Why Did S&W stop making the model 19 and 66?

[dantanna58]

Why did S&W stop making the model 19 and 66? They were such wonderful guns. Light in weight and easy to carry. And used ones bring premium prices these day's. Especially the 2.5 inch ones.

 

[jakenov3]

if i had to guess i would say it was because some people want to use this fine revolver to shoot "hotrod" 357 rounds that the 19 or 66 was not ment to use , rounds that caused the forcing cone to crack at its thinest point. Not being a expert on the subject this is just my guess.

 

[Sarge45]

I'm thinking it had more to do with the introduction of the "L" frame. Basically because the 19 wasn't up to a steady diet of fast magnums, as Jake suggested.

 

[NFrameFred]

Oh, haven't you heard ? The "sun is setting on revolvers" according to those gurus of the fantastic plastic wonder guns, doncha know . . .

 

[nipster]

When the 19 was discontinued, revolvers just werent selling. It was right about the time that S&W was bought (again) and they discontinued a bunch of models around that time.

Why they have not brought them back as part of their "classics" lineup, who knows.

 

[dantanna58]

Oh, haven't you heard ? The "sun is setting on revolvers" according to those gurus of the fantastic plastic wonder guns, doncha know . . .

Well grandpa, its time to hand over the car key's.
I have noticed in their current catalog they list their classic model 15
but the photo they show looks like a model 19. Just window shopping.http://smith-wessonforum.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

 

[mc5aw]

Why did S&W stop making the model 19 and 66? They were such wonderful guns. Light in weight and easy to carry. And used ones bring premium prices these day's. Especially the 2.5 inch ones.

It was a perfect excuse to market the bigger and badder 686. For many S&W aficionados however, 19s and 66s represent revolver perfection.

 

[gkitch]

The K-frame 357 Magnum was introduced at the urging of Bill Jordan and others and described as "a peace officer's dream come true". Once introduced (1955?) they dominated sales despite the fact that the 38 Special designed K-frame was pushing the envelope with a steady diet of standard magnums.
In the early 80's we were introduced to S&Ws first frame designed around their most popular cartridge: hello Mr L-frame! The timing was awful as it coincided with a huge move to semi-autos in Law Enforcement. The L-frame option, combined with a decline in revolver interest, surely resulted in low sales figures and by the 90s S&W announced that they did not think the K-frame was strong enough to safely support the 357 Magnum and they were dropping them from the line. SO much for that little 50+ year experiment.

 

[Ross3914]

The existence of the "L" frame, means that S&W was competing with itself. That's usually not a bright idea in business. The "L" frame fit the medium frame market and the "K" frame was now redundant. The 586/686 was the replacement for the 19/66, so continuing that line would only hurt sales of the new line. If they didn't discontinue the 19/66 there would still be a number of folks that would keep buying them and not buy "L" frames. It doesn't make economic sense to run two different production lines for the same amount of sales that you can cover with one product.

 

[NFrameFred]

Well grandpa, its time to hand over the car key's.

That may well be, sonny, but my 1957 44 Magnum still handles and purrs like the day it was driven off the lot . . .

 

[dantanna58]

That may well be, sonny, but my 1957 44 Magnum still handles and purrs like the day it was driven off the lot . . .

Well sir, I hope you have her on a satin pillow, she being made a year before I was born. Because I saw this very day a slim barreled 4 inch liquid blue model 10 no dash without a turn ring on it, no box or paperwork SELL for $600 in a shop I was in. The proud purchaser allowed me to handle and salivate over it while his paperwork was being processed. I remember in the 70's they sold for $110. Imagine what your 29 will be worth in 20 years. If we don't lose our gun ownership rights.

 

[eb07]

I wouldn't trade my 19 for any other handgun.

 

[VaRecon]

They weren't made for hardcore magnum usage and some people who like magnums expect to shoot a few hundred rounds in a setting.
Personally I got rid of my L-frame 681 which is made for more magnum usage and kept my 66 because I just like it better.
As a college kid on a limited budget it mostly see's 38's anyway, but I always have some magnum just in case and I have shot them enough to know it deserves the title ultimate combat revolver.

 

[Dave T]

With bean counters running the company I believe the 19/66 models were dropped because of poor sales. That's the reason given for discontinuing most of the models we revolver fanciers find ourselves looking for.

Dave