Smith & Wesson Model 19 Classic Revolver

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Every shooter I know has his or her favorite handgun, but regardless of type, I’ve noted that more and more folks value the established and older designs. So they should be happy about the new Model 19 Classic from Smith & Wesson. Lacking an internal lock, this reintroduction brings the gun back to its roots.

As the story goes, in 1954 S&W president Mr. Carl Hellstrom asked well-respected handgunner Bill Jordan, who was employed with Border Patrol, what he thought would be the ideal law enforcement handgun. Jordan proposed a K frame with a four-inch barrel and ejector shroud.

He also suggested target grips and target sights and, best of all, a .357 Magnum chambering—a first for a gun as relatively small as the K frame. The resulting gun was stamped “Combat Magnum” on the right side of the barrel, and while that nomenclature has gone by the board, this new Model 19 is hard to beat. With a handy four-inch barrel and finished in a bright blue, it is a handsome piece of armament.

This new gun has a straight, untapered barrel that is threaded into the barrel shroud and finished with a target crown. The fully adjustable rear sight is removable for the installation of a red dot and blends in perfectly with the topstrap. The front is a ramp-style sight with a red insert that when viewed through the rear notch—which lacks a white outline that would have been appreciated here—leaves just the right amount of light on both sides for quick acquisition. The topstrap and the slightly raised barrel rib are serrated to reduce glare.

Nuts and Bolts

The hammer is service width (remember those wide “target” hammers?). The trigger broke at 4.5 pounds in single action with just a hint of slack. The double-action pull was 12 pounds with an acceptable amount of stacking and actually seemed lighter thanks to the service trigger and a redesigned lockwork.

The cylinder release goes back to the original design. The locking bolt has been moved from inside the ejector rod shroud, replaced by a ball detent on the inner frame, with the surrounding area finished smooth for a quality touch. The cylinder bolt is almost perfectly timed, as only a slight drag mark shows on the cylinder.

The wood grip panels are reminiscent of those checkered and wonderfully figured Goncalo Alves stocks. The new walnut panels are amply checkered, with handsome grain.

This more traditional Model 19 sans the internal lock will surely appeal to the more traditional shooter or collector. It’s certainly the quality we expect from Smith & Wesson. The true Combat Magnum is back!

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