Getting into the wheelies

[njluger 5]

I had one more permit left to burn before it expired and I decided that my small collection needed something different to round itself out. So, with Glenn's search-foo (thanks man!), I was able to acquire a really nice classic S&W Model 28 Highway Patrolman in .375 mag from an estate sale down in South Jersey. Got this gun for a pretty good price and it looks very good! This is my first revolver, and it really takes you back in time where firearms were not just a mass produced pull of the plastic and metal injection machine handle. Looking at some date codes online, the serial # is a N105XXX which puts it into the this series: N60,001 – N190,000…... made 1972-74. Considering this is the "budget" version of the beautiful model 27, I was really impressed to the tightness of the gun (it's almost 40 years old!) and the level of fitting detail put into it. The trigger on this one feels amazing as well! I'm really looking forward to this gun last me a lifetime!

 

Pics below after I cleaned her up!

 

 

 

 

[Krdshrk 3,878]

Nice pickup! Looks darn good for being 40 years old!

[hd2000fxdl 422]

Very nice, if I only had more money..

 

Harry

[Pew Pew Plates 358]

That thing will last several lifetimes. N frame .357....so awesome.

Cant wait to shoot it

[Shane45 807]

I was expecting to see a sport bike up on one

[njluger 5]

Very nice, if I only had more money..

 

Harry

 

That's the beauty of these old S&W's - if you do some searching, they are very affordable! Most of the auctions I was tracking were going for < $500. You can't even buy a new revolver for that price these days.

[njluger 5]

I was expecting to see a sport bike up on one

 

 

Here ya go!

 

 

Now the thread is complete

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Welcome to the world of the N-Frame S&W. A disease just as bad as the "Signess". Great gun to start off your collection of wheelguns (and, yes, that is what it will become).

 

Looks like that serial number would be early 1973, according to Supica & Nahas. Mine is slightly earlier, being N55XXX, probably the late 60's early 70's. IIRC I bought it in 1972 for $125. It was a 4" barrel (still must have the barrel around here somewhere), but I was hot-to-trot for an impossible to get (discontinued several years before) model 24.

 

Being a fan of gun writer Skeeter Skelton, when he started writing about converting model 28's to .44 Special, I knew I had to follow that path. J&G had original 6.5" model 24 barrels, so that part of the equation was solved. I got on MMC's (Miniature Machine Company) list for conversions, but they were a year out. Guns magazine also did an article about that conversion and named George Matthews of Downey, CA as a gunsmith that could do it. Sent mine off and here it is 39 years later...

 

 

I hope that you enjoy your model 28 half as much as I enjoy mine. I am now up to six N-frames - just like potato chips and Sigs.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[Duppie 73]

Welcome to the world of the N-Frame S&W. A disease just as bad as the "Signess". Great gun to start off your collection of wheelguns (and, yes, that is what it will become).

 

Looks like that serial number would be early 1973, according to Supica & Nahas. Mine is slightly earlier, being N55XXX, probably the late 60's early 70's. IIRC I bought it in 1972 for $125. It was a 4" barrel (still must have the barrel around here somewhere), but I was hot-to-trot for an impossible to get (discontinued several years before) model 24.

 

Being a fan of gun writer Skeeter Skelton, when he started writing about converting model 28's to .44 Special, I knew I had to follow that path. J&G had original 6.5" model 24 barrels, so that part of the equation was solved. I got on MMC's (Miniature Machine Company) list for conversions, but they were a year out. Guns magazine also did an article about that conversion and named George Matthews of Downey, CA as a gunsmith that could do it. Sent mine off and here it is 39 years later...

 

 

I hope that you enjoy your model 28 half as much as I enjoy mine. I am now up to six N-frames - just like potato chips and Sigs.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

Very nice indeed,I love the detailed inlay on the butt. I have a thing for revolvers and that is a beauty.

[Duppie 73]

Someone obviously loved and took care of that pistol. Excellent purchase.

[chris327 30]

so i just looked at my dads 28-2 to confirm it is a 28-2. it looks smaller than this one. the sn is N157. same pistol but no wood grips it has rubber grips on it. i dont know why he must have liked those grips for some reason they are on his mod 10-8 too. the grips are very bulky on both of these revolvers.

[chris327 30]

nevermind i think i answered my question they made a 4" barrel and 6 in barrel correct? his is a 4" barrell.

[Pew Pew Plates 358]

Yes. the 4" is rarer

[chris327 30]

anyone know where i might be able to find those original wood grips for these pistols?

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

anyone know where i might be able to find those original wood grips for these pistols?

 

 

Gunbroker, S&W Forum classifieds, my basement.

 

The grips on njluger's 28 are contemporary to the gun, but probably were not on it when originally purchased. It would have had checkered, walnut Magna grips. The target grips more commonly have checkered panels, the smooth target grips are a premium. The target grips went through several evolutionary changes. The ones on his gun are Goncalo Alves and have the "football" cutout. Later ones were totally relieved for speedloaders with a crescent cut. Earlier ones were walnut and had a small diamond around the screw and no relief for speedloaders. The most desireable ones were the coke-bottle grips that had palm swells.

 

Your father's gun probably has Pachmayr grips on it - a common aftermarket upgrade in the '70's from the stock Magna grips that came standard on the 28. IIRC, Pachmayr Presentation grips were made in two sizes (Lg & Sm) to accommodate different size hands. I had Pachmayrs on all my Smiths, until Hogue came along.

 

Glenn:

Not sure that I agree with you re: barrel length, but I don't think I've ever seen a breakdown. Being made primarily for police, I would have thought the 4" variety more popular, but I guess it wasn't unusual in the 60's and 70's to see 6" police guns. There were appx 100 model 28's made with the 8 3/8" barrels and some special editions in 5".

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

[chris327 30]

Thanks for the info bob you really know your 28's. I'm gunna check out gb.

[Ray Ray 3,566]

Ahhhhh, 357 goodness

 

Your nightstand has a new best friend