Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns GP100 vs S&W Model 19

I wonder what made it come unglued, too many full 357's and it quit locking up right, or too many 38's, little cleaning and a few 357's?

Elgin Gates had a 29 go south in the middle of a silhouette match, but it started shaving first and at least gave a warning.

Hawk, the 19's are just not beefy enough to digest hot load 357's on a steady diet, never were meant to. Metal fatigue finally wins out.

I agree.

The K-frames are larger than the J-frame and S&W chambers them in 357. A K-frame will shoot loose, but should not b low up. If one does there is something wrong

I've never felt that they were, but usually there is a gradual reduction in the guns ability. Sounds like the gun never locked up properly or the cone was gone/cracked.

Of course a lot of 38's shot and never cleaned, plus a few (or one) 357 can cause similar havoc in a (then 60 year old) design that predated smokeless powder.

Its like using modern 45 Colt loads in a SAA with no other change than the cylinder.

I can't ever recall seeing or hearing about a single documented case of any S&W hand ejector having a catastrophic failure from being shot too many times. I think your conclusion is completely erroneous.

Yep.

I don't see where he mentioned catastrophic failure.

"Carry the Smith and shoot the GP100."

This!

"I only shoot 158 grain bullet or heavier."

Same here and same in my .38 SPs. I don't depend on the penetration of a 110 JHP.

Expat

"It is common knowledge with Smith that Model 19's are known to blow up, not intended to be used with hot 357 mag ammo all the time" Post #6834115

I have a pinned and recessed M19 that needs to be rebuilt. Some young idiot stretched the cylinder and cracked the forcing cone with a double charge of fast burning powder 30 years ago.

After it is fixed, it will get 158 lead at no more than 1000 fps.

Expat

Not a Ruger DA handgun fan.

When I lived in NH and hunted with several guys who worked for Ruger at Pinetree Casting, none of them shot Ruger DA revolvers, all shot S&Ws, mostly 17s/18s/19s/25s/27s/29s and their stainless brothers. Curiously, only a couple of them shot Ruger 77s, most were Marlin 336, Remington 700, or Winchester 70 shooters.

I've owned the same S&W 19 for about 40 years. Have shot mostly 38 target loads through it, probably more than 5K rounds, and maybe another 1K rounds of full power 357 Mags, still tight. When I 1st got it, I shot 158 grain SUperVel JHPs and killed a couple of New England whitetails with it.

Jeff

I missed that. That's news to me.

I don't carry the Model 19. I have other guns that carry better. I just want to use it to hunt and use it as a backup firearm when hunting. From what I'm reading on here, it sounds like I need to go ahead and sell or trade it.

That doesn't seem to be the majority opinion as I'm reading it. Most seem to have high praise for it. Many suggest, however, that a regular diet of Magnums (particularly the lighter weight Magnums) will cause it's service life to be shortened.

I carried a issued 5" S&W 19 with FHP for 5 years ( can't begin to recall the amount of 158gr Winchester FP that was shot thru that gun!!!! never ever a problem) I don't own a 19 now but would love to find a nice 2 1/2"

GP100 has a much better grip, old style or the new Hogues.

The GP 100 frame/size is more in line with the S&W 686.

Smiths will always have better triggers, but the 66's grip does not agree with my hand at all.

Ruger is He!! for stout and the 66 has a reputation for shooting loose even in law enforcement use. I think it was the hot 125 Law Enforcement loads that were being blamed though.

IF you need heavier stronger gun go 686 or GP100 or even Dan Wesson 715, otherwise hang in there with the 66.

A 5" S&W 19 would be an odd duck, probably highly in demand by collectors. 2.5" 19s and 66s are bulky for a snubby, but not as bulky as the 3.5" 27s, and man do they have a muzzle blast/flash that will try to give you a flinch.

Jeff

Nothing better than a four inch model 57.