The ultimate Model 19/66 Combat Magnum thread

[tucsonjoe]

Model 19 or 66?

Hi, I'm hoping the esteemed and knowledgeable members of this thread can help me out! I recently purchased a model 66, but on the frame, the numbers read 19-3, with a serial # of 4K91210. The numbers on the crane and on the handle (under the grip) read 74884 and A12. But on the bottom of the butt the number is again 4K91210. The gun is stainless so that means it's a Model 66, right? If so, why the '19-3' then? I included some pics so I hope they help.
Thanx-
Joe

 

[zonker5]

Hi, I'm hoping the esteemed and knowledgeable members of this thread can help me out! I recently purchased a model 66, but on the frame, the numbers read 19-3, with a serial # of 4K91210. The numbers on the crane and on the handle (under the grip) read 74884 and A12. But on the bottom of the butt the number is again 4K91210. The gun is stainless so that means it's a Model 66, right? If so, why the '19-3' then? I included some pics so I hope they help.
Thanx-
Joe

Are you sure it's stainless? More likely a nickel 19-3.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Model with -#s indicate that changes have been made from (1) the original "no dash" model and (2) the previous -#ed model(s).

For example the 66 and 66-1 both have pinned barrels and recessed cylinders....... the 66-3 doesn't have either feature.

Your gun is marked as a 19-3.... which means as noted above ...... it should be blue steel or nickel not stainless. (or missed marked which has been known to happen)......

I noted the pin in the barrel which a 66-3 would not have...... is the cylinder recessed?

Looks like some pitting on the left side of the frame.......


Factory nickel would still have case hardened hammer and trigger......... aftermarket nickel?????

Hard chrome???....... popular in the late 70s early 80s........ a -3 IIRC is late 60s-mid70s.

Someone can do a serial # check to get the guns age ....... I don't have time or my SCS&W........ a 19-4 and a 66-1 are IIRC from the same time period......last of the P&R guns.

 

[bruner1981]

According to the SCSW, the 19-3 was produced from 1967-1977. The 66 was introduced in 1970 and the 66-1 came about in 1977. The serial number puts your gun at 1974. I can't find any reference to a stainless 19-3 in the SCSW, so I will agree that it was mismarked

 

[Xfuzz]

1974 vintage Model 66 no dash.
Found some paperwork from the Gulfport Miss.
PD inside the box. No PD markings on the gun.
Nary a mark on it...."new" 41 year old Smith.

 

[Engine49guy]

Hi, I'm hoping the esteemed and knowledgeable members of this thread can help me out! I recently purchased a model 66, but on the frame, the numbers read 19-3, with a serial # of 4K91210. The numbers on the crane and on the handle (under the grip) read 74884 and A12. But on the bottom of the butt the number is again 4K91210. The gun is stainless so that means it's a Model 66, right? If so, why the '19-3' then? I included some pics so I hope they help.
Thanx-
Joe

Joe your Model 19-3 either began life with a blue or a nickel finish, At some point it has had a hard chrome finish applied over that.

The give away (besides the model stamp) is the hammer and trigger which were hard chromed at the same time as the gun.

The demand outpaced supply for Model 66's back in the early 70's and many simply had their Model 19's hard chromed.

 

[tucsonjoe]

Gentlemen, I want to thank all of you for your quick and informative responses!
I'm no expert on finishes, but unless there's a satin nickel(?), I believe this is not a nickel finish. My gun does have a recessed cylinder with a pinned barrel so, in reading all of your responses, this must be a M19-3 made in 1974 that was originally blued but at some point hard chromed,
or a M66 that was mis-marked.
I have a gunsmith friend that has done quite a bit of gun stripping and bluing and will take this to him to look at next week. Or, I could scratch the frame at some place under the grips to see what shows up...
I'll repost next week after I've met with him to let you know what he finds!
Thanx again! This is a terrific forum!

 

[Engine49guy]

Joe,
Stainless Model 64/67/66's would have had the letter "V" stamped on the cylinder face in this era, IIRC this became an "F" at some point later (Maybe 66-2).

This was done to help the factory workers distinguish a SS cylinder from a carbon steel cylinder in the "Raw" prior to blueing or nickel,
My gbet is if you open your cylinder and look at the face it will not have that "V".

SS revolvers in this era had hammer / triggers with a "Flash Chrome" finish that looks whiter compared to the gun (scroll up to the last gun in post 662 above for comp).
Also, the SS used in S&W revolvers still has a bit of iron "Slag" and will attract a magnet unlike pure SS so a magnet test is simply myth.

 

[KeithNyst]

19-4 6" Nickel TTT

My first S&W Revolver, a 19-4 nickel 6" Triple T. I also have the rear sight leaf with white outline. My other S&W is a 1977 Model 41 with 7 3/8" bbl.

 

[trashy]

Top to bottom: Combat Magnum (pre 19) 1955 or 1956 s/n, but shipped August 1958. 19-0 ship July 1959, 19-3 ship January 1974, 19-4 ship May 1980 and 66-0 ship October 1975.

Looking for a 19-1 and 19-2 to fill in the gaps

 

[Engine49guy]

Top to bottom: Combat Magnum (pre 19) 1955 or 1956 s/n, but shipped August 1958.

Rodney thats a fine collection of Combat Magnums
IIRC the lowest serial Combat Magnum is K260001 and only 2 left the factory in Dec 1955 , After the holidays they begin to move and by April 1956 they are shipping the K261000 range guns ,
Its safe to post your serial , If it wasnt we would PM them to Roy instead of posting them in the ship date forum .

 

[helmsp]

S&W 19-3 by Patrick Helms, on Flickr

 

[trashy]

Engine, thanks for the compliment. The serial on the Combat Magnum above is K 261778 and as I stated it shipped in August 1958. I believe it got stuck in the back of the safe for a year or two before shipping.
.

 

[sbowenjr]

I'm in. Here is my growing 19 collection. Left to right 19 no dash, 19-1, 19-2, 19-4 & 19-6. Still on the hunt for pre 19, 19-3 , 19-5, 19-7 & 19-8.

 

[Revoman]

Here's mine:

 

[Walter Rego]

Here is a one with some appropriate background items.

 

[mrpendleton]

19-4 & 66 no dash

Not the best pic, don't know why the pic is upside down.

 

[bglimpse1977]

New to me 19-3 and 66-3. Just added the Ahrends, really nice for the money. First two K-frame snubbies, there will be more.

 

[Engine49guy]

Engine, thanks for the compliment. The serial on the Combat Magnum above is K 261778 and as I stated it shipped in August 1958. I believe it got stuck in the back of the safe for a year or two before shipping.
.

Thanks for the update and yes your gun surely got stuck in the S&W vault limbo as my Pre-Model 19 Serial K261043 Shipped June 28, 1956 and Non Model marked Model 19 Serial K317946 Shipped May, 1958.

 

[CajunBass]

66 (no dash) 1974