Smith & Wesson Model 27
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The Smith & Wesson Model 27 was the first Smith & Wesson- produced revolver in .357 Magnum caliber . The development of this six-shot revolver, known as the "Three Fifty Seven Magnum" before 1957, began in the 1930s in collaboration with Philip P. Sharps, a journalist who, based on the .38 special cartridge, created the .357 magnum cartridge with a stronger charge and developed a longer case. The S & W Model 27 revolvers were produced from 1935.
The Model 27 revolver
The first S - & - W Model 27 revolvers were produced on the large N frame according to customer requirements in barrel lengths between 3.5 and 8.75 inches, with a matching front sight, adjustable visor and individually selected handles. The weapons were highly polished and blued. The barrels had a flat rib at the top, their surface and that of the frame in front of the visor were finely grooved to avoid reflexes. The guns were shot in by the company at distances of up to 200 yards. The first 357 magnum revolver was manufactured on April 8, 1935 and was given as a gift to Edgar Hoover , President of the FBI . Initially, all weapons were delivered to the buyer with a personal certificate. After 1938, delivery with a certificate was dropped. The later mass-produced weapons had barrel lengths of 3.5, 5, 6.5 and 8.75 inches. They can also be used with .38 special cartridges without any problems. The production of the S & W Model 27 revolvers has been continuously adapted to the further developments of the S & W revolvers, today they are offered under the name Model 27-2. The revolver shown in the picture was made before the end of 1956, this can be recognized by the fastening screw of the frame side plate that is visible behind the hammer.
The .357 Highway Patrolman Model 28 revolver
Various police departments in the USA were impressed by the "Three Fifty Seven" revolver and asked whether a cheaper model of the weapon could be manufactured on the N-frame. The S & W President, C. R. Hellstrom, had a simplified, not high-gloss burnished model and a matt burnished instead of corrugated surface of the rib and the frame developed. The changes resulted in a considerable reduction in manufacturing costs. Samples of the new model were sent to various police stations and after positive judgments, series production was started. The Highway Patrolman revolvers can also be used with .38 special cartridges without any problems. The first guns with 4 and 6 inch barrels and standard walnut handles came out of production in April 1954. The weapons still manufactured today are used by the United States Border Patrol and various other police units in the United States.
literature
- Patrick Sweeney: The Gun Digest Book of Smith & Wesson , Gun Digest Books, 2004, ISBN 978-0-87349-792-3
- Roy G. Jinks: Smith & Wesson, a company with a history . Verlag Stocker Schmid, Dietikon-Zurich Switzerland 1979 ISBN 3-7276-7025-8