Pre-19, Combat Magnum in Nickel

[Nard]

Nice!

J.B.

 

[JayCeeNC]

Congrats on a fine pistola!
The nickel pre-Model 19 is a "grail gun" for me.

 

[tocohillsguy]

Very nice. Were you fortunate enough to also get the original box? Which one has the earlier serial number...the blue or the nickel? You going to letter it? You going to shoot it?

Of course this is a good excuse to share my blue one...

 

[4-Screw]

Hi...

I bought the New-in-box blue gun from my dear friend....1994? I did not get box with the nickel gun. The blue one has a SLIGHTLY earlier serial number, maybe one month. I will letter the nickel one, and I lettered the blue one.

Shoot? You never know.

 

[M29since14]

When I found out my friend had a NICKEL Pre-19, I begged, I pleaded, and I even threw myself on the floor and had a tantrum. But when I told him that I was going to hold my breath until he sold it to me, he gave in.

That's pretty extreme! (But I guess it was justified. )

I've never seen a nickel Combat Magnum. Thanks for showing us that one. What would your Dad think of that gun?

 

[4-Screw]

That's pretty extreme! (But I guess it was justified. )

I've never seen a nickel Combat Magnum. Thanks for showing us that one. What would your Dad think of that gun?

I am going to show it to him next time he comes over....he was always a fan of blued guns though. Being a policeman in the 70's, he used to think of nickel guns as being cheap Saturday Night Specials and pimp guns

 

[Tunachaser]

I would like to see ivory on the nickle.

 

[M29since14]

...Being a policeman in the 70's, he used to think of nickel guns as being cheap Saturday Night Specials and pimp guns

That was in the back of my mind. I bet about 1 in 20 shooters in the 70s had any use for nickeled S&Ws.

 

[Doc44]

S&W recognized the difference in popularity between blue and nickel and that is why they made only 5-15 percent of production in nickel.

Bill

 

[4-Screw]

S&W recognized the difference in popularity between blue and nickel and that is why they made only 5-15 percent of production in nickel.

Bill

Bill,

Is it also true that it was a bigger process to do a run of nickel? I heard from my friend that they would have to stop the production of blue guns, change the tolerances on the machines (due to the thicker nickel plating), and then they would go back to blued guns. And as you said, since the demand for blue was higher, those nickel runs were few and quick.

-Nick-

 

[4-Screw]

Letter received:

We have researched your Pre-Model 19 Combat Magnum, First-Year Production Variation, caliber .357 Magnum, revolver in company records which indicates that your handgun was shipped from our factory on December 28, 1956 and delivered to Gopher Shooters Supply Co., Fairbault,MN. The records indicate it was shipped with a 4 inch barrel and a nickel finish. The company generally produces 10% of its production run of a model in nickel. The nickel finish was not a high demand finish."

 

[bamabiker]

Congrats on the gun and the news the letter brought. That's one to be proud of.

 

[Engine49guy]

Very Nice !
As a First-Year Production Variation must have been made just after the 6 groove backstrap changed to 10 grooves.

 

[SigKev]

Great news...

Great news on the letter and the original configuration. Guess you will not be wearing that in your holster each Sunday for the BBQ

 

[4-Screw]

Great news on the letter and the original configuration. Guess you will not be wearing that in your holster each Sunday for the BBQ

No I will not be wearing it...thank you again for selling it to me my friend