Reloading for almost new ''inherited model 19 advice needed

[btmonnat]

I just inherited a model 19 my father had with a 6'' barrel. It was hardly ever shot and I am hoping to hand down someday to my oldest boy. I have done some research on these and mainly what I have found that you want to stay away from light weight bullets. I am looking for the best powder, bullet, primer combo, jacketed or even considering Missouri hi tek coated bullets. I am thinking of trying 158 gr. bullets. I want to give this gun the longest life possible. I do not want to stress the forcing cone on this gun. I do not have any experiences with Missouri hi tek coated bullets but have read good things about them. Also would like to stay away from barrel leading. Anyone that can shed some light on this with some suggestions I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[arjay]

If you keep that 158 gr bullet at 1000 fps or so,that gun and your hand will last forever.

 

[silentflyer]

158's and a 19 are like peanut butter and jelly, just don't feed it a steady diet of 125 grain hot loads. Enjoy!

 

[johngalt]

If you keep that 158 gr bullet at 1000 fps or so,that gun and your hand will last forever.

I agree. I have a 6" M66. I'm not going to shoot any maximum loads through it, those will get shot in the 686.

 

[SundownIII]

148 gr. LWC over 2.9-3.1 gr. of Bullseye and you can shoot inexpensively forever.

I use the 148 gr. wadcutters from Mastercast, and leading has never been an issue. In fact, I've used lead in all my pistols (revolvers and SA's) and as long as you keep the loads "in reason", leading is not an issue and lead tends to be easier on the barrel than jacketed bullets.

 

[Just another 22 shooter]

I would use any 38+P data with 158 swc(plated or coated)bullets and put that load in 357 mag cases.

 

[bigsteve113]

I shoot a lot of 158 LSWC/5.0 Unique in my 4"66 (786 fps from that 4"), have been doing this for 3 decades +.

I also shoot a fair amount of the old Skeeter load, 158 gr LSWC/13.5 2400, loaded in .38 special cases, crimped on the top lube groove (1200 fps from that 66).

Occasionally I shoot my hunting/SD load of 158 XTP/15.0 2400 (1214 fps, 4").

These loads, IMO, are good K Frame loads, very mild to moderately hot. With this practice, over thousands of rounds, my 66 is still as tight as new.

Never had much use for the lighter bullets, although I did flirt with the 125's briefly in the 80's. Evidently I didn't shoot enough of these to hurt my K frame......or it could be that the internet has inflated the damage potential for those rounds. I've always been fanatical about keeping my guns clean and well maintained, which is a practice that I think helps with the longevity of a revolvers life!

 

[DWalt]

The original design of the Model 19 assumed that .38 Special ammunition would be fired most of the time, with .357 Magnum reserved for duty use. That's a good practice. Any 148 or 158 grain lead bullet reloads at factory MV levels will make your Model 19 last forever, and there should be no leading problems.

 

[rwsmith]

Since you reload......

19s DO NOT last under full magnum loads. Keep the charges down. It won't blow up, but it will shake loose and with the lighter bullets there is a chance to break the forcing cone in that weak area at the bottom of the barrel.

 

[gwpercle]

For the 158 grain , either coated or regular lube, the longest life possible would be 5.0 to 5.2 grains of Unique . This is a 38 special +P .

A moderate amount of 7.5 grains Unique will not unduly stress the model 19.
These are the two loads I have used most in my 357's.
Gary

 

[scooter123]

Powder recommendation for a powder coated lead bullet. For a 158 grain bullet I would recommend Accurate #7 for moderate loads and Accurate #9 for slightly more powerful loads. Note, these will NOT be full power Magnums, the #7 loads will be around 1000 fps and the #9 loads will probably clock in the 1150 to 1200 fps range from your 6 inch barrel.

I've shot full power 357 Magnums out of 4 and 6 inch revolvers and the B/C flash is big enough to cause me to worry about excessive gas cutting on the top strap. They also have a very distinct and loud BAHOOOM report that can cause some shooters to complain to a Range Officer. Finally, because they require loading with a powder more suited for use in a Rifle they have enough post barrel muzzle flash that during posted Fire Hazard seasons there will be a distinct risk of starting a grass fire at some outdoor facilities. When you consider all these negatives AND the simple fact is that you'll only gain 50-100 fps in muzzle velocity you'll understand why I reserve my full power magnum loads for use in my rifles.

 

[DWalt]

I shoot mainly .38 Special factory-level reloads in my various .357s. For a little more punch, I use a 158 grain bullet (your choice) and 7.0 grains of Unique in a .357 case. That's about the equivalent to the old .38-44 load, which is just about as hot a load as I want to shoot.

 

[btmonnat]

Lots of valuable info. here . Thanks to all.

 

[Owly]

While I trust my reloads, I've never stuffed them in my 19. My theory is to shoot factory 158gn loads in the 19, then collect the brass for use in my range mule GP100.

 

[THEWELSHM]

I use 158 grain and accurate #9 in my 4" 19

Thewelshm

 

[27 Man]

The model 19 is one of the best .38 Special revolvers ever made. If I want to shoot magnum loads, I go to my L or N frames.

 

[muddocktor]

Like others have said, stick to more moderate 357 Mag rounds with the heavier bullets for your model 19 and you should be good. I've found that the PMC Bronze 158 grain ammo I bought 3-4 months ago is fairly moderate and should be a good choice if you want to run some factory ammo in it. If you reload, stick with loads that chrono at around 1200-1250 fps for 158 grain bullets max. And you can run lighter bullets such as the 110 or 125 grain varieties, but load them down to maybe a 38 Special +P+/light magnum and they shouldn't hurt it at all. Lowering the working pressure with the lighter bullets should stop any problems with your forcing come. The powders scooter mentioned (A #7 and A #9) are some good choices if you can find them. Unique is another good all-around powder too for making some moderate 357 Mag or hot 38 Special rounds. And recently I have been playing with Longshot in 38 Special and with 5.5 grains using Bayou 158 grain coated SWC bullets has made a nice, delightful load in 38 Special.

 

[jnyav8r]

Yep, 158gr lswc with 3.5 bullseye will do the trick also.

 

[riverrat38]

You can use lighter bullets at 38 SPL velocities.
I load 125 gr plated flat points from Berrys or Xtreme, in MGN cases, and add 15% to the plus P loads shown in the manuals. This will compensate for the larger cases. Makes a nice load for K and L frame MGN revolvers, and not too bad in my M640 Pro.

Best,
Rick

 

[Snapping Twig]

Stick to 150g bullets and up.

Keep the velocity 1200fps or less.

Bullet length (longer) is optimum for guidance from the chamber into the forcing cone, eliminating impact with the bottom of the forcing cone which is relieved and a weak point.

No need to make it a flame thrower, so try powders like Unique and 2400 as opposed to W296. W296/H110 tend to sand blast the forcing cone and top strap, but not overnight, so limited use isn't a deal breaker.

I load a midrange magnum using 160g cast SWC and Unique for my K frames. Very good results!