Mod 19-3 newbie...cerakote coming

[RenoRattler]

Newbie here, to Smith's, wheel guns, and the forum!


I just picked up a Model 19-3 4" in a trade, love it! Most of my handgun experience is in Glocks, love my 17 for the capabilities. But I love feeling the weight of a revolver.


The 19 I got was supposedly a duty gun in the 70's in Carson City, Nevada. Was passed along a couple times, I got it for a 10/22 and some ammo. It's not the best looker, a lot of the blue is gone, and there are quite a few nicks in the frame, but it's in great functioning condition.

Since it's condition is in such a state, I am making it into a project. I have a local custom coater that is trying to make firearm finishes a full time job, so it's going in for a two tone cerakote job. It's going to be a target/tactical revolver for me. Range, and maybe some carry duty for it.


I've never worked on revolvers, I'm fairly competent in my mechanical skill, will I be okay stripping it down to the frame? Anything special to watch out for? I'm getting the frame, cylinder, hammer and trigger coated.

I expect pics and updates to follow, glad I found this place!

 

[lowercase]

Welcome to the forum!

I also have an old 19-3 4" that used to be a duty gun. Mine is marked "W.P.D. 142". No clue where it is from. Mine was carried in an open muzzle holster and shows a ton of wear right near the end of the barrel.

I was planning on getting it ceracoted, hard chromed, or reblued, but just decided to pretty much leave it "as is". I touched up the wear at the muzzle with Oxpho cold bluing, and got some Pachmayr "gripper" grips for it. I'm not nuts about Pachmayrs, but the grippers look a ton better than the vintage rubber grips (different style of Pachmayrs) that it was wearing when I bought it.

This gun has really grown on me, and I'm glad I picked it up. Not the best looking example of a 19-3, but it is mechanically sound. I plan on using mine for home and vehicle defense, along with being a range gun.

I've never done a complete strip (down to the bare frame) of a revolver, so I can't help you there.

Looking forward to seeing pics of your 19.

Here is my 19-3:

 

[redlevel]

I also have a 19-3 that was a local LEO gun back in the 70s. I knew the man who carried it. He worked as a Deputy in a surrounding county, and was a civilian guard at Warner Robins Air Force Base. His crackhead son sold the gun to my local dealer a couple of years ago. It looked like it had been drug through a gravel pit behind an ATV. The grips literally stank. We cleaned the grips with brake cleaner and later acetone, and cleaned the revolver up as well as we could. I wouldn't even consider a refinish. No rust, just a few battle scars.

 

[lowercase]

Redlevel

I used to live in Warner Robins. I was stationed at the base and flew on the E-8C.

Good to hear from someone (and see a firearm) from my old stomping grounds!

 

[palmetto99]

Reno, I too have a rather used former LEO mdl 19-4. It's lived a long hard life, but it has a solid lock-up and shoots great. It's taken on the duties of being my test mule for .38 spl and .357 reloads. I have had one handgun cerakoted (an RIA 1911A1) and it came out great, but every nick and ding on my 19-4 was earned honest and I like that history. Do as you see fit, but if you do it, please for the love of Pete, do a finish that looks like it's a viable color for a real firearm not some goofy color that makes it look like a toy or a prop. Armor Black is a good flat finish with a little sheen to it. Good luck and enjoy that mdl 19 no matter what you do with it.

 

[Cocked & Locked]

Paint a S&W model 19 ? Blasphemy I say! Hard Chrome if anything.

 

[Peak53]

Stripping it down to the frame shouldn't be too difficult for the mechanically inclined. Putting it back together correctly might be a little more problematic. There are some very small parts that need to be oriented correctly. Strongly suggest you pick up Jerry Kuhnhausen's Smith & Wesson shop manual from Amazon before doing so. Also, consider leaving the hammer and trigger cerakote-free. The case-hardened bare steel on those parts shouldn't give you any maintenance trouble and it will look better.

 

[RenoRattler]

Thanks for all the replies! I'm thinking it's gonna get armor black for the frame, and titanium for the cylinder. I'm a shooter, not a collector so this thing is going to see a lot of attention. And I fell so instantly in love with this thing I can't to have it made up just how I want.

 

[Jungle George]

If you take it apart, do yourself a favor and video the process. Go nice and slow and then make sure you capture the orientation of each individual piece as you remove it. This is what I do when I strip my guns down to bare the first time and it gives me great piece of mind. Never needed it but I was sure glad I had it.

Also it doesn't hurt to go to Youtube first just to get an idea of the process before you get in elbows deep.

 

[old bear]

Good advise on the dis-assembly, but let me take it one step farther. As there are some very small parts and springs that can either fall or FLY out, some folks do the dis assembly in a over sized "ZipLock" bag, to contain small parts.

 

[RenoRattler]

Those are both great tips, thank you! There is a disassembly/reassembly video on YouTube that I've watched a couple times.

 

[Jaymo]

I strongly agree with the recommendation of the Kuhnhausen shop manual.
MidwayUSA had it cheaper than Amazon, when I bought mine.

 

[RenoRattler]

Refin is complete! Got it apart and back together without issue, pleasure to work on. Can't wait to give it a clean and try it out! Some pics, sorry about the low quality.