Please help I'm in a very unusual and unique position. Any help will be greatly appreciated. I recently bought a Smith & Wesson model 19 - 4 nickel snub nose 2 1/2" barrel and a SQUARE butt. Yes a square butt... Long story short after talking to several people read into Smith & Wesson book and doing as much research online I've come to learn that the snub nose model 19 was only made in a round butt. This is where it gets even more interesting all the serial numbers match nothing is messed with or looks like it's been altered I then removed the grips to learn that this model 19 was built on an N frame and not a K frame as all other model 19 are built on..... has anybody ever heard of this does anybody know anything about this any comments would be greatly appreciated

I have never heard of such a thing. If you removed the grips and found an N on the grip frame that marking denotes it is a Nickel gun as you indicated, not the frame size.

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John. SWCA #1586

We need pictures. But if it is a 19 it is not an N unless there is some serious mismarking or messing with so far as I know.

Most likely a 2 1/2" barrel married to a square butt frame. Pictures of the top of the gun will tell the whole story. Somebody wanted a snub 19 square butt, that's all.

I agree with a compilation of the first three answers, more than likely.

More than likely the "N" on the frame denotes a nickel finish and not the size of the frame.

More than likely someone swapped a 2.5" barrel onto a model 19 frame that originally had a 4" or 6" barrel.

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Scoundrel & Ne'er-Do-Well

The first 4" round butt standard production Model 66s were 66-4s made after S&W temporarily discontinued square butts entirely. For decades before that round butt 4" Model 19s and 66s had to made by swapping barrels with 2 1/2" revolvers. The round butts were desired because they do not print as bad in a belt holster under a suit coat. The left over parts were assembled as 2 1/2" square butt guns. That is in all likelihood what you bought.

As previously posted a picture of the joint between the barrel rib and the front of top strap is in order.

Incidentally, a square butt 2 1/2" Model 66 was prominently featured in a move starring Clint Eastwood. The movie might have been The Gauntlet but I'm not sure.

Two comments - it is physically impossible to install a K frame barrel on an N frame, dimensions and other parts lining up are all wrong.

Second, the model 66 used in "The Gauntlet" was definitely a RB...

Attached Images

IMG_0006 small.jpg (30.6 KB, 171 views)

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

I agree with the spare parts theory,and that's probably what you have. Also, according to the movie gun base sight, the 66 used in The Gauntlet was a SB.

The "gauntlet" gun was a square butt gun. It was very noticeable. Massad Ayoob once wrote of barrel swapping between 4" and 2.5" 19s. The 4" RB gave a gun that concealed better in an OWB belt holster, while the SB snub offered a better grip for snub-nose matches.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

We need a picture, or two

well.... shazammmm

I like the look of that SB 19 snub

Funny how things change. I simply bought a pair of aftermarket conversion stocks to give my Model 19-7 the feel of a square butt wearing smooth (no finger grooves) combat stocks. No altering of the frame or barrel swapping required.

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Join the NRA today

Square butt snubs always look funky to me...but not so much that I don't own some...like this model 15-3 2":

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ken
SWCA #1959

Yeah, seems like a lot of trouble & expense just for larger grips.

NEGATIVE- Re-watch the Gauntlet, It's a Square Butt 2.5" 66. Square butt with no grip adapter.

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Support your Police, & NRA

The gun above was from the NRA Museum collection, documented as the movie gun by the Director of NRA Museums. Perhaps they had a stunt double .

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Might be nothing more than a mistake.

Dang I'd love to have a square butt blued model 19-1 through - 4! Beautiful. I didn't think I'd like SB but my first Smith was a model 15-3 snub blued and it's beautiful I'd want a round butt 19 as well but a SB would be really really cool!!!

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol had several 2.5 inch Model 19's made with square butts in the 1970's. The majority of troopers carried four inch, nickel guns (I say majority because there were a small number of Colt Border Patrol guns issued). The commander, at that time, had problems with the holstered four inch gun "poking" him when seated at his desk. He got S&W to build several 2.5 inch barreled guns with square butts. They were nickel. They also had shorter holsters made for the guns. They had the same target grips as the four inch guns. These guns were only worn by the HQ staff. They also had square butt, nickel, Model 36's for commissioned officers, but few carried them.

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Bill