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S&W Revolvers: 1961 to 1980 3-Screw PINNED Barrel SWING-OUT Cylinder Hand Ejectors WITH Model Numbers


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Old 09-18-2018, 04:16 PM
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Default My New to Me 27-2 and question

The stocks may number to the gun? I see the same 19 symbol on each. The gun looks immaculate. EXCEPT: someone lightly engraved initials under the lettering. Can this be fixed? How much does it detract from the value? I am not well versed in the value of 27s. No box or docs.

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Old 09-18-2018, 05:22 PM
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"...someone lightly engraved initials under the lettering. Can this be fixed? How much does it detract from the value?"

Not short of polish and refinish. Why I say there's a special place for morons who do this.

A bunch.
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Old 09-18-2018, 06:08 PM
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Default Give it thought.

The initials engraved on your 27 can be removed, if you wish. It would be best to have a Pro. do the job, and that is going to be costly. Some collectors would consider those initials to be desirable history in the life of the gun, and acceptable. Others couldn't stand it until they were removed. I wouldn't be hasty in deciding what to do, about those initials. You may be capable of removing them yourself. I wouldn't try to influence your feelings on the matter. I am sure that you will get many opinions on the matter, on this forum. You have picked my absolute favorite S&W gun, and bbl. length. The 27 is unquestionably the most elaborately designed, and finished gun, that S&W has ever made, and are definitely "Keepers" I hope that you enjoy yours, as much as I have mine.

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Old 09-18-2018, 06:49 PM
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As to the initials - I'd try a light polish, like Flitz. They don't appear deeply engraved.

The grips are correct for the time of the gun, but target grips were not numbered to the gun.

Adios,

Pizza Bob
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Old 09-18-2018, 08:04 PM
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Nothing other then a professional polish and reblue will remove that engraving. I think the factory will do that for about $300.
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Old 09-18-2018, 08:14 PM
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I wouldn't try to "fix" it; a full "fix" will, as noted above, cost you $300+ and when you're done the offending initials will be gone but the value as it is now will be reduced substantially. Leave it as is. I have a a 3.5 inch S sn 27-2 that has more "engraving" than yours but under the stocks. There is nothing you can do to make it worth more. It is a desirable and sought after 357, enjoy it as it is.

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Old 09-18-2018, 08:49 PM
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Target stocks of this era (and relatively few at all, mostly in the mid-1950s) were not serial number stamped.

Maybe a piece of shiny chrome tape over the engraving...
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Old 09-18-2018, 09:20 PM
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Leave it as is. There is nothing you can do to make it worth more. It is a desirable and sought after 357, enjoy it as it is.
^ ^ This! ^ ^
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Old 09-18-2018, 09:36 PM
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I wouldn't worry about the initials. It may detract from collector value, but has zero impact on function. The gun is a high quality piece in a preferred barrel length. My vote, shoot, clean, and repeat.
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Old 09-18-2018, 11:50 PM
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You may want to just change your name to match the initials!!!
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Old 09-19-2018, 01:10 AM
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You may want to just change your name to match the initials!!!
Now that's a good one!
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Old 09-19-2018, 06:14 AM
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Shoot it, enjoy it. You will not get your money back from a refinish.
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Old 09-19-2018, 08:21 AM
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It's a used gun. Some previous owner wanted to have his initials on it for whatever reason. The only thing that would bother me is I'd always wonder who's initials they are.
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Old 09-19-2018, 09:36 AM
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I have a near MINT 1964 27-2 with box, tools, and diamond targets. A PO engraved his initials in the bottom of the grips, in the frame strap below the cylinder you can see when it is open and in the grip frame on the OPPOSITES side of the side plate.

I fixed the grips by sanding them down on a flat surface and wiping down with Formby’s that matched the original finish almost perfectly. I polished the gun and put some cold blue in the grooves created on the left side of the frame. The cold blue really minimized the visibility of the initials.

Good luck with your gun, and a Pox on the previous owner....
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Old 09-19-2018, 11:05 AM
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I share the view that the initials are a very poor idea ...
But let's not get carried away criticizing someone whose circumstances we don't know anything about.

A previous owner bought the gun. It was now his to do with as he pleased, which he did in some small measure, by putting his initials on it. Maybe a lot of his friends and family owned duplicates and he didn't want them to get mixed up. Who knows? What is done is done, no point in raking this unknown individual over the coals.

Then the gun came back on the market. The initials were there for all to see. Any potential buyer who found them objectionable was free to look elsewhere. Obviously, this wasn't a deal killer to the current owner.
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Old 09-19-2018, 12:57 PM
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Beautiful gun. I wouldn't worry about the initials. Just part of the history of the gun.

Battle scars.
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Old 09-19-2018, 02:18 PM
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Yep it is mostly history of the gun. Where the initials are located isn't bad considering S&W had a whole bunch of lettering right above them.

Trying to remove the initials bubba method in my opinion will probably be very noticeable also so I would leave it be. Polishing and buffing in that small of an area it more than likely is going to be noticed. Just like a car that has had a door or fender replaced the paint shade hardly ever matches and does stand out. Spend big bucks refinishing the whole gun or leave it alone.

I think the above saying use some cases's cold blue on the initials might make them less noticeable. I used it on my Colt's holster wear on the cylinder and it turned out looking better.

BTW That is a really good looking 27 overall.

Last edited by gman51; 09-19-2018 at 02:25 PM.
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Old 09-21-2018, 09:21 PM
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Quote:
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You may want to just change your name to match the initials!!!

I wish that I could. No Joke here. My initials are
F*G. My middle name is Anthony. Yeah, I relate to the great song Boy Named Sue.
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Old 09-21-2018, 09:32 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack Flash View Post
I share the view that the initials are a very poor idea ...
But let's not get carried away criticizing someone whose circumstances we don't know anything about.

A previous owner bought the gun. It was now his to do with as he pleased, which he did in some small measure, by putting his initials on it. Maybe a lot of his friends and family owned duplicates and he didn't want them to get mixed up. Who knows? What is done is done, no point in raking this unknown individual over the coals.

Then the gun came back on the market. The initials were there for all to see. Any potential buyer who found them objectionable was free to look elsewhere. Obviously, this wasn't a deal killer to the current owner.
I absolutely love the spirit of what you've said here and the eloquent words you've chosen. This is how I feel with all the old milsurps that regular, hard working guys from decades ago used to hunt and fill their freezer. Folks get angry at an altered barrel, sights, stock, and use the term "BUBBA" six times in a sentence to cry about it, but back in 1958, it was a fantastic thing for a man to do and it worked and fit the budget.

I'm struggling a bit with this particular alteration, as it happens to be done so poorly on such a high grade and otherwise fantastic condition revolver, but I agree, it isn't the end of the world.

And if the price reflected the "personalization", it's darn fortunate for the OP that he found it before I did!
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Old 09-22-2018, 10:08 PM
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Take your dremmel and grind the offending initials off of your gun. Boom! "Problem" solved.
What, and have a big old spot on the gun with no finish whatsoever? Not cool.

I wouldn't worry about the initials myself, and just enjoy shooting a nice shooter grade gun. If it really bothers you, send that gun off to a quality refinisher such as Ford's and get the whole gun redone after they buff out the initials. But don't go "bubba'ing" it.
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Old 09-25-2018, 07:40 PM
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I would NOT use Flitz on a blued gun.

Flitz is a metal polish and may very well remove the bluing altogether when rubbed on hard. You'll be sorry then

There is nothing you can do - the damage is done.

I would leave it - it's not so bad.

To re-blue the gun will remove even more value over the original finish. Enjoy it as is.

If you wouldn't have pointed it out - it would have taken quite some time to recognize it.
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Old 10-01-2018, 09:25 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack Flash View Post
I share the view that the initials are a very poor idea ...
But let's not get carried away criticizing someone whose circumstances we don't know anything about.

A previous owner bought the gun. It was now his to do with as he pleased, which he did in some small measure, by putting his initials on it. Maybe a lot of his friends and family owned duplicates and he didn't want them to get mixed up. Who knows? What is done is done, no point in raking this unknown individual over the coals.

Then the gun came back on the market. The initials were there for all to see. Any potential buyer who found them objectionable was free to look elsewhere. Obviously, this wasn't a deal killer to the current owner.
My friend's father was stationed in Germany after the war. He belonged to a gun club there and I believe his guns were stored at the club. He owned some high end (by todays standards) rifles and shotguns. They all have his service number scratched into the receivers. I'm sure he viewed those guns like I view a nice hammer. It's a nice tool, but just a tool.
The idea that the supply of custom Mauser 98's ever drying up probably sounded ridiculous in the 40's.
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