Model 19-3 stainless?

[glev]

Bill,
I'm not sure what the finish (if any) is on the main spring. It's not stainless like the rest of the grip but it's not the typical "blued" color of any other gun finish I've seen. Like the rest of the gun, there's no sign of corrosion or rust but it's brown like the color of chocolate.

 

[glev]

I've got a deal for you...

I think you are correct. You have the only stainless 19-3 ever produced. I would immediately list it on GunBroker with a reserve of $1,000,000 as befitting this one of a kind gun.

If you're interested I'll let it go for 600,000 and leave you with a 400,000 profit.

 

[pharmer]

Looks like Armolloy (sp?). About the time that gun was new, it was THE finish for duty guns. I had a buddy in the NJSP with that exact finish on his duty weapon. Joe

 

[shawn mccarver]

The revolver pictured is not stainless steel. It has been refinished to some sort of bead blasted nickel or chrome finish. Since it now has zero percent of its original finish, it is only valuable as a shooter, so start shooting. You may want to have it gone over by S&W to make sure that the action parts and springs were not messed with during the refinish as some sort of action/finish package.

 

[HAWKEYE10]

Actually that's not so.
Magnets do stick to stainless revolvers.

Gun making grades of Stainless Steel are differently formulated than stainless flatware, or other stainless steels. It has to do with machining properties, and strength.

You are right. I just tested my SS M66 and the magnet
stuck. It's been a good day, I learned something. Thanks Don

 

[w9kcj]

Model 19

I had 19 just like it. It was a service revolver that had been plated.

 

[glev]

Update and request

The revolver pictured is not stainless steel. It has been refinished to some sort of bead blasted nickel or chrome finish. Since it now has zero percent of its original finish, it is only valuable as a shooter, so start shooting. You may want to have it gone over by S&W to make sure that the action parts and springs were not messed with during the refinish as some sort of action/finish package.

First thank you to the 99% that posted with an open mind and obvious desire to help. I hope you will all check back as I continue to add more details and follow the advice you give. i enjoy investigating all of the possibilities people have suggested.

To the small number of members, (Mr MCarver for example) that have some "6th sense" ability to state as "fact" without explanation that they have the answer. It's quite a feat to dismiss the gun as not stainless or proclaim it's refinished. All without actually seeing the gun, I understand it's a possibility, but all evidence refutes any refinishing and points to the gun being stainless. I can say this with some confidence because I and several others that have actually inspected the gun at length strongly agree that it is stainless and is marked Model 19-3.

Last night I disassembled the revolver further than I ever have before. I enlisted the help and magnification equipment of a friend that's a dentist. We (actually the dentist) found some very odd markings etched into the gun. The same two numbers were etched into every part of the gun. It is not a stamp and appears to be hand engraved, The two digits are so small in some places, (on the shaft of the grip set screw, inside each catch on the outside of the cylinder, and on some other tiny pins and parts) that they can only be seen with magnification. The etching is deeper than any finish (including armolly) in most places and would have been subject to corrosion. We found none.

Anybody have any ideas? If it's possibly a mis-stamped 66, what are the differences between the 19 and 66 other than stainless? If I knew, I could consider that the most likely possibility or (even better) rule that out completely, which would make it more of a mystery.

 

[shawn mccarver]

To the small number of members, (Mr MCarver for example) that have some "6th sense" ability to state as "fact" without explanation that they have the answer.

I am sorry if I offended you with my rather matter-of-fact statement about your Model 19-3, which you indicated was made in 1976. I could be wrong, but do not think so. I think it unlikely that your revolver is a mismarked Model 66.

One reason, obvious from your pictures, is the lack of the red ramp front sight. Not definitive, for sure, but a factor I considered. The rear sight assembly appears to be blue or black, but that would have been easy - that part was simply not refinished at the time, betting the revolver was originally blue.

Model 66s made in 1976 had red ramps, and I do not see, on your pictures, the red ramp, nor do I see the dovetail cut where one might have been. Again, we are all guessing, and we are all trying to help. I sincerely apologize if I offended you.

I hope your revolver is rare, as it is nice to find a rare one from time to time, but, and I mean this in the nicest way, the evidence shown so far, does not lead me to the belief that it is actually a Model 66.

I will be more than happy to admit, in advance, that I am wrong, if the correct markings for stainless are shown as Bill suggested, or if a factory letter says it is.

Another suggestion is to call S&W and ask customer service to enter you serial number in the computer to see what they can tell you about it.

Good luck, and my sincere apologies. Again, I was merely trying to be matter-of-fact, and was not trying to offend you or your revolver.

Shawn

 

[VM]

We (actually the dentist) found some very odd markings etched into the gun. The same two numbers were etched into every part of the gun. It is not a stamp and appears to be hand engraved, The two digits are so small in some places, (on the shaft of the grip set screw, inside each catch on the outside of the cylinder, and on some other tiny pins and parts) that they can only be seen with magnification.

Glev - are you going to share what the marking are?

I wouldn't be so hard on Mr. mccarver.......I made up my mind real quick from your original post when you stated :

"I spoke to the historian at S&W and he said it must have been refinished"

If you do a little research, you'll find that Roy Jinks is a pretty knowledgeable guy when it comes to S&W's

 

[bdGreen]

Last night I disassembled the revolver further than I ever have before. I enlisted the help and magnification equipment of a friend that's a dentist. We (actually the dentist) found some very odd markings etched into the gun. The same two numbers were etched into every part of the gun. It is not a stamp and appears to be hand engraved, The two digits are so small in some places, (on the shaft of the grip set screw, inside each catch on the outside of the cylinder, and on some other tiny pins and parts) that they can only be seen with magnification. The etching is deeper than any finish (including armolly) in most places and would have been subject to corrosion. We found none.


I believe that this could indicate a batch plating and using the id's to put all the body parts back to the same gun.

What think you?

bdGreen

 

[Doc44]

glev...Please post a photo of the side plate of the revolver showing the S&W logo. That might help me in determining if the revolver has been refinished or not. Thanks.

Bill

 

[CT Smith Fan]

Glev,You have to remember that we are not the S&W Historian and don't have the LOA information at our fingertips.Everyone who answers your thread is interested in what you have or they would not bother.A little kidding around helps us all get through the day.That said, Bill is an expert so post some photos,talk to S&W and keep an open mind.

 

[sigp220.45]

I once puzzled over a gun IDENTICAL to yours in a shop in Idaho. Turns out the owner, for one of those inexplicable reasons, had removed all of the bluing and the gun was in the white. The only clue was tiny traces of bluing near the rear sight. Could it be plain old bare steel?

I agree with the general consensus, though, that somebody wanted a Model 66 (which were hard to find for quite a while) and did the next best thing by refinishing a Model 19.

 

[glev]

No offense intended and pictures

Bill, you have been the most helpful of all. I wrote this in an earlier post, the research and ongoing replies with specific suggestions are the best. I enjoy reading a post and then going to the gun to investigate. My only issue was with the very small number of posts saying they "know for a fact" that the gun is _______. I,m all for a definitive answer that I can verify. In the mean time please keep adding suggestions and things to look for. I honestly appreciate the help.

 

[Nightowl]

finish

I think you have an interesting gun. I think you should write for a letter from Roy, as that is the only way for you to really be sure. If it is hard chrome plated, it will still be a fine gun, as the hard chrome is a harder finish than either the blue or stainless and will allow a life time of use. I'll with hold my opinion until you get the letter.

 

[Doc44]

glev...thanks for the photos. The logo and printing (including the periods) may look a little less pronounced than on my 66 and 629s, but it does not definitively indicate a polishing to remove a former finish. I think I am finally out of ideas.

I would ask for a factory letter. It will tell you if the revolver shipped as a 19-3 and what the original finish is (or was). Let us know what it says. If the revolver shipped as a 66, then it is incorrectly stamped.

Your posting has generated lots of interesting discussion.

Bill

 

[dant]

Just saw this and as we used to have many gun s done by Ron Mahovsky through our shop ( and two of my own personal model 19s were done as such (Metalife SS) the 'batch ' numbers cited by bdgreen comes to mind, as many shops did just that. but the proof in th pudding would be quite easy to find out and how we do it is to scribe a mark ( line) on the grip fram eflat , out of sight no less, and apply a drop of cold blue, the underlying metal will or will NOT turn 'blue'...if its stainless, (all the way through & through) no way will it "turn blue",but my bet is it will, see this all too often, and makes the crowd go nuts figuring out "why" it looks so much like stainless and its NOT....good luck, and as noted above, even if it was "mismarked" as to a model number ( also happens from time to time) only a slight premium .......all of this would have taken a couple of minutes to" solve your riddle...."

 

[GLL]

What was the final verdict on the"V" on the rear cylinder face and the "S" in ejector shroud?

Jerry

 

[glev]

Just saw this and as we used to have many gun s done by Ron Mahovsky through our shop ( and two of my own personal model 19s were done as such (Metalife SS) the 'batch ' numbers cited by bdgreen comes to mind, as many shops did just that. but the proof in th pudding would be quite easy to find out and how we do it is to scribe a mark ( line) on the grip fram eflat , out of sight no less, and apply a drop of cold blue, the underlying metal will or will NOT turn 'blue'...if its stainless, (all the way through & through) no way will it "turn blue",but my bet is it will, see this all too often, and makes the crowd go nuts figuring out "why" it looks so much like stainless and its NOT....good luck, and as noted above, even if it was "mismarked" as to a model number ( also happens from time to time) only a slight premium .......all of this would have taken a couple of minutes to" solve your riddle...."

Dan,
Once again, it must be a sad person ( probably very qualified though) that would rather insinuate brilliance at someone's expense instead of offering to explain how to perform such a simple and fast test. I wonder if being of such lofty intellect makes a person agitated and condescending?

 

[borntoraisehogs]

Glev , don't know what you got there for sure , but with all this controversy I am starting to want one too .