MODEL 19 IN STAINLESS- did they exist?

[haris1]

help needed here. There is an auction presently where the seller said the US nay ordered 19's in stainless before the 66 existed and I think the gun may just be metalloyed or hardchromed.The sellers description is as follows

"THIS IS A SMITH&WESSON MODEL 19-3 RARE STAINLESS STEEL ADITION 500 MADE FOR THE US NAVY JUST BEFORE THEY SWITCHED OVER TO MODEL 66 NO DASH PINnED AND RECESSED MODEL MADE IN1975 SS# 8K XXX COMES WITH A VERY RARE ORIGINAL FACTORY STAMPED COMBAT GRIP THAT MADE FOR A FEW PERFORMANCE CENTER ADITIONS ."

there was no performance center back in those days. here is a picture of it

any comments would be very much appreciated since i dont know if its a treasure or just a misrepresented piece

 

[NFrameFred]

Sounds like a line of Bravo Sierra to me. Not aware of any documentation of such that I recall ever seeing.

But I've heard all kinds of good (?) stories like that from people blowing smoke up someone's skirts . . . . .

If it were true, these would be well known and highly sought after rarities. Plus it would have US gubmint markings . . . .

 

[GF]

Can't tell because of the trigger shoe but it looks like the hammer and trigger are refinished. (could just be stainless parts)
As are the poorly finished round butt K frame targets.

Rear sight looks original.

GF

 

[diamonback68]

It appears to me that some guys will say anything to sell a gun. My BS meter went to full scale.

 

[Farmer17]

It looks like factory finished stainless steel and not hard chromed. The front sight angle looks a bit strange, but I would have to see the frame markings, serial number, and factory letter before I'm convinced.

 

[Broker50]

Looks like some sort of refinish to me, possibly hard chrome, or even nickel. (looks pretty shiny like nickel) And I agree the hammer & trigger definitely appear to have something unusual going on.

 

[colt_saa]

If there is no Factory Letter, then there is no proof and there is no truth to the claim.

I am certain it is some form of industrial hard chrome. There were no stainless model 19s.

Even the line about the original grips is BS....."COMES WITH A VERY RARE ORIGINAL FACTORY STAMPED COMBAT GRIP THAT MADE FOR A FEW PERFORMANCE CENTER ADITIONS"

There was no Performance Center in 1975.

 

[one eye joe]

Some poor sap is about to get a screwing..........

 

[dant]

Looks like a 'metalife SS' finish on a model 19 ( remember guys ,stainless is NOT a 'finish', it is a material, alloy steel...)
another snake oil salesman fresh out of trade school..........

 

[TDC]

Just to add to the "BS" meter... I don't remember seeing speed loader cut-outs on any S&W factory produced grips until the very early eighties, other than on some commemorative guns (TR & 125th for example).

Just goes to show ya you better see a factory letter if the odd configuration looks even remotely possible....

S&W has made some odd variations through the years. Their creation of uncatalogued guns and modifications has made embarrassed fools of many of us when it was proven the firearm actually existed. This gun has at least three strikes to confirm it isn't what it's advertised as.

JMHO

 

[haris1]

"stainless" 19

I am the stupid bidder who took a chance that it might be real
but I never heard back from the seller when i asked him why he thought it was stainless or did he have any documentation and also commented about the grips and that there was no performance center in those days. I told him to get gunbroker to cancel my bid which is definitely doable if the seller instructs them. the seller never replied so I notified him and gunbroker that i would never pay for this item so he may as well get my bid deleted.
And all you forum members, Thank you for confirming what I already suspected-its phony- and there is NO inspection period

 

[TDC]

haris1,

We've all been in a similar situation at one time or another... Glad you were able to do something about this 66 before it was too late.

I believe I'd make a formal complaint to GunBroker and make them aware of how this gun was represented. If a seller wants to make unusual claims about a firearm they should be required to have supportive info to back it up.

What happened reflects badly on their business and they need to know how upset you are with the seller...

 

[haris1]

"stainless"19 reply to gunbroker support

here is what i said to gunbroker support ....."
i bid on a handgun that the seller listed as a stainless model 19 special ordered by the US navy. after i bid I asked the seller what proof,article or letter he had to that effect. he gave me no response,not even a response that said he was told that,no response period. He also refers that it has special original grips that were performance center additions. I have since come to find out that both statements are false, that the performance center not only did not exist at the time but that the grips are something that someone has made finger grooves on one side and they are smooth on the other. The factory never made anything like that. Secondly, all the members on the smith forum that answered my thread about "was there ever a stainless 19" all said that there was not and this is hard chromed, metalloyed or some such process. I contacted the seller and asked him to remove my bid by contacting you . I did this two days ago. I told him and I am telling you I will not buy and pay for an item that is "phony" and also when the seller wont answer a question. I dont expect Gunbroker to ride herd on all that is sold here but a spade is a spade and that gun is as much stainless as there are solid gold AR-15's!!!! """"

 

[snw19_357]

Not meaning to stir anything up here but

1) There is a "Buy Now" on this item. Even if everything stated in this auction was 100% correct, with your bid, someone could snatch it from under you before you could blink.

2) There are seven and a half days left in this auction. You could have posted this thread before you bid. Besides, there are four other bidders. Maybe they'll outbid you.

3) If you were the high bidder and the seller were to post negative feedback for you because you wouldn't pay, don't you get the chance to respond, outing them in their feedback?

 

[H Richard]

Here's a picture of a "Metaloyed" Mod. 19. (Was a non fired gun which was in a gun rug and got wet in a home fire and not removed until it was too late). Compare this finish to that one.

 

[haris1]

stainless 19 update

very intersting development on this auction. Gunbroker e mailed me that they told the seller to authorize my bid retraction but that didnt happen. Instead another bidder came forth and outbid me so I am in the clear. BUT if you look at the new bidders feedback its obvious he is a shill for two reasons. He has won 8 of this guys auctions and every gun he won has been relisted!!! How in the world do used one of a kind handguns get relisted and two people buy the same gun and get good feedback. Something is going on with this seller.
The auction number is mentioned in this thread by another poster.Lesson learned- Dont Bid unless you have an inspection period. Dont bid until you confirm odd claims. A fool and his money are soon parted!!!!

 

[mkk41]

Not only was it a real Navy issued stainless Mod.19 , it was part of a secret special prototype order by under-Secretary of the Navy , Theodore Roosevelt!


yeah , that's the ticket!

 

[mtime7]

very intersting development on this auction. Gunbroker e mailed me that they told the seller to authorize my bid retraction but that didnt happen. Instead another bidder came forth and outbid me so I am in the clear. BUT if you look at the new bidders feedback its obvious he is a shill for two reasons. He has won 8 of this guys auctions and every gun he won has been relisted!!! How in the world do used one of a kind handguns get relisted and two people buy the same gun and get good feedback. Something is going on with this seller.
The auction number is mentioned in this thread by another poster.Lesson learned- Dont Bid unless you have an inspection period. Dont bid until you confirm odd claims. A fool and his money are soon parted!!!!

the mod pulled my post with the auction #, didn't know it was against the rules.. I couldn't figure out how you could tell he was shill bidding until I did alittle looking, but I figured it out. Now I know what to look for in the future. Thanks

 

[haris1]

Stainless 19

Very interesting development now. We are not allowed to mention on the forum an active auction but do a search under smith and wesson model 19-3 and you will find it. The look at the high bidder. he is in the next town to the seller, red flag number 1. Red flag number two. the bidder has bought other things from the seller that got immediately relisted. How do you sell the same item to two people? Red flag number 3.
If you read each others feedbacks they are exactly in the same style and wording another "coincidence" So much for shill bidding, so obvious!!!I notified gunbroker about this. This kind of activity hurts everyone's confidence in internet buying.My forum experience has been great except once. And that one time was not a disaster I have had disasters with auctions
a few times.The forum is my favorite place!!!

 

[mtime7]

I did a little more looking and you can see from completed listings they both shill bid for each other