I recently went on a bit of an older S&W buying spree after selling a few guns that I don't shoot that much. I picked up several desirable models, but the one that I didn't get that still haunts me (along with a 3" Model 19) is the 3.5" Model 27. It is odd because I have wanted a Colt Python since I was in about 4th or 5th grade and I even carried a Colt Python cap gun in a shoulder rig of my own design under my jacket as a youngster. I later acquired a Python pellet gun and proceeded to carry that whenever circumstances allowed. I was in heaven, until it started leaking CO2 and I couldn't find anyone to fix it. Nowadays though I am much older, and I find myself dreaming about a Model 27 and my 5" is not enough. I want a 3.5" with an old S&W grip adapter, (faux) ivory grips, and would even be so bold as to put my initials on the stocks. What is wrong with me? The gun is large and heavy for the capacity. The barrel is too short to exploit the .357 ballistics, yet it is not short enough to have that "snubby" cool factor. Somehow though, being neither here nor there makes it just right, even though a 4" Model 19 would beat it in every respect other than perhaps durability. So, post them if you got them. I am still recovering from my buying binge, so it may be a while before I can join the fray. Any thoughts or opinions on the gun would be welcome as well.

Several things come to mind:
1. It's a Smith and Wesson revolver
2. It's an N-Frame
3. It's a .357 Magnum
4. That shorter barrel just looks BAD!

I have a 4" 27-2 that is really nice. As a fan of Skeeter Skelton I have always wanted a 5" 27. But there's just something cool about the 3 1/2" one. Can't really explain it, but I want one too.
Jim

OMG, that is a beauty! I am from MA originally. Too bad they hate guns there.

You must have been from the eastern part of the state....LOL

I was indeed. :-) I think 90% of the guns there were illegal, if truth be told.

Hard to imagine we fired the first shots in the revolution

Back in the mid to late 60’s the Utah Highway Patrol liked ‘em:

and they look good in nickel too:

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Bill - SWCA #2327

There's just something about a 3 1/2" N frame . . . especially any version of the Model 27 will pinned barrels! Arguably the most beautifully proportioned Smith revolver ever!!!

Beautiful guns. Let me make a confession. I have a (relatively meager) collection of handguns, but still, I do not own a single nickle gun. I have no idea why. I think I need to change that soon.

ROBC2; It is hard to understand about the 3 1/2" barrel . . . I pick up my 4" N frame, then my 3" N frame, then my 3 1/2" N frame, and it just feels totally different. There is only 1/2" difference in barrel length each direction, but the 3 1/2" just feels great in your hand.

If I had to decide between the 3 barrel lengths it would be an absolute no-brainer. The 3 1/2" would be the pick. I do think that the fact that the 3 1/2" barrel is tapered, and my 4" & 3" are not has a bearing, but I am not sure how much.

Tom

The FBI thought very highly of them.



there is just something that makes them feel a little different in your hand then a 4-inch barrel.

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Vaya con Dios

They do tend to grow on you.

O.K. this is not an older one! Though a 27-2 or just 27 or .357 mag.3.5 is on my wish list! I do love the feel of my 27-8 and you bet there is just something about them that gets in your blood. Here are a couple of pics with original grips and a new set of Don Collins corian grips.

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Wow Dryheat,
Those are some nice looking firearms.

For me it's the history (an early FBI gun), it's the appearance (years ago one gunwriter described it as "pugnacious"), and its the "feel". I have various barrel lengths of M27-2's and the 3 1/2 with magnas fits into my hand like a glove and handles great.

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Have guns...will shoot'em.

If I may add a 5....
They go boom really loud and create a really big fireball out the end of that short barrel!

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Pat Henson

What is it about the 3.5" Model27?" Darned if I know what the fascination is and believe me I have tried to figure it out. It's an N-frame that's not exactly a snub nose nor does it conceal well and not really much lighter or heavier for carry than a 3" or 4". What's so different about a 3/5" over a 3" or a 4"? Don't see any improvement/detriment to velocity/energy there.
I hear people say it "just feels so good in their hand" and yeah I know we all like to fondle our guns on occasion, but do we buy a gun for no other intended purpose other than it "feels good"?
I think it's is just some unknown need we think we have, to have the "gun du jour" and is mainly hype currently and it too shall pass and we will go on to the next "gotta have" gun 'til we leave them all to someone who will scratch their head and wonder why the heck the 3.5" was ever even made.

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Dick

I'm kinda a parshal to 'em myself...The 3 1/2 inch 357 was my first really serious Smith and we've been
doin business together for over forty years. I always thought of it as the best snub nose to come down the pike.
You could carry it holstered up on yer hip or even carry it mexican style jest stuck in yer belt under a shirt or jacket.

Yep, the three and a half inch N frame suits me just fine.




And when the bore get's bigger they jest keep gettin better and better




Su Amigo,
Dave

__________________
"IN GOD WE TRUST"

They are hard not to like, regardless of finish or style of grips.

If one likes revolvers then one should be enamored with the 27. It is the top of the S&W line and is descended from the "Registered Magnum," the first 357 Magnum produced. It has all the elements we appreciate in inanimate objects; history, aesthetics, and usefulness. The 27 is where form precisely meets function.

As for the popularity of the 3.5" barrel version, this is likely due to its visual appeal. It does look aggressive and businesslike in that barrel length. The longer barrel models are more practical as they balance better and achieve better performance from the Magnum cartridge. But the 3.5" remains the most popular. What we desire most is not always what is most practical.

I bought my first 3.5" 27 in the early 1980s. It was made around 1975 but came to me in unfired condition in the wooden box. It was stolen with all my other guns in 1985. Within 6 months I had replaced it with another.





For nearly 15 years this was my only short 27. I acquired a couple of 5" 27s (to me the most desirable) during this time but felt no great urge to obtain another short one. Then in 1999 I stopped by a tiny gunshop in Carbon County, Utah. In the case were rows of pistol racks holding about 40 Model 19s he had purchased as surplus from the local sheriff's office. All were blue with 4" barrels and all were tagged at $275. In the back row was one gun sticking up higher than the others. Turned out to be a 3.5" 357 from 1957. Showed a lot of holster wear but it had the smoothest trigger pull I have ever felt on any revolver. Price? The same $275 he was asking for the Combat Magnums. I bagged it. Should have bought a couple of the 19s, too...





Now living in Arkansas, I dropped by a local show maybe 4-5 years ago. One dealer had a nickel 3.5" 357 that would later letter from September of 1950. I had brought a Colt auto to sell or trade, and he threw in a set of stags to go with the original numbered Magnas and we swapped. After selling the stags I figure I have about $400 in the gun. Condition is not perfect by a long shot but still a good gun.





On a personal note, when you do find your 27, please don't put fake ivory stocks on it. They always look cheesy and the gun deserves better. So do you.

Since I've came out of retirement to serve as a Detective for the District Attorney's Office,
I often times carry one or both of these...
If it's where I can't carry a rifle, I jest slide the other 3 1/2 incher in my waistband under my suit coat, alls good.




Had Keith Brown build a pair of fancy stocks in a target configuration, except about a 1/4" thinner. They fit my big ol paw jest right.


Su Amigo,
Dave

__________________
"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Here's mine ... factory ordered with TT, TH. Unfired with original box.

Sounds like you are
describing my old pre-27. Except mine does not have the initials on it and the grips are not faux.



You can solve the capacity issue with one of the newer Registered Magnums. These are 8 shot carbon steel model 27s that were produced n blue or nickel.



I totally disagree. OK, you are not going to get the top speeds that you would from a 8 3/8" barrel, but even in a short tube the 357 Magnum out shines most all other cartridges when used in similar firearms. FYI, the 158 grain Hornady Custom XTP-HP leaves a 3 1/2" model 27 at 1220 FPS. The same cartridge generates 1380 FPS from an 8" Colt Python and it takes a 20" 1892 lever gun to achieve 1745 FPS. I can live with that.

You think that there is no "COOL Factor" in the 3 1/2"......much of this Forum will disagree with you on that. The bottom revolver is the 8 shot while the upper revolver is a 6 shot.






This is the 3 1/2" that was used for the chronograph session


Here is the Python that was used.


And here is the lever gun

Love this picture for some reason.


Man walks into a gunstore in 1955 and asks the clerk for a short barreled .38 special S&W revolver for concealed carry.

And the clerk sez, "The one on the left here...Ya can shoot .38s or .357 Magnum cartridges in it!"


Su Amigo,
Dave

__________________
"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Can I play?





I don't know what it is about them. They're just cool.

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It’s Fudd-Daddy to you.

They are just plain bad to the bone, plus beautiful in the looks department. I prefer a K frame for packing and shooting but the N frame 27 handles magnums with ease and like most of the short barreled Smiths are very accurate. The older models blow away the IL models in the looks department IMO.

They are the finest looking S&W's ever to leave the factory IMO. Some real beauties posted here. Mines shooter grade and will easily shoot a 2" group all day at 25 yards if I lay off the coffee!

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V/R
Roger / SG

Any time you get the dog poopin and two beautiful revolvers in the same picture is a good one haha!

I do not have a 3 1/2 inch 27
My first center fire was a 4 inch 28 back in 1974
I waited a long time to acquire a 2 1/2 inch K frame 66
The money is the only thing holding me back.
I see some beautiful iron here , real American Art in steel and wood.

Don't get me wrong, I love the 27s, all of them, I'm just not caught up in 3.5" mania.
Kinda reminds me of the 29 "Dirty Harry" mania quite a few years back and dealers couldn't get them in fast enough and how after owners fired one cylinder full of full house .44 Magnums in them they all of the sudden showed up on the market for sale. Not saying 27 have excessive recoil, they don't, just talking about the "gotta have" syndrome.

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Dick

Old 27 dash 1....carried by a Texas Lawman in a Berns-Martin floral rig.

Thats what I'm talking about! A revolver used for its intended purpose. SQ's are pretty and I do enjoy looking at the beautiful specimens on this thread, but I'd rather be shooting my revolvers. Wish that officers 27 could tell it's life story. Had a shot on a S.A.P.D. 27 a few years back but lost out at the last few seconds on my bid. Should have bumped it up $50.00 and still regret it

With that 27 and a good pump loaded with 00 he was very well armed! Still would be to this day, though I'd take the 870 if I could get to it in time. WAY more accuracy and take down power. We just had a shooting in town. 1 guy with an SKS and 3 LEO's with their Glock 31's. BG took ONE hit to the thigh, dropped his rifle, ran and the K-9's had him in minutes. Did I metion 38 shots fired from 5-20 yards. If one officer had his 870 or AR out it would have had a different ending IMO, but their long guns were all in their trunks.

Here is my 27-2 wearing presentations off of E-Bay for $30.00 shipped as the magnas didn't give me enough of a good grip. It's a great shooter and I got it for a bit over $400.00 delivered and out the door from G-Broker to my sweaty palms bout 3 or 4 years ago. Has some honest wear as I have packed it and some blue loss on the cylinder from being stored in a holster. Would not hesitate to take a 50 yard shot on a deer with it if conditions were right but the barrels too short for hunting. It's a tack driver extrodinaire, especially with 180 grain Buffalo Bores. One of my better deals.

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V/R
Roger / SG

OK, so I got sucked into another one today. What can I tell you?





Haven't even had time to wipe off the finger prints and smudges from the gunshow.

Hope SP approves. This'n ain't got targets on it, although it came with a pair of them and the "bones"
from Executioner.

Wells thar Iggy,

Looks like ya gettin ready for the next to the last BBQ & PD shootin, eh

That's a nice looking 'n to go with it's blued brother.


Su Amigo,
Dave

__________________
"IN GOD WE TRUST"

Dave,

Just tryin' to keep your dust in sight.....

With the help of some friends, I'm gainin' a bit.

Nice guns and data, but I think you are missing some of my point. What I meant was that nothing on the 3.5" stands out too much to explain its desirability, yet it is still undeniable. It doesn't have a particularly short barrel (what I meant by snubby cool, also ensures packability), nor does it have a long barrel (better ballistics and arguably balance), but somehow the gun is more than the sum of its parts. The entire point of the post was to praise the gun, and to explain how cool it has become to me, even though it shines in no particular area. I think a lot of it is looks, mystique, and history as some have mentioned. Plus, Patton called his Registered Magnum of that length his "killing gun", what better endorsement can you have than that? The newer 8 shot sounds intriguing, does it have an internal lock?

VERY..........VERY nice grips!

The old 3 1/2" reminds me of a bull dog. Someone described them as pugnacious in appearance. Can't say as I disagree.

Oh for the good old days when you could send an order to the Factory and get EXACTLY what you want.


And not only did they build it for you, just ten days after getting the order, the Vice President of the company acknowledged your order with a nice letter.


The BEST Part.....the revolver only cost $48. OK that was in 1935 dollars

You might not know this, but I happen to be a Patton fan and agree that is a pretty COOL endorsement.

Yes the new Registered Magnums are fitted with locks.

The 3.5 inch Model 27 a great revolver that everyone just seems to migrate to for no particular reason.

Years ago, my most sought after gun was the 3 1/2" model 27. Don't know why, but I just wanted one. I already had a 6" .357 and wanted a matching one. Today I have several and shoot them very little. I think that will change in the next couple of months. I find them very difficult to carry in a belt holster.

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Richard Gillespie
FBINA 102

APD #261. Been collecting Smith's for 35 yrs, my first 27. Why did I wait so long.



Charlie

It's a good thing you waited, otherwise you'd a probably bought some common lookin' ol thang.

That's a dandy.

In the mid '70's, my partner carried a nickel 3 1/2" Mod 27. After a particularly tense felony stop, over a cup of coffee, I told him, in jest, that that when I caught a glimpse of that magnificent revolver, I almost dropped MY weapon and surrendered along with the suspect! My blue Mod 19 looked like a toy along side his big 27. I have long sought to add one of these fine pieces to my collection and earlier this year, my old partner very generously gave me his! It is now entrusted to my custody and proudly resides as the center piece in my collection of S&W police revolvers.

If I tell you that I've let go of all the other 27s and only kept the 2 3 1/2 ".
You would probably think I'm crazy. And I am.

The longer ones are great for the range. The short ones are just handier.

I carry mine from time to time.























I'll see your 3.5" model 27 ,,and raise you a backyard lizard.






Su Amigo"
Allen

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NRA cert.instructor&R.S.O.

Allen, you're collection continues to amaze me! They're all beauties. I'm not the jealous type but when it comes to your bountiful group I do turn slightly green! Them 27's would do a number on an alligator if you had one in your pond. A Speer Gold Dot HP in 158 grains would be my choice of ammo.

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V/R
Roger / SG