Smith & Wesson has essentially reengineered its legendary Model 19, and it may just be the best K-frame it’s ever built. For revolver enthusiasts, this reissue is more than nostalgia. It’s a serious evolution of a platform that has always deserved to be more than a relic. Let’s delve into the reengineered No-Lock Model 19.
The Smith & Wesson No-Lock Model 19
In the right hands, the Model 19 still represents everything a fighting revolver should be. It is controllable, accurate, powerful, and steeped in a lineage that has carried it through generations of law enforcement, sport shooting, and personal defense.
A Magnum-Sized History
The Smith & Wesson Model 19 traces its origins to 1955, introduced first as the “Combat Magnum.” It was developed in close collaboration with legendary U.S. Border Patrolman Bill Jordan. He envisioned a revolver that could deliver the power of the .357 Magnum in a frame small enough to carry all day.
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Smith & Wesson answered the call, building it around the K-frame platform. The gun debuted with a 4-inch heavy barrel, shrouded ejector rod, and adjustable sights. It was designed for service use without the burden of an N-frame’s bulk.
By 1957, Smith & Wesson began assigning model numbers to their guns, and the Combat Magnum became the Model 19. It was immediately popular with law enforcement and civilian shooters. The original production run sold out within six months, a testament to just how well it balanced size, handling, and firepower.
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Short-barreled 2.5-inch models came into the fold in the early 1960s for concealed carry. Similarly, 6-inch models served shooters looking for an extended sight radius and increased velocity. Over its long life, the Model 19 went through a series of updates. Each update was noted with dash numbers that reflected improvements to the yoke, extractor rods, and lockwork.
Production ceased in 1999, a casualty of the semi-auto pistol’s dominance in the law enforcement market. Still, the Model 19 remained a revered icon. It returned in 2018 in both a Classic and Performance Center “Carry Comp” configuration. In 2025, the legacy continues—this time with modern durability and high-end polish that rivals anything in its past.
Engineering the Model 19 Comeback
This new iteration isn’t just a tribute. It’s a mechanical correction of everything that made the early Model 19 vulnerable to steady diets of hot .357. The original design had a full-diameter ejector rod. To accommodate it, S&W had to flatten the bottom of the forcing cone to fit the crane assembly. Over time, and with repeated use of heavy .357 loads, this led to cracking in the forcing cone.
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S&W engineers addressed this long-standing problem with a complete redesign. A smaller outer-diameter ejector rod and modified crane geometry now allow for a full-profile barrel and forcing cone.
The new setup is every bit as strong as an L-frame. S&W proved this further with the creation of the Model 69—a five-shot .44 Magnum built on a K-frame. It’s an incredible engineering feat that gives the Model 19 a new lease on life.
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Refinements That Matter
Modern Smith & Wesson revolvers are better built than they’ve ever been. That’s not a knock on the classics. However, many of the older examples we admire today are survivors—hand-picked pieces that happened to endure decades of use.
People say older guns were “cheaper,” but adjusted for inflation, the $120 price tag of a 1960 Model 19 equals about $1,300 in today’s dollars. If anything, today’s offering may represent better value, given the modern tooling and consistency in manufacturing.
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This new version includes a ball detent on the crane, a feature often found on high-end custom revolvers. It’s a small change with major impact. It allows the cylinder to pop open into your hand smoothly and reduces frame-to-crane chatter under fast double-action strings. Smoother reloads, tighter lock-up, and better durability—what’s not to love?
Barrel, Sights, and Fitment
The barrel itself is a stainless bull barrel sleeved inside a shroud. That design allows for precision torquing during assembly and ensures that the front sight is properly aligned. The front sight is a classic red ramp, and the rear sight is fully adjustable and blacked out. This pairing allows for fast acquisition and precise holdover in daylight.
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This system also means excellent long-term durability. The shrouded setup protects the rifled barrel and maximizes lifespan, while the blued exterior finish is high polish and deep, giving the revolver a proper heirloom feel.
There’s no skimping on presentation here. Even under studio lights, where high-polish guns typically reflect harshly, the Model 19 photographs beautifully and has no visible tooling flaws, screw hole keyholing, or rollmark issues.
Carry and Comfort
For carry, I’ve been using a roughout IWB holster from Side Guard Holsters. The K-frame tucks neatly into the waistband and disappears with the right belt and clothing. The roughout leather feels soft against the body but holds tight to its position during long days on the move.
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Four-inch K-frames don’t always scream “carry gun,” but in a proper holster, they’re very viable. It’s a full-size revolver with a compact carry feel.
Loaded with 158-grain .357 Magnum, the Model 19 comes in at 2 pounds, 8.5 ounces. It balances beautifully. The bull barrel up front gives it just enough muzzle weight to help fight recoil without feeling nose-heavy.
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Downrange Data with the Model 19 No-Lock
Trigger performance was excellent. The double-action pull measured 8 pounds, 3.3 ounces on my Lyman Trigger Gauge. Similarly, the single-action broke crisply at 3 pounds, 5.2 ounces.
If you’ve heard complaints about MIM (metal injection molded) parts, here’s some context: Smith & Wesson manufactures components not just for firearms, but for aerospace and medical applications—places where failure isn’t an option. These triggers are properly hardened and beautifully finished. If anyone in the industry is doing MIM correctly, it’s S&W.
I ran a series of loads through this revolver and logged the data using my Garmin Xero chronograph. Lehigh Defense’s 105-grain copper hollow point screamed through the barrel at 1,536.0 feet per second. It also delivered a tight 2.5-inch group from a rest at 40 feet.
Other loads performed as follows:
| .38 Spl Speer 125gr FMJ | 936.4 fps |
| .357 Mag Federal American Eagle 158gr JSP | 1175.9 fps |
| .357 Mag Lehigh 125gr CF | 1224.5 fps |
| .357 Mag Lehigh 120gr XD | 1437.4 fps |
All of the Lehigh loads performed with consistent ignition and accuracy. The Model 19 digested them all without complaint.
Grip, Aftermarket, and Reloads
The grip frame is unchanged, meaning you’ve got decades of aftermarket grip options at your fingertips. On this build, I chose to run a set of service panel grips paired with a Tyler No. 3 grip adapter. This classic combo gives a perfect high grip and plenty of surface area to control recoil—ideal for fast double-action shooting. I’d like to think Bill Jordan would approve.
For reloading, I used HKS Model 10 speedloaders. They slip easily into a jacket pocket or the fifth pocket of a good pair of jeans. The chamfered charge holes and tight cylinder lock-up made reloads easy to manage and consistent across reps.
A Classic, Reimagined
Smith & Wesson’s no-lock Model 19 is the culmination of decades of real-world feedback, mechanical troubleshooting, and shooter evolution. This is not a tribute gun. It’s a fighting revolver, purpose-built to serve the needs of modern shooters who still appreciate the revolver as a defensive tool.
With its classic styling, modern durability, and outstanding performance, this Model 19 might just be the best K-frame ever produced. In a world of polymer pistols and 20-round capacities, it still holds its own. Maybe more than that—it still feels right.
The No-Lock Model 19: More Than a Nod to Tradition
The reintroduction of the Smith & Wesson Model 19 in this no-lock configuration isn’t just a nod to tradition—it’s a genuine evolution. It balances old-school charm with modern engineering, offering revolver fans a truly worthy companion for carry, range use, or simply admiration in the safe.
From its tuned internals and stainless bull barrel to its thoughtful barrel shroud and deep polished blue finish, this gun doesn’t just wear the Model 19 name—it earns it.
Smith & Wesson clearly paid attention to the little things. From the crane detent to the excellent out-of-the-box trigger to the fit and finish throughout, they’ve answered the call from enthusiasts who wanted the best of the old, paired with the best of the new.
Whether you’re a lifelong revolver shooter or just curious about what makes the Model 19 legendary, this is the best it’s ever been. And if Bill Jordan could see it now? I think he’d smile and holster it.
