27-2 4" observation

[robdijohn]

Hey Guys,
It's been a few months since I looked up the 27-2 4" guns, I've been trying to accumulate other models... Anyway I remember just last summer I could buy a nice shape one blue or nickel for $850.....

I just recently looked up the last two completed GB auctions and wow, A factory re-nickel went for almost $1200 and A blued one went for $1600, both ended w/ buy it nows!.....

I believe the 4" were only made from like '79-82 , maybe that's why the sharp increase?? Imo the 4" guns have the best balance.. Gotta love em.....

 

[murphydog]

They have always sold for more than the 6 and 8 3/8" versions, roughly the same as the 5" and less than the 3.5". The shortest ones seem to have cooled off a little but the 4 and 5" have gone up quite a bit in the past 1-2 years. Tax refund money may have something to do with very recent bidding.

 

[Engine49guy]

Short production run (Low supply) and 27 collectors filing out the 27 card for all barrel lengths (High demand) result is high sales prices .

Prior to 1954 if you wanted a 4" S&W .357 Magnum your choice was the the "S&W .357 Magnum" aka the "Pre 27" ,
1954 the "Highway Patolman aka the "Pre 28" is introduced.
1955 the "Combat Magnum" aka "Pre 19" is introduced.
1970 the Model 66 is introduced followed by the non target Models 13 and 65.
1980 the L frame 586 and 686 are introduced followed by the 581 and 681 etc..

By 1981 the LEO market was shifting towards 9mm autoloaders but you can see someone wanting a 4" S&W revolver in .357 Mag had many lighter, less expensive and more durable finish options which probably had a direct effect on demand and so makes sense they would simplify the number of models they offered by dropping the 3.5" and 5" in favor of a 4" version, My guess is Model 28 demand went way down as well perhaps explains why no SS version of the Model 28 was ever offered.

 

[DR505]

I only have a 4" model 27-3...wish it was a 27-2. It was my first LE gun and it is great.

 

[fyimo]

I always thought that the 5 inch Model 27-2 had the best balance to me and the 4 inch looked the best. Back when I was buying the ones I had the 3.5 inch barrel Model 27-2 was the one that cost the most.

 

[robdijohn]

I always thought that the 5 inch Model 27-2 had the best balance to me and the 4 inch looked the best. Back when I was buying the ones I had the 3.5 inch barrel Model 27-2 was the one that cost the most.

I definitely like the 4" look also.... What part of Arkansas you from?

 

[lrb1200]

A P&R revolver in a barrel length that was only made for three to four years ( some of the later ones aren't pinned ) is
only going to go up in value.

The word "unobtainium" comes to mind.

If you walked away from a high condition one for $850,
you never would have seen it if I saw it first.

At this point in time, I would not even consider letting mine go.

 

[robdijohn]

You have a very nice blued one there.... There seems to be less of them compared to the nickel... But not sure about that....


This beauty sold for almost $2k back in Dec.'15 !!!

S&W 27-2 357 Mag 4" Blue .357 Magnum 27 P&R : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

 

[Tom_R]

I had a really nice nickel 27-2 4"

Red ramp white outline target stocks trigger and hammer. I cleaned it up and shined it up beautifully.

It sat in my safe for a year as I also have a model 28-2 that I shoot all the time.

I traded the 27-2 and some cash for a very high end 1911.

I just never shot it, and I did not lose money on it.

I just could not justify keeping it as I never shot it. It was more like a piece of art than a tool to me, so I passed it along.

I will say this, it was a really, really nice gun. It had been rode hard with some full house magnums, but the latest coup was still tight as a drum and the nickel was close to perfect.

I spent hours polishing it and cleaning it and ren waxing it after. It shone like the sun.

S&W really made an outstanding gun in the model 27.

If I come across a 5" or a 6" at a reasonable price I might snag it.

 

[alwslate]

Here's one of the two that I have. I've owned it for several years and
I think I'll hang on to it a while longer.

 

[pharmer]

I've had this one for 6 or 7 years, never shot it for no particular reason. Joe

 

[crsides]

You have a very nice blued one there.... There seems to be less of them compared to the nickel... But not sure about that....


This beauty sold for almost $2k back in Dec.'15 !!!

S&W 27-2 357 Mag 4" Blue .357 Magnum 27 P&R : Revolvers at GunBroker.com

I believe you are correct that more nickel guns made than blue.


Charlie

 

[muddocktor]

I picked up my nickel 4" 27-2 about a year ago on GB; cost me around $1400. But it also hasn't been shot besides the factory test rounds and came in the presentation case and so far I've resisted bringing it to the range and popping some caps through it. Also, I do have 4 other 27's too that are shooters and I exercise them regularly.

Here's a pic on my 4" and the first pistol I ever bought back in 1974, which is my 5" 27-2:

 

[dmar]

I've got a 4" blued 27-2 in absolute pristine condition, and I've got everything the way it was shipped from Smith. I've got the shipping box from Smith, the blue cardboard gun box (no S&W markings on top, by the way, just plain blue...) with all the accoutrements, and also the original presentation case that is still in the shrink wrap. The gun is gorgeous, not even a turn line, and it's just a really cool package.

I need to take some pictures and post them up some day to share. I paid a pretty good price for it several years ago, but I think it was money well spent...

 

[alwslate]

I have two 27-2s in 4" blue and they may be less common than the
nickel version but it still seems to me that the nickel guns will sell
for more money than the blue ones.

 

[txcp]

I have a 27-2 5 inch I never shoot.Like TOM R said it just sits in my safe,I shot it about 20 years ago.I have the wood box to.

TXCP