Round-butting a K-frame

[Borderboss]

I'm looking hard at a 19-3 with a 2.5-inch barrel, but it has a square butt. For you gunsmiths out there, is it difficult to do a good job on turning it into a round-butt configuration to fit round butt grips? I wouldn't be doing it myself, but would look to a gunsmith to do it.

 

[Protocall_Design]

The level of difficulty is low. It's mostly a time and effort endeavor. You put the round butt stocks on and scribe around them, then remove them and cut to the lines. The one caveat is to leave enough material down the middle to be able to keep the original slight crown across the grip frame all the way down. Or, in the case of a grooved backstrap, you will lose the grooves. There is a lot of hand filing and finishing.

 

[Baxter6551]

Was the 19-3 square butt available with a 2.5 inch barrel ?

 

[WCCPHD]

Is the 19-3 blue or nickel? If Nickel plated it could be one of the rare/scarce guns built by S&W for the NC State Highway Patrol command staff.

 

[Alk8944]

The biggest "problem" with changing a square-butt to round butt is usually both the beginning and end of the serial number will be removed by doing so, a felony! It would be possible to "sort of" round butt the frame so long as you didn't cut far enough on the front or back of the frame to affect the factory stamping of the SN.

Because of re-finishing issues modifying a stainless steel model would be far simpler/less expensive than a blued gun!

Other than the above issues the mechanical change itself is quite simple as Protocol Design noted!

 

[Imissedagain]

In addition to the above, the strain screw area, and the
pointy lower end of the bottom of the front strap, might be an issue with wood grips, not much wood remaining, but rubbers can squeeze on, hopefully.
Modded our 17-4 decades ago for a Cross Draw holster.

 

[80sgyrene]

Simple enough to do, but I’m wondering why a 2.5” 19 has a square butt.
Maybe a rebarrel.

 

[Ameshawki]

Simple enough to do, but I’m wondering why a 2.5” 19 has a square butt.
Maybe a rebarrel.

Either a re-barrel or an extremely uncommon variation. I've never heard of a square butt short barrel, but that never say never Smith thing......

 

[WCCPHD]

Either a re-barrel or an extremely uncommon variation. I've never heard of a square butt short barrel, but that never say never Smith thing......

S&W made a small group of Model 19-3's with 2.5 inch barrels and square butts in nickel, in the late 1970's for the NC State Highway Patrol senior staff and helicopter pilots. I can remember seeing some of them at that time. A friend of mine worked for Davidson's in Greensboro, NC and he delivered the guns to the SHP Headquarters. The SHP Colonel (Commander) had them built because the four inch guns's grips "poked" him in the side when he sat in his chair. As S&W was in the business to sell guns and the NC SHP had 1200 members at that time, they gladly built them.

 

[Ameshawki]

S&W made a small group of Model 19-3's with 2.5 inch barrels and square butts in nickel, in the late 1970's for the NC State Highway Patrol senior staff and helicopter pilots. I can remember seeing some of them at that time. A friend of mine worked for Davidson's in Greensboro, NC and he delivered the guns to the SHP Headquarters. The SHP Colonel (Commander) had them built because the four inch guns's grips "poked" him in the side when he sat in his chair. As S&W was in the business to sell guns and the NC SHP had 1200 members at that time, they gladly built them.

An easy variation to make for sure, but why square butt? I have a two inch 15 that's square and a two inch Model 10. I like them but I think the 15 in particular would be better as a round.

 

[Borderboss]

Was the 19-3 square butt available with a 2.5 inch barrel ?

Apparently so, as this one definitely has it.

 

[Borderboss]

Is the 19-3 blue or nickel? If Nickel plated it could be one of the rare/scarce guns built by S&W for the NC State Highway Patrol command staff.

It's blue. I've always liked 2.5-inch 19s.

 

[WCCPHD]

An easy variation to make for sure, but why square butt? I have a two inch 15 that's square and a two inch Model 10. I like them but I think the 15 in particular would be better as a round.

The answer to "why" is because the NC Highway Patrol carried four inch Model 19's in nickel in a specific patent leather holster and belt. The Colonel wanted a uniform appearance, but also something that did not "poke" him in the side when seated at a desk. Colonel Jenkins (a really nice man and a great leader) had hands the size of large hams and did not want a smaller grip, only a shorter barrel. The SHP carried .357 Magnum ammo and did not want a smaller round.

 

[ezb57]

Not sure how a shorter barrel helped with "poking in the side". Were they carrying in a shoulder rig or...? Youd think the square butt would be worse on that count.

 

[Doug M.]

I had BMCM RB my M66. He has a template that allows for checking the serial # before cutting to avoid the risk of damaging it. I used the template, made sure we were good to go and he did the work. It's great and works better for my needs.

 

[WCCPHD]

Not sure how a shorter barrel helped with "poking in the side". Were they carrying in a shoulder rig or...? Youd think the square butt would be worse on that count.

The bottom of the holster pushed the gun butt into his side. The shorter barrel and holster did not.

 

[max503]

The biggest "problem" with changing a square-butt to round butt is usually both the beginning and end of the serial number will be removed by doing so, a felony!

This puts a kibosh it.

 

[viceunit]

SB

Apparently so, as this one definitely has it.

Like to see a photo of that one. Was a common barrel swap back in the LE revolver days. A friend had that swap done, then sent to Armaloy for their finish. This was in the pre M66 days (1976 IIRC), so he had a stainless-looking square butt 2-1/2" m19.

 

[Eddietruett]

The biggest "problem" with changing a square-butt to round butt is usually both the beginning and end of the serial number will be removed by doing so, a felony! It would be possible to "sort of" round butt the frame so long as you didn't cut far enough on the front or back of the frame to affect the factory stamping of the SN.

Because of re-finishing issues modifying a stainless steel model would be far simpler/less expensive than a blued gun!

Other than the above issues the mechanical change itself is quite simple as Protocol Design noted!

A now deceased gunsmith converted some and was told by one of the local ATF agents if the serial number was in the crane area too, it didn’t matter if the butt serial number was completely or partially removed. On one particular gun he did, there was no number in the crane and the gunsmith restamped it on the side of the grip frame. He was advised this was fine as well. I guess this didn’t break the law as far as altering the number.

 

[Zipdog]

The biggest "problem" with changing a square-butt to round butt is usually both the beginning and end of the serial number will be removed by doing so, a felony! It would be possible to "sort of" round butt the frame so long as you didn't cut far enough on the front or back of the frame to affect the factory stamping of the SN.

Because of re-finishing issues modifying a stainless steel model would be far simpler/less expensive than a blued gun!

Other than the above issues the mechanical change itself is quite simple as Protocol Design noted!

Never saw a serial number long enough that that would happen.