Smith and Wesson Model 27-2

[Four Fingers of Death]

I saw one of these with a pinned Bbl in 357Mag today. Nice looking gun with checkering on the top strap.

The number on the frame under the crane is N47637 and the number on the crane is 88971.

Any idea when this was made, etc?
Mick.

I need this like a hole in the head, but it is a nice old gun that deserves a good home.

[XBT]

Mick, It was probably made about 1971-1972. Along with the pinned barrel should also have the counter-bored cylinder.

The M-27’s are a class act, one of the nicest revolvers you will find. If it’s in good condition, you better take it home. They won’t be making any more of them.

[AZ-Stew]

Mick,

My guess is that it was made in the 60s. I have a Model 29 (.44 Magnum) that has an N136XXX serial number, so the M27 predates it. I bought the .44 new in about 1974. Earlier N-frames had "S" prefix S/Ns, so yours is somewhere in the middle. Maybe someone who has their Smith & Wesson history book handy (sorry, I'm at work right now) can be more specific.

I also have one similar to yours, but of later manufacture. Mine has a 5 inch barrel and is more accurate than I have a right to expect. I wish Smith would make 5 inch barrels available as one of the options on their current manufacture revolvers.

Good luck with yours. They're fine revolvers.

Regards,

Stew

[BruceB]

According to "The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 2nd Edition", serial numbers from N1 to N60000 were manufactured in 1970-1972.

Pinned barrels and counterbored ("recessed") cylinders were eliminated with the introduction of the 27-3 in 1982. I have a 27-2 8.375", a 27-6 in 6", and a pre-27 in 6". All are simply gorgeous revolvers, and you have found a true classic. If you don't grab it, you'll be sorry!

All M27s (and ONLY the M27s) have that nice checkering on topstaps and barrel ribs.

[AZ-Stew]

Thanks, Bruce. I was just guessing at the S/N range/date and, as I said, I don't keep a copy of the Supica book at the office. I knew someone would come through.

It's interesting to me (maybe not to others) that the M27 is more accurate by quite a bit than the M28s I've had. Parts wise, they're the same gun. Obviously the finish is far superior on the M27, but I would think they'd shoot about the same. Maybe my test sample size was too small.

Regards,

Stew

[Four Fingers of Death]

That's it! I ask you guys a simple question and you get me in for another expense, Shucks, another once in a life time deal. It looks like it has seen a fair bit of use, no doubt it has been a first revolver for many guys at the local pistol club. Mick.

[versifier]

The m27 is IMHO the best shooting revolver S&W has ever made. My bro's 8 3/8 27-2 is one sweet shooter and the most accurate S&W revolver I have ever shot (we're talking several hundred of them). It would not be my choice for carry, that would be a m19 on the hip or a m36 concealed, but as a shooter, I would choose it every time. As to the m27/m28 question, they have parts in common, but that's about all you can say. In the old days anyway, m27's were carefully hand finished for those of more descriminating tastes (and deeper pockets) and pretty much intended for target shooting. The m28 aka "Highway Patrolman" was intended as a workhorse carry gun for LEO's and priced accordingly to make them an easier choice for cost-conscious departments transitioning from .38specs to the magnum revolvers. Kind of the magnum version of the plainly finished M&P's that the previous generation had depended on. Then, of course, the lighter weight and handier m19 took the law enforcement world by storm, and the heavier m28's began to gather dust. This was all before the advent of hicap "wonder nines" that marked the end of the revolver's era, and pretty much ancient history to all who have not yet achieved old fartitude, but I was alive and saw it happen, and to this day my life and those of my family continue to be defended by vintage S&W revolvers. I see no reason to change that.

[AZ-Stew]

Versifier,

Right you are about the M28s. I owned at least one of each the 6 inch and 4 inch barreled models. Can't remember whether I owned more, but I think I went through two of one or the other barrel length. Sold them in the 70s to satisfy other tastes. I got my M27 5 inch in the early 80s at a gun show in Pomona, Commiefornia. I've had somewhere between 1 and 2 dozen S&W revolvers pass through my hands over the years, but only a few of the M27/M28 variety. About half of the couple dozen are still in the safe. My personal favorite for almost everything (hunting, defense, fun shooting) is my M57 6 inch that I bought back in the mid 70s. Though I've shot a few boxes of J-bullets through it, I've settled on a load using a Keith bullet over 6.7 gr of IMR-7625 (gray can) and a standard primer. It runs 950 fps, is easy on brass and doesn't beat the crap out of the gun. I've fired thousands of these loads and mechanically the gun feels about "broken in", but certainly not "worn".

Personally, I don't like semi-autos. Kind of like Quigly... I said I don't have much use for them, I didn't say I didn't know how to use them. As a reloader, though, I hate having to chase down my empties, only to find that I can locate only 49 of the 50 that were in the box when I got to the range. I have a M41 Smith target .22, a 9mm Smith that I bought from a friend because he was hard-up for cash at the time. That was 3 years ago and I haven't shot it yet. He may want it back one of these days. My other two self-shuckers are a Star Firestar .40 S&W and a Colt Gold Cup .45. The only one that gets much use is the .22 because I don't have to worry about the empties.

When I go out, I carry a revolver. I'm much more comfortable with one than I am with a semi-auto.

Regards,:drinks:

Stew

[StarMetal]

I think there are alot of Smiths that are sweet shooting guns, along with other brands too. My Model 25 with 8 3/8 barrel is 45 Colt is sweet shooting, ask 44man. A Model 14 I had was very sweet shooting. I agree the Model 27 was/is a nice revolver, but in my opinion too big for the caliber. Kind of like what Ruger did with their single action line when they went to the one frame size, which again in my opinion, was way too big for a 357.

Verse...did you make the transition over to automatic transmissions in your automobiles? I didn't, still drive a manual shift. I did make the move to semi-auto handguns and rifles, but not cars..yet.

Joe

[Uncle R.]

This was all before the advent of hicap "wonder nines" that marked the end of the revolver's era, and pretty much ancient history to all who have not yet achieved old fartitude, but I was alive and saw it happen, and to this day my life and those of my family continue to be defended by vintage S&W revolvers. I see no reason to change that.

HEAR HEAR! :drinks:

Smith & Wesson's quality has varied over the years with the ownership and management - but when you get a GOOD one there's nothing finer. I own a couple from the late 50s and early 60s and I like 'em an awful lot.

[versifier]

Verse...did you make the transition over to automatic transmissions in your automobiles? I didn't, still drive a manual shift. I did make the move to semi-auto handguns and rifles, but not cars..yet.

Joe
Yes I had to make the transmission transition. I have no feeling in and minimal use of my left leg. It got too dangerous when I had to keep looking down to see if my foot was anywhere near the clutch. And I shoot several semiauto pistols all the time, and like them all. If I ever get to feeling paranoid enough that I think I'll need more than one (or 5 or 6) shots, I'll carry the Glock or the 1911. The only place near here I would feel the need would be in the PR of Mass, and it's worth a year in jail to get caught there with one, so I generally avoid the state as much as possible. [smilie=1:

[Four Fingers of Death]

They also had a Model 19 and an old 44Mag (MOd29?). It was a nice revolver and had a roundish top strap which was checkered. I've never seen one like that before. MIck.

[Bret4207]

27's shoot better than 28's? Gonna take a heck of a gun to outshoot my M-28. My M-19 will slightly better it with 38 wadcutters (Remington factory) but the 28 loves the 358x180 GB we did a few years back. What a whomper!

[9.3X62AL]

"Old Fartitude".......good one!

I seldom sell off a revolver any more, but have unloaded a number of bottom-feeders in the past few years. Good point about chasing down and losing shucked-out brass from the sliders. I always thought it was gopher snakes and ground squirrels grabbing them and running off with them, but whatever the cause--they disappear.

To me autopistols are tools, and good ones. I don't get lyrical and drippy over them like I do a good wheelgun, though. Among the stupider dispositions made during my gun hobbyist days was the sale of a VERY NICE S&W Model 27 x 5". I would like to have that one back, for sure.

[StarMetal]

I see it the other way Deputy Al, yes the Model 27 is a fantastic revolver, but I'll take my Colt 1911 to the grave with me. That would be my last gun that I would ever let go. Why can't we just like them all? Why do we have to pick? Who's making us? A couple other great bottom feeders are the P-08 Luger, P-38 Walther, PP's along with their shorter clones, and the Browning Hi Power. If you remember correctly it was Smith and Wesson that made alot of trashy semi-auto that rarely to never made their way into the military or police departments, more went to the police out of the two. There's a reason for that, they weren't as good as other brands. Rarely do they make an automatic that sweeps the market.

Anyways like both autos and revolvers.

Joe

[9.3X62AL]

I won't try to re-kindle the old "roller vs. slider" arguments that used to sell so many gunrags not very many years ago. I own both, and use both. Now that a lot more of my shooting and practicing is directed at recreational rather than defensive venues, revolvers get a lot more range time with me.

[Bret4207]

One of the things that always amazed me was the ability of a mortal man to get 5 or 6 holes to line up with another hole and get a chunk of lead to fly through both and hit a target more than a few feet away. Makes the auto guns seem simple in comparision. To me anyway.

[Four Fingers of Death]

I like them all, but have more revolvers than autos. If you take out the cowboy single actions and the 22 auto, I suppose it's even. 586 and K38 v 1911 and 92FS. I tend to use the revolvers more as that is the way the competition goes mostly at the local club.

As to losing brass, I buy auto brass by the mnimum of 1000 (and most everything else as well). That way I haven't got a clue if I've lost one or not, saves a lot of grief!.
Mick.

[Char-Gar]

I have owned a score of more SMith 27s and 28s over the years. I have one 27 and three 28 is the safe now. You got to be kidding me, if you think the 27s will out shoot the 28s. They are the same revolver with different grades of external finish.

I have never seen a 27 or 28 that was not a fine shooter. Any diffrence is just in the individual pistol and not a diffrence in the models.

[Wayne Dobbs]

Chargar,

Thanks for selling me one of your M28s a while back. I'm home for good in just over six weeks (!!!) and intend to have lots of quality time with that DPS Model 28!

Wayne

[txbirdman]

I have a 27-2 6 incher that's the most accurate revolver I've owned and I've had Python's; Rugers; Dan Wessons; and a multitude of other Smiths. Joe have you ever weighed an N-frame Smith vs. an L-frame. Surprisingly they weigh the same but the extra weight of the Nframe is in the cylinder. In my opinion the N-frame Smith in .357 configuration is about right for the full powered loads. Now an N-frame in .45 acp seems out of proportion powerwise. As a carrying I prefer the Model 19's to all of them. That's a lot of power in a compact yet controllable package.