School me on the Model 27-3

[Patrick L]

Hello all. I'm currently on the hunt for a Model 27 that will not put me in the poor house. A dealer ay a gunshop told me he had a 27-3 inhis shop, but didn't have it with him at the show.

If I've got my dashes correct, this would be a non pinned and recessed gun, made sometime from the early 80s till??

Am I correct in that? Anything else I should know? While P&R is certainly nice, I'm just looking for something to shoot.

Reasonable price for one of these?

 

[357 shooter]

If I've got my dashes correct, this would be a non pinned and recessed gun, made sometime from the early 80s till??

Correct , no pin , non-recessed. I have a 27-3 with the 8 3/8" barrel. A good range gun and shot very accurately for me back when I could see open sights. I paid $450 fro mine but that was probably 5 or 6 years ago. It did not have original wood grips.

 

[Narragansett]

Hello all. I'm currently on the hunt for a Model 27 that will not put me in the poor house. A dealer ay a gunshop told me he had a 27-3 inhis shop, but didn't have it with him at the show.

If I've got my dashes correct, this would be a non pinned and recessed gun, made sometime from the early 80s till??

Am I correct in that? Anything else I should know? While P&R is certainly nice, I'm just looking for something to shoot.

Reasonable price for one of these?

A bit more information, like box, tools, docs, bbl length, 3T's and anything else would help. personally I own several shooter and collector quality pistols, but no 27's, and I will not buy one as long as there are nice examples of model 28's out there. Basically the same gun, but just not so pretty and fewer options, but less money for a great shooter. Just my .02

 

[Peak53]

A word on triple T's

The target hammer, trigger and stocks may add a little pizzaz, but may not be everyone's cup of coffee for actual shooting.

For instance, I am not really a fan of the wide trigger because it makes double action trigger pulling a little awkward. On a strictly target gun that is fired mostly in single action, then yes. But, the more I shoot, the more I'm trying to hone double action shooting.

For the most part, I love target hammers for the good purchase with the thumb, depending on the intended use. IMHO the bigger the gun, the bigger the hammer can be.

While I have a number of target stocked guns, and love the look, the best fit for my hand is probably magnas with a grip adapter such as Tyler T.

So, just see what feels good to your hand instead of holding out for vaunted triple T's.

 

[muddocktor]

The 27-3 should save you a bit of money as compared to a 27-2 of comparable shape since it doesn't have the pinned barrel or recessed cylinder, but it is just as strong as the earlier guns. As said above, the price on it depends on what it comes with. Does it have the presentation case with tools and paperwork? What is the overall condition of the gun? And what is the finish, blue or nickel? According to the SCSW, S&W discontinued the nickel finish on the 27-3 around 1986, which might make them somewhat more rare than the blue finish guns. Also, barrel length matters too on what price they will sell for with the 8 3/8 and 6" barrels generally selling for less money.

As for the preference of a wide, serrated target trigger or one of the narrower ones, that is personal preference. Most of my 27's have the wide, serrated target trigger but I do have a 27-5 that has the .265 service trigger and I personally don't find that it gives a decided advantage over the target triggers, but it is still very comfortable to shoot with in either single or double action. Of my model 27 collection, I only have 1 gun newer than the 27-2 of all my other 27's. Not that I think the newer guns are weaker or less desirable for shooting, but rather I like the looks of the recessed cylinder over the non-recessed cylinder. The one newer I do have also has a recessed cylinder too. I just find the wide gap between the cylinder and recoil shield to be uglier to me.

 

[Snapping Twig]

27-3 is everything the 27-2 is, save for P&R.

I have both. Excellent bluing, checkering, accuracy in either case.

Get it!

 

[Patrick L]

Well, called the shop. He has an 8 3/8 inch, blued, 3Ts and target stocked 27-3, all for only $1495!

Don't know if it has box or tools, frankly at that price I don't care. That seems way high.

 

[357 shooter]

Well, called the shop. He has an 8 3/8 inch, blued, 3Ts and target stocked 27-3, all for only $1495!

Don't know if it has box or tools, frankly at that price I don't care. That seems way high.

Seems way high to me! I'd sure let mine go at that price!

 

[cmansguns]

Op;

My vote is like already posted....snap up a Model 28 Highway Patrolman....just as good as any 27 IMHO...and I have 3, a PreModel 27 (S s/n suffix), a 27-2 with 3-1/2" bbl, and a 28-2 HP.....ALL of them are fun shooters as pertnear any N Frame in 357 Mag is to me. Felt recoil out of the 3.5" 27-2 is more than I like, but still less than my 29 with full bore 44 Mag aboard.

I think your local guy is very high. The 8-3/8" is a lot of iron and they discontinued that bbl length in 1991. Around here maybe $825 to $950 tops for that gun alone with no box, docs, tools.

Just my 2 cents worth

 

[blasterp7]

Well, called the shop. He has an 8 3/8 inch, blued, 3Ts and target stocked 27-3, all for only $1495!

Don't know if it has box or tools, frankly at that price I don't care. That seems way high.

Well, I also think that is a little high - but who am I to judge!

I have three 27-2's.

1) 3.5" fired but not abused - target hammer, regular trigger, no box or accessories. $1,000 - yeah probably a little over-priced, but I am in California!

2) 3.5" pristine appears lightly - possibly never fired (no discernible turn line) target hammer, regular trigger, matching box, paperwork, s & w tan wrapper, all tools, s & w presentation case for the 3.5, original magnas and extra target stocks. I am sure I paid too much at $1,800 - but had to have it!

3) 4" pretty used with some blue issues probably about 80 - 85%. Had to do some work on it as three of the cylinders would bind after heating up from firing. 3_t's. Well worth it as I only paid $50 for it (very long story)

 

[muddocktor]

That is high even for a 8 3/8" barrel 27-2, much less a 27-3. I bought a nickel 27-2, unfired since the 3 proof shots at the factory, with presentation case, accessories and paperwork for $1200 about 3 years ago off GunBroker. That gun shop is either dreaming or waiting for a sucker to pass by.

This is what $1200 bought me:


I've brought it to the range and shot it sparingly a couple of times since I bought it. If you are looking for a shooter grade gun without presentation case you should be able to find one for less than $1000. And if you want a N frame 357 Mag in either 4" or 6" barrel at a reasonable price, the model 28 would be the way to go. You should be able to find a nice one for $700 or even less.

 

[Patrick L]

Cmansguns,

Thanks, but I don't want a Highway patrolman. I want the glitz and glamour that is a Model 27.

I've owned 2 M28s, and while they were fine guns, at my age I want the pizazz!

 

[bubbatime]

I just bought this one for $500. I got a good deal on it though.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-re...cked-up-smith-model-27-3-a.html#post140122272

 

[Narragansett]

Cmansguns,

Thanks, but I don't want a Highway patrolman. I want the glitz and glamour that is a Model 27.

I've owned 2 M28s, and while they were fine guns, at my age I want the pizazz!

Understood. Pizazz just costs a little more