Question about my new 27-3

[stevieboy]

Here's my new 27-3, made in early 1987, which I purchased at auction a couple of weeks ago. The price, $579, struck me as being almost too reasonable given the asking prices for other 27s these days. The gun came without box or papers. When it arrived I was a little taken aback by its dingy appearance. The finish was dull although there was no visible wear. However, the gun cleaned up beautifully. I removed a large quantity of a brown substance from both the exterior and interior of the gun (dried gun oil?) and what was underneath that was strikingly bright. after cleaning the gun appeared to be virtually unfired. It has a very faint turn line and no other visible wear to the finish. The grips are unblemished.

What makes the gun a bit of a mystery to me is that there are a number of interesting roll marks on the bottom of the ejector shroud which I've never seen before. Closest to the muzzle are some very tiny letters, difficult to read even with a magnifying glass. They appear to be "UA/USA" but I won't swear to it. Immediately behind them is a small star embossed over a "Y" shaped figure. Behind that is a fishhook or sickle shaped figure over a horizontal bar. Then, at the point closes to the frame is a figure that looks like a small urn with flames coming from it. Inside the urn is a letter "L" which looks sort of like the sign on the British Pound note. The urn/flames figure is repeated on the bottom of the frame just in front of the trigger guard and on the rear of the cylinder.

I know that a star often indicates that a repair has been made to a gun. But I've never seen a star on the bottom of the ejector shroud and I'm wondering if it means something else in the context of the "Y" figure. I've written to Mr. Jinks about the gun and, when I get his letter I'll post it.

Oh, yes, the gun shoots beautifully. It easily produces 1" groups at 15 yards, offhand, and it makes me look like a good shot. I love it. I'd posted a few weeks ago asking folks' opinions about whether to buy a Classic 27. Several of you advised me to shop for a used model and I'm glad I took your advice.

 

[stevieboy]

Here's my new 27-3, made in early 1987, which I purchased at auction a couple of weeks ago. The price, $579, struck me as being almost too reasonable given the asking prices for other 27s these days. The gun came without box or papers. When it arrived I was a little taken aback by its dingy appearance. The finish was dull although there was no visible wear. However, the gun cleaned up beautifully. I removed a large quantity of a brown substance from both the exterior and interior of the gun (dried gun oil?) and what was underneath that was strikingly bright. after cleaning the gun appeared to be virtually unfired. It has a very faint turn line and no other visible wear to the finish. The grips are unblemished.

What makes the gun a bit of a mystery to me is that there are a number of interesting roll marks on the bottom of the ejector shroud which I've never seen before. Closest to the muzzle are some very tiny letters, difficult to read even with a magnifying glass. They appear to be "UA/USA" but I won't swear to it. Immediately behind them is a small star embossed over a "Y" shaped figure. Behind that is a fishhook or sickle shaped figure over a horizontal bar. Then, at the point closes to the frame is a figure that looks like a small urn with flames coming from it. Inside the urn is a letter "L" which looks sort of like the sign on the British Pound note. The urn/flames figure is repeated on the bottom of the frame just in front of the trigger guard and on the rear of the cylinder.

I know that a star often indicates that a repair has been made to a gun. But I've never seen a star on the bottom of the ejector shroud and I'm wondering if it means something else in the context of the "Y" figure. I've written to Mr. Jinks about the gun and, when I get his letter I'll post it.

Oh, yes, the gun shoots beautifully. It easily produces 1" groups at 15 yards, offhand, and it makes me look like a good shot. I love it. I'd posted a few weeks ago asking folks' opinions about whether to buy a Classic 27. Several of you advised me to shop for a used model and I'm glad I took your advice.

 

[stevieboy]

I forgot to say that the gun is a 4-incher.

 

[stevieboy]

No thoughts about what those roll marks might mean?

 

[s&wchad]

It sounds like foreign proof marks. Any chance you could post a close up photo?

 

[stevieboy]

I've tried to photograph them and they're just too small. There's a photo of them on the gunbroker site but the resolution isn't great. The auction number is 125528173.

 

[stevieboy]

Mystery solved!! I just received a letter from Mr. Jinks. The relevant paragraph:

"We have researched your Smith & Wesson Model 27-3 .357 Magnum, caliber .357, in company records which indicate that your handgun, with serial number AWD36xx, was shipped from our factory on May 27, 1988, and delivered to Wischo GMBH, Erlongen Germany. The records indicate that this handgun was shipped with a 4 inch barrel with red ramp front sight, white outline rear sight, target hammer, target trigger, blue finish, and checkered Goncalo Alves target grips. The markings you described are the German Proof marks and the importation marking."

Now, the next question is: how did a gun made back in early 1988 go all the way to Germany and then, show up here 21 years later, covered with a heavy brown preservative but apparently either unfired or very lightly fired? I'm guessing I'll never know the answer to that one.

 

[pred]

The 3 1/2" barrel guns get the most $$$, But the 4" is the least common barrel length.
I have one just like it!
Nice piece you got there!
Peter

 

[Muley Gil]

Now, the next question is: how did a gun made back in early 1988 go all the way to Germany and then, show up here 21 years later, covered with a heavy brown preservative but apparently either unfired or very lightly fired?

Bought by an American GI and brought back?

 

[stevieboy]

That's sort of what I was thinking. But, what accounts for the brown glop that was smeared all over the gun when I got it and its seemingly pristine state? The gun came to me without box or papers so I'm certain it was not someone's safe queen. I'm speculating but I suspect that some GI brought it home, put it in a dresser drawer, and forgot about it until, 20+ years later, he or someone in his family sold it at a low price.

Relatively recently, I bought a new S & W Model 41. As soon as I got it home I gave it a thorough cleaning, inside and out. And, all surfaces of the gun were covered with what seemed to be the same brown goo that covered my 27. I haven't checked the serial number on the 41 to see how long it sat in the Smith warehouse before it was sold. So, I'm wondering if, maybe, guns destined by Smith for long term storage get covered with that brown substance. And, maybe, the coating on my 27 indicates that it was never fired until the day I acquired it.

Well, in any event, it's been fired a bunch in the last few weeks and it quickly has become my favorite revolver, by far. So, whatever its history I'm delighted to have it. It's kind of cool, however, to know that the gun made an 8,000 mile roundtrip just to arrive in my hot hands. Where, hopefully, it's going to stay for a looong time.

 

[john traveler]

The brown residue that comes off the blue finish is characteristic of hot tank bluing. It's bluing residue the comes out of the pores of the finish and usually requires several cleanings before it stops. Perfectly normal to need some solvent and several repeated wipedowns to get it all off.