Why is the cylinder on the 27/627 slightly shorter than on the 19/66 and the 586/686? 125 grain semi-jacketed hollowpoints almost reach the end of the cylinder in my new 627 PC UDR.

I read this and thought "no way" so I got out one of my mikes. You are right. A 27-2 has a length of 1.620 where the 19 is 1.670. Why? I don't have a clue.

The only thing I could think of would be that the N frame .357 came along before the K frame one or the L frame one. Perhaps nobody was using the longer heavier bullets when the N frame one was introduced, but started using them before the K and L frame ones were introduced. This is just a thought with no facts or evidence to support it.

I would still like to hear a factual answer from someone in the know about such things.