Opinion
So I own a new Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model-19 Carry Comp Revolver. I picked it up at the Camarillo Gun Store in California last month. I keep a revolver on my CCW list. (California allows you only a few guns that must be identified by serial number). Since this is an S&W Performance Center product, the expert in-house gunsmiths at S&W have fine-tuned this K-Comp to make it even better than the already great stock model-19. Their work on the trigger has made it really nice to shoot.
Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model-19 Carry Comp Revolver
Some background from the S&W Product page;
Return of the Model 19 K-Comp
The Performance Center Model 19 Carry Comp is designed for concealed carry and includes a tritium front night sight, custom wood and synthetic boot grips, and a 3″ PowerPort™ vented barrel for recoil management. The revolver features a trigger overtravel stop and Performance Center tuned action for a smooth double-action and light single action trigger pull.Other Features:
- PowerPort Vented Barrel
- Tritium Night Sight
- Trigger Overtravel Stop
- PC Tuned Action
ALL BACKED BY OUR SMITH & WESSON LIFETIME SERVICE POLICY.
SPECIFICATIONS
- SKU: 12039
- Model: PERFORMANCE CENTER Model 19 Carry Comp®
- Caliber: 357 Magnum, 38 S&W SPECIAL +P
- Capacity: 6
- Barrel Length: 3″ / 7.6 cm
- Overall Length: 8.0″
- Front Sight: Tritium Night Sight
- Rear Sight: Black Blade Adjustable
- Action: Single/Double Action
- Grip: Custom Wood and Synthetic Included
- Weight: 34.1 oz / 966.7g
- Cylinder Material: Carbon Steel
- Barrel Material: Stainless Steel
- Frame Material: Carbon Steel
Purpose: Enthusiast, Home Protection, Personal Protection, Recreational Shooting.
I like revolvers for self-defense, and this one will replace a 3” 686. This is a tad lighter, and the ported barrel is effective. It makes a .357 feel like a .38 special. The target below is at 10 meters.
I freely admit that there are two groups here; my eye is drawn to the last hit, meaning that I can string my shots unless I’m careful. This is a five shot group. The gun will easily produce an under 1-inch group at 10 meters.
The gun is beautifully finished, and the sights and trigger are what you expect for the price. The gun was JUST south of $1,200. In single action, the trigger was amazing, and the groups tight; in double action, the groups opened up to 3 inches at 10 meters. Still good enough, and if you stage the trigger, you can drop an inch or so off of that number.
As with all new S&W revolvers, they are pretty dry inside, so the 1st two steps for owning any gun are to clean it and lube it. I don’t care what you own or what you shoot; this should ALWAYS be the 1st thing you do. With an S&W, you need to remove the side plate, spray it with cleaner, and then dry and lube the revolver’s guts.
Live Inventory Price Checker
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SMITH & WESSON Performance Center Model 19 Carry Comp 3" 6rd Revolver | KYGUNCO | $ 1229.00 |
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Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 19 Carry Comp | Guns.com | $ 1199.00 |
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Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 19 Carry Comp | Guns.com | $ 1145.99 |
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S&W Performance Center Model 19 CARRY COMP Carbon Steel .357 Mag Vented 2.5 6 Round Matte Blue Revolver | BattleHawk Armory | $ 993.00 |
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Then reassemble and run a patch through the barrel, then a little lube for the cylinder. You just invested in a gun that you may need to save your life or the life of someone you love. Treat the gun right. Same philosophy for a Glock or 1911. Clean and lube the gun when you take it home.
The Smith and Wesson Model 19 Comp is a joy to shoot; the problem with short-barreled revolvers is always the recoil with a hot round. The comp solves that problem. The smooth trigger makes the gun easy to shoot and easy to stage, too if you need it. While I love the look of the wood grips, she also comes with nice soft rubber grips to make the gun a bit easier to hold.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve found only premium guns are relevant to me. I enjoy the feel and fit of a fine firearm. While a Taurus snuby costs a lot less, the feel just isn’t there, and the group size isn’t there; the sights are too rough.
Yes, you pay for Custom Shop from Smith, but the gun itself is a little jewel. A small revolver that is accurate and fun to shoot.
About Don McDougall
Don McDougall is an NRA instructor and member of the Los Padres “Friends of the NRA” committee. If he’s not at the range, you will find him setting the record straight with on gun issues and gun safety on AmmoLand Shooting Sports News.
Wake up S&W. Hillary Hole = no money from me. Putting on of those on a Model 19 is analogous to putting a Turbo on a Yugo. Sheer travesty. Think I’ll go get me three Charter Arms Undercovers for the same money. No need for speed loaders that way /;-)))
What or where is the Hillary Hole you mentioned on this or any gun???
The hole behind the cylinder release, also known as the internal lock, is called the Hillary Hole. Smith included it to try an appease the gun control crowd.
This revolver might be perfect in many ways but I see it still has a Hillary hole the side and that’s a deal breaker. Oh well maybe one day Smith and Wesson will return to building a revolver that is reliable and not subject to locking up under recoil.
I’m right behind you. Until the Hilliary hole is gone my money stays put. Unacceptable on a defensive revolver and then the $1000 dollar price tag! Hahahaha! Hell no Smith and Wesson can keep their prized POS! It is a known problem with their lock and having personally experienced(no internet myths here) it myself, I will not carry the piss poor example of modern technology.
A $1000.00 ? Nah…
I know I will likely take some flack for this comment, but I have an older Rossi 971 in SS. It’s just about the same gun as this S&W in a 4″ gun but the price tag was significantly less. It’s a ported .357 and it groups exceedingly well at 10 yards. Trigger pull is butter smooth on double action and extremely crisp on single. If I had to make a choice between my Rossi and the Smith, there would be no choice. Perhaps I just lucked into a Rossi that was built tight. I don’t know. But, I like… Read more »
Long time fan of the old FBI 3” model 13!! I also have a model 66,(same gun in SS), no bulky target sights to hang up & tear your clothes. Just saw off the hammer spur & go!! No Hillary Hole!! New & improved is not always better
the Flash from a top front ported barrel will definitely blind you at night making the second shot irrelevant ,,, Hillary Hole and $1000 price tag are also reasons that will deter me from a purchase. As a defensive weapon , it would have been really nice if it had a internal hammer, in this gun hating society I would hate to explain to the prosecuting attorney and jury that I really didn’t cock the hammer,,,,,regardless of what the witnesses say….. AND THERE IS NO NEED TO DISASSEMBLE A FACTORY GUN!! AND GLOCK RECOMMENDS TO USE THEIR FACTORY LUBE FOR… Read more »
Move the front sight forward to the end of the barrel ans the ports to the sides of the sight. Slightly better sight radius and the “photo flash” isn’t EXACTLY where you are looking on a pitch black night, cause you aren’t seeing the target after that first shot for a while !
I prefer any ruger revolver over s & w. A thousand bucks for this is a deal breaker.
Re: “With an S&W you need to remove the side plate spray it with cleaner then dry and lube the revolver’s guts.”. That’s good in theory, but from what I’ve seen is a recipe for “bubba” style screw heads and the occasional gouged and bent side plate.
A few drops of one of the lighter oils such as Rem Oil where the trigger and hammer fits into frame and along the ejector rod where it rotates is usually all that’s needed initially. Follow up drops seem to be needed fairly infrequently.
Don’t forget the yoke! 😉
I applaud s& w for denying the demanded use of smart gun technology. If you don’t know how to safely use and store a firearm, stay away from them. With that being said, as long as that hole remains on the left side, I will not be purchasing.
I own a few s&w, and rugers, but my kimber ks6 lte has the best da trigger by far nothing comes close
Got one of these a couple of weeks ago. Right out of the box the single action pull was a gritty 7 lbs. Took it apart and polished the contact surfaces on the hammer and trigger. Installed a Wolff 16 lb return spring. Now its very nice 4 lbs. Took it out and shot it. About every 10 rounds I would get a light primer strike. Brought it home and looked at the firing pin and found a very rusty hole where the firing pin goes. Cleaned it all out and now no more light primer strikes. Considering I paid… Read more »
Revolvers are great for self defense. Reliable, fast, and they look like a gun in the dark (you may not have to fire). I For self defense I prefer a stainless or nickle plated gun so it is visible in the dark to a bad guy (so I may not have to shoot). Dark and black guns are nice in combat, if you are stuck with a pistol, but for self defense–not shooting if at all possible is best. I paint the tips of my bullets with a bit of white paint so anyone looking into the wrong end seeing… Read more »
Hand guns are well suited. If it was me, I would go with a pump action shot gun. A perp coming into my house while sound asleep, with me grabbing a pistol and shooting with any type of accuracy would be tough to do.
Your shotgun will be just as difficult to shoot in that situation. At those distances there will be virtually no spread (if you are using shot) so all you are doing is using a much larger, harder to handle gun that fires one, somewhat larger slug.
Any perp coming into my house will have to get past the dawgs.. ‘Murcan Staffordshire bull terriers.. then the pistol or shottie, which ever comes first.. I’d like to say bowie knife, but past experience tells me that it isnt as practical. Frankly tho, the dawgs will handle the situation I think.
I don’t know why or who put it into your head that the side plate on a new revo (particularly one from S&W’s Performance Center) needs to be opened, cleaned then lubed….but that’s the dumbest thing I’ve heard so far this year. New revos from all manufacturers nowadays leave their factories lived or greased. They aren’t dirty enough inside yet to necessitate cleaning, they’ve only had one cylinder full worth of rounds fired.
For “just south of $1000.00”, I hope the cylinder comes machined for full moon clips. The article and specs did not state so. My Governor is that way and I really like it better than using traditional speed-loaders. I use those on both my Ruger GP-161 and Dan Wesson Model 15.
If it does come “moon clip ready”, then I may have to get myself one.
I tried a couple ultra-lights and smaller 2in revolves. HATED THEM. You’ll not find one of these at the range, but if you local gun store has one you should consider it. I’m putting the decelerator grips that came with it just for comfort. The hotter the load the more work the comp does.