...on the top strap and I was wondering how common this was?
I'm guessing it made it out of the factory after missing a step in the manufacturing process but I'd love to hear any other theories/explanations.
Also, would it possibly have any extra value to a collector?

The very front of the frame appears to be checkered properly, as is the sight tang. The barrel rib appears to be checkered at a 45 degree angle, not in line with the frame--is that correct or an optical illusion?

I'll have to dig out my 27s but IIRC the barrel rib checkering should be at 90 degrees, like the frame.

I agree--it looks like the topstrap of your frame was incompletely checkered. Whether it adds any value to an already desirable piece really would depend on the buyer. I personally wouldn't pay extra for a mistake I would constantly have to explain to others, if I'm shelling out big bucks I would expect perfection, but that's just my opinion.

Are the diamond center Magnas original to the gun?

Hmmm
Must have been checkered late on a Friday.

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213th FBINA

That is very interesting. Have you got a letter for the gun? Maybe somebody ordered it that way? As a general rule of thumb factory mistakes usually make no difference in value like say coins do and what have you. But I am very surprised that gun would make it out the door back then with a whole step missing from manufacture.

We need a pic from the top, looking down.

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protocalldesign.com

Here's a pic I just took from the top looking down.
Also just pulled the stocks and it appears they are not numbered to this gun.

Sure looks like it doesn't it!

No letter. May get one if I can track down the process...

Your wish...

Another question...the sticker on the box appears to be upside down. Is this correct?

The box sticker is correct. The checkering, not so much.

Still more questions...
What is the approximate value on a set of diamond magnas like the set I posted?
On the box label in the STOCK column/box it is marked S. What does this stand for/indicate?
Any other hints as to this revolvers factory provenance from the label?
I've never tried to decipher one before so some of it is Greek to me...

S indicates Standard or Service stocks. As opposed to T for Targets.

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You're shy a few manners.

You have an error that no one caught. It simply missed one step, probably because of break time or quitting time.
On the label-
BT = 'Bright'. It looks like the Packer (5) added the T which was an obsolete marking by that time because almost all models were standard in bright blue. Maybe it was an old guy filling in for an absentee, and back when he was a packer, 357s were marked BT.

The "385" on the label was probably written post Factory. ''24256" was probably also written post Factory and has nothing to do with the front sight in my opinion.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Your stocks are numbered to a much earlier gun, as the diamonds disappeared around 1968 or so.

Even so, they are very nice and worth at least $100.

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FBINA, 204th Session

Thanks for the top down picture, I guess the 45 degree angles I was seeing on your barrel rib were just an illusion.

Yeah, sure looks like a Friday afternoon gun (or maybe Monday morning, depending on how the weekend went?)

In a related vein, my 20 gauge Belgian Browning Auto 5 is missing a small takedown hole that is supposed to be on the left side of the receiver. Someone just forgot to drill it, and it slipped by the inspectors. You can put the gun together without the hole, you just can't fully dissassemble it.

Judging by the serial number on the grips they look to date to around late 1954-early 1955 according to one serial number list I just looked at.
Is there any effort to reunite original grips to guns, like a master list of known guns and grips that need matching?

Years ago somebody posted photos here of a 27 with no cross cuts on the barrel rib at all. Just the grooves running the length of the barrel. The consensus was that a step was skipped in machining and final inspection missed it.

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No life story has happy end.

Thank you gentlemen for the helpful information, it is truly appreciated!
If you would be so kind to permit me a few more questions...
What type of stocks would be factory correct for this particular model 27-2 knowing what is shown on the label, and what could I expect to pay for them if they appear on the forum Buy & Sell board?
In a perfect world I would find a beautiful set of factory correct grips for this firearm at a fair price and the owner of S&W N frame s/n 139771 would contact me so I could reunite these grips with his revolver, also at a fair price.
A pipe dream perhaps, but miracles do happen.
Question number two...what is the process for ordering documentation on this particular revolver? Join a collectors organization and pay a fee, contact S&W directly and do the same?
I really appreciate the knowledge and patience displayed by the members of this forum to those of us just beginning our S&W collectors journey.
Thanks guys!

I would think $100-$125 for nice post 1968 N frame Magnas. The "diamond" Magnas on the gun are woth $25-$50 more I think.

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No life story has happy end.

Here's a few more pics of the revolver as I purchased it.
I decided to pull the Tyler T grips off it and see how I liked shooting it without them.
Sadly Covid19 has delayed that range trip for the time being.
These pics show off the Diamond Magnas and topstrap a bit better...

Saw recently that Ahrends would no longer be making stocks so I ordered up a pair of his N frame boot grips in Cordia/Bocote for the 27-2.
I think they look fantastic and the fit is great but I'm not sure if I like how they feel in my hand. Going to try them out at the range and see if I warm up to them or not.



I've got two other S&W's with Ahrends that I'm really happy with, a 686+ and a 617.

So I managed to pick up some S&W target grips off of Armslist here locally and would love to get some opinions on their probable era and refinishing options.
Are these commonly known as Magna Targets and do they have any other nicknames in the collector community?
Are they probably later manufacture based on the silver rather than blue colored index metal on the inside of the grips?
What finish would they have come with from the factory?
Would tung oil be an appropriate finish for maintaining them now?
Thanks for any advice guys!

Those are football target stocks, not magnas. Magnas are the standard grips that came on most Model 27s and do not cover the forestrap or the bottom of the frame, leaving the serial number exposed.

Those grips look to be refinished already, and it is some kind of oil finish, the original lacquer is completely gone. Nice grain in those grips and they look good on that revolver.

That style grips was introduced as the checkered target grips with diamond around the escutcheon were fazed out in the latter part of the 60's. I think the silver washers came about sometime in the early 70's. In the late 70's or early 80's, the speedloader cutout version of target stocks were introduced.

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FBINA, 204th Session

That's exactly the info I was looking for...thank you very much!
I paid $70 for them so I'm not into them for too much.
Seller had another pair for sale for $60 that he was originally going to sell me but for some reason they would not fit on my 27-2. They were definitely for an N frame Smith but they wouldn't line up at all along the backstrap.
This pair had much nicer wood so I'm glad it worked out the way it did.
Since it already has an oil finish I think I'll rub in some tung oil and see if I can't bring out more of the excellent grain.

You can sell your diamond magnas here in the classified section along with your Tyler T-grip. Both of those items would auction well on Ebay too.

I start Ebay items at a dollar with no reserve and let the free market decide on the value and that has always worked well....sold some Tylers last year and was shocked how much money they brought in.

I have had good luck with both. Selling on this site, however, is so much easier than using Ebay and there are no fees.

We all like your Model 27. Happy to have you here and welcome aboard.