


In 1996, the Smith & Wesson Performance Center began production of an 8-shot 627. It featured a 5 + 1⁄ 2-inch barrel, a 6-shot unfluted cylinder, and had a round butt with S&W Combat stocks. The stainless steel Model 627 was introduced in 1989 as the "Model of 1989". General George Patton carried an ivory-handled Registered Magnum with a 3 1⁄ 2-inch barrel (along with his ivory-handled Colt Peacemaker) Patton called the Model 27 his "killing gun." Variants Skeeter Skelton considered the Model 27 with a 5-inch barrel as the best all-around handgun. The 3 1⁄ 2-inch barrel length was extremely popular with FBI agents from the 1940s through the 1960s. It was noted for its durability and reliability. 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. Essentially, the Model 27 was still the Registered Magnum, but standardized for ease of production and economy. It has been reported that these were the most popular barrel lengths for the Registered Magnum. In 1939, Smith & Wesson stopped producing 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. Each Registered Magnum came with a certificate of authenticity.Įven 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. In addition to the different lengths of barrels available, there were different grips, front sights, triggers, hammers, and finishes available. Barrel lengths could be had in one-quarter-inch (6.4 mm) increments from 3 + 1⁄ 2 to 8 + 3⁄ 8 inches (8.9 to 21.3 cm) inches in length. The model was essentially a custom-order revolver. When first introduced by Smith & Wesson in 1935, it was known as the Registered Magnum.
