Dubbed the Carry Comp, this “new” revolver retains all the familiar features that made the Model 19 a classic. The Performance Center updated the design, resulting in a custom revolver right out of the box. Recently, the Smith & Wesson Performance Center revamped the tried-and-true Model 19. Simplicity breeds reliability, and with a revolver you can trust your life on its point-and-shoot operability. Also, revolvers like the Model 19 don’t require the user to manipulate a safety, which if engaged or disengaged inappropriately could have catastrophic consequences.
If the revolver doesn’t go bang when you pull the trigger, just pull the trigger again. With a revolver, there are no “failure to feed” or “failures to eject” malfunctions you need to worry about clearing. While they don’t have the ammunition capacity of most semiautomatic pistols, they are still around for a reason: They are easy to operate and are the gold standard in reliability. Nostalgia aside, revolvers are an underrated option for personal defense. Smith & Wesson stopped manufacturing the Model 19 in 1999, and while you’re not likely to find a six-shooter like the Model 19 on an officer’s hip these days, it remains relevant as a home-defense and concealed-carry gun. It was undoubtedly more comfortable to carry than the bulkier N-frame revolvers it was intended to replace. Its four-inch barrel and adjustable rear sights made it a favorite among cops, who often had the action tuned for a smoother trigger pull. Originally termed the Combat Magnum, the Model 19 quickly earned a reputation as a reliable defensive handgun and police duty sidearm. The challenge was to design a smaller-framed revolver that was wieldier than the N frame yet could stand up to the considerable pressure associated with. 357 Magnum-chambered sidearms, yet they didn’t want to be relegated to carrying a. Jordan’s goal was for Smith & Wesson to develop a magnum revolver built on the lighter, more compact K frame, which had been chambered in.
357 Magnum revolvers were built on the N frame.
Introduced in the late 1950s, the Model 19 was the result of a collaborative effort between famed Border Patrol agent, gunfighter and author Bill Jordan and Smith & Wesson.Īt the time. 357 Magnum revolver is a bit of an understatement.