A Rare Bird, 27-1 3 1/2"

[Gun Relics]

How many 27-1 3.5 “ were made ?

It's unknown. Somebody would have to count them up from the database. Someone I know who had access to the database took a casual glance and estimated there were at least several hundred. That is not a large number for a 63 year old collectible which explains how so few show up for sale. There are 14 on the in-house database here including mine.

Pre-27's, 3.5" show up every week on GB, many in pristine condition. The demand outstrips the supply, seems everybody wants one thus driving up the prices.

 

[utex88]

This is fascinating; I have a 27-2 3.5 inch with serial number S2294xx! That’s before an earlier listed 27-1. Were the serial numbers not sequential?

 

[walter o]

I happen to have a 27 3 1/2 no dash and wondering how scare are they. Serials #S 199963 withe hand ejector threaded rod

 

[Gun Relics]

This is fascinating; I have a 27-2 3.5 inch with serial number S2294xx! That’s before an earlier listed 27-1. Were the serial numbers not sequential?

Yes, they are not necessarily sequential. The 27-1 was only produced for a short time. The serial numbers are shared with all the N frame guns. In reality, our two guns could have been made weeks apart.

 

[Gun Relics]

I happen to have a 27 3 1/2 no dash and wondering how scare are they. Serials #S 199963 withe hand ejector threaded rod

I think they are quite scarce too. Unlike the pre-27's they were only made for a few years. All model 27's and pre-27 3.5" are scarce enough to command nearly double the price of what a 6" version would bring.

 

[Retired W4]

"There was a little scare but the gun lettered. It is one of those rare occasions where two guns left the factory with the same serial number. (I now have two like that)."

The duplicate serial numbers issue is interesting as well. I have one of the 90 or so 3rd Model Perfected single shots that the factory assigned duplicate numbers to. They added a "D" prefix to those. Did S&W know there were two 27-1's with the same SN's when they shipped or did that fact come to light later?

 

[Gun Relics]

"There was a little scare but the gun lettered. It is one of those rare occasions where two guns left the factory with the same serial number. (I now have two like that)."

The duplicate serial numbers issue is interesting as well. I have one of the 90 or so 3rd Model Perfected single shots that the factory assigned duplicate numbers to. They added a "D" prefix to those. Did S&W know there were two 27-1's with the same SN's when they shipped or did that fact come to light later?

Interesting, I hadn't considered that. On this one at least they probably did not realize it until both guns were shipped.

On their serial number sequential ledger (shown below) there is a hand written note showing the same serial number with two different "ship to" names and the employee's initials. One was a 27-1 with a 3 1/2" barrel and the other with an 8 3/8 barrel. They were shipped 8 months apart.

Here's a shot of the ledger - mine is 461. barely readable but the two names are Brown Supply and Stephens Marine with dates noted. My assumption is when they went to log in the vendor and ship date on the serial number ledger, they realized there was a duplicate frame already shipped, so they ran a new ledger with a blank for 461 and made the notation. Those numbers to the right of the serial number I assume are vendor numbers.

 

[Capt29]

In actuality, the 4' is more rare then the 3.5". That is if you are counting pre hole guns.

 

[Gun Relics]

In actuality, the 4' is more rare then the 3.5". That is if you are counting pre hole guns.

I bet! I would like to have a 4 ft Model 27-1 but just try to find a box for it.

 

[Truckman]

I bet! I would like to have a 4 ft Model 27-1 but just try to find a box for it.

To paraphrase Chief Martin Brody, "We're gonna need a bigger safe!"......Ben

 

[DARE]

Tough crowd!