If not a S&W 357 then what?

[BAM-BAM]

I too have a fifth engineering revision of the Model 19 that is unfired since leaving the factory.

Mine will be staying unfired, my children will respect my wishes when I pass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUnTBwUHov0

There is nothing wrong with preserving things.

OMG.....Colt ssa ....just set a new standard for posting "pictures" !!!!!!!

 

[DD357]

Shoot a Dan before buying - I do not like the double action trigger in them nearly as well. I'd shoot the 19 you have; I wouldn't worry about keeping a -5 NIB.

 

[BigBill]

I don't understand why not shoot it? I don't have room for safe queens. I'd shoot it to make sure it works anyway.

 

[theoneff]

I would shoot it too, its what they were made for. Enjoy

 

[Will Carry]

In my most humble opinion, a .357 magnum revolver needs at least a 4" barrel to get that hot round moving fast. I have a Henry Big Boy in .357 with a Ruger Vaquero 5.5" of the same caliber. I would consider a 3" 686 though.

 

[hogblue]

Buy a safe and a tiara for your new queen. Take it out only once a year and wipe it down with G96. There you have it.

 

[smithfan4152]

shooter

I have more than enough room for safe queens, Turns out my 19-5 was already deflowered, but not much, there was a burn ring on ea. cyl, the cleaning kit is unopened, and the box and paperwork are complete.
I also bought a 36 no dash Nickel, 1 7/8 barrel, very nice condition, barely a turn line, but has been fired. No box, but felt the price was good, $450 OTD. At least I will shoot this little beast, I typically shot 38 special out of my 357's anyway.
I just enjoy owning something that will fire that bad boy.
I will keep my eye open for the 4 inch or 3 inch 686 when I get more $$ saved. Photo's will be coming soon.

 

[colt_saa]

I don't understand why not shoot it?

Bill,
Since you asked, I will try and explain my view.

BTW, those of us on the other side do not understand the need to shoot everything

I grew up in Chicago where some of this Country's greatest museums reside. Through school field trips and family visits I was well exposed to them. This probably influenced me

If I have a Liberty Quarter on my desk, I do not feel the need to put it in a vending machine just because that is what money is made for.

I can look at an unusual stamp and not feel the urge to put it on an envelope and get it postmarked.

I have seen the question "If you owned a Ferrari would you not drive it?" Well if it was the one and only car I owned, yes I would drive it. However, if I had two or more cars I would not feel the need to make sure all were driven because they were cars.

The Corporation I worked for had an Automotive museum. One of my responsibilities was act as Curator. In the collection we had a hardtop and convertible of every year GM produced the GTO. There were 57 GTOs in total including 5 that had never been driven since they were sold. I never felt the need to drive those 5

When I would come across something that I thought had the chance to be rare, I would often buy one to use and one to preserve. Several of these items have been loaned to Museums and schools over the decades.

Part of the ownership enjoyment of something rare or unusual is sharing with other people the experience of seeing a preserved item and learning more about it.

BTW, personally giving the tours and speeches at our Museum was alwasy a joy for me when I had the time.

So often I see a thread where the "must shoot it" crowd tries to talk someone into shooting a gun or in the case of this thread, change the mind of the OP who is seeking advice on what to get as a second item while he preserves the first.

One last note, I can not recall seeing a thread where folks that preserve things try to convince those with your point of the view not to

Is there not enough room in this world for both points of view?

 

[bigsteve113]

If you don't want to fire you new 19 because you are a collector then don't. But I would suggest just getting yourself a used, shooter 19/66 to shoot.

If you don't want to shoot it because you're worried about durability, then I can tell you, I have shot the same Smith 66 4" for 32 years. Lord knows how many rounds have been down that 4" tube as I don't do round counts, but it's definitely been in the thousands. I used that 66 when I went through Law Enforcement Basic Training in 1983, carried on duty for years, and carried it in the outdoors still today. Many of those rounds have been full snort magnum handloads, and some have been the dreaded 125 grainers. Many more have been .38's, usually 158 gr home cast, handloaded, LSWC at about 800 fps. These days I only use 158 grain bullets in the outdoors, both LSWC (chronoed at 1341 fps from that 66) and JHP (chronoed at 1270fps from that same 66).

I am meticulous about maintenance and cleaning my firearms. And have cared for that 66 well. As a result, that 66 shoots as well as the day I bought it (Aug. 1, 1983 to be exact). Still tight, still in time, and still looks good. Never had any work done to it.

 

[gwpercle]

I would get one of S&W's newly reissued model 66.
357/38 Combat Magnum in a K-Frame , it doesn't get much better than this.
Do all the shooting you want and don't even have to worry about ruining the collector value.
From the gun reviews it seems the new barrel arrangement makes them very accurate . I would jump on one before they stop making them again.
Gary

 

[smithfan4152]

Shooter

As mentioned when I purchased my first model 53-2 it was too nice to shoot, I just buy a shooter and that settles it. I owned a 52-2 shooter before I started collecting them. I never shot one I bought after that except I did try a no dash. This 19-5 has been shot, but the rings around the cylinder are all extremely light, I doubt more than 1 or 2 cylinders full were fired. No cut line in front of the cylinder. Anyway I will most likely just shoot this little 36 and when I find a nice 586-686 or 66 I will buy it. I have owned many 66-1's, and the one's that had the 6 1/8 barrel, the rest were later made 5 7/8. I enjoyed shooting them, but I do prefer blue over anything else. So much easier to clean.

 

[bananaman]

There are plenty of used .38 specials out there. Pick one up as a shooter if you want to keep the 19 unfired

I was at a smaller gun show yesterday. It was packed. On 1 of the tables was a 10-6 heavy barrel 4" sitting on top of the box. Was beautiful! BARELY, a turn line. Asking price was $450. A lower cash offer might have gotten it. There are some nice guns out there. They just don't turn up too often. Bob

 

[SuperMan]

To me unfired in the box Smiths made before 2000 rate as collectors items. There are a lot of Smith collectors out there who will pay a premium for such a gun. I've seen several sell on the auction sites recently that brought twice what an in the box shooter grade gun would have brought.

If this were me I would do one of two things. First would be put the gun on one of the auction sites, sell it and take the money and find a shooter grade gun. That or just put the gun away and buy a shooter grade outright. Even though you may pay more for the shooter grade gun, the bargain you got on the NIB gun more than makes up the difference. One day both will be worth way more than you paid for them anyway...

Bob