The Smith & Wesson Model 19

by
posted on March 26, 2010
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
2010326105254-1109pix-002_ms.jpg

Smith & Wesson, the legendary gunmaker, experienced a wave of innovation in the 1950s. Basically, it was adapt to modern methods and models or die a commercial death.

Company president Carl Hellstrom was not going to let that happen, so a lot of great new models came out of the old Springfield plant. One of the most prolific guns, according to Bill Jordan, was the “answer to a policeman's prayer.” It was the revolver numbered as the Model 19 and named the Combat Magnum.

Today's pistoleros may not be aware of how big a breakthrough this medium frame Magnum actually was. While the .357 Mag. cartridge had been around since 1935, it was always found in big, heavy “N” frame revolvers. When modern engineering permitted the powerful round to be fired in a “K”frame gun, it meant that police officers could get the on-target performance of the bigger gun in a much lighter and more maneuverable package that was easier to carry, deploy and shoot.

Almost overnight, the Model 19 was the gun to have for the working cop. Made in high-polish blue or nickel finishes and with standard 2 1/2, 4 or 6-inch barrels, the Model 19 is encountered in (scarce) 3-inch and (rare) 5-inch versions. And at least one 3 1/2-incher was made in the old days.

When stainless steel blossomed in the 1970s, the stainless Combat Magnum was called the Model 66. However, it is the original Model 19 was a gun that I remember fondly as the first revolver I ever carried as a professional tool.

Latest

Gotw Influencer X Web
Gotw Influencer X Web

Gun Of The Week: EAA Corp. Girsan Influencer X

We're on the range with an M1911 that is one of the smoothest-shooting versions we’ve shot in recent memory. And best of all? It’s incredibly affordable, to boot. This is the EAA Girsan Influencer X.

The Armed Citizen® Aug. 8, 2025

Read today's "The Armed Citizen" entry for real stories of law-abiding citizens, past and present, who used their firearms to save lives.

Hopkins & Allen: The Armsmaking Giant That Didn't Survive

Founded in 1868 in the northeast U.S., Hopkins & Allen grew from a friendly business venture into a prolific maker of affordable guns for brand names such as Merwin & Hulbert and Forehand & Wadsworth.

Burris Optics Celebrates 50 Years Of Fullfield Riflescopes

Firearms and ammunition ballistics have changed greatly over the last half-century, but one of the biggest leaps in performance hit the scene five decades ago, when Burris Optics introduced its Fullfield line of riflesopes.

I Have This Old Gun: Heckler & Koch P7

In the mid-1970s, the German federal police sought a replacement for its existing World War II-era sidearms and put out stringent guidelines for what it wanted in a handgun. The result was the Heckler & Koch P7.

New For 2025: Smith & Wesson Shield X

Smith & Wesson's new Shield X micro-compact handgun combines elements from the company's M&P Shield Plus with some cues from its smaller Bodyguard 2.0 design.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.