Did S&W ever make 38 Special "Model 19"?

[hsguy]

May be it was a prior owner who re-chamber it to .357. If the S&W factory was done it they would change the .38 Special marks too.

Just remember that many .38/44 Outdoorsman and Heavy Duty were converted to .357 Magnum for their owners.

I would´t do it this whit a model 19 .38 Special only because I would prefer to have a special edition model 19 .38 than te more common .357.

Hannibal, I believe this gun left the factory as a .357 Mag rather than being converted later, I should send for a letter to confirm this. As near as I have have been able determine the gun was originally built for a Brazil order but was either left over or not shipped and the cylinder reamed to allow 357 Mag to be used as it would make it more marketable in the US. I suspect the gun was already built and it was easier to leave the roll markings intact rather than to change the barrel to one with proper markings. I have been told that these guns shipped to RSR Distributors in 2000 with product code 148926.

 

[Hannibal Barca]

Hannibal-

Can you even own a .357 in Mexico? Brazil limits civilians to a .38, unless they buy an expensive collectors' license.

Come to think of it, I believe one of our other members there owns an old .357 Magnum that was carried by a famous Marine officer and FBI agent. He's actually Canadian, but has lived in Mexico for years.

You are right, .357 Magnum are ban to civilian in Mexico, except for two cases. One that you mentioned that you were a collector with a license or if you are member of a "Charro" (Mexican Cowboy) association.
But I was thinking if I was the prior American owner wouldn´t change the chamber to .357 Magnum (I was talking figurative). In the case that the revolver were re-chamber to .357 like some .38/44s Heavy Duty and Outdoorsman.
And yes like Old Bear said, it was Calmex who have that registered magnum you said. I don´t know Calmex in person, but he is a good friend of mine in the Mexican gun forums.

 

[Hannibal Barca]

Hannibal, I believe this gun left the factory as a .357 Mag rather than being converted later, I should send for a letter to confirm this. As near as I have have been able determine the gun was originally built for a Brazil order but was either left over or not shipped and the cylinder reamed to allow 357 Mag to be used as it would make it more marketable in the US. I suspect the gun was already built and it was easier to leave the roll markings intact rather than to change the barrel to one with proper markings. I have been told that these guns shipped to RSR Distributors in 2000 with product code 148926.

I would like to know what really happened to this revolver. I didn´t know until recently that some model 19s were made for the Brazilian Police in .38 Special. I always have knew that some models 586 and 686 were made for the Brazilian Police in .38 Special too, but in the 686 and 586 case they were chamber for the .38 Special only and they don´t allowed use .357 magnum in them.

 

[shawn mccarver]

10 responses and only Big Lou got it right. Obviously later posters didn't read his response.

From SCSW3, p187:

Model 19-3, 2"Barrel: Round butt in .38 Special caliber without barrel shroud.

Model 19-8,Chambered in .38 Special: 2-1/2" or 4" barrel, square butt, product code 148926; special order 0055 or 0056. 2000.

Not only .38 Special, but 9mm too! From SCSW 1st Edition, p116:

Model 19 9mm: Model 19 variations exist chambered in 9mm-a forerunner of the Model 547 for European export.

References are wonderful.

So the answer is YES. Not a 15, or 13, but a Model 19 in .38 Special, just like was asked. At least 2 acknowledged having seen one.

This information is correct. I would merely add that the end label on SKU 148926, Special Order 0056 is also marked **SPECIAL**.

 

[sodacan]

I know the question you are asking about non .357 model 19's, but the short answer is ALL of them are chambered for .38 special.

 

[Nframe_is_no1]

The current classic series model 15 looks identical to the model 19 except for being .38 only because it has the heavy barrel and a shrouded ejector rod.

 

[gbw]

fwiw, I have a 19-4 that, when I got it many years ago, would not chamber any .357 cartridge I could find. They stopped about 1/10" from seating in the recessed cylinder. Otherwise the gun is a standard 19-4, 4", marked .357 cal. I had a gunsmith with the correct reamers cut the cylinder to accept .357. I've fired it a little over the years withour problems, but it's such a pretty example I tend to leave it in the safe. Probably just an error at the factory.

 

[Qmark]

Years ago in a conversation with a former in law. Back in the good ol'days when a Gi could still buy a handgun from a military PX. He claimed he purchased a Model 19, barrel was marked 357 but it would only chamber 38's. The PX would not allow him to exchange or return it and told him to send it to Smith and Wesson. He sent it to S&W and got it back with a 357 cylinder. He claimed the only correspondence he got with the returned revolver. Was a form letter saying something about immediate cleaning with modern ammunition was not necessary after test firing. No explanation about the mix up.

 

[FRAN357]

chp mod 68 made in 1977-78 made6055 orginal order.

 

[john.41]

Sorry about bringing back a dead thread, but I saw one of these 19-8's at a gun show today and had to research it a bit.
4" adj. sights w/rubber grips. No box or papers, very good condition.
Did I pass up something I shouldn't have for $600?

 

[Texas Star]

Sorry about bringing back a dead thread, but I saw one of these 19-8's at a gun show today and had to research it a bit.
4" adj. sights w/rubber grips. No box or papers, very good condition.
Did I pass up something I shouldn't have for $600?

Only if you're a collector. The regular M-19 in .357 is the more versatile gun.

The only reason to own a .38 M-19 or a Model 68 is if you work for a guard company or LE agency that requires a .38. And Brazilians and Mexicans are usually limited to .38 Special.

I don't know what you mean by very good condition. Do you know and mean NRA VG? Few here seem to know those traditional NRA grading terms. They tend to speak of percentage of finish left.

For $600, I'd expect a near new gun, hopefully with box and any tools or papers. Some look at prices on Gun Broker and think they can get those elevated fees. Look and you'll probably find a M-19 in .357 without box for maybe $450-500.

One of the Bond films had Bond (Sir Roger Moore) look at a M-19 used by some black girl from CIA. He commented that it was a custom .38. At the time, I thought it was just a movie writer who didn't know what he was talking about. Later, I learned that .38 M-19's do exist.

I'm pretty sure that most M-19's shipped to Brazil chamber just .38 ammo. Maybe Ray in Rio,or another Brazilian member will comment. Mexican members have covered this pretty thoroughly in prior threads.

 

[john.41]

Thanks, the only thing that got my interest was the fact it was in .38spl. I have plenty of other S&W revolvers, just struck me as odd. I'm not usually interested in anything that recent anyway.