I'm pretty close to picking up a 627-5 5" locally. It is coming with a fairly large black nylon pistol case with the Performance Center logo stitched in with gold thread. It also comes with both Hogue rubber and Ahrends wood grips. Everything seems to be factory. Not that it means much with the IL guns, but I think this is a pretty early one. I don't have the S/N.

When did S&W move away from this configuration to the current Altamont textured grips + hard case?

It's kind of a weird coincidence as I'm about to own a 629-8 Mountain Gun with both rubber and Ahrends grips from the factory...but it came in a hard case.

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Psalm 27:2