Description
The Smith Wesson PC Model 19 Carry Comp 38 is The Smith Wesson PC Model 19 Carry Comp 38 is a Performance Center take on the classic K-frame carry revolver. A two and a half inch barrel with a PowerPort vent cut into the top, a six round cylinder chambered in 38 Special and rated for plus P, and the fit and finish work the Performance Center is known for.
The port is the defining feature: it bleeds gas upward at the muzzle to counteract rise, which on a short barrelled revolver makes the sights come back down noticeably faster. This is a gun built to be carried and shot rather than admired in a safe.
Smith Wesson PC Model 19 Carry Comp 38 Smith Wesson PC Model 19 Carry Comp 38 PowerPort Barrel And Carry Setup
The PowerPort on the Smith Wesson PC Model 19 Carry Comp 38 is a single vent cut through the top of the barrel near the muzzle. Escaping gas pushes upward there, which counteracts the muzzle rise that recoil produces. On a short barrelled revolver firing plus P ammunition, the practical effect is that the front sight settles back into the notch faster between shots, which is the entire point of porting on a defensive gun.
The K-frame is the reason this handles well. It is the middle size in the Smith Wesson lineup, big enough to hold six rounds and give your whole hand a place on the grip, small enough to carry on a belt without a fight. Compared with a five shot J-frame you get an extra round and a substantially more shootable gun.
Two and a half inches of barrel is about as short as a K-frame gets, which keeps it concealable while leaving enough sight radius to aim rather than point.
Performance Center guns receive additional hand fitting, and the action is usually noticeably smoother than a standard production revolver out of the box.
Smith Wesson PC Model 19 Carry Comp 38 Porting Trade Offs And Honest Limits
Porting is not free. The Smith Wesson PC Model 19 Carry Comp 38 vents hot gas and unburned powder straight up out of the top of the barrel, which means a bright flash directly in front of your eyes in low light and a noticeably louder report to the shooter. In a dark hallway that flash is a real consideration, and anyone buying a ported gun for night time defense should shoot it in dim light before deciding.
Porting also adds cleaning. The vent and the area around it collect carbon quickly and need attention, and firing from a retention position close to the body puts that gas jet nearer to you than an unported barrel would.
Six rounds of 38 Special is adequate but not generous, and a revolver reload is slower than a magazine change no matter how much you practice. Speedloaders work well with the K-frame.
The double action pull is heavier than a target revolver, which is correct for a carry gun, and it smooths further over the first few hundred rounds.
Smith Wesson PC Model 19 Carry Comp 38 Specifications
- Manufacturer part number: 13323
- UPC: 022188884814
- Caliber: 38 Special, rated for plus P
- Capacity: 6 rounds
- Barrel: 2.5 inches with PowerPort vent
- Frame: K-frame
- Action: double action and single action
- Build: Smith Wesson Performance Center
- Grips: wood
- Sights: fixed front with adjustable style rear
Buyers looking at the Smith Wesson Model 19 Carry Comp against a standard snub are paying for two things. As a Ported Carry Revolver it returns to target faster, at the cost of flash and cleaning. As a 38 Special K Frame Revolver it carries six rounds in a grip that fits a full hand, which is the single biggest reason most people shoot a K-frame better than a J-frame.
Why Buyers Choose the Smith Wesson PC Model 19 Carry Comp 38
Buy the Smith Wesson PC Model 19 Carry Comp 38 if you want a carry revolver that shoots better than a small frame gun and comes back on target faster than an unported one. Six rounds, a hand fitted Performance Center action, and a K-frame grip that fits an adult hand make this considerably easier to shoot well than a five shot snub. It carries on a belt without much trouble.
Skip it if your defensive planning centers on low light, because the muzzle flash from the port is genuinely distracting in the dark. Skip it if you want the smallest possible carry revolver, where a J-frame hides better. And skip it if you are unwilling to clean around the port regularly.
Who Should Buy The Smith Wesson PC Model 19 Carry Comp 38
The Smith Wesson PC Model 19 Carry Comp 38 suits This revolver suits belt carriers who want more gun than a snub-nosed J-frame, revolver enthusiasts who appreciate Performance Center work, and shooters who value fast follow up shots over absolute concealment. It also works well as a range and carry gun combination, since 38 Special is affordable to practice with.
It is a poor fit for pocket carry, for low light defensive use, and for anyone who dislikes extra cleaning. All firearm sales ship to a licensed FFL dealer for transfer, and handgun and carry rules vary by state, so confirm your local law before ordering.
Learn more from Smith and Wesson, or browse the rest of our firearms selection.
Every firearm we list ships to your chosen FFL and is transferred there after a background check.
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