S&W Model 27-2 Jinks Letter

One of the real treasures in gun collecting is a "Jinks Letter" from the Smith & Wesson historian Roy Jinks. Often chocked full of information, and with the specifics of the date of shipment and configuration at time of shipment, a Jinks Letter is considered to be authoritative proof that a given Smith & Wesson gun is what it appears.

Mr. Jinks recently raised his price for a factory letter to fifty dollars, up from the thirty dollar fee he previously charged. Never the less, it is still one of the best investments a collector of Smith & Wesson handguns can make on a rare or unusual specimen. Here is a three page Jinks letter on a Model 27-2 that I had lettered for a friend. Click the photos to enlarge and read.



It turns out my friend's revolver was shipped on September 21, 1970, to Woodward Wright & Co. in New Orleans. It had a three and a half inch barrel and walnut grips.

Even though nothing extraordinary was discovered, the barrel configuration was confirmed to be original. Three and a half inch Model 27s are some of the hottest guns on the collector market, although a collector would desire a much more pristine revolver than this. This is on you don't have to worry about shooting.

I still wish I had beat Lester to that gun show table.

On Getting Beaten

I am often asked how I find the deals I do in firearms. I have a simple answer, I show up with cash and I look for them. I look at estate sales, garage sales, gun shows and pawn shops. I put the word out of what I am interested in. Often, putting the word out among women can be more fruitful than putting it out among gun nuts. Sometimes though, I am a day late or a dollar short, just like anyone else.

At a gun show last year, I was only ten minutes late. I had entered the auditorium on the West side, but one of my good friends entered on the East. When we met in the middle and shook hands, Lester opened his jacket to show me the Smith & Wesson revolver he had just purchased stuck in his belt.

It wasn't a collector's piece by any means. This was no revolver that had been purchased and then stuck on a shelf in the original box having never been fired. It was more interesting than that. This was a Smith & Wesson Model 27-2 with a three and a half inch barrel that had been carried. Whether it started as a blue gun or not was anyone's guess, but now the remnants of it's finish resembled parkerizing. It was honest wear, and a lot of it. The big N frame had spent it's life in someone's holster, not someone's drawer. To me, that was beautiful. To Lester and his daughter, it was beautiful too. He bought it for her, and then she left to go look at jewelry.

I was dumbstruck as I handled the weathered .357 magnum revolver. Here was one of the most desirable Smith & Wesson revolvers today, in a condition that invited carry rather than investment. The revolver locked up like a new Model 27. Then Lester told me the price he paid, and I almost fell over. $265. From a dealer. The dealer had tried to tell Lester it was a Model 28, and then had talked down to Lester when Lester tried to inform him otherwise. Lester's daughter had been the wise one. "Just buy the gun Daddy, I want it," she had said. Over the past year, Lester did do a couple of things to the old revolver. He swapped out the beat up original grips for stag, and he replaced the damaged rear sight blade.

Often times I feel like I have found a mini oasis in the gun collecting accumulating world. I enjoy the guns that show time spent in a holster. I enjoy the firearms that have been modified to make them more suitable to the job at hand. This gives me an opening and a chance to find many different firearms that I enjoy. Even so, I occasionally still get beat to the table.

The Smith & Wesson Model 27

The Model 27 is often called the Mona Lisa of Smith & Wesson revolvers. From 1957 to 1994 it reigned at the top of the heap of .357 magnum revolvers. As a finely tuned and polished N frame, it is the direct descendant of the princely Registered Magnum Smith & Wesson. There was a period of time from 1948 to 1956 when the .357 magnum Smith & Wesson is known as a "pre-Model 27." In 2000 the Performance Center released the eight shot Model 27-7, but with a frame mounted firing pin and a MIM hammer and trigger, it was not the same.

The Model 27 sold in either highly polished swimming pool deep blue, or resplendent in blindingly smooth mirror like nickel. The big revolver was available with the options of a target trigger and hammer, as well as target stocks. Barrel lengths ranged from three and a half inch snubbies to eight and 3/8 inch target guns. The three and a half inch Model 27s are enjoying a surge in collectibilty, but the five inch guns are actually more scarce. The longer barreled guns wore a Patridge front sight, while the shorter barrels had a Baughman "Quick Draw" sight up front, often with a orange insert. The top strap was checkered from the front sight to the rear adjustable sight. Indeed, the extravagant topstrap checkering is the hallmark of the Model 27.

It is difficult to predict the path that N frame revolvers will take in the marketplace. Whether the prices have reached their limit, or whether they will continue to climb remains to be seen. Most collectors expect the upward trend to continue. One thing is almost certain. Which ever path the prices go, the Mona Lisa of Smith & Wesson will remain on top.

Registered Magnum at Auction

Registered Magnum #943 is up for bids on Auction Arms. If you've ever wondered about these stopried guns, this is an auction to watch.

This gun was shipped to Connecticutt in 1936 with the following features: 6.5 in. barrel, no. 35 Marble's ivory bead front sight, magna grips. This gun is very nice and carries most of the original finish. Gun is in the correct box (box does not have the white tape on bottom) box has brush and paper insert. Bore and mechanics are excellent, lock up and timing are right. All numbers match on the gun, with the exception of the grips, which are correct but do not number to the gun.

Current Price: $4,141.41 (Reserve Price Not Met)
But It Now: $5995.00

Here are a couple more interesting auctions:

Boxed S&W pre-model 27 .357 Mag. w/ 3-1/2" bbl
Currently at $1,600.00 (Reserve Price Not Met)

Colt M1911A1 1936 Super Match w/ military provenance
Currently at $8,500.00 (Reserve Price Not Met)
Buy It Now: $14,000

Serious Business: The Highway Patrolman

The Model 28-2 is a rather unusual Smith & Wesson. It is a revolver that had features deleted rather than added, with the sole purpose of building a more pragmatic gun, not of cutting costs. As such, it became the epitome of minimalism in handgun design. The Model 28, also known as the Highway Patrolman can trace it's heritage directly back to the venerable Registered Magnum. The Registered Magnum later morphed into the Model 27. Law enforcement agencies favored the Model 27, but the high polish and sumptuous topstrap checkering was not practical in a carry gun. To accommodate them, Smith & Wesson followed the path of Staatliches Bauhaus. The minimalistic approach was never to create something that was less, but rather to remove ornamentation from art in an attempt to reveal it's most fundamental form, the essential substance of the work if you will. As as result The Model 28 becomes the N frame imperative.

Pinned and recessed N frame Smith & Wessons are rapidly becoming scarce on the used handgun market. As a firearm created specifically to fire the .357 magnum round, the N frame is a requisite gun for the Smith & Wesson collector.

Representing the essential N frame, the Highway Patrolman is blued, but it is not polished. The topstrap and frame rounds are beadblasted to achieve a stippled appearance. The overall effect is a gun that exudes serious business. It is not a flashy gun. It needs no ballyhoo. It speaks the hardcore indisputable language of the .357 magnum. It speaks that lingo again and again, and that is enough.

I took the Highway Patrolman to the range yesterday, among many other guns to shoot. I was shooting with an old friend who was a shotgunner, but not a handgunner. We shot clays for about an hour, and then we set out targets. I started to work with him on handgunning skills. We were, of course, shooting .22 revolvers, but I had brought along a couple of 1911s and the Highway Patrolman as well. Todd is a man with an interest in history, so he shot my GI 1911 copy and liked it. He then picked up the big N frame Smith, fondled it a bit, felt it's heft, and put it back down. I asked him if he wanted to shoot a cylinder or two through it. Todd declined. "That's a damned serious gun," he said. He was right. It's a unique revolver in a long line of resplendent Smith & Wessons, a gun stripped to it's elemental form, designed for nothing more than deadly social callings, and keeping officers of the law alive. It doesn't get much more serious than that.

Pawn Shop Circuit: Model 28-2

This morning I went by Kenny's pawn shop to see what was new. Kenny had a nickel Rossi Model 68 in his case among the Glocks and pimp pistols. It was a five shot .38 Special revolver and Kenny had tagged it at $150. That was a fair enough deal, I suppose, but I would rather have a beater Model 10 for that money. It seems as though the old S&W wheelies are getting harder and harder to find.

I looked over the Rossi a bit more, and to my surprise I started to consider it. I quickly killed that impulse though. I do not need the gun, and it is not a Smith. I handed the nickel Brazilian back to Kenny.

Next, I drove over to Dave's shop. Dave had brought quite a few different guns out of hock. There were a couple of Glocks, the SW1911PD, a Walther P99 , three big bore Ruger revolvers, and a Steyr pistol; but the handgun that caught my eye was muted blue steel and walnut. A Smith & Wesson Model 28-2 was residing under the glass. $239. Last year, around Christmas, I purchased a pristine Model 28-2 from Dave. This recent Model 28-2 had a bit more wear on it, and was priced the same. The good thing, however, is I would shoot it. My first 28-2 is a fine revolver, but I just do not shoot it much because it is so pristine. This N frame Smith would be a definite shooter. The price was fair, and I asked Dave for a form 4473.

Pay a little more, buy quality.

"Almost" Ivory for an N Frame

On February 2, 2006 I placed an order to Boone Trading for a set of N frame magna grips with S&W medallions. I had long read that if a man wanted the best in simulated ivory, these were the folks to call. Not only did the price whip everyone else, the quality was reputed to be unsurpassed by anything short of ivory itself. Boone Trading specializes in bonded ivory grips. These grips that can be carved or scrimshawed and will acquire an patina, like ivory, with age.

On February 10, I received a package in the mail. I quickly opened it to find a set of magna grips. They were very nice, much nicer than any other simulated ivory I have held. They actually felt like ivory. Unfortunately, they were K frame grips without medallions. I was not a happy recipient. I placed a call to Boone, with the faint hope they would tell me to simply keep the wrong order and send me out the right ones as well. No such luck. I joked about grip stretchers with the gentleman on the phone, but in the end, I agreed to mail the wrong grips back, while he credited me the shipping costs and sent out the right set that same day. Unfortunately, I had to venture out into a downpour to hold up my end of the bargain.

On February 13, the proper grips arrived. I was very excited as I prepared to install them on my Model 27. I had found a Pachmayr grip adapter to give the entire assembly that retro cool flavor. My first hint of trouble was no grip screw. Not to worry, I'll just use the old grip screw. Wrong. It was the wrong diameter. I dug through my box of spare grips to locate a screw that would fit. I had none. I decided to try the grips on the revolver anyway, and maybe take a few photos before I ordered a screw from Brownell's.



The fit between the locator pin in the bottom of the grip frame and the upper arch of the N frame was extremely precise. That measurement could not have been better. Unfortunately the grips were approximately 1/32 of an inch to small all the way around. The upper arch of the grips did not extend to the back of the revolver. Thus, it was impossible to fit the grips correctly. It was a disappointing reality. I am not a professional grip fitter, but I am able to fit single action army grips with no gaps and a smooth transition between the grip and grip frame. I know a good fit when I see it, and the Boone grips fit snugly, but were to small.

I did not want to contact Boone Trading again. I was about to toss the grips into my spares box for later trading when I wondered....... Would the pin and arch fit on a K frame? I removed the left grip from a Model 10-5, and pressed on the simulated ivory grip. Surprise! The N frame grips fit just as snugly on a K frame. The tops of the magnas fit properly on the K frame. The grips were approximately 1/16 to large about the perimeter of the grip frame, except the very bottom. I can work with this. I will put these away for a precise installation on a worthy K frame in the future.

The Model 27 received it's old oiled walnut stocks again.

Smith & Wesson Model 27-2 Range Report

The Smith & Wesson Model 27-2 is a pinnacle of handgun craftsmanship within the venerable Springfield Massachusetts manufacturer's history. It was built and fitted by craftsmen that are no longer working, and polished by hand prior to receiving one of the most exquisite blue finishes ever available. The Model 27 is the direct descendent of one of the most revered S&W wheelguns ever built, the Registered Magnum. It possesses a close resemblance to a previous N-Frame, the .38/.44 Heavy Duty. The .38/44 HD was developed to shoot the radically uploaded .38HV cartridge, essentially a .38 Special round, in response to law enforcement needs at the time. It was the precursor to the .357 Magnum. The .357 Magnum itself was developed as a sans pareil handgun and cartridge suited to both law enforcement and sporting use. Smith & Wesson predicted the high cost of the revolvers in the Great Depression economy to be a limiting factor on production. From the time of introduction in 1935 until 1938, .357 Magnum revolvers bore individual registration numbers and included a certificate of registration. Demand for the premium handgun far exceeded expectations. With the completion of some 5,500 units, it became obvious that a limited production strategy was not practical, and individual registration stopped. Thus, the Registered Magnum became the Pre-model 27.

I purchased this Smith & Wesson Model 27-2 from a private seller at a gun show. The three and a half inch barrel is not exactly scarce on a Model 27, but it is hard to find. This example was pinned and recessed, and wore a set of target grips. The checkered topstrap and sight rib is a unique feature of the Model 27. I took the revolver to the range with a 50 count box of 125 grain Winchester White Box .357, and a Winchester Value Pack of .38 Special.

I found the revolver to already be sighted in suitably for myself. The previous owner had dabbed some orange paint on the front ramp, but I had removed that the night before. The Model 27's trigger pull was consistent throughout it's arc. Firing double action, it was not difficult to hold the sights on target. When fired single action, the revolver was a precision instrument. The heavy N frame easily absorbed the recoil of the .38 Specials. When the .357 Magnum rounds were slid into the chambers it became a fire belching weapon of the gods. This revolver was accurate on both loads, and a hell of a lot of fun to shoot. When a person considers the advantages of practicing often with your carry gun, shooting your carry loads, it is easy to understand why some would opt to carry the N frame snubbie rather than a K frame such as the Model 66.

I also own a pristine Model 27-2 with an eight and 3/8 inch barrel. I have shot that long barreled revolver only a few times, relegating it to it's wooden presentation box for my son to receive someday. This three and a half inch Model 27 is mine, and it will be shot often.

Gun Show Day Two

The doors to the gun show reopened this morning at 10 AM. I was right at the front of the line to get back inside. The crowds were out this morning. It was an orgy of gun swapping madness.

One of the more uncommon pistols up for grabs was a Mitchell Gold Series 1911. It appeared to be a very well fitted stainless gun with Bomar sights, an ambi safety, and all the modern bells & whistles, including a tapered barrel/slide lock-up. Unfortunately, the seller was wanting $700.

Another seller had a Colt Peacekeeper. That's right, Peacekeeper. The Peacekeeper is a "J" Frame double action Colt, same as the Lawman MKV. It was only produced from 1985-1987. If I remember correctly, it was identical to the Lawman, except for the matte blue finish rather than polished blue. The seller was wanting $375 for it.

At one time I sought out Beretta handguns. There was something about the Italian steel that tripped my trigger back then. I still have a few handguns from Piero. On one of the tables was a Beretta Model 70 in .32ACP, priced at $225. To high, plus I no longer collect the Berettas.

Another pistol at this show, that I just keep going back to, is a Colt Defender. The bull barreled Defender has a stellar record among it's owners. It has a lightweight frame, making it much nicer for carry. This particular early example is just the one I've wanted. It has the low profile sights with a dovetailed front sight, an extended thumb safety, along with a fitted beavertail. It is new with a $749 tag. I would have to do very little to this pistol.......replace the grips, I despise those Hogue wraparounds, and give it a trigger job. Hmmmmmmmmmm....

The one gun that can almost be a standard for judging prices for other guns on a seller's table is the Springfield GI45. If the GI45 prices are fair, it's a good day in gunland. If they are high, expect all the other new gun prices to be high as well. The parkerized Springfield GI 45 Government Models were falling between $425 and $445 today.

Surprisingly, I am still seeing new Colt 1911s below the national price average. A new in box Colt Commander in blue with rosewood grips is selling for $649 at today's show. A stainless Government Model is $710 today. It is as though the Colt price hike of last year never occurred with this particular dealer. Maybe I ought to just go ahead and get one more....

A more interesting 1911 was a Seecamp/Colt Commander. This is a double action cross breed 1911 from the mind of Larry Seecamp. This particular example was an actual Seecamp gun. It has a ramp front sight with an orange insert, a S&W rear sight, the hooked triggerguard, and of course, that bizarre DA frame. The finish was good, even down to red painted areas on the sides of the grip safety. The seller wanted $1100, and he would not budge.

I began to watch the floor walkers. I looked at one fellow's Smith & Wesson revolver, a Model 28 chambered in .44 special. That was interesting.....He was wanting $450 because it was so rare. I let him keep it. Later, a dealer who knows I have a taste for S&W wheelies flagged me over. He had bought the walker's Model 28, tagged it rare, and placed a $600 tag on it. I looked the revolver over, noted that the barrel rollmarks were not centered, and handed it back. I agreed, it's a rare gun. Probably one of a kind. Much to rare for my stable of common wheelies. I expect to see that Bubba special on that seller's table for a few years now.

I kept watching people, eyeballing them for the tell tale ziptied orange tagged private sale gun. Then, at last, near the door, I spotted my private seller. He was carrying a big wheelie with a short barrel. As he left the zip tying table, I called him over with a "Whatcha got there Buddy?" I began to salivate as he revealed a Model 27-2 with a three and a half inch barrel. It had a turn ring, but was otherwise pristine. The ramp sight had a dab of orange painted on it. The gun was pinned and recessed. I inquired as to the price. $400. "Will you take $350" I asked. No way. I handed the gun back, and let the seller walk away. Then I thought better of it. The price was fair. Very fair, actually. I caught back up to the seller, asked to see his revolver again, and did a quick Jim March Revolver Checkout. It was good. I broke out four Franklins, and stuffed my new N frame in my belt.

A hard rain began pounding the roof of the auditorium, so I continued to wander and socialize. The water kept falling, and my belly began to growl, so I finally zipped my jacket over the Smith in my belt, and puddle jumped to my car.

Highway Patrolman Range Report

The Smith & Wesson Model 28 is in many ways the working class step child of the N frame Smith family. The whole reason for the Model 28's existence is the elegance and beauty of it's brother, the Model 27. The Model 27, introduced in 1948, is often called Smith & Wesson's Mona Lisa, a true masterpiece of polished and blued steel with ornate checkering. Police departments loved everything about the Model 27......except the price. Five and a half years later, Smith & Wesson released the Model 28. The Model 28 is everything the Model 27 is, without the costly polishing and expensive checkering.

I found a cherry Model 28-2 for a very reasonable price in a pawn shop. I own a mint Model 27-2, that shoots like a dream, but like those police departments, I just can't see banging a gun that pretty around. I bought the Model 28-2 without hesitation. This afternoon I took it out for a brief shooting.

I did not have any .357 magnum ammo, so I shot 130 grain .38 special Winchester White Box. The gun grouped consistently. The sights were a little off, but nothing that can not be adjusted out later. I could not really wring it out today due to other committments; I just stopped by my local indoor range to run a box of ammo through it. I was extremely pleased. The serial number of this gun is N77XX, which places it at 1969. For 36 years somebody somewhere has been missing out with this gun. It's a keeper!

Pawn Shop Circuit: A Highway Patrolman

Neil still had the Winchester 30/30, not surprising, half way through deer season. I started to look it over again, but I did not want to appear interested, since I really wasn't. The Colt Trooper had disappeared again. Neil wouldn't say whether it had been purchased or was in back again, so the owner must have paid the interest on his loan and saved his gun one more time.

At Dave's place, I spied a dull finished large frame revolver under the glass among the tactical tupperware. I asked Dave to pull it out for me. He removed a cherry Smith & Wesson Model 28-2 with a 4 inch barrel. I would rate the gun at 98%. It only had a faint turn line, and a line on the recoil shield from opening and closing the cylinder. It had an N prefix to the serial, placing it post 1969. The revolver checked out using Jim March's Revolver Checkout. Pinned and recessed. That's what I like! The Highway Patrolman was S&W's answer to the police demand for a high quality low budget N frame .357 in April, 1954. The Highway Patrolman is everything the S&W Model 27 is, without the high polish and ornate topstrap checkering. As a result, the 4 inch Model 28 was a gun that saw a lot of holster carry. To find one with a four inch barrel in pristine condition is unusual. Dave was asking $239 for this gun. I did not dicker. The price was very fair. I paid it.

I didn't go by Amber's place today.