modded 27-2 value question...

[cmalooski1]

I recently picked up a smith and wesson 27-2, blued. Has a heavy Target barrel in stainless, Hague grips and a really nice trigger job. Condition is about 90-95%, and function of course is spot on. Pic is also attached...
Just curious as to what I got my hands on, and I think I'm in the right forum for this, but if not I'm sorry.

 

[Dennis The B]

It would help greatly if you could provide a serial number. It will be stamped on the frame cut-out, as well as the bottom of the frame.

The barrel appears to be custom of some sort, with the exposed ejector rod. I would guess it may have been used for PPC.

 

[Art Doc]

You are not going to like anything I have to say. I will give you a chance to return to whence you came if you do not wish to read my comments.
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

IMO the gun is a monstrosity in its current condition. I do not know who would do this to a 27 or why. The barrel looks ridiculous and has no front lug for the ejector. S&Ws modified to lose this feature are often unreliable in function as the gun sort relies on that piece to maintain proper cylinder alignment.

To me this gun is worth around $100 because I would have to find a correct barrel for it and that would cost maybe $300-$400 with labor to install it, making the total investment $500 in a rebuilt 27 and that's about all the market will bear. In reality, I would have zero interest in this butchered gun and would not buy it at any price.

 

[Ironhand]

You are not going to like anything I have to say. I will give you a chance to return to whence you came if you do not wish to read my comments.
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,

IMO the gun is a monstrosity in its current condition. I do not know who would do this to a 27 or why. The barrel looks ridiculous and has no front lug for the ejector. S&Ws modified to lose this feature are often unreliable in function as the gun sort relies on that piece to maintain proper cylinder alignment.

To me this gun is worth around $100 because I would have to find a correct barrel for it and that would cost maybe $300-$400 with labor to install it, making the total investment $500 in a rebuilt 27 and that's about all the market will bear. In reality, I would have zero interest in this butchered gun and would not buy it at any price.

I hate to say it, but I agree with SP on this one..

 

[Dave T]

I believe what you have is a partially built PPC (Police Revolver Competition) gun. What's missing to make it complete is a full length sight rib on top, like the BoMar.

Most PPC shooters find the K-frames more adaptable to this form of competition but there are those few who just like the N-frames. I'm betting the guy who put this together was one of those. I'd also be willing to bet some form of lock (ball-detent) has been added to the crane.

Dave

 

[stantheman86]

Keep in mind the 27's were just "used S&W's" 10-20 years ago..it has only been recently that original condition 27's are now made of gold...it was probably an old cop gun from the 60's that got sold used for $100 in the 80's or 90's and some guy turned it into a PPC gun. A lot of the home-brew basement gunsmith PPC guns were made from tired old police guns that were sold cheap because they had been shot loose, so they were good fodder for these franken-Wessons.

I also have 0 interest in custom guns like this, but then again I don't shoot in PPC matches either.

If I saw it for maybe $200 in a gun shop, and it had the ball detent front cylinder lockup.......it could be worth it just as something to plink around with. Also keep in mind lots of guys shot the heck out of the PPC guns, but if I recall correctly only .38 Special is allowed so the gun is probably still tight.

I saw a Model 10 turned PPC gun today, it's been sitting at my local gun shop for years....the lockup is so loose I wouldn't want to shoot it.

 

[Nightowl]

I had a model 27 built as a PPC gun in the early 70's, mainly because I liked the way speedloaders worked with the large cylinder. Much easier and faster to reload than the K frame. The guy, I hesitate to call him a gunsmith, put a 38/44 cylinder on it with a heavy barrel and Aristocrate rib. It was truly a heavy beast. It got too heavy as I got older. I took it to a gunsmith to retrofit with the original barrel and cylinder some time ago. Need to get it back. That is probably a very specialized gun, with ball detent lock and set up to shoot .38 special wadcutter ammo. I wouldn't disregard it out of hand, neither would I pay very much for it.

 

[Allen-frame]

Malooski, 10 members will give you 10 opinions regarding your gun.

It is apparent from your one photograph that you have a model 27
that has been extensively modified.
Whether the work was done well or not cannot be discerned from
your photo.

Your gun may be a work of gunsmithing art by Jim Clark,
or a frankenrevolver by god-knows-who.
We cannot tell from your one skimpy photograph.

Have you shot the gun?
Does it have any markings on it?

What do you want to know about it?

The locals are a bit hostile for such project guns.
If you want some help E-mail me and we can talk.We are both in Florida.

Regards
Allen Frame

 

[acl864]

I think it may be a heck of a shooter if the modifications are well executed. Obviously it has no value as a S&W collectible but as a tool that was well built in the first place, then modified to function as it's owner needed it to, it is definitely not without value. Just like all "customized" pieces of equipment whether they be guns, cars, motorcycles, computers, etc, it can be difficult to find a market. The exact combination of parts and mechanical tweaks that the original owner saw fit to add, probably will not appeal to a broad cross section of gun owners. I'm betting if it were mine, it would not lack for range time.

 

[P&R Fan]

Since you already own it, my advice is shoot the heck out of it. You're certainly not going to hurt it, and you might as well enjoy it since the collector value is gone. Might as well make the best of it.

 

[ken158]

What everyone has said. Just an outdated PPC gun and the current value is very low and bringing it back would be cost prohibitive.

 

[cmalooski1]

Malooski, 10 members will give you 10 opinions regarding your gun.

It is apparent from your one photograph that you have a model 27
that has been extensively modified.
Whether the work was done well or not cannot be discerned from
your photo.

Your gun may be a work of gunsmithing art by Jim Clark,
or a frankenrevolver by god-knows-who.
We cannot tell from your one skimpy photograph.

Have you shot the gun?
Does it have any markings on it?

What do you want to know about it?

The locals are a bit hostile for such project guns.
If you want some help E-mail me and we can talk.We are both in Florida.

Regards
Allen Frame

Thanks all for the info and honesty, really I cant wait to shoot it, and I will get some more pics up a bit later....