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Bigslug
Posts: 9,868 Senior Member
So, I figured you only turn 50 once...
Bigslug
Posts: 9,868 Senior Member
I really wanted to treat myself to a 5" S&W Model 27-2 - ideally from about 1962 to 1968, so I went looking.
Sadly, I had to settle for this old clunker from 1954:
This was apparently before Smith & Wesson could afford to stamp model numbers on the crane - all they gave me was the caliber on the barrel, and it's got all these extra screws in the frame:
Yeah. . .I'm a happy kid.
It's got the sexy top strap checkering - don't know if they ever did this outside the 27 family.
None of that wide target trigger or hammer for me - I wanted the combat gun to run primarily in double action:
I gave some thought to holding out for the 27-2 with the improved lefty-tighty extractor rod, but (A.) there just didn't seem to be anything out there in the right age range - needs to be post '61 to have that feature, and over 50 to bring into CA as a C&R, and (B.), the older five screw guns are just COOL - having that visual link to the WWI and Indiana Jones era.
It is tight and it is slick, and the grips match. The cylinder opens a bit hard so it's either gummed up on the crane or somebody accidentally swapped the retention screw for one of of the sideplate ones. I've got to get it out of CA purgatory in 10 days to figure that out, but I got my initial post-Gunbroker grope in at least.
AHHHHHHHHHHHH!
Sadly, I had to settle for this old clunker from 1954:
This was apparently before Smith & Wesson could afford to stamp model numbers on the crane - all they gave me was the caliber on the barrel, and it's got all these extra screws in the frame:
Yeah. . .I'm a happy kid.
It's got the sexy top strap checkering - don't know if they ever did this outside the 27 family.
None of that wide target trigger or hammer for me - I wanted the combat gun to run primarily in double action:
I gave some thought to holding out for the 27-2 with the improved lefty-tighty extractor rod, but (A.) there just didn't seem to be anything out there in the right age range - needs to be post '61 to have that feature, and over 50 to bring into CA as a C&R, and (B.), the older five screw guns are just COOL - having that visual link to the WWI and Indiana Jones era.
It is tight and it is slick, and the grips match. The cylinder opens a bit hard so it's either gummed up on the crane or somebody accidentally swapped the retention screw for one of of the sideplate ones. I've got to get it out of CA purgatory in 10 days to figure that out, but I got my initial post-Gunbroker grope in at least.
AHHHHHHHHHHHH!
WWJMBD?
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
Replies
"Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, and speed is the economy of motion" - Scott Jedlinski
that is one hell of a nice score!!
-Mikhail Kalashnikov
It’s a °IIIII° thing 😎
Edit to add that I just realized it's a 5 screw. You did really really good.
The official history was that the very first N-frame .357's from 1935 to 1939 were basically all custom-order guns that could be built from a huge list of features and barrel lengths by the quarter inch from 3.5" to 8 3/8". These were known as "Registered Magnums" and got extra special stampings.
They got overwhelmed making those and dialed back the options. At that point, the guns were sold as "The .357 Magnum", and they're now known as "Pre-27's"
The Highway Patrolman was the less blingy version with no top-strap checkering and less polish. Those are "Pre-28's" now.
The model numbers kicked in around 1958. Same guns, different factory designations.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
Nice gun.
Impatiently waiting for a range report
If I had one thing to complain about on these older versions, the serrated triggers would be it. They will rub you a bit raw, and it wasn't until later that they figured out it wasn't really necessary. My sporterized M1917 rifle had the same kind of thing; collector value being gone on that one, the ridges got knocked down for comfort. I have to figure that the WWI and WWII guys unquestionaby had more grit than we do - and probably the callouses to got with it. Also, I gotta figure the modern MIM parts are A LOT easier to mold cleanly if you don't load them up with checkering and serrations.
I'm currently in the midst of figuring out what my primary production "heavy" load is going to be in the .38/.357 family. While it plunks nicely into S&W's chambers, the bullet from my 175 grain WFN mold is snug in the chambers of the family Rugers when seated to the crimp groove on .357 brass. Since my pistol work is usually more about shooting fast than shooting far, I'll probably work toward Elmer Keith's concept of stout loads for modern guns in .38 brass and end up with something a bit less than full-snort .357's. More comfy in the little 5-shots anyway.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
I've loaded the 158's over 14.5 grs of 2400. They're 200proof! I've dubbed them Ruger only.
He either was partial to Lyman moulds or they had the market cornered.
Your 3rd picture really shows the quality of polishing and bluing from that time frame.
Yeah. They weren't screwing around. It isn't quite up to what Colt would do when they pulled the stops out, but it dang sure is yummy. When it gets home, I'll see if I can get some decent shots comparing it to my late-'50's M28, which itself is no slouch.
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
Some days you're just left standing stunned with your mouth open. In addition to the 1954 Pre-27 I gifted myself, I was just gifted a 1948 K-22 Masterpiece / Pre-17 to keep it company:
The trigger on this one will make you weep. Range report on both in 2 weeks for sure, maybe sooner. The looming specter of deer season prep may complicate matters.
Aside from the total and complete B.S. that is the act of getting old, turning 50 hasn't been so bad.
(And who was this Marcas Registradas guy? It seems like he owned and had his name monogrammed on a lot of S&W's...
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
The hammer on this one makes me giggly as well: "We're gonna have a lot of machining operations making these things, and you know what? WE DON'T CARE!"
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee
It’s a °IIIII° thing 😎
Unfortunately, I think you have to hold these things to really appreciate the meaning, otherwise, I think their T-shirt slogan would be "F*** progress"
"Nothing is safe from stupid." - Zee