Model 19-3 Details?

[Rocketmedic40]

Continuing the questions, I have this guy: a Model 19-3 I found for pretty cheap ($550?) at my LGS. I was wondering when it was from (I think like the late 1960s) and also if anyone recognizes these grips? There isn’t anything written or stamped or marked inside them but they fit really really nicely to both my hand and the pistol.

Of all my revolvers, this is probably the most neglected, in that I very rarely run .357 and don’t run a lot through this one because it’s pretty and tight and vintage. It gets carried **sometimes** but I honestly think it might be too nice to carry most days, which is kind of a shame. The -10, -64 and -442 all see more sunshine time than this beauty, and that’s a shame I reckon. Still, it’s fun for a range day and sends a few magnums now and then.

 

[Gdogman]

I have a 19-2 that is Serial 1K75XXX and a 19-3 that is Serial 3K10XXX, so yours would be between them and both of mine shipped in 1972. Based on that, I would say yours shipped in 1972. Grips are not original to the gun. Great gun for that price point.

 

[JP@AK]

Serial number 2K2816 is from 1970. The 2K numbers were used over a period of three years: 1970-1972. You have a nice example.

I have no idea about the stocks. That revolver left the factory with checkered target stocks made of Goncalo Alves.

 

[Engine49guy]

I have a 19-2 that is Serial 1K75XXX .

I would check that one again, way too late to be a dash 2.

 

[JP@AK]

way too late to be a dash 2.

Regardless of how the yoke cut is marked, there is a sure-fire way to be certain whether it is a -2 or -3 (we suspect the latter).

Locate the screw that holds the rear sight to the frame. It will be the forward-most screw on the sight leaf. If it is directly above the barrel/cylinder gap, it is a -2. If it is offset from the gap, it is a -3.

 

[Gdogman]

Okay so now its confusing.........

1. The forward most screw, holding the sight leaf is directly above the gap (-2)
2. The LOA states its a 19-2
3. The yoke cut says its a 19-3

It would seem the forward most screw and the LOA conflict with what the yoke cuts says. I have attached pics, the LOA and the invoice.

Thoughts

 

[Engine49guy]

Hard to tell looking from above,
Need to see it with cylinder open showing it's relationship to the forcing cone edge.

Pretty safe bet the 2 is a typo.
Only way that could have been a dash 2 is if you take the "1" and move it to the far right of the serial number.

 

[JP@AK]

The screw does seem to be in the right place for a -2 (given the only photo you showed us). A picture like Engine49guy requested would confirm. At this point, I would trust the letter and the screw. After all, Roy knew the serial number when he wrote the letter.

This obviously was a special-order gun, so anything is possible. The serial number and the ship date are well into the -3 period. That does not mean it is actually a -3. The fitters were marking -3 nearly every day at that point. If the screw is where we think it is, the Letter of Authenticity is correct. A dash 2 frame could easily have been still in the tool room when the special order came in. That might be the explanation.

 

[Engine49guy]

It's fun to speculate these scenarios, IIRC the ATF advised SW that having older non serial numbered spare frames in the vault was technically illegal (at least that's how I heard it went) and that rather than toss them they were just serial numbered in the then current range, If that was true perhaps a situation could have occurred where an old spare nickle snub dash 2 frame from 1967 ( before the GCA act) was found hiding in the vault and serial numbered in 1971, if so could see where the person numbering it wouldn't notice the slight difference in the screw hole location and stamp it as a dash 3 , But, you'd think at the point when they realized the dash 3 site screw hole wouldn't line up and they had to use an older dash 2 snub leaf they'd think to also overstamp it as a dash 2,
then again it could have been the Friday before a holiday weekend.
(Btw, wonder what Roy meant by the invoice didn't mention the "Special target features"?)

Hopefully this mystery will be solved, then again as Willy Wonk wisely once said
"The suspense is terrible,
I hope it lasts".