Hello, my name is Richard and I have a problem with Model 27's and their pre equivalents...

I've decided that I have a somewhat obsessive personality. I like to complete things and I can hardly stand when projects are partially completed. I'm going to "blame" it on my parents, who drilled into me that anything worth doing is worth doing right. In the home of my youth, when you were assigned the dishes, it was expected that all of the dishes would get washed (even those that did not fit in the dishwasher), all the counters and tables wiped off, and the floors swept. That stuck with me... I find that I have a hard time:

* putting down a good book until it is finished
* walking away from an unfinished puzzle
* vacuuming only one room in the house (you know, if the vacuum's out you might as well do the the whole house...)
* and owning only one or two barrel length of the Model 27 and it's pre equivalents...

A few years back, I finally completed a blued 27-2 set of all of the catalogued barrel lengths. Today, I finally got some photos of them and thought I'd share.

3.5" most likely shipped in the late 1970s - early 1980s:



4" most likely shipped in the early 1980s:



5" shipped in August 1976:



6" shipped June 1976:



6.5" (with Ahrends finger groove stocks) shipped in August 1965 - this was my first model 27. It gets shot reguarly and yup... it started the obsession:



8 3/8" (with Culina maple magnas) most likely shipped in 1977:



I'd love to see the S&Ws that fuel your obsessions and the story on how they started. ...Ahhh I feel better already...

__________________
Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Wow! You've checked all the blocks.

__________________
Keep your powder dry.

I'm working on Chief Specials.
I have 36s Blue pre 36 2" , 2" RB ,3" RB&SB.3" full lug adj sites NICKEL 2" RB, 3" RB& SB ENGRAVED 37 2" Blue 2" RB NICKEL 2" RB. MONEL 50 2" BLUE SB, MODEL 60 2"RB, 2" RB ADJ SIGHTS 3" FULL LUG ADJ SIGHTS AND 3" SB
Need 60 2" SB ( missed one last week,) and I guess a few more.

__________________
MAGNUMCARRY.COM

Wrong forum for any help stopping the addiction. Mostly we are enablers for guns collectors. Nice collection.

Richard,
I understand the situation, but I fail to see the problem. Looks like you need to expand to each barrel length in blue and nickel model 27 and pre 27.
Your friend.

__________________
MAGNUMCARRY.COM

Where's the ones they made in 73-74 with the 2" barrel?











Just kidding. You finished the job. Congratulations.

__________________
That's just somebody talkin.

Is that the same as OCD......(Obsessive Collector Disorder)...I think I have it too, that's how we end up with nice collections such as yours .................................M*

Asking for therapy from this group about your pistol collection is the same as asking which is the best bourbon/whiskey/scotch at an AA meeting...

The best bourbon/whiskey/scotch, as we all know, comes as a Model 27. Rkmesa has shown us some very special stuff and my hat is off to him. Thx.

__________________
Some collect art; I shoot it!

Impressive collection of some of the finest revolvers ever made.
Thanks for sharing them with us

Richard, no need for apologies

At one point I too had your problem

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

The herd is gone but the pictures speak to the obsession

__________________
SWCA #2306
DAV in honor of POP

^^^^^ THAT reminds me.... ^^^^^

__________________
-Semper Avanti-
SWCA #2539
SWHF #332

Ah, the Pit Boss posts again!! SF VET

Richard I can understand... Still hunting for a 4" some day..lol

__________________
Chris
S&WCA #2885

Richard,

Happy New Year! Can't wait to see the results of your "OCD" to manifest itself in a collection of engraved blue and nickel 27's in every barrel length! I am confident you are close.

Bob

Sal and Chris - now THAT is my kind of "group" therapy. Thanks for sharing your groups with the group.

__________________
Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Beautiful 27's guys. Unfortunately there is no vaccine for this virus. My 27-1 6.5 inch is my most prized 27. Left to me by my uncle.

Wait......you mean RKMesa owns Un-Engraved guns?!?! Whaaaatt???

Very nice Richard, as usual.

__________________
Say when...

Ya know, that was my first thought as I scrolled down.... I was actually expecting that the "plain" guns were "before" photos and the engraved "afters" would follow!
Hah! Richard, as I've learned to expect, every corner of your no-doubt city-block-sized safe houses some real treasures, engraved or not! Thank you for sharing your photos!

Those are GORGEOUS!

Nice job.

__________________
"He was kinda funny lookin'"

I do have a bit of an obsession with engraved 357s as well... As a matter of fact, just yesterday I picked up one that had been receiving the PL Quigley engraving treatment. Hopefully, I'll be able to post some photos in the next several weeks,

__________________
Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Absolutely Fantastic groups of 27s guys!!!
That pre 27 photo w boxes knocks my socks
off😜😜😜😜😜
Thanks for sharing those groups!!
Randy..

I just wanna thank you guys who posted pics for absolutely making my morning!!!!!

Richard, as ever, your post sets the tone and rhythm. I, too, was raised to "do your best" and "never leave a thing undone."

I define OCD as "Old Chiefs Disease."

Hi, I'm Bob, and I hoard Chiefs.

My oldest .38 Chiefs Special is serial number 72. You've seen it before, but I'm going to show it to you again. Shipped in March '51. Engraved to Flora Mason Van Orden, co-owner of Evaluators Limited, a high-end gun shop in Triangle, Virginia. Flora's husband, George, got serial number 70, and boy, do I wish I knew where it is!

My most prized .38 Chiefs Special is a 3" given to a Queens, NYC, Police lieutenant by his "Men" for Christmas in 1953. Shipped in July '53.

My prettiest .38 Chiefs Special might be nickel serial number 47475, which was an early 4-screw model given to "Mr. H.O. Austin, Sales Manager, Smith and Wesson," according to Roy's letter, "for demonstration purposes," says the factory invoice.

My favorite .38 Chiefs Special Airweight wears serial number 130794. Shipped in August '58. It's 20 numbers higher than a Model 37 that shipped in September '58. It's sporting Bianchi Lightning grips.

My favorite Model 60 is serial number 410010, and I just won it yesterday. According to Roy's book, History of Smith & Wesson, it's one of the first 300 stainless steel Chiefs with the bright polished finish and stainless steel hammer and trigger. It wears number matching diamond magna grips and probably shipped in early '66.

My newest Model 36 is a 36-9 that shipped in February '98. Built on the J-magnum frame, it's got MIM parts, including the new beveled thumbpiece. It's the last model before the internal lock appeared in 2001 on the Model 36-10.

I have more Chiefs (almost 50) that help tell the story about the evolution of the model. I have holes to fill to completely tell the story, like nickel and square butt Baby Chiefs (Hmmm, let's see, how many z's are there in "Fat Chance"?).

I began collecting Chiefs because I'm a retired Air Force Chief Master Sergeant, and I thought it would be financially more feasible than, say, collecting Model 27s. Well, that last part was pure fantasy.

Attached Thumbnails

         

__________________
Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Bob:

That is some great "group" therapy!!! Not quite an obsession for me, but over the years I've picked up a couple of engraved Chiefs to go with my engraved obsession...









... I can see how these little guys could be addictive...

__________________
Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Wow, that Baby is gorgeous.

Goes well with the morning's coffee.

__________________
Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob