I have a S&W Chemcal Co. M277 8" barrel 11/2" gas/flare pistol about which I have no info apart from a few images on the web. Nice minty condition
Any info will be appreciated
TIA.

Peter,

Might this help?

NRA Museums:

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Judge control not gun control!

37mm, N-Frame , top break... BATFE doesn't consider them a firearm....BUT!!!! If you have any anti personnel ( tear gas, rubber balls, etc.) in your possession ..It must be registered as a "destructive device"

JIM...............

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SWCA # L-1911

Thanks guys. Fortunately they are totally un-regulated in SA as are all 'Flare Guns'. Legally though, if I loaded up some #7s and went after guinea fowl I would be crossing the line!
Any ideas on dates and volumes of production? I would imagine production was for some or other Govt agency in the US?

Also used to shoot lines from ship to ship. A friend has one with the orange projectile.

The line throwing guns were similar but were marked Model 270.

The Model 209/277 were the shorter barrel gas guns. They had revolver grips. There was also a variant with a wooden shoulder stock and a longer barrel, the Model 209/276.

I think they were first made in the 1960's. The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson mentions them but doesn't say when they were produced. S&W sold them to a variety of state, county and local police departments across the country.

I've got a line thrower and a gas gun, the long barrel one, which came to me with a pistol grip. I bought a wood stock for it from a member here but haven't found the correct mounting hardware and I don't think Home Depot or Lowes would appreciate me bringing it into their hardware aisle and trying screws out.

They are kind of cool.

Thanks Buff - that fills in a few gaps for me.
Much appreciated.
As a matter of interest, mine came to me with rubber Pachmayr M29 grips. Could they be factory original?