

You have a nice Model 19 ... what's not to like !

If not marked and not lettered ... then you have a nice shooter .

Don't beat yourself up over what might have been ...

Go ... CHOOTIN ... and enjoy it !

Gary

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Certified Cajun
NRA Member

Thanks for taking the time to comment. It is a great shooter and is now one of my favorites...Bill