19-3 - New to Me

I have watched several videos on proper function checks, what to look for when buying a revolver, etc. My "new" 19-3 passes all the checks. I am still not sure if I will/should disassemble it, my only reason was to thoroughly clean it.

What is the best was to clean the rings on the front of the cylinder on a nickel gun?
Depends on who you ask and what you intend to do with it.

Some will say to clean the rings off with bronze wool and oil.

Some will say DON'T BOTHER.

I'm in the "don't bother" camp - because I shoot all my guns.

If you clean them up, the carbon rings on the cylinder face will reappear the first time you shoot it - which is why I'd say don't bother. But that is based on the assumption that you will be shooting it.

On the other hand, if your plan is to make it as pretty as possible and then put it away in your gun safe to preserve it in perpetuity, then I would go ahead and clean the carbon rings off the cylinder face with bronze wool and oil.

Totally your call...
 
This is what works best for ME. These guys have been doing this a lot longer than me, so heed their instructions and warnings! I have flushed out the innards with circuit board cleaner, as it dries quickly and is safe on most metal parts and usually some plastic. That brake cleaner is always suggested. When in doubt, follow what these guys recommend. I'm gonna try to follow what you do because at 67, I'm still a learning novice!
If you read the label on the Ballistol, the first thing on the front label under the Uses is "guns, leather, knives, tools, locks, marine." It doesn't gum up at low temperatures like WD 40. New baseball glove oiling is ok too. Have fun with that gun!
 

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If you can disassemble a 1911 you won't have trouble taking apart a SW revolver.
I like the way the guy in the video puts the sideplate screws into a piece of cardboard so they don't get mixed up.
I would definitely remove the sideplate on that old girl following the video, clean and lube the hammer pivot points, if the cylinder release is smooth u can lube it, if it sticks and you plan to remove it just be careful not to launch the spring. If not comfortable leave the trigger and rebound slide in place but it's really not that difficult.
Good luck !
 
I still have not got around to shining up the new toy yet, but I will... promise.

I did finally have the opportunity to shoot it. It shot rather nicely...the double action was pretty heavy and the single action was very crisp.

Coincidentally, I also had the opportunity to look at my Dad's model 19, turns out his is also a dash 3. My Dad's 19-3 has a very different finish though, he said his has an Armoloy finish. Sort of a matte nickel or brushed chrome look. Interesting...
 
The shining has begun...

Well, I finally got around to polishing, or should I call it cleaning the "new" 19-3. I spent a little time on the barrel, with Flitz, and WOW, the dirt that came off. See the pics, that was a brand new orange microfiber. Taking advice from the group, I am taking slow and seeing positive results.
 

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Regarding the original and/or other recommended wooden grips, what is the correct verbiage I should be searching to find handles to fit the 19-3?

You want Goncalo Alves Target, and what you will find most often is "with speed loader cut out" but your revolver wore an earlier version of these stocks, and we usually call them "Footballs."

You can easily see the difference, the speed loader cutout has a perfectly cut arc under the cylinder release, it looks like a quarter circle. The earlier stocks you need do not have this quarter circle, instead it appears more like a football sitting diagonally.

Difficult to describe with words -- EASY to see when you see them. Start running searches for GONCALO ALVES TARGET and you should see pictures.

What do the other markings-stampings under the grip mean?

All the other marks all over the frame, the yoke and wherever else you spot them were used internally by S&W during the manufacturing. It allowed builders to get certain parts mated back again with each other if/when they were sent off to be finished. Some marks could denote that it has been through some particular part of the process.

None of the stamps can really tell us anything these days, except in some rare cases. (certain models carried a stamp if a recall had been performed, and very old guns sometimes got a particular stamp when it was returned to the factory for service.)

I do believe your 19 was possibly in the range where you might find a stamped "N" on the frame denoting that it's original factory finish was nickel.
 
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