A Safe Queen Model 53 Jet and a Shooter grade Pre-27 3.5 inch barrel

[dacoontz]

Picked this Jet up today from a very kind local couple who inherited it from the womans father. He was a Navy man who was likely the original owner and purchased it somewhere around Oxnard, California. It does show signs of being shot as it didn't take much for these guns to show immediate signs of wear when the inserts were used. The finish on the outside of the gun is 98% and shows no evidence of every being holstered with a slight turn ring. Serial number is K439210 and I only see two others in front of it in the database.
I first saw this gun at a show in the Fall when Bruce Mower pointed it out to me and told me I should make the couple an offer. I waited as I didn't have much interest in the gun at the time or the cash in hand. After having no luck finding a gun at the Vegas show this last weekend I came home with gun money to spend. I am super happy to have this one and can thank Bruce for the heads up and the luck that it was still available. I also got the inserts and a box of ammo with 15 shot cartridges and 35 unshot. The only thing that could have made this gun better would have been an auxiliary cylinder, not that I am complaining.

[dacoontz]

While I was in the area I met up with a gentleman that had this Pre-27 listed in a local online classifieds add. Serial number is S 136930 and the barrel is correct. The finish looks bad like someone touched it a bunch with greasey fingers but the smudges aren't removed with simple wiping. I may try some gentle cleaning but not sure what would be the safest and least abrasive for this one. I don't want to make it worse but it has been well used but is mechanically perfect. I am also happy to have this one and I gladly traded a used 4567 for it that I wasn't shooting. My tastes have moved heavily towards wheels guns so my semi-auto's aren't as secure in my safe anymore. Although my FBI 1076 probably isn't going anywhere anytime soon. Anyway, wanted to share the busy day I had and the recent additions to the family.

[bamabiker]

Congrats, that's two very nice grabs.

[Sprefix]

Any time you wanna get rid of that old .357, you drop me a line......I'll be waiting........

[jonbondave]

Nice pieces. I have a 19-2 in similar condition to that magnum you got there, if you find a great way to clean it up, let me know! grats. And i hear ya on the Auto's thing... I was so die hard auto and now, not as much. my whole want list has been pretty much transformed to wheel guns.

[dacoontz]

Originally Posted by jonbondave

Nice pieces. I have a 19-2 in similar condition to that magnum you got there, if you find a great way to clean it up, let me know! grats. And i hear ya on the Auto's thing... I was so die hard auto and now, not as much. my whole want list has been pretty much transformed to wheel guns.

I will let you know. The guy I got it from was fairly certain it was a bad refinish which I suppose I could believe by the looks of the side plate not being a super crisp fit but I see no other signs of a refinish as no pins are smooth and the lettering is all crisp. The varying blue tone on the cylinder and frame seem right for what I have seen as well.

And I think the autoloader to wheel gun transition is a normal collecting progression from others that have taken the same path. Although, I do still love the auto-loaders I still have. I really like them all to be honest.

[dacoontz]

Originally Posted by Sprefix

Any time you wanna get rid of that old .357, you drop me a line......I'll be waiting........

I'll keep that in mind. I am anxious to shoot this one without fear of devaluing it.

[Pitdog02]

Ive got a 1954 pre 27 its in a bit better shape. I used Flitz polish but not overly aggresive. It cleaned mine up very nice with no damage. I use Gunzilla on it to clean now, little pits cleaned right up and have not rusted as the Gunzilla leave a dry protective coating. I also have a 98% 1961 model 53 I did the same thing with no problems.

[Sprefix]

Originally Posted by dacoontz

I'll keep that in mind. I am anxious to shoot this one without fear of devaluing it.

I knew a fella here in Alaska that killed many black bears with his 27 3 1/2 incher with 150gr hard cast lead (alox lubed), 9.5 grains of Herco and Rem 7 1/2 primers. I still got a box of 40 of them from him that are @40 years old. Must be out of the N-frame and these are loaded in .38 special cases. They are stout.....

[dacoontz]

Originally Posted by Sprefix

I knew a fella here in Alaska that killed many black bears with his 27 3 1/2 incher with 150gr hard cast lead (alox lubed), 9.5 grains of Herco and Rem 7 1/2 primers. I still got a box of 40 of them from him that are @40 years old. Must be out of the N-frame and these are loaded in .38 special cases. They are stout.....

That was one of the many reasons I traded for it as it will make a great bear gun and holstering it will not make the finish any worse.

[glenncal1]

Nice buys, you might try some Blue Wonder cleaner with some 0000 steel wool on the .357. I recently purchased an old Husqvarna rifle and a Colt Army Special that both had some light rust. They cleaned up great with the Blue Wonder and then a light oiling. Use in a well ventilated space, it stinks.

[Dave from Pa]

Dan,try some bronze wool and a quality gun oil on the finish.You may be surprised.Nice additions.

[DCWilson]

Very nice pick-ups, both of them.

I really like the low-number Model 53. I have a four-screw gun numbered about 35000 higher and like it a lot. I find myself buying Jet paraphernalia (additional inserts, extra barrel, extra centerfire cylinder, loose docs), but I'm not quite sure what for. Just the imaginative design of the system, I guess.

I think you got good advice about the Pre-27. Very fine steel (or bronze) wool and some lubricating cleaner can work wonders on a surface that is a little rough in appearance but not badly damaged.

[dacoontz]

Thanks for the replies. I will give one or a few of those methods a try. I hope the pre-27 cleans up well but I am okay if it doesn't.

[4-Screw]

Try some Clenzoil and Renaissance Wax on that 27...it might help. It will also brighten up the 53 a bit too. Unscrew the cylinder release and give it a good once over under there as well.

[H Richard]

I agree with the bronze wool and light oil, or (very sparingly and a light touch) a little Flitz. Then a rubbing down with Renaissance Wax and a few minutes with a soft cotton cloth and you will be amazed.

[Just Shoot]

Nice finds.........both of them

[dacoontz]

Does anyone have an opinion on whether they think the Pre-27 was refinished. The guy made the trade thinking the current finish was because of a sub par refinishing job, but I am not so sure. The side plate seem looks a little less than a perfect fit but I see nothing else that leads me to believe that it was refinished and no markings on the frame. I think it could be original but I am not an expert on that just yet.

[DCWilson]

I'm not sure my opinion would hold up if I saw the gun in person, but from the photos I think I would go for probably refinished. The light and shadow line at the side plate/frame boundary is just a little too strong, and the screw holes seem slightly dished to me. In addition, both the frame edge to the right of the barrel shroud, and the front edge of the yoke on the left look more rounded to me than they would be on a new gun. But I acknowledge that other frame edges seem sharp and not overpolished. But I may be misled by an accident of lighting, one way or the other.

How about the beveled face at the front end of the ejector rod -- blued or in the white? And how about the rear surfaces of the ratchet teeth on the back of the cylinder? The teeth can be original and blued, but the beveled face of the ejector rod is blue only on refinished guns, as far as I know. (And on triple locks, where the ejector rod does not do the work of pushing back the front locking pins.) Lack of blue in either position would tend to indicate the finish was original.

[dacoontz]

Originally Posted by DCWilson

I'm not sure my opinion would hold up if I saw the gun in person, but from the photos I think I would go for probably refinished. The light and shadow line at the side plate/frame boundary is just a little too strong, and the screw holes seem slightly dished to me. In addition, both the frame edge to the right of the barrel shroud, and the front edge of the yoke on the left look more rounded to me than they would be on a new gun. But I acknowledge that other frame edges seem sharp and not overpolished. But I may be misled by an accident of lighting, one way or the other.

How about the beveled face at the front end of the ejector rod -- blued or in the white? And how about the rear surfaces of the ratchet teeth on the back of the cylinder? The teeth can be original and blued, but the beveled face of the ejector rod is blue only on refinished guns, as far as I know. (And on triple locks, where the ejector rod does not do the work of pushing back the front locking pins.) Lack of blue in either position would tend to indicate the finish was original.

David, what do you think?

[iujeffcpa]

Great finds! Thank you for sharing. I'm new to the pre-27's now as well and I'm really happy with my new old revolver. Now go shot it and let us know how well it shoots and that you will never shoot another modern gun as long as you have a choice LOL.

[DCWilson]

Daniel, I'm having trouble making my eyes distinguish between light bouncing off a reflective blue finish and potentially unfinished steel. I'll refrain from passing judgment on the ratchet surfaces, some of which look blue to me and some of which seem raw. But the beveled tip of the ejector rod looks unblued to me, so that would be an indicator of an unrefinished revolver.

But even if it could be demonstrated conclusively that this is a refinished gun, I think I'd say, "So what?" You got an in-demand model for a decent price, and I think you were looking for a shooter rather than a collector piece. I'd be happy to own a .357 like that and a lot of other people here would too. If it is in fact NOT refinished, so much the better

(Actually, I picked up a 6-inch shooter Pre-27 last year because I didn't want to drag my really nice one to the range. The shooter is not refinished, but it had some surface quality issues that meant it was not a collector grade gun. I am delighted with it as is, and the gun is not so special lthat I will be afraid to do things like change barrels and tune the action. It is one of my "laboratory" guns, if you will, and I'm looking forward to experimenting with it in coming years.)

[dacoontz]

David, I am with you there. I was not concerned at all about the finish when I made the trade. The guy I traded with was bothered by the finish and was looking for a good semi-auto 45 which I had in the 4567. I was looking for a good shooter grade 357 so we simply did each other a favor with guns we were happy to part with and delighted to pick up. It was a good trade. Either way, I am happy.

[Sprefix]

Have you put the 27 to paper yet?

[dacoontz]

Originally Posted by Sprefix

Have you put the 27 to paper yet?

Sorry, I am a little dense. What do you mean?