Hello All,
I'm looking at purchasing a 4" Nickel 27-2 on Monday and thought I would seek a little advice before hand, no box or original grips. Experts please chime in. I just want to make sure it's not a refinish, how might you help me with inspection? From serial number it looks like 1979-1980. It appears in very nice condition, no box and grips aren't original. I'm in Cali, so what is a fair price if original? I'm not a collector and will enjoy it as a shooter at the range at most. This would be my first nickel piece, as I always wanted one. It appears to have a nice finish, not milky, black rear sight, nickel serrated ramp front site (no red). The pins appear rounded not flat, S&W logo should be consistently uniform I assume, no blurring. It should have nice hard edges? There is no star on the butt, or three digits indicating re-work with the factory. The seller does tell me on the left side to have numbers that coincide with the number in the crane area, are these production numbers? The right side he states has a circle with a t and a triangle with a m in it and numbers 5459, what does this mean? He also mentioned it has a N and B 21, what does this mean? The stamped information on the left and right of the grip have me most concerned because I don't know what they mean. If I had photos I would post but hopefully a more knowledgeable person can chime in? If I buy I will certainly follow through on pictures for you guys.

Thank you in advance of my inspection!!!!


UPDATE: 9/6/11 - I finally brought the 27-2 home over the weekend. I did a quick wipe down and as promised, below are the pictures with my new Don Collins Redwood Burl Magnas. I took the pictures with my el cheapo camera but they came out alright. Happy to have this one home, I normally prefer blued revolvers, but being my first Nickel revolver seems I couldn't go wrong with a Model 27. Thanks and Enjoy!

Why do you care if it is refinished---if the refinish is good and you are paying market for it and not the refinish ?
Blessings

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TEXAS, by GOD

First the hammer and trigger should be color case, not nickel. This is the first thing to look at, as often they get nickeled with a refinish. Look for sharp definition on all lettering and logos. I know how hard it can be to find the right old S&W here in California.

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Formerly know as Lucky Derby

I am not the "expert" you are looking for but : Is there an "N" on the back of cylinder near the extractor? I thought the nickel 4" 27-2 had red insert front sight and white outline rear. Is there any "dishing" round the side plate screws from the polisher? You might give Doc44 a call ! He would be able to help for sure!

Jerry

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

Of the Model 27-2 4 inchers made at the end or the -2 run, I have seen probably twice as many nickel ones as blue ones. Mine (N760xxx) has rr/wo but a fair number of the ones I've seen here on this site don't.

Jerry, those stocks in your photo are tremendous!

Those are the most beautiful grips I have ever seen.

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Formerly know as Lucky Derby

The Buckeye Burl grips are from Don Collins.
I love his magnas !
They are distinctly "fatter" than factory originals and comfortable for me with "mild" loads.

Jerry

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

You said the seller mentioned an "N" on the left side of the grip frame. If that is true, then the nickle is factory. Factory nickle guns have an "N" stamped on the cylinder face and on the left bottom of the grip frame near the stock pin. The other numbers you mention are indeed assembly numbers. These were used to keep parts matched up while the revolver was being assembled.

Virtually all 4" 27-2s are from 1979-81 as before that the 4" was a special order. About mid run the barrel pin was eliminated which should not be seen on the -2s but is common as they must have been running out of pinned -2 barrels and started using the unpinned -3 units. You have to decide how much the unpinned barrel reduces value if that's the case.

Due to Draconian gun laws in CA prices for guns that not importable are inflated. In other states a pinned 4" 27-2 will be tagged at $800-$1,200. A CA seller who knows what he has can jack that price quite a bit.

Thanks all for your input. I just got back from purchasing this one. Very happy with the deal, sometimes they go in your favor. The target hammer and trigger were case colored. The rear site had no white outline and was flat black, the front site was ramped with no red insert. Serial is 653XXX, the nickel is mint, logos and text are very sharp, no reason to suspect a re-finish and it was stamped with an N on the grip frame and cylinder face. Very happy to have this one, I will post some pictures as I know it ain't true until I do after I pick it up and put some magnas on it and remove the silly aftermarket target stocks it came with. Thanks again!

congrats on your find!

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SWCA#2208
KK4EMO

Sounds great. Good for you. Hurry up with those pictures.

Congratulation on a very nice purchase !

Jerry

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

sounds like a nice gun. i have one of the blued guns from that run. all the 4in. guns i have seen had target grips on them from the factory. doesn't mean they were all that way,but that is what i have noticed.

My 4in nickel 27-2 is in the N674xxx ser# range. It also has the black rear sight and full nickel front sight. I'm guessing that the white outline rear and red ramp front were standardized a short time later.

My 4" 27-2 Nickel has no white outline on rear site, front sight has red ramp insert,
Serial is N 941,017 non pinned barrel but recessed cylinder.
Guess they ran out of pinned barrels by then..
Interestingly has smooth combat trigger which I LOVE !
Paid about $600 no box or docs 6 moths ago.

The serial number will have an N or and S in front of it. The factory nickel S&W revolvers have a N stamped on the frame in the grip area and usually have one on the cylinder by the extractor star.

Congratulations on the purchase as they are a much sought after S&W revolver.

I can't wait to bring her home. I'm in the 10 day wait period at this point. Since it came with some silly aftermarket targets (negotiating point), I did buy some really nice magnas for it that I normally wouldn't have done to dress her up for the photo shoot, but only did because of the price I paid. I've seen these 27-2's with both target and magna stocks, probably seen more with the targets. I like magnas on the shorter barrels but to each his own.

Engine49guy, Your 27-2 was made around the time S&W transitioned from the 27-2 to the 27-3 and was assembled with a non-pinned barrel. I have a 4in blue 27-3 in the N927xxx ser# range, a lower number then yours.

Finally brought this one home and added pictures as promised. Enjoy.

That is one very nice M29-2. I love the magnas on it, but I also like the target stocks as well. I have a M29-2 nickel 4" that I consider one of my best Smiths. Yours is gorgeous! Congrats on the find!

Very nice gun. Great find!

I have a matched pair of special ordered Mod. 29s ordered by a ,get ready for this, an undertaker in Alabama. They are not consecutive#s but they are close.They are 29-2 "S" frames in the "S" 2376xx serial range, with diamond coke bottles and are factory nickel. However, mine have blued front and rear sights [white outlines w. red ramps]. The front sights are blue on blue ramps. They both have target cased hammers and triggers and blued extractor stars.I knew the original owner very well and was a friend for years.The icing on the cake is they came to me with a matched pair of plain black Berns-Martin Holsters[left and right] unfired from the factory! The only down side is the original owner did not order a belt with the holsters. This is a beautiful pair that I am lucky to own.....No,not for sale at this time.Sorry, no picture capability at this time but I am working on it. Nick