Yesterday, Mrs. 3-5-7 and I went to our friendly local indoor range to "exercise" some of out favorite "pieces". I thought that I would do a comparison/contrast of two of my S&W .357's...one, a recent-production Performance Center Model 627 "V-Comp" and the second, a PRISTINE, five-screw, PRE-model-number .357...what would become the Model 27--from around 1951.
The "V-Comp" has a five-inch, compensated slab-side barrel, and is, of course, of stainless-steel construction. The "factory" Miculek-designed wooden Hogue grips have been replaced with plain ol' rubber Hogue Monogrips...fit my hand better! The "Pre-Model 27" has a six-inch, tapered barrel, and is finished in S&W's "Best" blue...breathtaking to look at! Mostly as a concession to uniformity, the S&W "Magna"-style grips on the "Pre-Model 27" were ALSO replaced with rubber Hogue Monogrips...I know, I know...almost a sacrilege!!!
Firing began at seven yards, and then progressed to fifty feet...two-hand hold and double-action, as this is the way I prefer to fire my revolvers. The "V-Comp" was up first...started with Federal 158-gr. JSP full-bore Maggies...BTW, recoil was a little lighter than I had anticipated, and muzzle-rise was almost non-existent...FLASH, however, was DEFINITELY present! This is the first time I've fired full-bore Magnum loads thru this particular revolver...it appears the "V-Comp" IS quite effective at reducing muzzle-rise and also reduces recoil somewhat. After about a box of the Federal Magnums, I switched to using CCI Blazer .38 Special 158-gr. TMJ "Plus-P's"...recoil and muzzle-rise were almost non-existent, but the FLASH WAS still present!
The five-screw was up next...at a svelte 44 oz., vs. 46 oz. for the "V-Comp", and without the benefit of the "Comp", I had wondered how much difference there would be in the "firing behavior" of the two revolvers...well, it was actually fairly anti-climactic! The muzzle-rise of the five-screw WAS more pronounced than that of the "V-Comp", but nothing unmanageable...recoil was not unpleasant, either. After only ten rounds of the Federal .357's, the switch was made to the Blazer ammo...after all, this IS a fifty-year-old gun, and one in VERY NICE shape, to boot! With the Blazers, again recoil and muzzle-rise were almost non-existent...and there didn't seem to be any of that nasty FLASH that showed up with the "V-Comp", either!
I enjoyed firing both revolvers...in fact, I enjoyed the older, five-screw gun even more than I thought I would! It was a blast...extensively hand-fitted, as ALL S&W's were 50 years ago, it has a very smooth, 9 & 7/8 lb. DA trigger pull...almost like it came out of the box with a "duty action job" from a good gunsmith! The 627 "V-Comp" has, if possible, an even SMOOTHER action...it DID come from the Performance Center, after all...but, initially, it was quite a bit heavier than the five-screw--like 11 & 1/2 lbs.! I had substituted a Wolff reduced-power mainspring for the stock mainspring, however, and the DA trigger on the 627 "V-Comp" now scales a very nice 9 & 1/4 lb...just about right on a revolver of this size!
Fired groups generally ran between 1 & 1/2 inches and 2 & 1/2 inches at seven yards, with both guns...but there WERE some really nice groups fired...had a 15-round group with the "V-Comp" that measured 1 & 5/8 inches, with 13 in ONE HOLE. Another "good group" at seven yards was fired with the five-screw gun...10 rounds in 1 & 5/8 inches, and 8 in one hole, spanning 11/16 in. center-to center of the widest holes.
At fifty feet, groups generally ran around 3 to 4 inches, but, again, some pretty good groups were fired...like 7 out of 7 in 2 & 1/8 inches with the "V-Comp", or 10 out of ten in 2 & 5/8 inches with the five-screw.
We had wanted to do some firing at the twenty-five yard line, but time constraints made that impossible--read, Lamar and the crew wanted to go home on time! All in all, a very pleasant--and educational--outing!....mikey357
The "V-Comp" has a five-inch, compensated slab-side barrel, and is, of course, of stainless-steel construction. The "factory" Miculek-designed wooden Hogue grips have been replaced with plain ol' rubber Hogue Monogrips...fit my hand better! The "Pre-Model 27" has a six-inch, tapered barrel, and is finished in S&W's "Best" blue...breathtaking to look at! Mostly as a concession to uniformity, the S&W "Magna"-style grips on the "Pre-Model 27" were ALSO replaced with rubber Hogue Monogrips...I know, I know...almost a sacrilege!!!
Firing began at seven yards, and then progressed to fifty feet...two-hand hold and double-action, as this is the way I prefer to fire my revolvers. The "V-Comp" was up first...started with Federal 158-gr. JSP full-bore Maggies...BTW, recoil was a little lighter than I had anticipated, and muzzle-rise was almost non-existent...FLASH, however, was DEFINITELY present! This is the first time I've fired full-bore Magnum loads thru this particular revolver...it appears the "V-Comp" IS quite effective at reducing muzzle-rise and also reduces recoil somewhat. After about a box of the Federal Magnums, I switched to using CCI Blazer .38 Special 158-gr. TMJ "Plus-P's"...recoil and muzzle-rise were almost non-existent, but the FLASH WAS still present!
The five-screw was up next...at a svelte 44 oz., vs. 46 oz. for the "V-Comp", and without the benefit of the "Comp", I had wondered how much difference there would be in the "firing behavior" of the two revolvers...well, it was actually fairly anti-climactic! The muzzle-rise of the five-screw WAS more pronounced than that of the "V-Comp", but nothing unmanageable...recoil was not unpleasant, either. After only ten rounds of the Federal .357's, the switch was made to the Blazer ammo...after all, this IS a fifty-year-old gun, and one in VERY NICE shape, to boot! With the Blazers, again recoil and muzzle-rise were almost non-existent...and there didn't seem to be any of that nasty FLASH that showed up with the "V-Comp", either!
I enjoyed firing both revolvers...in fact, I enjoyed the older, five-screw gun even more than I thought I would! It was a blast...extensively hand-fitted, as ALL S&W's were 50 years ago, it has a very smooth, 9 & 7/8 lb. DA trigger pull...almost like it came out of the box with a "duty action job" from a good gunsmith! The 627 "V-Comp" has, if possible, an even SMOOTHER action...it DID come from the Performance Center, after all...but, initially, it was quite a bit heavier than the five-screw--like 11 & 1/2 lbs.! I had substituted a Wolff reduced-power mainspring for the stock mainspring, however, and the DA trigger on the 627 "V-Comp" now scales a very nice 9 & 1/4 lb...just about right on a revolver of this size!
Fired groups generally ran between 1 & 1/2 inches and 2 & 1/2 inches at seven yards, with both guns...but there WERE some really nice groups fired...had a 15-round group with the "V-Comp" that measured 1 & 5/8 inches, with 13 in ONE HOLE. Another "good group" at seven yards was fired with the five-screw gun...10 rounds in 1 & 5/8 inches, and 8 in one hole, spanning 11/16 in. center-to center of the widest holes.
At fifty feet, groups generally ran around 3 to 4 inches, but, again, some pretty good groups were fired...like 7 out of 7 in 2 & 1/8 inches with the "V-Comp", or 10 out of ten in 2 & 5/8 inches with the five-screw.
We had wanted to do some firing at the twenty-five yard line, but time constraints made that impossible--read, Lamar and the crew wanted to go home on time! All in all, a very pleasant--and educational--outing!....mikey357
