Smith and Wesson 27 and 27-2

[mcb]

The only recess I want in my rimmed cartridge revolver cylinder is for the moonclip. Moonclips rule!

But now that I think of it I don't believe I have ever seen a recessed cylinder cut for moonclips. Anyone done it, anyone got a picture of one?

 

[Dave T]

I have a 386 Night Guard I sent to TK Custom to have the cylinder cut for Moonclips. Sorry but I don't have a picture. I've owned many 45 ACP revolvers that aren't "cut" for Moonclips. I think that feature is generally limited to Moonclips for rimmed cartridges.

Dave

 

[mcb]

I have a 386 Night Guard I sent to TK Custom to have the cylinder cut for Moonclips. Sorry but I don't have a picture. I've owned many 45 ACP revolvers that aren't "cut" for Moonclips. I think that feature is generally limited to Moonclips for rimmed cartridges.

Dave

But the 386 was not a recessed cylinder like a older pinned and recessed S&W magnums where. I have several moonclip feed revolvers two of which are rimmed cartridges but neither started life as a recess cylinder.

I dug around and found this:


This is a cylinder from a pinned and recess Model 19 cylinder cut for moonclips. Notice the recesses left around the outer edge and also notice the shelf left in the old recesses near the outside of the cylinder so the rounds will still head space correctly without moonclips. You can see the shiny new machined clearance for the moonclip around the star.

The still was taken from this video: if you want to see more. He shows the moonclip cut on both a recess M19 and a non-recess M14. Learning new things everyday...

 

[JimmyMac69]

The Model 27 and 27-2 are Special because they are discontinued variants readily identifiable as having been made in a bygone era of craftsmanship.
They are fine shooters as I am sure you will find out when you "put it to work."

JimmyMac, here I’m still pretty new to the forum all the knowledge I read about on here makes me feel a little intimidated to post very much. I just put a Smith model 27-2 in lay away this morning the gun obviously has lain in a vault for a pretty good while I noticed some markings on cylinder finally figured out it had been laying on piece of soft breathable rubber or what ever in a vault. I assumed it is a stainless gun but I wonder now if it’s nickel. Anyway long story short I thought $500 was a fair price for it.

 

[Driftwood Johnson]

Howdy

If it is a Model 27-2 it is carbon steel, not Stainless Steel. If it has a shiny, silvery finish it is nickel plated. (or perhaps at some point it had an aftermarket chrome plating job done.) Smith and Wesson puts a '6' in front of the model number of all their revolvers made from Stainless Steel, so a Stainless Model 27 would be a Model 627. The Model 627 first came out in 1989. When in doubt look at the Model Number stamped on the frame under the yoke. That will tell you exactly what it is. There are some Model 627 revolvers listed in S&W's current catalog, but they are all much more recent than a Model 27-2, which was made from 1961 until 1982. No idea if that is a good price because no idea what condition it is in. If it is in good condition, functions properly and the finish is in pretty good condition, that is a very good price. Here is a hint: look closely at the trigger and hammer. S&W never nickel plated triggers or hammers. If the trigger or hammer is nickel plated, that guarantees it is an aftermarket plating job. S&W always Case Hardened their triggers and hammers, which leaves a mottled blue color. If the trigger and hammer are Case Hardened, that does not guarantee it is the factory finish, but if they are plated, that guarantees the plating was done by somebody other than the S&W factory.

This Model 27 left the factory in 1959. The colors of the Case Hardened trigger and hammer have faded a bit over time. Case Hardening colors do that. But a hint of the colors can still be seen on the trigger.

 

[DukeConnor]

I am sort of suprised the issues people have with crud in recessed cylinders. I have never noticed this in my 27-2.

 

[JimmyMac69]

Howdy

If it is a Model 27-2 it is carbon steel, not Stainless Steel. If it has a shiny, silvery finish it is nickel plated. (or perhaps at some point it had an aftermarket chrome plating job done.) Smith and Wesson puts a '6' in front of the model number of all their revolvers made from Stainless Steel, so a Stainless Model 27 would be a Model 627. The Model 627 first came out in 1989. When in doubt look at the Model Number stamped on the frame under the yoke. That will tell you exactly what it is. There are some Model 627 revolvers listed in S&W's current catalog, but they are all much more recent than a Model 27-2, which was made from 1961 until 1982. No idea if that is a good price because no idea what condition it is in. If it is in good condition, functions properly and the finish is in pretty good condition, that is a very good price. Here is a hint: look closely at the trigger and hammer. S&W never nickel plated triggers or hammers. If the trigger or hammer is nickel plated, that guarantees it is an aftermarket plating job. S&W always Case Hardened their triggers and hammers, which leaves a mottled blue color. If the trigger and hammer are Case Hardened, that does not guarantee it is the factory finish, but if they are plated, that guarantees the plating was done by somebody other than the S&W factory.

This Model 27 left the factory in 1959. The colors of the Case Hardened trigger and hammer have faded a bit over time. Case Hardening colors do that. But a hint of the colors can still be seen on the trigger.

View attachment 944092

Thanks for the info I noticed the trigger and hammer looked to be blued or at least not the same as the rest of Finish. I’m thinking it must be nickel I noticed it looked a little bit duller than a stainless finish. I didn’t see a scratch on it the cylinder looked very clean as well the bore grooves very distinct.

 

[Stophel]

I am sort of suprised the issues people have with crud in recessed cylinders. I have never noticed this in my 27-2.

I don't think it actually is a real issue. Just a perceived remotely possible issue....

 

[DM~]

I don't think it actually is a real issue. Just a perceived remotely possible issue....

It would have to be dam remote!! I've carried my M-29's with recessed cylinders for years and years all over Alaska, sometimes for weeks at a time out in the bush, and never had even one problem!

And NO I wasn't cleaning the recess' out all the time, in fact not at all!\

As for 27's, I have them too, including a pre 27,



And the action in the pre, feels better and is the nicest sounding/feeling revolver action I've ever felt, ever!

DM

 

[reddog81]

Nickel should be glossier than stainless. Unless a stainless gun is highly polished it’ll be duller. Are you sure it wasn’t a 627 or a refinished 27? If refinished that might help explain the $500 price. The only time I’ve seen a model 27 go for that kind of money in the last 10 years was if it looked very rough.

 

[JimmyMac69]

Nickel should be glossier than stainless. Unless a stainless gun is highly polished it’ll be duller. Are you sure it wasn’t a 627 or a refinished 27? If refinished that might help explain the $500 price. The only time I’ve seen a model 27 go for that kind of money in the last 10 years was if it looked very rough.

I’m not totally sure it’s in layaway but I’ll certainly go and do some more research on it the serial # is N653xxx some of the posts I’ve read says the n denotes nickel any way it wouldn’t be the first gun I’ve bought under priced there. I could tell it had been laying in a safe or in a holster it looks like what ever it was laying on kind of transferred to the finish one place on the cylinder and one place on the barrel but it rubbed off pretty easily with an pencil eraser. Thanks for the reply I guess time will tell.

 

[Master Blaster]

In 1968 S&W started numbering all N frame revolvers with a serial number that starts with N. The number you posted is in the mid 1970's range for N frames. And is consistent with a 27-2.

 

[JimmyMac69]

In 1968 S&W started numbering all N frame revolvers with a serial number that starts with N. The number you posted is in the mid 1970's range for N frames. And is consistent with a 27-2.

Your right I went back and looked at the receipt with my glasses on it said s/n 653xxx oh well you lose some and you win some. Guess I need to wear them when I’m reading small print. Thanks for the info I kinda figured it probably from the late 70’s

 

[Stophel]

If it's a 4" barrel, nickel 27-2, I have been told that S&W made a run of these round about 1979 (4" Model 27's are otherwise fairly uncommon). I haven't even looked at the S.N. on mine to check.

 

[Stophel]

Oh, and $500 is an absolute STEAL.

I think I paid like $650 for mine, and that was probably 10+ years ago. I thought that was pretty cheap, even then.

 

[JimmyMac69]

Oh, and $500 is an absolute STEAL.

I think I paid like $650 for mine, and that was probably 10+ years ago. I thought that was pretty cheap, even then.

It’s got that same exact front sight this is the second smith I’ve bought in the last month picked up a pristine 649 for 350 out off the same pawn shop. They don’t seem to price revolvers very high but old cheap 9mm autos and such are over priced once again thanks you’ve made me feel better about my purchase. Looking forward to chatting with you again.

 

[Stophel]

My sight is the plain ramp, I have painted it orange. Some have red inserts. I may eventually make a fluorescent orange insert for this gun... I will practice on another one first, though!

 

[JimmyMac69]

My sight is the plain ramp, I have painted it orange. Some have red inserts. I may eventually make a fluorescent orange insert for this gun... I will practice on another one first, though!

Maybe the one I got is painted to I’m not sure. Are they replaceable?

 

[Stophel]

The sight blade itself probably not replaceable. (My six inch M27-2 does have a pinned blade. My four inch does not. It is integral with the barrel). If it has a sight insert, yes, that is replaceable. It is a plastic piece dovetailed into the sight blade.

 

[Master Blaster]

Here is my 1953 .357 magnum (pre 27) and my 1975 27-2. Differences?

The pre 27 has a "Baughman quick draw" ramped sight, a 6.5" barrel is standard, and standard hammer and trigger. It is a 5 screw gun.

The 27-2 is a three screw gun, 6" barrel standard, target hammer, target trigger, and a Patridge style front sight. The level of polishing on the 1953 gun is slightly higher than on the 1975 gun.

In 1953 the .357 magnum was a deluxe working gun hence the sight, hammer, trigger combination. By 1975 the 27-2 was sold as a target gun with appropriate sights, hammer, and trigger.

 

[JimmyMac69]

Here is my 1953 .357 magnum (pre 27) and my 1975 27-2. Differences?

The pre 27 has a "Baughman quick draw" ramped sight, a 6.5" barrel is standard, and standard hammer and trigger. It is a 5 screw gun.

The 27-2 is a three screw gun, 6" barrel standard, target hammer, target trigger, and a Patridge style front sight. The level of polishing on the 1953 gun is slightly higher than on the 1975 gun.

In 1953 the .357 magnum was a deluxe working gun hence the sight, hammer, trigger combination. By 1975 the 27-2 was sold as a target gun with appropriate sights, hammer, and trigger.View attachment 944478 View attachment 944479

Those are beautiful the one I’m getting looks like the 1975 gun only in nickel

 

[Master Blaster]

Hammer trigger and ejector star will be blued on an original nickle plated gun.

 

[JimmyMac69]

Hammer trigger and ejector star will be blued on an original nickle plated gun.

That’s right when I first looked at it my thought was stainless then thanks to the nice people here I found out that it was nickle I noticed the hammer and trigger had a kind of subdued finish I didn’t pay any mind to the ejector star. If my Wife doesn’t catch I’ll figure a way to get it in a couple of weeks she thinks I have too many firearms go figure

 

[Master Blaster]

Checked my Standard Catalog N653xxx is 1979 to 1980.

 

[JimmyMac69]

Checked my Standard Catalog N653xxx is 1979 to 1980.

Thanks Master Blaster I kinda thought just by looking at other s/n on here it would be some where in that time frame but it’s good to pinpoint the date.