[jlott00]

i know the 27 has the checkering on top, is that the only difference?

[Oro]

The overall finish was to a different level, and the 27s came in more possible configurations (barrel length, sight options, etc.).

But mechanically they are the same. They were built by the same skilled workers and to the same standards. The 28 came only in two barrel lengths and with a brushed blue finish and flat barrel rib/frame top/sight rib. The 27's had a bright finish and the checkering in addition to the above options.

I've had both and I prefer the 3.5" 27 as it's handier, better balanced and really pretty. But it's not any "better" than 28s I've had.

[SaxonPig]

The 27 is descended from the original 357 Magnum, the "Registered Magnum" which was a totally custom built, special-order gun. The 27 (and variants) was always the top of the line S&W revolver, deluxe in every way with numerous options and special features like choice of various hammers, triggers and sights. The finish was always first rate.

The 28 (Highway Patrolman) was introduced in 1954 as a less expensive service pistol for police officers and others who wanted the strong N frame 357 but were on a budget. The 28 is just as strong as the 27 but not nearly as nice. Matte finish rather than bright blue with no nickel as an option (save a very small number made for police sales). Only two barrel lengths available and no choice on sights or other features. A basic revolver.

Some people say they actually prefer the appearance of the 28 over the 27 which baffles me. For some insane reason the 28s are now very close to the 27s in selling price which to me is sheer lunacy. The 27 really is twice the gun the 28 is as far as fit, finish and options are concerned.

A 27:

http://www.fototime.com/9609FE018B85890/standard.jpg



Another 27:

http://www.fototime.com/C7AF980D3E6FECB/standard.jpg



A first year (1954) Highway Patrolman:

http://www.fototime.com/A85AFDB0BA25D4C/standard.jpg

[jlott00]

those are nice! whats the going rate on a decent shaped 4in 27 and 28 nickel/blue ?

[Jon Coppenbarger]

I have a 28-2 new in the box in 6". also a new in the box 27 no dash in 6". my favorite is my pre-27 with the 3 5/8" barrel I think? it was made in 1952 and is a very nice pistol.

I just sold a new in the box 28 made in 1959 in 4" for $850 a week ago. I have sold a few later made 28's used in the $400 plus range over the last few years.

I have always liked and considered the 27 my favorite revolver. I have a new python also but for some reason I really like the smiths

[MMCSRET]

OK guys; I have a question regarding the early 28's(28 no-), I found a new one that dates to 1958, 4", never fired, box trashed, gun pristine, brushed blue as Blue Book describes the finish. It has the very large target stocks, absolutely beautiful, no marring, sharp checkering, medallions fine and beautiful.
My question: How many 28's from that period wore the large grips?
Most I've seen had the smaller service grips.

[SlamFire1]

I have a M27 and it shoots just great.

If I had a M28 that shot just as well, I would be just as happy.

The extra polishing and high finish ("bling") appeal to a different sort of person. I want something that is mechanically correct, excellent accuracy, shoots to point of aim, and has a fine trigger pull.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v479/SlamFire/Smith%20and%20Wesson%20Pistols/ReducedM27-2N3666881970rightsidecoc.jpg

[bannockburn]

I have always thought of the Model 27 as the Cadillac of S&W's .357 revolvers, and the Model 28 as the Chevy. Both do the job they were intended to do; one is just a little more upscale than the other.

[Old Fuff]

The model 27 represented the flagship of Smith & Wesson's line, and besides the obvious differences in cosmetics between it and the model 28, extra attention was given to how it was assembled.

The model 28 came about as a "plain-Jane" aimed at the police market. It was equal to the 27 so far as function was concerned, but lacked the extras that made the 27 what it represented. There are individual exceptions, but the 27 should be a better revolver.

[SaxonPig]

M- The Target stocks could be ordered but apparently it was very rarely done. I have only seen one (1) M28 box with TS option checked proving it was shipped with these stocks. The vast majority of 28s with Targets had them put on by the dealers who sold them or by the buyers.

[Lucky Derby]

Pretty well covered already, but basically the 27 is fancier than a 28. Both the same at the heart of things though.

[Ky Larry]

I've shot both and owned both. Can't see any mechanical differences, just cosmetic. Both are shooters.

[9mmepiphany]

When I started shooting, I always found it interesting that the M27 and M28 were only available with different barrel lengths.
M28 - 4" & 6"
M27 - 3.5", 5", 6.5" and 8.375"

MMCSRET - is your box really marked "TS" (target stock)?

[dogngun]

Great revolvers - the one I have now had been refinished by someone, which is OK with me - Paid less than $400 for it last spring. 4", came with Pachmayers...I was so surprised to see one i could afford, I put money down on it immediately.


mark

[wnycollector]

I own both (6" M27 and 4" M28). I would never sell either. They both get shot regularly and the M28 gets carried in cold weather when I can use a simplyrugged pancake holster with a shirt or a jacket covering it up. The M27 does not get carried much (mainly due to the barrel length more than anything). My M27 is also to pretty to carry;)

A 3.5" M27 is on my "buy on sight" list if I find a pristine example.

[SwampWolf]

I have always thought of the Model 27 as the Cadillac of S&W's .357 revolvers, and the Model 28 as the Chevy. Both do the job they were intended to do; one is just a little more upscale than the other.

Not to quibble over analogies, but, for instance, in 1955 (when the high-end Model 27 was still called the .357 Magnum and the lesser Model 28 known as the Highway Patrolman) the upscale Cadillac was dubbed the Eldorado and the "lower-end" Caddy was known as the Coupe de Ville. In my estimation, both Smiths were "Cadillacs"; the Model 27 being the Eldorado and the Model 28 being the Coupe de Ville. Just saying...:)

[MMCSRET]

9MM: I don't know about the markings on the box, it has been wet and smashed and is only barely identifiable as a S&W box. The original owner removed the guns from the boxes and then threw the boxes in a corner of the cellar under the house. The guns were stored properly in an upstairs room, about 50 handguns, most of which were never fired. They were being liquidated by family and I heard about them late, the M28 was the only one still there when I got there.

[Oro]

The model 27 represented the flagship of Smith & Wesson's line, and besides the obvious differences in cosmetics between it and the model 28, extra attention was given to how it was assembled.

This is one of those things the factory says that is a little vague. "Extra attention" meant that if the gunsmith slipped up and nicked the frame, it became a 28. Some of the assembly guys of the period when most of these were made, 60s and 70s, have explained they started life the same - the guns were assembled a an n-frame .357. Whether they got finished out as a 27 or 28 was dependent upon really only two variables:

1) Orders on hand
2) Any slight cosmetic defect in pre-finished gun

What S&W means by "extra attention" is that if they didn't ding it, they'd make it into a 27. Unless they lots of orders for 28s on hand. From all the samples I've seen and the ones I've owned, between a 27-2 and a 28-2, there's just no mechanical difference in the two. When you get down to the level of mic'ing barrel chamerbs and throats, bores, checking b/c square and gap, and measuring endshake, there's just no level of difference between the two in quality and consistency. The worst of the samples I've seen was actually an ANIB 27-2.

Between the two, I'd much, much rather have a 27 as it just reeks of quality. But "under the hood," they are the same. Kinda like a Cadillac and a Chevy, as already mentioned.

[Walkalong]

S&W 28-2 Very utilitarian

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=116950&d=1267724731

S&W 27-2. A beauty. Pic doesn't do it justice.

http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=122696&d=1276559204

Both great shooters. 27 gets babied, 28 gets shot a lot more.

[rscalzo]

How many 28's from that period wore the large grips?

As stated, most came with service grips. I've had several and carried a few. Heavy as hell but they were a great handgun and built like a tank. Finish, sights, grips and a slightly different barrel were some of the differences. Possibly the stock trigger but grips and trigger were frequently changed, as were mine when I carried it. Brand new in 1974.... $130.00.

[jlott00]

what makes a 27-2 better then the new classic m27 ?

[SaxonPig]

Most oldtimers prefer the older guns made by craftsmen rather than newer guns made by computers. The new guns are OK, but lack style and panache. The EPA won't allow the old way of bluing, nickel is hard to find for the same reason, and hand fitting is a lost art and too expensive these days, anyway.

[ohio]

SaxonPig


Sorry for my ignorance but Can you explain the EPA process of then and now?
I just know the old Smiths have that deep deep bottomless sheen to them and the new Smiths look like a satin spray paint.

I have always assumed they were just polished better or something along those lines.

Thaks

[Magnumite]

I had two model 28's. Both 6" guns. Both of them shot like lasers. If I were more of a 357 magnum fan than I am a 44 magnum fan, I'd still have both.

For a shooter, its a hard gun to beat.

[SaxonPig]

ohio- I sent a damaged cylinder back to S&W a few years ago for rebluing. They advised me the chemicals used in the old process were now banned so the deep, lustrous finish seen on the older Smiths was no longer possible. The cylinder is slight flatter looking than the rest of the gun but most people wouldn't notice unless looking closely.

Yes, it is also a matter of how time you spend polishing. New guns don't get much time spent on them.

[SwampWolf]

But "under the hood," they are the same. Kinda like a Cadillac and a Chevy, as already mentioned.

Again, at the risk of sounding petulant, I submit that the more appropriate analogy is that being between a top end Cadillac and a bottom end Cadillac; one with whitewall tires and one with blackwalls-but both being Caddys.

[SaxonPig]

I don't see the 28 as a Cadillac. The word Cadillac implies deluxe features and niceties. No so with the 28. The 28 was meant to be purely utilitarian. Caddys are not utilitarian.

[SwampWolf]

My point is that just as there are different models of Cadillacs (cheaper to more expensive), differentiated only by levels of trim, the same can be said for the Models 27 and 28. In terms of the car analogy, the Model 28 is way closer to the "equivalent" model of Cadillac (as compared to a Model 27 and its "equivalent" model of Cadillac) than it is to a Chevrolet. What differentiates one level of Cadillac from another (at least in the fifties, the era I first referenced)? The level of trim and/or options. The engine, drive train, chassis, etc., are the same. What separates a Model 28 from a Model 27? The level of "trim". The "chassis", material and dimensions are the same.

Nothing to spend much time pondering over, I'm just offering my take on a pretty trivial comparative analogy.

[jlott00]

Mods will you please change title to cadillac vs chevy. thanks :p

[SaxonPig]

There is no such thing as a stripped down Caddy. They are all deluxe. Mostly just body style differences in models. The 28 is not deluxe in any way.

Sorry, the analogy simply doesn't work. Caddy vs. Chevy? Yes. Caddy vs. lower end Caddy? No.

[roaddog28]

I agree with others on the 27 versus the 28. The 27 is a Cadillac and the 28 is the Chevrolet. I don't think there is any difference in shooting either one of them. The 27 is a handsome revolver. The 28 is a average revolver that shoots very well. And the prices on the 28 are insane. Paiding $700 or more is not being realistic. But the craftmenship is second to none on both. I am a old school guy and love both of them.

roaddog28

[HappyHunting]

Analogies... The devil is in the details

[S&Wfan]

The M28 was a great, lower-cost option for LEOs of the day who might need to roll on the pavement fighting suspects and possibly damaging a gun. The M28 was great for the outdoorsmen who needed a rugged field gun.

Sure, many cops and outdoorsmen also preferred the M27 too and for the same reasons that some prefer nicer looking cars, holsters and whatever!

Both shoot the same but those Model 27s with their checkered top straps, mirror finishes and LOOKS . . . WOW!

Here's a 27-2 from 1970 with the things you can't get on the new ones . . . recessed cylinders, pinned barrels, forged parts, better finishes, checkered topstraps, stocks (grips) serial-numbered to the gun . . . the things that have gone by the wayside in these mass production, cost-cutting times . . . and no damn internal lock!!!

http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/415/415871/folders/305468/2448393IMG1202pw2t.jpg
http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/415/415871/folders/305468/2448395IMG1138pe3.jpg
http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/415/415871/folders/305468/2450314IMG1137p1.jpg
http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/415/415871/folders/305468/2448396IMG1136i2a.jpg
http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/415/415871/folders/305468/2448394IMG1130pi2aSHjpg.jpg
http://216.77.188.54/coDataImages/p/Groups/415/415871/folders/305468/2448397IMG1139pi2a.jpg

[sw282]

I have both. 27= Chevy Impala SS 28= Chevy Biscayne


Thats for those of you who remember the Biscayne

















=

[Oro]

Here's a 27-2 from 1970 with the things you can't get on the new ones

I think I recall you buying that last year sometime? That one is a beaut. Eventually I want to add a 3.5" nickel one to the fold.

[SwampWolf]

The 28 was meant to be purely utilitarian. Caddys are not utilitarian.


Hmm...I guess the model 28 must be an Escalade then-Cadillac's SUV: Sport Utility Vehicle. I'll stick with my analogy. A lower-end Cadillac has a lot more in common with the most expensive Cadillac than it does a Chevrolet. If the degree of finish (or lack thereof) relegates the Model 28 to Chevrolet status, then the Model 27 as compared to the Registered Magnum must be a Chevette.
As HappyHunting noted, "Analogies...The devil is in the details." And, on that note, I'm reminded that this is a gun forum and not a car forum so I think I'll head on over to the Ford site and talk to them about how a Python is a Mustang and a Trooper is a Pinto. :)

[Lucky Derby]

Caddilac VS Chevy
El Dorado VS De Ville
Impala VS Biscayne
your all wrong
27 = Lincoln Town Car
28 = Ford Galaxie 500

:neener:

[oldbear]

In 1972 when I bought my first .357 Magnum revolver there were four (4) choices. Three of them were made by S&W these were the M-19, M-27, and M-28. The M-19 was what all of us young hot-dog coppers had to have. The M-27 was for old guys who never carried and did not want to deal with the increased recoil of the M-19, and then the M-28 was for guys who could not afford an M-27 and were not cool enough of shoot an M-19.

38 years later without a doubt I would go for the M-27 in a hot second. IMHO the M-27 is the finest production revolver ever produced; they are the height of the metal workers art:D.

[papa_bear]

Man that blue 27 is purty.