Old ONI

[dflippo]

I peridocially post this hoping someone can help! I'm looking for an old Model 19, 3" with a round butt, and ONI stamped on the side plate. Any takers?

 

[shawn mccarver]

I peridocially post this hoping someone can help! I'm looking for an old Model 19, 3" with a round butt, and ONI stamped on the side plate. Any takers?

I believe you are talking about the Model 19s with round butts made in the late 60s, of which some were transferred from the Navy to the FBI.

The ONI markings were not, however, if I recall correctly, on the side plate. My recollection is that the ONI marking was on the left side of the frame under the cylinder window. Also, I remember the ONI guns having 4 inch barrels, not 3 inch barrels, although, again, I could be wrong on this one. I have only seen a picture of a 4 inch, and this quote is in another thread on this forum in the description of a 3 inch round butt Model 19:

"These guns were made up using the left over frames from the Naval ONI contract (4 inch RB revolvers.)."

 

[AKAOV1MAN]

The Office of Naval Intelligence was the forerunner of the current NCIS. The folks who worked there who were not military were Special Agents, Naval Intelligence and they did the Navys criminal investigation work. They carried the M19s, and the guns were 4" M19 with a round butt. RB 4" guns were quite uncommon then, at least M19s with the 4" RB were. I had a 3inch nickle M19 RB back in 1969-wish I still had it today!
Prior to being issued the M19s the ONI folks carried whatever the arms room at whatever installation had hanging on the bulkhead. Usually M10, or Colt OPs, with the odd M36 or Colt DS thrown in. Some even carried the 1911 if that was available for issue. The M19 was the first handgun specifically ordered for ONI personnel issue. Currently they carry SIG 228 or 229 in 40 S&W.

 

[RainDodger]

Well... as it so happens, I am a former NIS SA... now it is called NCIS. I remember being in the office one day in the late 80s and we got a shipment of NIB Model 19s that had been somewhere in storage. We were asked if we wanted them as issue weapons. Nobody spoke up, as none of us really wanted an issued weapon (we mostly had purchased our own, such as my Model 66). The 19s were 4" blue and gorgeous. At that time, they did not have ONI stamped anywhere on them. Also at that time, our SA credentials DID have the words ONI on them, but they removed that when they issued us new credentials when the name changed to NCIS. Unfortunately I cannot remember whether these 19s had square or round butts.

Roger
(former SA, NCIS)

 

[Tom Sunday]

Gentlemen,

Would you happen to know what a 1965 "ONI" Model 19 4" Round Butt in excellent condition would be worth these days? Thank you.

Tom S.

 

[Tom Sunday]

Would you happen to know what a 1965 "ONI" Model 19 4" Round Butt in excellent condition would be worth these days?

Thank you.

Tom S.