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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 02-09-2021, 09:38 PM
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Default How uncommon are 4” 27-2s?

My local place has one on consignment. Looks great - N prefix and correct Target stocks.

I lost interest when I flipped over the tag and saw $1499.

I’ll be back there to shoot tomorrow and will see if it has the case or anything else with it. I suspect it doesn’t.

Does the 4” barrel bring a premium? I seem to recall it was less common than the usual 3 1/2”, 5”, or 6 1/2” lengths.
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Old 02-09-2021, 09:41 PM
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Actually 3.5" and. 5" seem to bring more $.
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Old 02-09-2021, 09:41 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sigp220.45 View Post
My local place has one on consignment. Looks great - N prefix and correct Target stocks.

I lost interest when I flipped over the tag and saw $1499.

I’ll be back there to shoot tomorrow and will see if it has the case or anything else with it. I suspect it doesn’t.

Does the 4” barrel bring a premium? I seem to recall it was less common than the usual 3 1/2”, 5”, or 6 1/2” lengths.
I am going by memory here, but it seems that the 4 inch Model 27 was made for only about a year in either the late 70s or the very early 80s. Whether that makes it worth the price indicated is up to you (the buyer), but factory 4 inch 27s are relatively rare as the standard short barrel was always 3 1/2 inches.
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Old 02-09-2021, 09:45 PM
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I can provide a visual for your line of questioning.

I will defer the statistics involved to those that crunch numbers.

enjoy,

bdGreen




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Old 02-09-2021, 09:49 PM
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I believe they were made starting sometime in the very late '70s or 1980, then only for a few years until the -3 came out. You'll see "transitionals" without the pinned barrel and in my observations an unusually high percentage of nickel guns. So in production numbers the 4" are much less common than either the 3.5 or 5".

$1500 seems optimistic to me but anything is possible in crazy times.
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Old 02-09-2021, 10:46 PM
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Can’t be too rare, I picked up a 4” factory nickel late last year for $900.
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Old 02-09-2021, 11:35 PM
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According to the 3rd SCSW the 3.5" and 5" have the highest premium, the 6" a slight premium. The only one that carries no premium is the 8-3/8". Go figure...
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Old 02-10-2021, 12:42 AM
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Confusion over the rarity of 4" 27's starts with the pre-27's. In that time frame, the 4" was a special order, and they are right rare. The dash 2 guns were std with 3.5" and 5" guns until the model 28 was dropped from the line up. Then 6" and 4" became the standard. You see a bunch of 4" guns (late 70's, early 80's) and more in nickel than blue.
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Old 02-10-2021, 01:18 AM
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I too think the nickel 4" are more common than
the blue.
Snagged this off a GS table early January 2020.
27-2 Non pinned but recessed.
It was strapped with S&W factory presentation Target grips
and near new condition. Put some stags on it.

Dust settled at $850.00
Seeing some on GB listed at around the price you mentioned.
Don't know if they are selling at that number.

Last edited by Xfuzz; 02-10-2021 at 01:19 AM. Reason: typo
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Old 02-10-2021, 01:46 AM
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As the guys have stated a four inch 4 or 5 screw M27 is a rare beast.
While the 3.5" and 5" Model 27's were prolific in the 50's 60's and early 70's they fade out in the mid late 70's being supplanted by the 4" versions .
That being said IMO there were alot more 3.5" and 5" Model 27's made than 4"versions.
As far as premiums they generally favor any earlier 4 or 5 screw variant even though the 4" 27-2 is less commonly encountered.

Btw, I personally prefer a 4" Model 27 over the 3.5" or 5" versions,
( If anyone out there reading this has a clean 4 or 5 screw pre 27 and pines for a 3.5" or 5" drop me a pm and I would gladly do an even Steven swap).

More than likely the fact that the Model 28, Model 19 and Model 66 were regular catalog items in 4" lengths probably reduced the demand for 4" Model 27's.

Last edited by Engine49guy; 02-10-2021 at 02:03 AM.
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Old 02-10-2021, 02:23 AM
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[QUOTE=Engine49guy;141057811]As the guys have stated a four inch 4 or 5 screw M27 is a rare beast.
While the 3.5" and 5" Model 27's were prolific in the 50's 60's and early 70's they fade out in the mid late 70's being supplanted by the 4" versions .
That being said IMO there were alot more 3.5" and 5" Model 27's made than 4"versions.
As far as premiums they generally favor any earlier 4 or 5 screw variant even though the 4" 27-2 is less commonly encountered.

Btw, I personally prefer a 4" Model 27 over the 3.5" or 5" versions,
( If anyone out there reading this has a clean 4 or 5 screw pre 27 and pines for a 3.5" or 5" drop me a pm and I would gladly do an even Steven swap).

I have a special order 4 inch pre-27 that I’d consider selling or trading. It shipped November 9, 1956 to H.H. Harris Co., Chicago, IL, as I think most did. But an even swap for 3 1/2” or 5” wouldn’t begin to come close. Maybe several. Actually, I collect .44 Specials and would be more interested in trading for them.
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Old 02-10-2021, 02:46 AM
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QUOTE=Flygas;141057822]
I have a special order 4 inch pre-27 that I’d consider selling or trading. It shipped November 9, 1956 to H.H. Harris Co., Chicago, IL, as I think most did. But an even swap for 3 1/2” or 5” wouldn’t begin to come close. Maybe several. Actually, I collect .44 Specials and would be more interested in trading for them.[/QUOTE]

Maybe an unfired first year five screw , four inch , 6 groove tang .44 Magnum ( 1 of just 700 produced ) with factory Cokes could tempt you..... JK ...wink
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Old 02-10-2021, 02:51 AM
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Maybe an unfired first year five screw , four inch , 6 groove tang .44 Magnum ( 1 of just 700 produced ) with factory Cokes could tempt you..... JK ...wink[/QUOTE

Well, it’s a possibility. I’ve been looking for a 5 screw 4 inch pre-29 since I had to give mine up in trade to get a Triple Lock.
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Old 02-14-2021, 07:19 AM
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I see lots of 5s for sale,but a 4 inch is rare to see.Price seems a tad high,but next year it will be $1800
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Old 02-14-2021, 08:03 AM
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The last 4 inch 27-2 I saw for sale was at the Tulsa gunshow about 4 years ago. It was in the box with the red ramp front sight in nickel. The price tag said $2200. I have been to a lot of gun shows and that is only the second 4 inch 27-2 that I have ever laid eyes on. They are not common!!

Smith used to manufacture guns in "runs". They would make a batch of them and put in inventory, selling as needed. It is possible that they only made one run of 27-2s during the 2-3 years between the time they standardized the barrel lengths until the -3s came out, also making a run during the transition process as there are a number with only one of the pinned barrel or recessed cylinder characteristics. But, I am just guessing here because I have seen so few.
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Old 02-14-2021, 10:33 AM
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Here is another 4" 27-2. In my experience, they are not rare, but they are less commonly encountered. I also seem to see more nickel 4" 27-2s than blued ones. As noted above, they became the "short" factory length for the 27 when the 3.5" guns were discontinued in 1979 or the early 1980s (I don't recall the specific dates, but I have a 3.5" that shipped in March 1979).

SN N831378 Shipped in May 1981:









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Old 02-18-2021, 01:50 PM
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theres a nice one on Guns International now for 1200
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Old 02-18-2021, 02:02 PM
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I have a 4" 27-2 that is recessed but not pinned. Nice enough to be proud of but not so nice that it just sits in the safe. Figure it was someone's last duty revolver.... before they were forced to carry a G----!!!!!

A lot of good info above...... 4" 27s weren't cataloged until 1979 or 80.... in direct competition with the then new L-frame 686/586s. There was a thread a year or so back with data that the 4" 27 was the least common barrel length produced ..... by a good margin IIRC

For years I pined for a 3 1/2" 27..... but truth be told when you get to the N-frame the extra 1/2" of barrel really doesn't add much "bulk"

$1499 seems high...... or maybe I'm still living in the 20th Century!!!!!!
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Old 02-18-2021, 02:20 PM
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If you get serious about buying it, you should measure the barrel yourself to be sure it is 4 inches. It wouldn't be the first time someone mis-measured a 5" (or a 3.5" barrel for that matter).
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Old 02-18-2021, 02:23 PM
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As said above the 4” 27-2 is less common than the other barrel lengths, especially in blue. But they are around at lower prices than the 3.5” and 5”. I have two blue ones. They, along with the 4”28-2 may be the best all around S&W revolver. But....$1499.00 is just too much in my opinion. But I am a bargain hunter and refuse to overpay even if I can afford to. Offer $1200.00 cash like you mean it and see what happens. To each his own but I would not personally pay $1500.00 plus any tax and fees for a 27. A 28 is the same gun for less of your hard earned cash. You’re just going to shoot it anyway, right?
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Old 02-18-2021, 03:01 PM
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This thread got me wondering how my 4” M27’s were configured. Here’s a poor quality pic of a 4” 27-2 LNIB (pres. case), both pinned and recessed. Any smudges is ren wax.
As to worth, I doubt I’d take $1500 for it...
ETA:
Shipped Nov '79.


Last edited by jack the toad; 02-18-2021 at 03:19 PM.
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Old 02-18-2021, 03:55 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by alwslate View Post
... A 28 is the same gun for less of your hard earned cash. ...
Just wondering:
Does anyone here ever have any money that wasn't "hard earned"?

Quote:
Originally Posted by alwslate View Post
... You’re just going to shoot it anyway, right?
If you want one to shoot, a 5 or 6 inch is a better option for full power loads, IMHO.
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Old 02-18-2021, 04:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Flygas View Post
I have a special order 4 inch pre-27 that I’d consider selling or trading. It shipped November 9, 1956 to H.H. Harris Co., Chicago, IL, as I think most did. But an even swap for 3 1/2” or 5” wouldn’t begin to come close. Maybe several. Actually, I collect .44 Specials and would be more interested in trading for them.
Wow, that is the day and year I was born. Also the same day Dwight Eisenhower was re-elected to his second term as president, just to give it some historical perspective. Pictures?
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Old 02-18-2021, 04:26 PM
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Well, if you're into 27-2's.

You want an example that was only made for a couple years....or less...

The 4 inch is it, and seems there are more Nickel than Blue.

Mine in the photos.
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Old 02-18-2021, 06:04 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jack Flash View Post
Just wondering:
Does anyone here ever have any money that wasn't "hard earned"?
Yep. The people selling overpriced S&Ws during the panic stage
If you want one to shoot, a 5 or 6 inch is a better option for full power loads, IMHO.
True but everyone knows you’re supposed to have a 6” AND a 4”, not one or the other
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Old 02-18-2021, 10:21 PM
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Bought my 4" nickeled P&R M-27 in 1985, paid $250. And it had an action
Job. Interesting about relative rarity of the 4", I would think with the 4" being one of the offered barrel lengths of the M-28 they would phase out the 3.5" barrel instead.

Last edited by BLACKHAWKNJ; 02-18-2021 at 11:23 PM.
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Old 02-18-2021, 11:01 PM
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Wink 4" Model 27-2s

I have two Nickel P&R 27-2s and 2 Blue P&R 27-2s serial numbers on the nickel guns are lower than the blues. Finally, I have a 4" Nickel which is not pinned but has recessed cylinder. The serial number on this transitional gun is 200,000 numbers higher than the previous 4 revolvers I own.

I had one other nickel plated 4" P&R gun I traded to a friend for his blue 4" P&R 27-2 which is my way of saying 4" blue 27-2s were way harder for me to find.
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Old 02-19-2021, 09:11 AM
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Quote:
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I have two Nickel P&R 27-2s and 2 Blue P&R 27-2s serial numbers on the nickel guns are lower than the blues. Finally, I have a 4" Nickel which is not pinned but has recessed cylinder.
Not to hijack but would you mind posting their value, in your opinion?
I wouldn't take $1500 for mine. Mainly because of its condition. As to its value, I don't know what it would take but I have only one P&R in blue. No nickel.
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Old 02-21-2021, 01:13 AM
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Was bidding on a blue 27-2 3 1/2" with everything one night long time ago at GB. They had a 4", a 5", and 6" up too. Every time I looked, the 3 1/2 and the 5" were being bid on. With fifteen minutes between each, I bought the 3 1/2 " maybe a little high. The bidding on the 5" kept going up, but not the four. I needed a 4", so I added 50 bucks to see what happened. Won it for $800 and no bids against me. Complete with box, tools, papers, etc. Both are in mint shape. NFS
I was tired of searching for a blue 4", and only finding nickels. Then, one found me. Great guns.

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Old 02-21-2021, 09:46 AM
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In 1979 S&W announced that they were standardizing barrel length offerings on their N-frames: Everything would be available in 4", 6", or sometimes 8 5/8". In 1981 they dropped the pinned barrels, dropped the recessed cylinders for the magnums, and perceptibly dropped the quality. This made the 4" Model 27-2 and the 6" 29-2 fairly scarce....but not really very desirable.

The 4" blued 27-2 competed against the easily-found Highway Patrolman, hence many such guns seemed to be nickel because at least it was clearly a bit different that the HP.
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