I have a lead on a pre 27 with a 4 inch barrel. I would rate it at as 95%+. It has no target features, has magna grips. Don't know if they are numbered to the gun. No box, docs or tools. Serial is S1297XX - the owner says it is a 1954 gun, which is my birth year.

1. Can anyone verify 1954 as it's manufactured date?

2. What would you value it at? Right now it has a $1500 tag on it, which I feel is high.

Thanks for any and all input!

kas

1954-1955 S103000-S139999

(SCSW, 4th Ed., Page 488).

Think it might be '55.


ANIB Exc ..VG Good Fair
2700 1500 900 600 450

(SCSW, 4th Ed., Page 155).

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Guy
SWHF #474 SWCA LM#2629

4" Barrel's are pretty scarce, price sounds pretty good as long as "95%" = actual 95% condition or better.

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Kris
OGCA, NRA LM

There were not many pre-27 4"ers. They were not a cataloged length and therefore were special ordered. Condition dictates price/value and one man's 95% is another man's 85%...

Here is a link to a thread on the 4"ers...

Four Inch Barreled Pre-27's - Photo and Info Thread

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Buy it !

Charlie

That gun would be a pretty rare bird. 95%, all original and solid mechanics would make me a buyer at that price.

How sure are you that it has the original barrel or hasn't been cut? That's something to keep in mind and having it lettered might be the only way to be sure.

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Get off my lawn!

Thanks guys, for your input, however, now you've got me second guessing myself. I thought it was a 4" when I handled it, but given the rarity and the fact that I never stumble across anything really special, I am wondering now if it has a 3.5" barrel. How much would that impact the price if it is a 3.5" barrel instead of the four?

The fact is I have been looking at 27-2's for a while now, and know that it is the 3.5" barrels in the later guns that are the most sought after - so I wasn't expecting your reactions to a 4" which are a lot more common in 27-2's.

So what about the price for a 3.5?

Thanks!
kas

Any way to post pics?

Unfortunately not, as the gun is not in my possession and the seller is not on the internet...

Ask the seller to measure it. Measure from the end of the barrel to the cylinder. This will get you real close.

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Tom
NRA Pistol Inst

A very common mistake is measuring from the muzzle to the front of the frame (instead of the cylinder face) ... suddenly a 6" is a 5" and a 5" is a 4".

As others have stated a five screw 4" Pre 27 in high condition is a rare variation.
The 3.5" version is probably the next most desirable barrel length and $1500 wouldn't be outrageous for a clean example IMO.
The 5" is just under the 3.5", then the 6.5" and 6".....the 8 3/8" is generally the low man on the totem pole unless it has some rare features like being a nickel 5 screw or a Model 27-1 which is the hardest revision to find.

This revolver has a 5 inch barrel. While I am well aware of how to measure a revolver's barrel, my current reference is my new 327 trr8, whose two piece barrel appears massive compared to the older smiths.

However I want to thank everyone again, because I bought the gun. This is my first really collectable revolver.

As I said in my first post, it did not come with a box, docs or tools, but the stocks are numbered to the gun, the serial number is pressed into their insides. the washers on the grips are black. The weird thing about it is that they do not have the diamonds, which I thought I should see. when did the diamond stocks start?

I don't think the gun was shot much, as the finish really is in great shape. There is a turn line and one shallow 1/2 inch scratch on the side plate. Other than that, it appears immaculate.

So given all that, how much is it worth??? Yes, I know what I paid was worth it to me, but what's it's market worth?

Serial is S1297XX is that the correct serial? not an N prefix ?
unless they are smooth presentation or someone did something it should have the diamond, Black washer and no diamond would have been approximately 68-74

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Paul
S&WCA #2726

Serial number is correct.

Yeah, I noticed the issue with the grips when I went to buy it today - it won't be the first time I go looking for period correct S&W grips! The question is why would anybody go to the trouble of pressing the gun's serial number into them??? So what should I have paid, all things considered?

That is interesting to hear that someone stamped the inside of the non original non diamond grips to try and get an extra dollar. Regardless, at least you have another set of N Frame shooter stocks!

Price would be a little over what I would have felt comfortable paying without the gun being all original and a 5 inch not 4. For what its worth, I bought the below all original numbers matching pre 27 5 inch a few weeks back for 800. I would put it somewhere between 80-90%. I wouldn't feel bad about your purchase though, they always say, you didn't pay too much, you just paid too soon.

Well, I paid $700 for a pre 27 a little more than 10 years ago because I wanted one and had not seen another for sale in a good long time. It was in excellent condition with one small imperfection on the left side under the cylinder. I have never been sorry I over paid, I knew it when I bought it, but with the condition and scarcity, I didn't care!

Enjoy your new toy!

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

GA, in Northern Virginia, where I live, your gun would be worth much more than $1000. Literally everything is more expensive here than in most parts of the country, with the possible exceptions of CA and NY.

But I have to say that I didn't pay anything close to the original asking price - $1500 - on my revolver. I didn't just fall off the turnip truck yesterday. That said, I am not a collector, but more of a shooter who enjoys shooting some of the older revolvers. No doubt I am not as savvy as some of you are in your bargaining. That's why I asked what my gun in its current state is worth, but without telling everyone what I paid. Just trying to learn so that I can do better next time. I probably did overpay a bit, but frankly I got the gun I wanted (with maybe the exception of the stocks!) - and believe me I have been looking for a while...I NEVER see nice old Smiths in my neck of the woods!

Anyway, your revolver is very nice! Would the target stocks with the football cutouts be appropriate for my 1955 model?

Thanks!
kas

Seems difficult to go wrong with a quality S&W of the era discussed here. Below, my earliest 'pre' 27, 5". SN S 998xx, dating to 1954. Nice gun! (Wrong box. Should be blue!) Yet box of value and very nice appreciation over the years just in the gun itself. That according to what I'm reading here!
Congrats kas9412, on what seems a very nice 5" and that length my 'sweet spot' for many of the "N" frame models!
My take

Attached Images

48 - 7.jpg (99.2 KB, 249 views)

Iskra:

That gold box is the correct style box for your 1954 S998XX SN gun (I cannot read the barrel length). Looks like a great package! Blue boxes for the pre-27/model 27 were not rolled out until the guns were model numbered in 1957-58... The Highway Patrolman and the Combat Magnum were both shipped in blue boxes, but not the pre-27s, with the exception of the occasional one that shipped in a pre-war blue "picture box" and those were not common.

Thanks for sharing,

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Thanks for posting the information guys and those great gu s.

And thank you very much Sir! And for all your contributions of wonderful & beautiful Smiths! The typical 'I assumed...' and quite happy to be corrected on this box matter! The barrel length on the box, 5", and so the gun. I don't see any SN on the box itself but will now optimistically 'conjure' it likely original!
Best!