Need an opinion on the value of a rebarreled S&W

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Jimmy10mm

New member
I bought a S&W M-27-2 from an internet vendor. Received it yesterday. The FFL dealer who had it brought in for me said that the way the bbl shroud met the frame, the shroud is ever so slightly skewed and you can see light, indicated to him that it was rebarreled.

I brought it home and got out the trusty Supica and Nahas book. The revover is a 1980 vintage and S&W discontinued the 5" bbl in 1975. So it has been rebarreled. The internet vendor said I can return it but I have to call back on Monday when the manager is there. If I were to keep it, assuming I could get a price adjustment, what price differential would you accept ? I paid $800.00 for it as it stands now. The top strap is dead on centered and it is a pinned bbl.
 
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BillCA

New member
Just because there may be a little light showing between the underlug shroud and the frame doesn't mean the gun has been rebarreled. I've seen a few come out of S&W in recent years that way. But the 5-inch barrel is most likely your best clue.

The seller may invoke "caveat emptor" in regards to the 5-inch barrel being a refit. But if he stands behind his wares then I'd ask for a $300 difference or that he refunds the money and takes the gun back.
 
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laytonj1

New member
The revover is a 1980 vintage and S&W discontinued the 5" bbl in 1975.
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Per the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, the 5" barrel was not discontinued until 1979.
What's the SN of your 27?

Jim
 
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bluetopper

New member
I wouldn't jump to conclusions about the barrel not being the original. Some completed guns have sat at the factory for quite a long time before being shipped out.
A 27 with a 5'' tube is quite a find and warrants a factory letter anyway in my opinion. Get one and then you will know for sure.
 
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Jimmy10mm

New member
I want the revolver to shoot it so I'm not averse to a rebarrel if it was done professionally and is fitted with correct alignment. The cylinder gap is real good at .004. I don't have range rods but checking with a flashlight, near as I can tell, the chambers line up with the bbl. Crane is tight to the frame. Comparing the forcing cone with other S&Ws I have it looks good too. That underlug is one thing that gives me pause.

The other is the Supica-Nahas dating the 5" being discontinued in '75. It is encouraging to hear that it was in catalogs until '79 but I don't have one to prove it. All I have is the book if I ever went to sell it. In that case I would have to tell the prospective buyer that it may have been rebarreled. So I'd probably be looking at $400 instead of getting close to the $800 I paid. Here are photos of the revolver The grips are not original to the gun but that isn't an issue as I am going to put on some that are more comfortable in use.

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laytonj1

New member
It is N628xxx. According to the book that would make it 1980 but I realize there may be some leeway there.
Click to expand...
The other is the Supica-Nahas dating the 5" being discontinued in '75. It is encouraging to hear that it was in catalogs until '79 but I don't have one to prove it.
Click to expand...
The Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson is a 400+ page reference book written by Jim Supica and Richard Nahas. It states that the 3.5" and 5" were discontinued in 1979.
It also shows the N6XXXXX serial numbers running from 1979 to 1980 and the N7XXXXX running during 1980 and the N8XXXXX running from 1980 to 1983.

So, it is very possible your gun is correct. The only way to be absolutly sure is a letter from S&W.

Jim
 
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Jimmy10mm

New member
Thanks for the info Jim. My copy of the book is 237 pages so I expect you have a more up to date edition. Whether the typo is in mine or in yours is the question. :) As Mark Twain is reputed to have said,"There are lies, there are damn lies, and than there are statistics." :D

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laytonj1

New member
You have the 2nd edition (I also have that one). The info I posted is from the 3rd edition. There were updates to the N frame serial data during that time frame to show different models.

The barrel discontinue date could be a typo on either edition (anybody got the first edition). The 3rd edition also shows 1979 as the first year of the 4" barrel.

Try calling S&W customer service, they may tell you if 5" barrels were available in 1979.

Jim
 
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