S&W 547 3" from France

Jm-Ark · Feb 27, 2022

Hi all,

Be indulgent with me, I am very far French, I discover the forum
My presentation is here: http://smith-wessonforum.com/new-members-introduction/671564-hello-france.html

As I said in my presentation, I am 2nd proud owner this S&W 547 3", bought 2 months ago for only 300€=335$.

First owner was Belgian, he owned it as a sports shooting and personal defense. But he didn't really use it, 300 rounds at most.

According to information obtained on this dedicated S&W forum, 10,279 copies were produced from "1980 to 1985"

1979: 1
1980: 140
1981: 11
1982: 0
1983: 6486
1984: 3460
1985: 178
1986: 3

From 1982 the barrels are no longer pinned.

According to the serial number of my S&W 547 starting with 8D xx xxx and the fact that the barrel is pinned...

I would be the happy user of one of the 11 specimens having been produced in 1981.

paplinker · Feb 27, 2022

Very nice and desirable gun.

Here in the U.S.A that would be a 1300.00 dollar gun in that condition.

Hope you enjoy it. I have one myself but am a bit nervous to shoot it as parts are really hard to get for that gun. I might go after a Model 13 and let someone else enjoy it sometime.

NYlakesider · Feb 27, 2022

paplinker said:
Very nice and desirable gun.

Here in the U.S.A that would be a 1300.00 dollar gun in that condition.

Hope you enjoy it. I have one myself but am a bit nervous to shoot it as parts are really hard to get for that gun. I might go after a Model 13 and let someone else enjoy it sometime.

Yes you did very good to get it at that price!

I shoot mine, not nervous as I know parts are hard to come by but its put together very well. My son a machinist foreman/CNC programmer and a shooter looked it over quite well and said to enjoy it! (I Do)

firemanhank · Feb 27, 2022

I can confirm via factory letter that 8D45228 was shipped on 4/16/82 if that helps you.
Hank

John Patrick · Feb 27, 2022

Nice revolver and a great price!

I was shooting mine yesterday and, as always, it was a joy to shoot and remarkably accurate. I put 50 rounds through it. I was reminded that a 3" K Frame is perhaps revolver perfection.

Jm-Ark · Feb 28, 2022

firemanhank said:
I can confirm via factory letter that 8D45228 was shipped on 4/16/82 if that helps you.
Hank

Hi firemanhank,
I heard about paying S&W lettered precise shipping date, but I don't think this will add any additional value to this already very rare revolver.

I talked about this revolver to sports shooters in France, no one knew of its existence.

The precise shipping date as "lettered" can be several years off depending on model.
For the exact date on your gun request the letter from S&W Historian Roy Jinks
I don't have Roy Jinks contact address...

Analysis dating lists I found confirm each other correct and enough for me

:

D Series K Frames: (Fixed Sight Models)
D1 – D90,000…………….....1968
D90,001 – D330,000……..1969 -70
D330,001 – D420,000………1971 – Early 72
D420,001 – D510,000………Late 1972 – Early 73
D510,001 – D659,901………Late 1973 – Early 1974
D659.902 – D75000………..Late 1974 – Early 1975
D750,001 – D870,000………Late 1975 – Early 1976
D870,001 – D999,999………Late 1976 – Early 1977
2D00001 - 2D80,000……….1977
2D80,001 – 2D99,999………1978
4D00001 – 6D10,000……….1979
6D10,0001 – 7D10,000……1980
7D10,001 – 9D44,500…..1981
9D44,501 – 17D8,900………1982
17D8,901 – 21D0883……….1983

bananaman · Feb 28, 2022

Welcome to the FORUM from Michigan, USA! Beautiful 547 you have there! For a time period I wanted 1 badly. Enjoy your gun! Bob

Jm-Ark · Feb 28, 2022

NYlakesider said:
Yes you did very good to get it at that price!

I shoot mine, not nervous as I know parts are hard to come by but its put together very well. My son a machinist foreman/CNC programmer and a shooter looked it over quite well and said to enjoy it! (I Do)

Hi NYlakesider,

I'm not nervous to use it either. I love this gun, It's my favorite right now ! My homies drool when I put it on the table

Maybe be a little careful when extracting the casings so as not to risk damaging the berrillium copper blades...

For everything else, I have no worries about wear and tear or risk of parts breaking.

9mm is not a violent caliber and then it is always possible to find soft reloading which gives good results to the target.

NYlakesider · Feb 28, 2022

Jm-Ark said:
Hi NYlakesider,

I'm not nervous to use it either. I love this gun, It's my favorite right now ! My homies drool when I put it on the table

Maybe be a little careful when extracting the casings so as not to risk damaging the berrillium copper blades...

For everything else, I have no worries about wear and tear or risk of parts breaking.

9mm is not a violent caliber and then it is always possible to find soft reloading which gives good results to the target.

As I said before my machinist son shot and looked the gun over quite carefully. While anything is possible he said that system is pretty tough. He sometimes works with that copper so I think he knows what he is talking about.

Be well my French friend!

Jm-Ark · Feb 28, 2022

John Patrick said:
Nice revolver and a great price!

I was shooting mine yesterday and, as always, it was a joy to shoot and remarkably accurate. I put 50 rounds through it. I was reminded that a 3" K Frame is perhaps revolver perfection.

Hi John Patrick,

I don't know if 3" K Frame is perhaps revolver perfection, but what I do know is the incredible accuracy of this only 3" 9mm barrel.
I admit it's disconcertingly easy for those used to using 6" barrels, but what this gun is easy !

I can compare, I have a pair of rare French revolvers, maybe you know them...
Manurhin Special Police F1, 4" 357 Mag
Manurhin MR 73, 6" 357 Mag, famous GIGN weapon

Please forgive me for the XXL size of the images, I used the 1st image host I found!

ladder13 · Feb 28, 2022

Nice collection !

John Patrick · Feb 28, 2022

ladder13 said:
Nice collection !

Quality over quantity.

But quantity has its merits!

H Richard · Feb 28, 2022

I believe that gun was originally made to fill an order for the French police. You bought it far less than it would cost in the USA. I have fond memories of the year I spent in France at Chaumont Air Base.

firemanhank · Feb 28, 2022

A bit more information on the 547. (paraphrasing from Roy Jinks letter)

Originally designed as a 4" square butt but during the pilot run in 1980 it was made in both 4 " square butt and 3" round butt. This pilot production run was 140 units with serial numbers between 5D59000 and 5D59139. Of this pilot run, only 40 had 3" barrels. The rest were 4" square butts.
The first full production run was in 1983 when they made 6486 of the 3" round butts. In 1984 the factory made 3480 with the majority being the 4" barrel. These are the only years that any quantity of this model were made. Total production including prototypes was 10270 units. It was dropped from the catalog in 1984.

The Jinks letter on my 547 shows it was made and shipped a year before the main production of these revolvers. You mentioned your serial number was 8Dxxxxx so maybe it was a pre-production or early production as well. Of course S&W didn't ship in order of the serial numbers so only a factory letter can confirm.

Hank

wbraswell · Mar 1, 2022

Bonjour from Texas. You have great taste in revolvers, mon ami.

Belgian686 · Mar 2, 2022

Greetings from Belgium

I also own a 3-inch (pinned barrel) 547 with serial number 8D44xxx, bought in 2004 for 250 € from the widow of a former Belgian police officer (after searching one for almost 15 years). So it looks like at least 2 of the 11 made in 1981 are in Europe. I like to think mine might have been a 'demo' model when S&W hoped to sell these in huge numbers to French and Belgian police. The action is incredibly smooth and it's amazingly precise for a 3" gun.

B686

S&W 547 3" from France

Jm-Ark

Member

paplinker

NYlakesider

firemanhank

Member

John Patrick

Member

Jm-Ark

Member

bananaman

Member

Jm-Ark

Member

NYlakesider

Jm-Ark

Member

ladder13

John Patrick

Member

H Richard

US Veteran

firemanhank

Member

wbraswell

Belgian686

Member

Similar threads

Latest posts