Help with 27-2 Stock Modification

[Hawg Rider]

A friend and co-worker approached me recently, saying that he was selling a few guns for his father. Knowing that I was a S&W aficionado (particularly N-frames), he showed me a blued Model 27-2, 3-1/2" bbl. in excellent condition (just a few scratches). S/N N47210 (ca. 1970), it was in the box with all the tools and paperwork. He offered it to me for $675, so how could I pass it up. However, there were a couple of issues...Firstly- the original wide target hammer and trigger had been changed out to the narrower versions, but the original parts were in the box so I have no issue with that. But secondly, the original owner put thin brass plates on the bottom of each stock. Does anyone know the purpose for those plates? Would it have been for presentation engraving, or just to protect the base of the stocks? I've never seen that before. Should I try to carefully remove them and refinish the stocks? Suggestions? But irregardless, I was extremely fortunate to purchase this beautiful revolver at a great price.

 

[Old_Cop]

Leave it alone and be thankful for the "gift". If you must, buy replacement magnas or some nice Culinas.

 

[series guy]

I have always seen the brass butt plates done as one piece and screwed to the stocks. This was a popular addition to LE guns for behavior modification of suspects. More weight and less chance of splitting the stocks. The brass on your gun looks thinner than most and very well done. It also looks like it's been there a while. I would let sleeping dogs lie as they say.

 

[fleabus101]

Years ago these type plates were sold to protect the butt ends from damage. Often
police would attach them to use in case
they had to use the butt as a "tool" so to speak
in handling situations.
Mainly decoration for some. Went out of
favor many moons ago.They show up now and then although many dont recognize them.

 

[fleabus101]

Apologies as I typed while the former reply beat me to you. Best..

 

[Art Doc]

Sell the stocks and buy the ones you want. They have screws in the bottom or were glued on. I think Targets are too big on the short barrel but that's me.

A 1970 27-2 had to be ordered with Target options. Not standard until 1975 or 76.

You paid about 60% of value.

 

[RKmesa]

... He offered it to me for $675, so how could I pass it up.

Beautiful gun. I agree with Old Cop, grips are a fun thing to adorn any gun with. I play musical grips regularly (always keeping the ones that came with the gun stored and marked and close by). Find some grips that you like, buy them and customize your gun however you want.

 

[H Richard]

To many collectors that brass plate might raise the value of the gun. Especially if there is documentation who owned the gun and a police connection. Leave it alone. I have seen both brass and polished metal with fancy engraving of initials, department, tournament win's, etc.

 

[Hawg Rider]

The plot thickens...

I usually clean a gun as soon as I get it, so that was my plan this morning. I removed the stocks, did a wipe down with Hoppe's followed by a few drops of oil and some Ren Wax. Guess what I found hand-inscribed inside the right stock: "Special Order Gold". Now I'm not saying that these plates are gold or gold-plated, but it sure makes me wonder. It looks like brass, but it's not tarnished like brass ???. The two plates are bonded to the bottom of the stocks, and there is no engraving. Interesting...

 

[arjay]

I'd leave the stocks as they are and buy a second pair.Im guessing those brass plates are glued on (contact adhesive) and the wood is likely to splinter when you pry them off

 

[Muley Gil]

Back in the 1970s, butt plates were seen quite often on police revolvers in the South. All of the ones I saw were one piece and screwed to the butt. Most were brass and were engraved. I've seen the S&W logo, badges and the officer's name on the butt. The majority were about 1/4" thick. I saw a few aluminum ones as well.

Police handguns get banged up while entering and exiting patrol cars. The butt plates helped prevent that. While I never saw it happen, I'm sure the heavy butt plate was used to "adjust an attitude or two" over the years.

 

[Hawg Rider]

I'll leave it alone...

Yes, I'll just leave the plates alone...although I'm still not sure if they are brass or gold-plated. Since the plates are pretty thin and bonded on, they're probably more for bling than to be used as a headknocker. I'm not sure if a Mr. Jinx letter would clear anything up, other than maybe tell me if it was shipped to a police dept. or not. Except for the butt plates, this '70 27-2 3-1/2" is a twin to my '71 27-2 3-1/2" revolver.

 

[krsmith58]

congrats on your new revolver . it's a beauty . I have never seen that before but kind of like it . if anyone knows where stocks with added plates can be had please share that info . I would love to have a set with gold plates . I think they look great . thanks , Kenny texas

 

[flagman1776]

I became aware of the brass plates being an add on back in the 70's. I never this did any on my guns. I don't recall the fad lasting very long.

 

[Mblhopo]

I would just polish them and then leave them alone. If you don't like them put on a set you do like...……………………………………………..M*

 

[Oracle]

I have never seen brass butt plates on revolver stocks before but I like them. They certainly add an uniqueness factor and could possibly bolster the value. The 70's cops didn't have the resources today's cops have so a tool to "splain" the rules to crooks would have been handy.

 

[Beauetienne]

How cool is that? Congrats!

 

[flagman1776]

I don't like it. It makes it difficult to clean and lube the gun. The ones I saw had small screw holes, so they could be removed for service. I wonder if they'd come off with heat like a heat gun?

Never the less, they are part of the gun's history and it wouldn't be wrong to leave them.

 

[SS57]

I would take those off faster then Justin Bieber's neighbors move. Refinish the bottom, very easy.

 

[reccpd101]

I worked with officers who had the plates on the stocks in the 70's. Based on the uniform patrolman's salaries then, if it was a LE gun, the plates were d__n sure NOT gold. I never so them used for an impact weapon that's why you carried a roll of nickels, a leaded glove, or a CONVOY blackjack (No joke that was the name commercially embossed on the leather strap).

 

[jw mathews]

Very interesting find & a good price also. I never saw a revolver with buttplates before this thread but if they are thinner than on thee police guns mentioned in previous posts above, and are gold or gold-plated, my guess is that they were intended for decoration or possible engraving Why not try a factory letter or the S&W Historical people to see if those plates are mentioned in the records? Given the info on the inside of the right stock found by the OP, that seems like a possibility.

 

[GerSan69]

We had a source for these back in the 70s-80s in the Denver area and many of us had these back then. I recall that the maker had to have our grips to fit the plate perfectly.
I had one with my name and badge number engraved on it. Quite stylish. An engraved USMC symbol was popular among that service's Vets. Others had our badge engraved.
I kept the plate but I'll be darned if I know what I did with it. All the ones I've ever seen were one piece with little brass screws as was described by others. I've never seen two pieces like the OP's.

 

[rubiranch]

Nice catch. Congratulations.
Those brass butt plates look pretty cool.

 

[Nightowl]

Beautiful 27! Kinda unusual to find a nearly 50 year old in nearly perfect condition with box.And at a great price. I've seen guns like that priced in the $1500 range.
Back when your 27-2 shipped, it was shipped with Magna stocks and standard hammer and trigger, like you have on it now, unless it was special ordered. I found many years ago that the target triggers are not the best for double action shooting, which is about all I do anymore, except with full load .44 Magnums and up. (I finally came to the hard realization that I cannot control double action full .44 Magnum loads anymore)
That sure is one to treasure!! Congratulations.

 

[Arquebus357]

Super nice pick-up. I would leave those plates alone. The brass has acquired a nice patina. If you were to polish them, it would take years to get back that look. Sort of like the patina you see on brass lever action receivers.

 

[2152hq]

Gold (24k) was $35/oz in 1970.
Late in '71 we went off the gold standard (backing the dollar with gold) and it went up to around $38.00/oz. Around $45/oz in '72. and onward.
A shop I worked at in '73 went bonkers and changed their 14k gold line inlay on a shotgun contact build to .99 Fine Silver because of the cost increase.

The plates look like they could be 10k gold which looks remarkably like most common brass alloys we see. It tarnishes about the same as well.
10k gold is 10/24th gold, or 5/12th pure gold alloy. (Take the alloy number (10k, 14k, 18k, etc) and make a fraction over pure gold (24k) to get the fraction of purity of that alloy)

Around that time ('71) 10k sheet gold would have cost about $20+/oz. Add labor of course for the job.
Not an extreme amt, though taking into consideration what we made back then, it wasn't pocket change as it is today.
$30 back then could have paid for just the 10k gold to do that job IMO judging from the pic.

I'd guess the plates have a peg or two each soft soldered to their backs that are inletted into the grip wood and the plates and pegs epoxied into place. The pegs giving extra strength to the assembly.

It could be brass,,I could be all wrong.

So..I would take the grips to a jeweler or one of the We Buy Gold places and have them test the metal for gold content. Simple test.
At todays values, even 10k gold, the plates at scrap value have some $$ not to be tossed aside.

If you don't care for the gold and grips replace them. At least you'll know what you are dealing with if you decide to replace them and possibly get rid of them.

Nice revolver BTW!.

 

[Qmark]

Never saw or knew anything about the brass plates. It does however explain the screw holes in the bottom of a set of N-frame target grips I picked up at a yard sale a few years back.

Found the grips inside a Pachmayer box. Can pretty much assume somebody got caught up in the rubber grip fad. Despite the holes and slightly rough edges I turned the grips for about a $50.00 profit on EBay.

BTW for only 675, you're a lucky stiff and I'm very envious. About a year ago I was hooked up with a friend of a friend that had a cherry 27-2 with box. The seller backed out. Him being a San Francisco resident and working for a law firm didn't want to jump through the red tape of FFL transfers after a lawyer co-worker questioned it being on Commiefornia's approved list. I offered to pay the fees but he quit responding to my email, texts and voice mail. I got the feeling he might have been just picking my brain to see what it was worth.

 

[diecidecimi]

Unusual, but I like that stuff. Well crafted, not invasive for the look . Keep it as it is.

 

[Hawg Rider]

Thanks for all of the valuable information and feedback. Because there are two plates, not one, mounted on the stocks there is no issue with removing the stocks for cleaning. I guess the plates could be 10K gold, so I'll stop by my local jeweler and have him test it. Should prove interesting. And yes, I consider myself very fortunate to have been offered this revolver at such a great price. I purchased another revolver from this same friend a couple of years ago, and he is also a very good leathercrafter. I've had him make me some beautiful knife and tomahawk sheaths and holsters. Now I'm waiting to see if his Dad will be selling some more S&Ws in the near future!

 

[Art66]

Congratulations on a great purchase! I think the "special order gold" stocks make the gun unique and historically interesting. They certainly add to the value of the 27-2. Lettering the gun might reveal if the stocks were originally ordered with the gun. I'm envious as I would love to have a Model 27, especially one as unique as yours.