lol, my S&W accumulation isn't nearly as impressive as some people around here have. But I do like the 7-shot L and 8-shot N-frames. The late 90s and early/mid 00s was certainly an interesting time to be into revolvers.Originally Posted by Crazy Dane
Good background. Do we know how quickly they actually sold? My understanding was they were like the Night Guard series -- much desired only after unavailable. If they had in fact been a mover, you'd think S&W might've noticed...Not quite. Lew Horton did a limited run. They sold the limited run. They then moved on to other limited runs, as was the style at the time. It was never intended to be a regular production thing.
https://pistol-forum.com/showthread....=1#post1379577
That 3.5" NRM letters to 2007 and is the newest S&W I own other than the 2 UC J-frames.
Hain’t we got all the fools in town on our side? And ain’t that a big enough majority in any town?
Not sure. But it was a relatively small run from 2006-2007. This post says 1,200 total for all barrel lengths, both blued and nickel. But their numbers for the blued 3.5" model don't match what I have in my Roy Jinks letter (264 total). Either way, I don't recall seeing them at blow out prices in CDNN like a lot of short-run flops so I don't think they hung around too long. IIRC S&W was still doing the "gun of the month" thing around that time. So short runs, even short runs that sold well, weren't really notable because there were so many of them.
More generally, a stainless 4" version was a regular production item and "close enough." IIRC S&W actually discontinued a lot of blued revolvers in 2000. Market demand can be hard to measure. What people say they want and what they'll actually pay money for can generally be two different things. But a lack of market demand is probably easier to measure. For the time and place, it was stainless guns that people were buying.
I think the general consensus for the Night Guards was that their problem was being released in 2009. The global financial crisis was still in full swing. The demand for expensive, lightweight revolvers had taken a back seat to the demand for people making mortgage payments and buying groceries. Had they been released a few years earlier, or a decade later, the reception would probably have been different.
This (in stainless) is THE revolver I have always wanted to see from Smith and Wesson. They could even use the "Mountain Gun" moniker for this.
It boggles my mind that they can make ridiculous gimmick revolvers, yet they can't make such an obvious .357 Magnum configuration like this.
https://www.smith-wesson.com/product/n-frame-178014
This one is close and is on my want list. An 8 shot revolver and a lever gun can get along pretty well. I going for lever gun first.
The best current S&W configuration. However, the bead blasted finish and slab sided barrel really hold it back in the looks department. They briefly made a standard production (Non-Performance Center or Pro Series) 627. However, it was poorly marketed and it had a bull barrel, which made it heavier than it needed to be.
As soon as that is offered without a lock I’ll buy one.
I prefer the bead blast finish but your right, the slab side barrel has some ew to it. I am also looking into the option of finding any of the 8 shot Ns and the right doner barrel and having them put together.
I have become indifferent to the lock, it only takes me a few minutes to drop a plug in. I'm pulling the side plate and going through the internals any way on whatever I end up with.
I’ll admit to a certain fascination with the slab sided barrel. It probably goes back to my appreciation of competition guns.
Bad ideas, brilliant execution
I may be slow, but I get there.
Slabbed barrel isn't necessarily a deal killer. I don't think I have ever even fondled one and my opinion could change
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