Well, you can't blame Skeeter Skelton for trying!

[357magster]

Just acquired this and thought I'd share.

Looks like ol' Skeeter tried to sweet talk S&W into making 5" Combat Magnum for him back in 1965.

Interesting that, even though it had been a number of years since the model numbers came into use, there is no mention of "Model 19" ... they went with the old school "357 Combat Magnum".

Hope y'all get a kick out of this like I did:

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Nice try, indeed!

 

[greenmachine]

Wow. What an interesting bit of history.

 

[joe44va]

That is really cool.
And now they sell several 5' models. I even had a 5" Model 60 for a bit.

 

[muzzleblast]

They should have listened to Skeeter!

 

[Bubba2014]

I miss reading his articles.

 

[squidsix]

I have longed for a 5" model 19 for many moons, but have not ponied up the funds to have one made. One of these days...

 

[S&W ucla]

They put 5" barrels on the MHP (tapered) and ISP (heavy bbl) Model 14/15s. Sure would have been a sweet combination! Skeeter was one of my favorite writers. Read one of his books every now and then, still enjoy them. What's the story on how you got the letter? Inquiring minds, you know

 

[Bosquebass]

I wonder what the "writer's discount" discount was..

 

[jimmyj]

Didn't S&W make some 5" Model 19s for the Florida Highway Patrol ?

 

[IAhunter]

Well, that answers the question. WWSD?

 

[Muley Gil]

Colt made some 5" Troopers for the FHP. I knew a sheriff's deputy that had one of the over run guns.

 

[silentflyer]

"They should have listened to Skeeter!"

Good advice for all of us.......

 

[Engine49guy]

Interesting because at that point the front site ramp assembly was still pinned to the barrel so would not have been any extra work except cutting a 6" barrel one inch shorter before moving it down the assembly line.

Would also love to know what they considered "Cost Prohibitive" back in 1965....
my guess is it would have been something like a whopping $35.00.
BTW today that investment would likely have made a $900 revolver worth over $4000.00.
Hindsight is always 20/20.

 

[Peak53]

250 gr. SWC and 7.5 gr. Unique

 

[Green Dragoon]

I wonder what the "writer's discount" discount was..

in my industry, it is usually what a dealer (retailer) pays.

 

[Homie]

Just think about how many orders the factory would have received after Skeeter's article was published!

 

[S. Hammer]

Didn't S&W make some 5" Model 19s for the Florida Highway Patrol ?

Yes. A few nickel 19's and a few 66's. Scarce.

 

[6string]

Well, at least S&W listened to him in the early 1980s when they brought out the 24-3!

 

[Muley Gil]

Well, at least S&W listened to him in the early 1980s when they brought out the 24-3!

I imagine his articles about converting N frames to .45 Colt may have influenced the introduction of the M25-5 too.