My friend just inherited what he believes is a nickel model 19-5 with 5 or 6 inch barrel. He plans to carry it and asked me how to go about shortening the barrel. I advised against it but he plans on doing it any way. I told him not to cut the barrel down and if he is going to want it shorter, to look into buying a shorter barrel like a 2.5".

Is this feasible to barrel swap and if so, where can he find a 2.5 nickel barrel?

I'm sure there are gunsmiths that would cut the barrel, but please try to talk him out of it. They ain't making any more M19 Combat Magnums any more. He can certainly find a nice 4" or 2 1/2" one for a decent price.
Tell him tom check out what they're selling for. Maybe he should sell it and buy one with a shorter tube.
Oh, and they only made a very few Combat Magnums with a 5" barrel. Measure from front of cylinder to muzzle. I'll bet it's a 6".
Jim

Model 19 barrels are no longer produced but are available from parts sellers.

Another alternative is a trade for a shorter one (here on the Forum would be a good place to try), but if he is dead set on shortening the 6" this may be too much trouble for him.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

OK Rollin_Hot, it's up to you to save this classic. A 5 or 6 inch nickel Model 19 is a classic that will never be made again. As stated above, there are many other options for your friend. Try to buy it. Do what you can.

I have a model 19, 6 inch in nickel that I bought at a pawn shop last summer. It's beautiful! I paid over $500 for it and I'd roll over in my grave if my son decided to have the barrel cut off.

My 19-4 six inch is blue and it thinks it's a K-38 in the accuracy department! Advise him to leave that one alone.

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Stay safe people!

Seems a shame to cut a target 19 like that, not to mention expensive and unnecessary given the relative availability of shooter grade snubby 19s on the market, since he wants to carry.

His to do, I suppose -- but if he can't even figure out for certain what model he has, that might explain why he's willing to chop it.

Hopefully you'll update us with news that your friend listened to reason.

You know, we all need to stupid stuff while we are young so we can look back later in life and regret doing it. This act of stupidity is a lot less damaging than some of the other things many of us have done during our foolish youth.

tell him that the "finish" will be ruined, you do NOT 'cut off' a nickel plated' barrel to another length as the plating will then "peel" back , flake off ,shred apart, whatever you want to call it, you just do NOT do that .......yes, a GOOD smith can pull the barrel, do the metal work, then "replate" the finished work,BUT have no clue what that would cost , let alone who I could think of that I would 'trust' to do the job, let alone guarantee to "match" the finish......if he's a GOOD friend help him out, find him the "shorter" version and swap him, or sell it, get the 'premium' and buy another that fits HIS bill.......

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dan
NRA Benefactor,PMA

The only people I would let do that barrel swap would charge enough that he could just go buy a second gun with the barrel he wanted and preserve an uncommon firearm that will appreciate if value if left alone.

Buy a gun to carry, shoot this one for fun. For one thing, if he ever has to use it it will end up in a police property room for months or years and he may or may not get it back in usable condition.