Smith & Wesson Model 27

The Smith & Wesson Model 27 is the original .357 Magnum revolver and was first produced in 1935, and many versions of it are still in production today. The Model 27 was built on Smith & Wesson's carbon steel, large N-frame, and was available at various times with 3$3/8$", 4", 5", 6" or 8$5/8$" barrel lengths and had adjustable sights.

History
When first introduced by Smith & Wesson in 1935 it was known as the Registered Magnum. The model was essentially a custom order revolver. Barrel lengths could be had in quarter-inch increments from 3.5" to 8.75" in length. In addition to the different lengths of barrels available there were different grips, front sights, triggers, hammers, and finishes available. Each Registered Magnum came with a certificate of authenticity.

Even though it was introduced in the middle of the Great Depression and was extremely expensive, Smith & Wesson found itself backlogged with orders for the four years that it produced the Registered Magnum. The Kansas City Police Department issued the Registered Magnum to its officers, and many other law enforcement officers across the United States carried the Registered Magnum. In 1939 Smith & Wesson stopped producing the Registered Magnum. It was replaced with the .357 Magnum. The .357 Magnum was available with barrel lengths of 3.5", 5", 6.5" and 8.75". It has been reported that these were the most popular barrel lengths for the Registered Magnum. Essentially the .357 Magnum was still the Registered Magnum, but standardized for ease of production and economy. The Smith & Wesson Model 28 "Highway Patrolman" was introduced as a lower cost version of the Model 27 in 1954, stripped of some of the features of the Model 27, such as polishing.

It was noted for its durability and reliability. The 3$1/2$" barrel length was extremely popular with FBI agents from the 1940s through the 1960s. Skeeter Skelton considered the Model 27 with a 5" barrel as the best all around handgun. General George Patton carried an ivory handled Registered Magnum with a 3$3/8$ inch barrel (along with his ivory handled Colt Peacemaker); Patton called the Model 27 his "killing gun."

Variants
The stainless steel Model 627 was introduced in 1989 as the "Model of 1989." It featured a 5½ inch barrel, a 6 shot unfluted cylinder, and had a round butt with S&W Combat stocks.

In 1996 the Smith and Wesson Performance Center began production of an 8 shot 627. The revolver has a 2.625" barrel with no muzzle brake or ports. The cylinder is unfluted. The revolver is made of stainless steel, with a matte finish and wood grips.

The Smith & Wesson Performance Center Snub Nose 627 is an eight-shot .357 Magnum revolver, best known as the gun from Clint Eastwood's action thriller film Blood Work.

In 2008, the eight-shot, scandium-framed Smith & Wesson Model 327 was introduced. A variant of the 327, the 327NG, is part of the NightGuard line.