Commemoratives - Would you shoot them?

My LGS has a 50th anniversary 27-3 5". This one celebrates the magnum going into production. NIB with all the toys and papers. Just gorgeous. The bluing is unreal and the gold lettering makes me weep.

Forgetting about the commemorative, not exactly a whole lot of NIB 27-3s in the world!!! P&R. No Lock. Lovely.

He want's $1,050 which given what this is and what others are going for on the auction sites new, it's a steal.

But, here's the question. Would you shoot it? I am not a gun collector, I'm a shooter. That being said, it's not exactly cheap. However it's new, and it would be my babying it, loving it….. Oh, sorry got carried away. I tend to only buy new guns.

Anyhow… To buy or not to buy? To shoot or not to shoot? That's the question? HELP! (Borrowed photo)



Thanks

Matt

I wouldn't think a -3 is P&R, though some of them may have one or the other feature during the -2 to -3 transition.

A 5-inch N-frame .357 is a wonderful package to shoot and to look at. I would probably shoot it, in spite of its "virginity." $1050 would probably be a little high for me for that particular model, however.

sure, buy it and shoot it. if you only buy new guns, you are limited to what you will ever own and enjoy so why not. commemoratives really hold little or no additional value unless what it commemorates is personally meaningful but that is sentimental and doesnt translate to sales price to others. the way I look at it, $1000 for NIB 27-3 is a good deal, commemorative or not and one from which if you ever do sell it, you would likely get you money back out of in a few years.

I'd shoot it -- carefully. After realizing it's just another nice gun and nothing more, I'd give it a thorough cleaning and safe queen it.

I can't afford to own anything I cannot use. And if I could somehow afford it ,it just doesn't make any sense to NOT use it, it just isn't right. Why save all that goodness for someone else to eventually enjoy? Why?

Could be wrong, but from the pictures it doesn't look pinned or recessed. I see nothing wrong with shooting a commemorative. It can be a great way to get a good deal on a LNIB gun.

I like many of the commemoratives. Some are just plain model with a roll mark, a gold wash and a wooden box. Like the 50th Anniversary model 27 that you are looking at. This happens to be the one pictured in the SCSW. The -3 is not pinned or recessed as others have noted



Some are slightly more embelished like the 75th Annivsary model 27 with it's light engraving



While others are art work that happen to use a firearm as the canvas like this 150th Anniversary of the Texas Rangers that was Master Engraved at S&W



The decision to shoot or not to shoot is personal and it is separate from the decision to collect or not collect.

I own more than one model 27, so not-shooting one of them is not too big of a deal. If this is your only model 27, that urge to bust a cap is much harder to resist.



Which category the commemorative falls into also alters the decision to shoot or not shoot. The embellishment of the 50th Anniversary 27 is not great enough to stop me personally from shooting it if I wanted to.

Then there is the price issue. If you are paying a premium price because it is a commemorative or because it is unfired, why would you then want to shoot it and destroy that premium? OK, perhaps you want to be the first person to fire the gun, I can understand that.

However, if the intent from the start is to have a shooter, then buy a shooter and pay a shooter price.

Some folks say it is a gun shoot it, no ifs ands or buts. Well I do not believe in that philosophy. If I owned a Stanley Steamer I would not feel the need to stoke the furnace and drive it to work just because it was a car. If I had a Ming Vase I would not be compelled to fill it with water and put flowers in it.

There are reasons to preserve things. I suppose that having been the Curator of a collection I have a different outlook on things.

Wow! That 150th Anniversary of the Texas Rangers is spectacular.

Hi Matt, I have 2 commemorative 66s I bought NIB in their wooden presentation cases. If they weren't worth anything special to their owners, LEO agency members, they're not worth anything to me as collector's items. Both shoot nicely and are bedside guns. Up to you.

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103

I have one myself and is also unfired. I bought it a few months ago and so far I have resisted the urge to bring it to the range. But I also own a 5" 27-2 that has been shot since 1974 by me. With that said, the will is crumbling to keep from bringing it to the range and trying her out. Seriously, the fact that it is a 5" barrel 27-3 probably makes it much more rare than 5" barreled 27s of earlier vintage. The 5" barrel (along with the 3 1/2" barrel) were dropped from production in 1979, before the 27-2 run was "upgraded" to 27-3 engineering change. The 5" barrel models were only made after that in commemorative and special run models, so there aren't a whole bunch of 27-3 and later 5" barrel pre-lock revolvers running around. That might not make much difference now, but in another 10-20 years???

And for your information, the 27-3 isn't pinned and doesn't have a recessed cylinder. Not that it really matters except that I think the recessed cylinders look a little better.

I probably wouldn't buy one but if I did, I think I would shoot it, not all the time but maybe once a year, unless it was a really good shooter.

Matt Hooper said:

My LGS has a 50th anniversary 27-3 5". This one celebrates the magnum going into production. NIB with all the toys and papers. Just gorgeous. The bluing is unreal and the gold lettering makes me weep.

Forgetting about the commemorative, not exactly a whole lot of NIB 27-3s in the world!!! P&R. No Lock. Lovely.

He want's $1,050 which given what this is and what others are going for on the auction sites new, it's a steal.

But, here's the question. Would you shoot it? I am not a gun collector, I'm a shooter. That being said, it's not exactly cheap. However it's new, and it would be my babying it, loving it….. Oh, sorry got carried away. I tend to only buy new guns.

Anyhow… To buy or not to buy? To shoot or not to shoot? That's the question? HELP! (Borrowed photo)



Thanks

Matt

Click to expand...

If your not going to shoot it , get a replica made out of plastic is my 02. I've seen folk buys cars never to drive and guns never to shoot. I like them lots coz I normally buy their trucks and cars for 1/2 price Me I would shoot the S%&t out of it and have a great conversation piece at the range...

thewelshm

colt_saa said:

I like many of the commemoratives. Some are just plain model with a roll mark, a gold wash and a wooden box. Like the 50th Anniversary model 27 that you are looking at. This happens to be the one pictured in the SCSW. The -3 is not pinned or recessed as others have noted

Some are slightly more embelished like the 75th Annivsary model 27 with it's light engraving

While others are art work that happen to use a firearm as the canvas like this 150th Anniversary of the Texas Rangers that was Master Engraved at S&W

The decision to shoot or not to shoot is personal and it is separate from the decision to collect or not collect.

I own more than one model 27, so not-shooting one of them is not too big of a deal. If this is your only model 27, that urge to bust a cap is much harder to resist.

Which category the commemorative falls into also alters the decision to shoot or not shoot. The embellishment of the 50th Anniversary 27 is not great enough to stop me personally from shooting it if I wanted to.

Then there is the price issue. If you are paying a premium price because it is a commemorative or because it is unfired, why would you then want to shoot it and destroy that premium? OK, perhaps you want to be the first person to fire the gun, I can understand that.

However, if the intent from the start is to have a shooter, then buy a shooter and pay a shooter price.

Some folks say it is a gun shoot it, no ifs ands or buts. Well I do not believe in that philosophy. If I owned a Stanley Steamer I would not feel the need to stoke the furnace and drive it to work just because it was a car. If I had a Ming Vase I would not be compelled to fill it with water and put flowers in it.

There are reasons to preserve things. I suppose that having been the Curator of a collection I have a different outlook on things.

Click to expand...

That being said, we are a LONG way from a Stanley Steamer and a Ming Vase here, and both items have either been driven or had flowers in them. Its in the upkeep and care in my humble opinion.

thewelshm

Have not yet...but someday it is going to get carried..I agree that if your not going to use it, why have it..66-3.

Funny thing, I've shot Winchester Model 94 commemoratives, didn't think twice about it. Not sure how I feel about S&W revolvers that are commemoratives. I only own one or two guns I've never shot and those have not been fired by dint of accident over the years, I just accidentally put them away and never got around to them. Someday.....

I would shoot the snot out of that gun. It would be a shame not to use it as it was designed for, shooting pleasure. Enjoy.

muddocktor said:

And for your information, the 27-3 isn't pinned and doesn't have a recessed cylinder. Not that it really matters except that I think the recessed cylinders look a little better.

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Thanks! Yup, I was mistaken about the P&R. Appreciate the clarity. Still, really pumped about a 27-3 in 5". He's had this for quite a while and it's not going anywhere. Big show here this weekend. Will likely wait and see what else is out there.

Appreciate all the advice! Leaning… Heavily…To buying and Shooting!

A comparison...

FYI.... I bought this 27-3 with both sets of grips from a local resident for $700. It is like new.



My suggestion is to be patient, as I was, and wait for a better deal to show up - perhaps at the gun show you mentioned.

It's a gun, guns are made for shooting.

Not only did i shoot my 25-3 125year,
i had it cut for moonclips and drilled for a scope

Stanley Steamer? Ming Vase? Wow! I thought my "Faberge Egg" analogy couldn't be matched. But it has been!

Kaaskop49
Shield #5103