American Handgunner July/August 1977

ing the gun, but choosing the proper oneswill go far toward adapting it to theowner's hands and purposes.The factory target stocks that are standardon the Combat Mag never appealedto me, being too narrow toward the topand too wide toward the bottom, and impossibleto conceal. I'm especially fond ofthe Pachmayr Presentation grips, particularlysince they brought out the newstyle with the speedloader cutouts. Evenif you don't bother to load all six atonce, any 19 shooter will appreciate thefact that all six empties will eject withouthanging up as they do on the S&W wood.Farrant stocks are another favorite.They're sleekly slim and flat, and they taperdown toward the bottom of the butt inboth width and thickness, permitting excellentconcealment in the armpit or underthe coat-tails. Best are those that requirethe front edge of the grip frame tobe cut away, though Fuzzy Farrant makesa set with a wider bottom to fit unalteredgriplframes in case you've got big hands,or are equipping a department-ownedweapon that can't be "surgically" altered.Guy Hogue makes my all-time favoriteCombat Mag stocks, the finest I've seenanywhere. Though there's a little flaretoward the bottom, the overall grip shapeis trim enough that you don't have to worryabout bulge when carrying concealed.Like the Farrant stocks, Hogue's have a~alm swell that fills the hand and permitsmaximum control of hot loads.While the square-butt " K frame has alwaysbeen thought to be an excellentfoundation of grip design, there are manyof us who feel the round butt "K" frame iseven more so, especially in average orsmaller than average size hands. Sadly, it'sin the Combat Magnum catalog only incompany with the Z1/2" barrel.The handful of these round-butt gunsthat were made in three inch barrellengths are collectors' items, not only becauseof their rarity, but because theyhave incredibly good handling characteristics,coupled with a balance of line andheft that is as graceful and natural as anyrevolver ever built.If you want to make a special order toS&W for a three-inch 19 or 66,I wish youluck. They've turned down requests forsuch guns by people a lot more influentialthan you and I. A four-inch 19 or 66 barrelon the round-butt frame is possible,and very nice, but still a special orderitem; you can probably get it, but don't't hold your breath.The alternative, if you have a couple ofCombat Mags including a four and asnubby, is to simply swap tubes. This willleave you with one superbly handling revolver. . . and one square-butt snubnose.The latter will be a nice gun for snubby.matches on the PPC tournament circuit(indeed, the 2'12'' 19 is the competitiongun of choice for these side events, when' adjustable sights are allowed), but won'tIdeal Combat Magnum trigger, in author's opinion, is 3A" wideRanger trigger fitted with set screw trigger stop device and thenrounded at edges. This one is on author's Model 19 by Ron Powers.Close-up shows two desirable Combat modifications. Hammer has beenbobbed for D.A. only shooting and cylinder latch has rounded edgesto prevent cut thumbs after hot load recoil. Both are simple jobs.