Stepped Into a S&W Model 19-3 6”

[4given]

I walked into the LGS/range this afternoon with my wife, and they seemed to be waiting. The revolver is spectacularly preserved, and dead nuts at 25 yards! It would seem someone lightened the single action quite a bit, but it doesn’t have push off. DA is light, but it set off Norma .38 and Remington Golden Saber +P rounds. I can easily shoot it DA until I find a need for SA.

Attachment 110452

Prior to cleaning out what appeared to be Vaseline
Attachment 110453

Does the sear nose look mucked up?
Attachment 110454

What’s this screw do?
Attachment 110455

Nice score! Congratulations!

[FrankB]

[FrankB]

Ok… The DA on the M19 is just around 8lbs, and the SA is still at exactly 2.5lbs. I ordered a target hammer from Numrich to try to get the SA pull a little higher, but it’s still 2.5lbs. As noted earlier, the SA was 1.5lbs when I bought, but a heavier rebound spring brought that up. There is zero slacking the SA trigger pull, and it just breaks without any perceptible motion. I looked at other forums, and some people say “That’s a man’s trigger weight”, and others say anything under under 3lbs is dangerous.

Should I order a couple of hammers from Numrich (their suggestion), or just man up? The target hammer’s sear cut is barely there, and certainly not measurable with any device I own. TIA!

ETA I ordered a new hammer as well, and installed it. The hammer was installed first, and the trigger second in an attempt to isolate the source.

[FrankB]

I forgot about my 1000x microscope!
This is with the hammer cocked in SA.

[FrankB]

Brand New 686 hammer/trigger sear in SA. Its SA pull is very close to 4lbs.

[Salamander]

The 19-3 on top is a 6-inch nickel that I purchased new in 1977, my second handgun. It hasn't been fired a whole lot and is 100% factory original except for some red paint on the front sight. Trigger pull is about 9.5 to 10.0 lbs DA, and about 2 lb 10 oz SA.

The blued 4-inch 19-5 on the bottom is a more recent acquisition, past five or six years, and it's a well worn shooter. Trigger pull is about 9.5 lbs DA and 2 lbs 5 oz SA.

As you can tell I'm fond of Model 19's (although these days I shoot my Python a lot more). Looks like you've found a nice one.

[FrankB]

@Salamander

Thanks for the data! The revolver doesn’t have push off, and it’s fired in DA 98% of the time. We took it to the range this afternoon, and it’s a hoot to shoot!

[Zeke38]

That "little screw" that's in a photo a few frames back is an internal "trigger stop". The metal tab it screws through with use will eggshape and flip over and tie the gun up. In the early 80s Smith sent out a notice to all PDs SOs and other LE to pull that screw and the stop that it holds in the frame from all duty weapons. I can vouch for their "notice" as I was carrying for a duty weapon then a 4" 19 and the action locked up on the range and it was determinded that the "internal trigger stop" was the culprit.

They were put in the target sighted weapons for bullseye shooters primarily. They stopped trigger overtravel.

[FrankB]

That "little screw" that's in a photo a few frames back is an internal "trigger stop". The metal tab it screws through with use will eggshape and flip over and tie the gun up. In the early 80s Smith sent out a notice to all PDs SOs and other LE to pull that screw and the stop that it holds in the frame from all duty weapons. I can vouch for their "notice" as I was carrying for a duty weapon then a 4" 19 and the action locked up on the range and it was determinded that the "internal trigger stop" was the culprit.

They were put in the target sighted weapons for bullseye shooters primarily. They stopped trigger overtravel.

I keep meaning to do that. Thanks!

[Zeke38]

Takes a "tiny" flat blade screwdriver and a little Kroil will help loosen the thread bond making the removal a bit easier.