Guns of unusual design and short production runs are always popular among collectors. Even if a particular example isn’t in their wheelhouse, these guns still elicit a raised eyebrow and a curious glance. Whether or not you collect Smith & Wesson revolvers, the one in the April Collection demands more than just a once-over.
The revolver in question is a Smith & Wesson Model 547. Built on the medium K frame, the 547 is capable of chambering 9mm Parabellum cartridges without the need for moon clips. The gun was designed in response to a request from French police in the 1970s. Ultimately, the law enforcement group went in a different direction.
Beginning in July 1977, Smith & Wesson designer Roger Curran began working on a new extractor system that used six separate springs cammed into the extractor head. He patented his design in December 1978. The new revolver that was built around it was designated as the Experimental Model Number 47.
Tooling and production problems plagued the project. It wouldn’t be until 1982 that the guns entered production. At that time, the model number changed and the gun officially became the Smith & Wesson Model 547.
Offered with a square butt and a 4-inch barrel or a round butt and a 3-inch barrel, the Model 547 had an original pilot production run of 140 revolvers in 1982. The gun entered full-scale production the next year. The company produced a total of 6,486 round butt and 3,480 square butt revolvers in 1983. When factoring in the pilot run and prototypes, the total comes to just 10,270 Model 547 revolvers produced.
Low sales numbers and a lack of public interest led to the gun being discontinued. By late 1984, Smith & Wesson dropped the model from its catalog.
The 9mm Smith & Wesson Model 547
As a result, the Model 547 being offered in the April Collection is a Smith & Wesson revolver collector’s dream. This blued 9mm revolver has a 4-inch heavy barrel with a square butt, checkered grips with silver medallions and, interestingly, Italian proof marks. The factory letter that accompanies the gun explains those marks. This revolver was shipped to Big Nami, Bolzano, Italy on January 27, 1982. When the gun made it to Italy, that country’s proof marks were added to it.
This gun is in exceptional condition. Whoever owned it shot the gun very little, if at all. It looks pretty much exactly as it did when it left Springfield, Mass., some 43 years ago.
With such a small production run over such a small period of time, the Model 547 is a gun that doesn’t pop up very often. The design’s unusual history, interesting chambering and specially patented extractor system makes it a must-have for any true Smith & Wesson collector.
