brand new model 19 3" carry version vs used 19-4 2.5" for ccw...

[trist007]

I'm debating whether to get the new 3" carry version of the model 19 or a used model 19-4 with a 2.5". The used 19-4 is pinned and recessed. I'd carry with magnums and shoot 38 special at the range. I want it to last for life.

I recently bought a brand new model 10 4" with the lock. I really enjoy this gun! It points very well and was thinking of using it as a ccw. But then I talked with my Uncle and he said only a magnum will go through an engine block. So now I'm thinking model 19 for ccw.

I worry about the 3" carry version being magnaported. What if I'm in a scuffle on the floor and I have to fire the weapon close to my face and get burned or worse by the gas coming from the magnaport. Then the 19-4 2.5" doesn't have the full length ejector rod which is not ideal. In terms of quality and durability how does the new 3" carry version compare with an older 19-4 2.5"? Which would last longer with a steady diet of magnums? How does the pinned barrel relate to the durability of the barrel?

Which of the two would you guys suggest. The prices are roughly the same. I don't mind the lock, I can always remove it and plug it.

To throw in a curve ball, I have had my heart on a brand new model 19 with the 4.25" barrel since I've been loving my brand new model 10 4". But I worry about concealability. I would be using a kirkpatrick leather holster is slightly raised(belt at the cylinder) with a retention strap and would carry outside at 3 o'clock under a light vest.

Which of the three would you guys suggest. I'm looking for durability(steady diet of magnums) and concealability.

-Tristan

 

[Jdavis]

You answered your question with your last sentence. The new 19 is built to handle a steady diet of magnums whereas, the older 19-4 isn't. The model 66 (same gun as 19 only stainless steel) is available with a 2.75" barrel for better concealment.

 

[trist007]

That leads to the next question should I go 3" carry edition or standard 4.25" edition?

 

[Jdavis]

When concealment is the goal, every inch and ounce saved is important. You must decide what works best for you.

 

[trist007]

Does anybody have the new Model 19 Carry comp 3"? Have you guys like it? Does it have a full length ejector rod?

 

[cololab]

Definitely go with the newer version of the 19 for carry; grab the 19-4 as they seem to really be going up in price/value. Having carried a 2 1/2" 19 and later a 2 1/2" 66 for work back in the early-mid 70's, I don't think 1/2" more barrel would have made the revolver any less concealable or any more unwieldy.

 

[UncleEd]

I like your uncle's comment about an
engine block.

 

[Namloh2002]

If you are firing a gun in defense of your life, especially in close quarters, the muzzle blast is the least of your concern. You won't even notice it I'd bet.

 

[Namloh2002]

Or at least until the adrenaline wears off��

 

[steelslaver]

Couple of thoughts

Your not going to be shooting engine blocks and most 357s or even 44 mags are not going to go very far into an engine block anyway especially with shorter barrels. Might break one but a but how is this any measure of a guns value as a self defense weapon.

The pinned barrel does absolutely nothing for endurance or reliability.

Not a magna port fan myself.

Unless you shoot alot of light bullets the old 19 will handle anything the new one will. Only real improvement is barrel shank size to reduce forcing cone splitting which usually occurred with light fast bullets. The new frame and cylinder would probably shake loose under the same number of hot rounds.

Don't get me wrong I am a big fan of having as much power as you can handle well. I carry a 45 acp scandium framed 325 revolver. I don't know how it would do against a motor, and don't care.

A 1/2" or even an 1" of barrel is not much of a concealment problem. To me its more about weight. My gun does have some bulk, but isn't that hard to conceal although I am a large size guy.

There is no need to fire thousands of full house magnums in your carry gun. Lots of practice with warm 38 specials and 10% with your carry ammo. But even so, 5,000 rounds of real magnums is going to cost you more than either gun even if you reload. 500 rounds of brass, each fired 10 times. $75 on sale, 5000 primers, $160, 7lb of something like Unique. $240, 5000 cast lead or plated bullets $500, or $750 for low end jacketed . So, around a $1000 bucks for 5000 rounds, more than cost of either gun. Plus even after 5000 rounds the gun would most likely only need a couple hundred buck of rebuilt if it needed anything at all. Tighten up the cylinder end shake, set the barrel back a turn and recut the forcing cone. Start over. If you cast bullets you could drop the cost several hundred bucks by using a $100 or so in scrap lead.After paying for a set of mold, a bullet sizer and dies.
The cost and wear and tear on the gun is only a part of it.

 

[trist007]

What don't you like with magna port @steelslaver? Is it a pain to clean? Yea good point about magnums not going through engine blocks. I was thinking of a firefight where an attacker takes cover behind a car's engine block. But yea doesn't matter because magnums won't penetrate all the way through.

This whole push for the model 19 is solely about carrying with magnums. I got a 2.25" sp101 for magnum capability but it's not much fun to shoot at the range, which is why I wanted something bigger and bulkier.

Perhaps I should just stick with the model 10 4" overall length 8.9". I can probably conceal with a raised hip holster beneath a light vest. For now I have been happily carrying IWB a detective special(3rd issue) with +P.

Also, the model 19 carry comp 3" is carbon steel like the standard model 19 but it looks less blue. Is it still finished with blue finish?

I heard that the pressures involved with a 357 magnum is enough to cut off a finger. So having your finger near the front of the cylinder or a magna port during a shot can be perilous at best.

-Tristan

 

[R*E]

I like the looks of the 3" 19 but don't care for the porting. I have a ported 3" Lady Smith 65 and I keep my arms fully extended when I shoot it necause of the gases.

 

[steelslaver]

Porting. Noise, low light flash, any real velocity gain for barrel length past porting is lowered as some amount of the pressure is escaping. Kind of like a large barrel to cylinder gap. To gain what exactly? Less muzzle climb. How much? Just how much follow up time does it really save me? Good grips can get you to the same place with less flash and noise IMHO. On your carry gun if you don't like the recoil, first dump those pretty wood stocks and get some rubber that covers the back strap. It for defending your LIFE, not looking good. I have big hands and can not get my hands in regular extra large gloves. Handling recoil is not my problem.

Fire those 5000 rounds of magnums and I you will be not recoil shy or give it up.

By the way although the gasses from barrel cylinder gap are hot and nasty, once with a friend of mine while shooting handguns he fired his Ruger 30 carbine revolver with his of left hand holding the cylinder gap. I kid you not. That thing was the loudest hand gun around, a real fast light bullet rig. He howled and whined for quite a while but no real damage. Black marks and stung like hell I am sure. I am sure he never did it again. Could it do real damage, I am sure it could, but he was a real farm boy and had well callused hands and maybe got a bit lucky.

A guy hiding the front of a car is no longer an attacker. He could still be a threat though. But, when he comes out or up to restart his fire he has to get his head out, to gain visual, then position the gun. If I shift position, he is at a big disadvantage. me cranking ammo at the car might keep his head down, but also empties my gun. If I knew where he was behind a fender or door it might be different, but, until I do know I am going to be ready for him to pop out. Time and advantage is now on my side.

If he is in his car firing at me even a 38 will usually go through the glass and a door panel and he has a limited range of mobility, Move toward the rear of the car making him twist around, deal with window posts etc while under fire.

Have I done any of this? Nope, but I have thought about it. Better to have a plan, than try to figure it out on the spot. I have shot up a few junk cars when I was younger. Every ranch in the country had some junkers rusting away. Most 357s just splatter when the hit a block after going though the body panel. A 7 1/2"Ruger Super Blackhawk 44 mag wasn't much better. Just hype to me, Although a couple rounds through the grill, radiator and into the water pump etc wouldn't do the car much good. A busted timing gear would bring it to a halt pretty fast, but if I didn't get out of the way it wouldn't help me much. I take the driver for all the money.

If your going to carry a gun you best do a whole lot of thinking.

 

[trist007]

Yea I'm not liking the porting. I suppose it's worth mentioning a brand new model 66 2.75". The stainless steel version of the model 19. It has a two piece barrel, what does that mean exactly? I think I saw a video of a guy who got one of these and there was a 1/32 inch gap between the barrel and the frame. I know stainless steel is easier to maintain but I like the blue steel better. I also don't like seeing the powder burns on the cylinder, you have to clean those each time for it to look nice.

-Tristan

 

[Krogen]

I suggest you get some training in the tactical and legal aspects of self-defense. If you're "thinking of a firefight where an attacker takes cover behind a car's engine block" then you'll have a hard time claiming self-defense in court. Your attacker is hiding behind a car, yet you decide to take him out?. It's likely your best option is to run like the devil in the other direction while the attacker is hiding. Put some distance between the two of you while making sure he's not closing the distance or shooting at you. If that occurs, you may need to take cover yourself.

 

[trist007]

It's now between the new model 66 2.75" two piece barrel or the new classic 4.25" model 19. I do not want a magna port so I excluded the 3" carry comp model 19.

I really don't like having to clean powder burns off the front of the cylinder on stainless steel but there is one on gunbroker for $720.
My heart is on the classic 4.25 inch model 19. I love the blue finish but I'm not sure I can comfortably conceal it. Which would you guys choose and why?

-Tristan

 

[trist007]

I know just get both!

 

[adwjc]

Stick with the model 10.Carry it and shoot it for a while before rushing into a .357 Magnum.

In 30 years of carrying on duty, never once did I need to shoot through an engine block; in practical terms, it turns out a revolver is not the ideal handgun to bring to a gunfight these days.

As you develop your skills, you may find that a semi auto fits your requirements better, faster reloading, more capacity, although still
probably not going to penetrate engine blocks.

There are reasons that police departments put rules in place to discourage shooting at cars in many circumstances.

 

[surfgun]

An FMJ Magnum Bullet may be hard enough and have enough power to crack an engine block to where it's coolant would bleed out but by no means will any standard magnum handgun will blow through an engine block.

 

[dr. mordo]

I own two M19s (both older, not new), and if I planned to shoot a lot of 357 I'd get a GP100 or 686 (both of which I also own). They can be easily gotten with 2.5" - 3" barrels, and both have a bit more mass to soak up the magnum recoil. Personally, I prefer the GP100, but many folks love 686s. I'll never sell my Wiley Clapp GP100, but my Perf Center 686 may yet change hands.

Unlike the M19, both the GP100 and 686 can also be gotten in 7 shot versions. The difference between a K frame and an L frame is negligible on your belt, but does make a difference in you hand, especially when shooting magnums. I'd carry my L frames a lot more if I hadn't gotten a 3" M29 that has become my standard CCW.

However, back to your question, between a new 4" M19 and 3" M66, I personally would get the M66. A 4" barrel is definitely concealable, and I have a carried a 4" M10 and a 4" M29 quite a bit myself. But I prefer to carry AIWB, and the 4" barrel is just a bit long to be comfortable. A 3" barrel is a bit more flexible when it come to concealment