NIB S&W K19 - I need information

Y

Yanus

New member
Guys,
Over the weekend, I purchased a S&W K19 Nickel 4", new, unfired, w/ the original papers, w/ original accessories, in the original box for $349. Now comes the interesting part. An elder gentleman who was a dealer and collector for about 50 years passed away about 10 months ago. He had
accumulated over 50 S&W pieces over the years. A few were fired, but most were put away. His grandson bought the gunshop where I purchased the K19. What caught my eye, other than the fact that the K19 was nickel and looked new, was the box. The box is a light gray color with powder blue lettering. It is constructed of heavy cardboard with metal reinforcments on the corners. The factory warranty printed in the bottom of the box is dated April, 1955. The written warranty is also dated April, 1955, but the document itself appears to be dated 1957.

So here is what I have:

S&W K19, Nickel finish, 4 " barrel. NEW & UNFIRED!
This piece appears to have been manufactured in 1957!!!!!

Now, for the $64,000 question: Was the piece actually made in 1957? What is it actually woth?

Don't worry, I am not planning to sell it. I consider this in the same category as finding a Stradivarous in a garage sale!
The serial no begins: 4K13xxx

Thanks for any and all replies.
 
M

M58

Guest
Are you sure on the SN?
My book gives that range as 1973.
$355
 
Y

Yanus

New member
G33,
That's the serial on both the gun and the box. You could be right about the dates. The papers appear to be dated 1957. I just assumed that if the piece was made in 1973, the documents would have also been dated in the 70's or even the late 60's.
 
M

Mike Irwin

Staff
Yanus,

I don't think the factory warranty statement changed for nearly 30 years, so it's not surprising that it's dated 1955.

Are you looking at the butt of the gun for the serial number?

Just to be semantic, K is actually the frame size; most people refer to it as M 19, for Model 19.

But you know, the more I think about it, the more I like K 19. Immediate frame size reference. N 58. J 38.

BINGO! :)
 
Y

Yanus

New member
Mike,
I agree about the warranty. What has me puzzled is the instruction sheet appears to be dated 1957. The document number at the bottom of the page ends "-57" which usually means the year it was published. Of course, it could mean anything. I know absolutely nothing about S&W literature, but I do know that it is a common habit of most companies to put a date in their internal document numbers to show dates of revision.
 
Y

Yanus

New member
Mike,
(laughing), I heard that! The more I think about it, the more I am coming to believe the piece actually dates from the 70's. Even if it does, that's ok with me. I've always wanted a K19, but for one reason or another, never acquired one. I also have a thing for nickel revolvers. I think they are pretty as well as being functional. I intend to put this K19 to the purpose it was made which means I intend to shoot and enjoy it! I forgot to say that the double action pull on it is as smooth as glass! What a wonderful find!
 
S

SmithNut

New member
Your piece is from the 1970's

The box and serial number you describe is from the 70's, specifically 1973. Nickel guns were generally (but not always) packaged in the gray box.
The instruction sheet may have a date on the inside. Look at the parts price list, above it (or maybe below it), there may be a "Prices effective as of xx,xx,xx". That is the only tip off of actual date on most of the instruction sheets. Mike Irwin is right, they did not change the printed info on the boxes for many many years.
........SmithNut
 
M

Mike Irwin

Staff
Yanus,

I've never developed much of a taste for anything other than blued revolvers.

I traded a blued Colt Detective Special to the dealer I bought it from (I had been shooting S&W for too long, and couldn't get used to the latch) for a square butt 36 3".

Over the next 6 or so months, I decided I liked the nickle less and less, and ended up selling the gun to a friend's father.

I've got two 19s, a 2.5" and a 4". Both have great triggers, and are the last revolvers I would get rid of.
 
Y

Yanus

New member
Thanks, guys.
It still amazes me that there are new, unfired specimens out there that are 30 years old. I intend to shoot light .357 handloads in my K19.
 
M

Mike Irwin

Staff
Yanus,

I just thought of something...

S&W likely changed its warranty statement for the first time since the 1950s in 1977 when the Magnuson-Moss Act passed Congress.

MM is most frequently associated with automobiles and the fact that you CAN have service, such as oil changes, done at places other than the dealership and your warranty will still be intact.

MM resulted in a lot of companies (such as Ruger) adopting warranty wording stating that there wasn't a warranty per se, yet, the companies will still work on the guns as if there is a comprehensive warranty in place.

I haven't looked at the warranty statement from any of the dealers in years. I'll have to go back and take a peek.
 
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