A question about S&W Model 19s and Magnum ammo

[JET 5.45x39]

Hello everyone. I recently acquired a 1980 S&W 19-4 combat magnum. It is my understanding that the relief cut on the forcing cone makes this gun less capable of handling magnum loads for extended round counts. I’ve researched the topic on YouTube and on other forums ad nauseam, but cannot find a quantitative answer as to what that round count is or if it’s repeatable.
My example seems to be very low roundcount with almost no wear from shooting sept for a faint turn mark on the cylinder.
That being said It’s still a shooter for me and not a collectors piece
My question is this, being that I don’t reload what factory made ammo should I be looking for in reguards to magnum rounds. I understand I can shoot 38s almost indefinitely but I’d like to throw magnums in it from time to time for the fun of it. Should I be looking for heavier bullet weights or is there a advertised velocity I should look to be under etc.
I’d appreciate any input.

 

[atljetmech]

Personally I stick with light 38SP reloads in my model 66 and it's an absolute joy (and very accurate) to shoot.
If I want fireball 357MAG I break out my GP100 or even better my Model 28 Hwy Patrolman.
As I've gotten older I don't even like shooting Magnums out of my 686. The difference in forcing cones between Mod 19/66 and an N Frame 357 MAG is like night and day.
This probably doesn't answer your question but jmo on the subject.

 

[BIKER13]

I have had a bucket full of 19s over the years,shot everything in them.

 

[JET 5.45x39]

Haha, no I appreciate the dialogue revolvers aren’t the strength of my generation. Had I not got the 19 at the price I paid I would have splurged for a more expensive 586

 

[JET 5.45x39]

I have had a bucket full of 19s over the years,shot everything in them.

Yes, I’ve heard a lot of people with that same experience in my research of this issue. It seems to me to be less of a forcing cone issue, and rather the manner in which the barrel was installed in order to time it with the front sight. With the forcing cone being the point of failure, as it is thinner than the barrel. So barrels that aligned with less exertion run longer

 

[BIKER13]

In the 70s/80s there wasnt the high powered loads we have now. So there is that.

 

[gh1950]

You won't live long enough to shoot it out.

Well, you might, but you won't want to.

Shooting full load .357s from a K frame of any sort for any length of time is not much fun, and there's not much reason to do so. It's like asking "will driving 120 mph accelerate wear on my car engine."

In rebuttal to Brother BIKER13 the standard .38 Special load in the 1970s is now today's +P load, and that's official. There were 38 Special "police loads" and "high power" loads that are the equivalent to today's light .357 magnum loads or +P+ loads. .

IMO opinion a 4" K frame is like a Mauser rifle action - it's everything a revolver needs to be, and everything else is just add ons.


My favorite field gun is a Model 19 or Model 65, 4", with 158 grain JHP. I shoot them enough to be proficient, but as noted, they are not fun to shoot, so there's no need to do so if not necessary. I occasionally load 180 gr. when I go to some property that is particularly loaded with hogs. They are especially not fun to shoot.

 

[GAgunLAWbooklet]

With the cost of real .357 magnum ammo being what it is today (& over the last several years as well), I'll never shoot enough of that stuff to worry.
I have fired maybe 150 rounds of full powered magnum ammo from my K-Frane (model 66-1) with a 6 inch barrel,
but thousands of 38 specials have gone through this gun.

P.S. The recoil of magnum loads isn't bad with this gun, and I've done it both with the factory standard wooden grips and these nice rubbery Pachmayr grips.

I've timed myself shooting steel plates with magnum loads-- knocking down five of them in just a few seconds.

 

[Frankmako]

i pickup a model 19 in 1975. i have shot many 357 mag loads, factory and my reloads in the pistol with no problems and/or signs of problems. shooting the model 19 with 357 mag loads will wear on you more than the pistol.

 

[cmshoot]

You stated that you wanna shoot .38’s, and throw magnums in it from time to time. You’ll never have a problem with it in that case. I’ve got K-frame .357’s that I bought used over 20 years ago that I still shoot regularly.