PRE. MODLE 27 QUESTION.

[PATRON]

Hi folks, this is my first post on this forum.I have a 357revolver that looks to be a pre. 27 but I am not sure and can use some help.It is in the serial no. s 77xxx I will let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

 

[410bore]

yes, it is a pre 27....the barrel looks to be cut down

 

[DCWilson]

Welcome to the forum. Yes, that is a Pre-27. It probably shipped in 1950-51, somewhere around there.

I agree it has been modified. The front sight is a ramp rather than the standard Patridge sight. The barrel looks to be just a hair under 3.5 inches, the shortest factory option. The ejector rod shroud seems to have been rounded slightly, as if in imitation of a Jovino custom reworking. It has basically been given combat features (shorter barrel, ramp sight) in place of the target configuration standard for this model.

That should be a great shooter. It's almost impossible to wear out a .357. Nice gun! I love the honest wear that you can only get from a working revolver.

ADDENDUM: I ws just told off list that I am wrong about the features I mentioned. The shorter-barrel versions did have ramp sights, and the shrouds on the early guns have rounder front profiles than they did later. So you may still have a modified gun, but the reasons I alleged are not relevant!

 

[DGT]

Welcome to the forum. As 410bore said, your gun is a pre-27.

 

[H Richard]

Yes, that is a pre27, and in the desirable 3 1/2" barrel, which may have been a longer barrel originally. As others have said, great shooters. Mine has just enough wear that I do shoot it also. This one lettered as shipped 9/23/53, S9958X.

 

[delta-419]

Pre-27

Welcome to the Forum. Lots of great info and knowledge here. We are glad to have you join us. A very interesting pre-27 and obviously a hard working gun, bet she is a great shooter.

 

[PATRON]

Here is a little history behind the revolver.It was aquired by Brinks armored car CO. When they merged with US trucking around the late 50's early 60's ending up at the Brinks Boston branch,that's where I come in .In the 1990's I was the firearms instructor for Brinks Boston, back then brinks was using the modle 10,64 and a few old Colts.This firearm was just collecting dust,having an FFL at the time I offered to buy it from them,and I could not believe they said yes. They sold it to me for what it was on the books for,which was a whole $35.

 

[Timber Wolf]

They sold it to me for what it was on the books for,which was a whole $35.

I don't suppose you got hurt too bad on that deal. I would have to see what the lock-up and bore looked like to say for sure.

 

[s&wchad]

I was the firearms instructor for Brinks Boston... They sold it to me for.. .$35.

Wow, you robbed Brinks and got away with it!

 

[Engine49guy]

WOW, what a diamond in the rough,
With a whopping $35 bucks invested you even have some room to spend a few $$$ to spiff it up .

Not so sure it has been cut down though,
the roll stamps hint it has been shortened,
then again they could have been training a new employee the morning after the company Christmas party .
In its present condition it really doesnt matter anyway ,

Nice Shootin Iron !
Welcome aboard and thanks for sharing it.

 

[Sprefix]

I love stories like this. Great find and score.

 

[PATRON]

If you want a real good story about that firearm,our vault man carried this revolver for a short time but it was too heavy so he went to a smaller revolver.Ok, so you want to know what the big deal is.Well if you have seen the movie the Brinks job with Peter Faulk, I hope I spelled his last name right. In the movie, the crooks are on a roof top looking inside the building watching the workers.Well our vault man played the guy they nicked named the" lone crapper" He was the guy in uniform that walks down the hall with the news paper under his arm heading towards the bathroom.So my revolver has a little bit of history.

 

[Nightowl]

I'm not convinced the barrel was cut down, it just looks a little shorter than the normal 3 1/2, but the ramp sight to me looks normal and the pins still look good. Maybe I just don't see too good. A letter is in order here, anyway. It appears to have been carried and used a lot, but not shot too much. They cylinder stop notches still look pretty good. That is a need gun with a lot of good history. I have one about the same vintage that has a different hammer style. I wonder if that one was changed, or they started to put that hammer in new ones around that time period?

 

[PATRON]

Here are a few more pictures. one of the members suggested that I send the gun info to S&W for more info on it.I think I will do that.

 

[doc540]

Congrats!

Great story, great history, great price....great gun

 

[s&wchad]

Looking at the new photos, it very well may have been shortened. The two pins holding the front sight base to the rib should either be flush and almost indistinguishable or proud with radiused ends. The rib shouldn't be sticking out past the front of the sight base either, at least I haven't seen a post war gun like that.

Still a great buy.

 

[Ardilla]

I have an IDENTICAL gun serial number 58XXX same barrel lenght (original) 3.5", the onli diference is the front sight has one pin instead of two like yours.- Fantastic shooter with handloads and cast bullets, one minute on a Ransom rest.- The chambers are so tight that witha a .3575" bullet and nickel plated brass it drags heavily on loading but with comon brass cases they slip into the chambers like oiled.-