My first Combat Magnum (pre 19)...and its FACTORY engraved! (now with LETTER)

[JJEH]

Very nice, congrats and thanks for sharing!

 

[cleans up]

Incredible

Usually I don't go in for "ornate" but for inexplicable reasons I've recently started to really like engraved guns. I imagine I'll have to own one at some point and threads like this push me toward making that a sooner vs later goal. Thanks for the inspiration.

 

[0le]

Beautiful piece, and a great write up! Congratulations on this acquisition.

 

[Art66]

Engraved Combat Magnum

WOW! What a find and great sleuthing job. This thread was lurking in a surprisingly unread S&W Forum from almost two months ago. I'm sure glad I discovered it. That beautiful gun is in a completely different category than my beloved 98% nickel plated 19-4.
Art

 

[sbowenjr]

Just beautiful. I was reviewing this post. I started looking for other Combat Magnums with earlier serial numbers that are factory engraved. I have yet to find one in the posts. Jim what a unique find. One to be proud of for sure.

 

[S&WsRsweet]

I'm glad this thread was revived that is one fine combat magnum the only way it could be better was if I had it lol . Thanks for posting.

 

[1blindref]

This is one of those threads that is well worth resurrecting!!
What a fantastic gun.

 

[LT7d103]

Agreed, thanks for the resurrection of this post. What a timeless, beautiful revolver.

 

[sailor723]

Green with envy!

 

[Deutsche_Dog]

This is one of those threads that is well worth resurrecting!!
What a fantastic gun.

Absolutely! I'm so glad it was featured as "Thread of the week" in The Ampersand this week. What a beautiful revolver!

 

[Barrie]

I am Double Green with Envy. Good for you in finding it. Thank You for showing us as well.

 

[LJBrennan007]

Besides the absolutely GORGEOUS pictures, you have given us an exceptional history lesson as well. I have three M-19s in my safe (one mine, two are my wife's), a 19-1, 19-3 and 19-5, and like Bill Jordan desired, this gun is the PERFECT size, weight, and balance for a .357 I have L-frames and N-frames but the M-19 just fits my hand like no other (even my Pythons). I hope you go and shoot it and give us a range report!

 

[Tom_R]

Wow, just wow.

 

[1angrycat]

I am generally not a big fan of engraved guns but WOW this is fantastic as it is not 'overdone.'
Such a nice handgun, great find.

 

[parts]

Many of us would trade our entire collections for that one gun!

 

[policerevolvercollector]

Fantastic!!!!

 

[sbowenjr]

I spend more time in the old threads than the new. Still learning and admiring!
Jim is a good teacher! To say he pays attention to detail is a understatemet!

 

[raljr1]

A true work of art as beautiful to me as a Rembrandt. Don't think my collecting will ever get to that level of style and rarity, but I am grateful for those of you who share your collection with us here.

 

[chisels]

Engraving Fixture

Nice to see pictures of engraving from in-house engravers at S&W. What I like is the picture of her actually engraving a frame using a fixture that I used in 1976 and for years after that. I have one of those fixtures and the wooden sideplate fixtures we used.

 

[mikeruns]

Awesome revolver! I read where Virginia LeBlanc passed in 2016 at age 102 and had worked as S&W engraver for 25 years earlier in her life, bless her heart.