Smith and Wesson Model 28

[sbkittrell]

I just bought this revolver a few weeks ago from a friend who used the money to buy himself a Springfield Range Officer. I paid for $450.00 for it which I think is a fair price. It's not an original factory nickel (or maybe chrome?) finish, but I'm 99.9% sure it's a Smith and Wesson plating job done back in the sixties after the gun was originally purchased. My buddy bought it in the early seventies from a cop he knew. I'm going to carry it in an old Eubanks holster I found in a junk leather bin in a pawn shop years ago. Paid $2.00 for the holster but it works for the gun and is good condition as far as the stitching goes. The Model 28 is the same thing as a Model 27, but without expensive extras as far as the finish goes. This one has the original grips which fit my hand really well. Nice trigger pull too. Of course N frame Smith and Wessons don't have the ammunition capacity of a Glock 21, but you can beat an adversary to death with it if you run out of ammo.

[MN Fan]

That revolver simply looks bad a**. Nice addition to your collection!

Congrats

[Rongo]

Whoa!!!

I would have paid that in a heartbeat. Great deal!

[Junk Yard Dog]

I love it Who needs more than six rounds anyway so long as you place the first one were it will count, and if more are needed then speedloaders are available. People fail to practice with speedloaders, but if you do it's amazing how fast you can reload a revolver with them.

[etprescottazusa91]

I love it Who needs more than six rounds anyway so long as you place the first one were it will count, and if more are needed then speedloaders are available. People fail to practice with speedloaders, but if you do it's amazing how fast you can reload a revolver with them.

Really you only need one, and it really amazing how far you can send an accurate round down range with a model 28. Sbkittrel what makes you think it's an after market nickle gun? Looks extremely well done and one thing that is a dead give away on after market nickle is whether the casehardened hammer is nickle. Smith and Wesson did not nickle plate hammers or triggers yours are correct. Looks factory to me from the pics though I know down south after market nickle plating of guns was common.

Good to see you on the forum

[sbkittrell]

I love it Who needs more than six rounds anyway so long as you place the first one were it will count, and if more are needed then speedloaders are available. People fail to practice with speedloaders, but if you do it's amazing how fast you can reload a revolver with them.

Really you only need one, and it really amazing how far you can send an accurate round down range with a model 28. Sbkittrel what makes you think it's an after market nickle gun? Looks extremely well done and one thing that is a dead give away on after market nickle is whether the casehardened hammer is nickle. Smith and Wesson did not nickle plate hammers or triggers yours are correct. Looks factory to me from the pics though I know down south after market nickle plating of guns was common.

Good to see you on the forum

I don't think it's an after market nickel job, but I do think that it was originally blued and sent back to Smith and Wesson where it was plated. I'm sure it's not an original factory nickel plating because Smith and Wesson only did 79 of them and they were special orders for the Florida Highway Patrol. 25 of those were shiny nickel (like this one) but with 5" barrels and the other 54 were also special orders done in the early seventies with 4" barrels, but with a "satin" nickel finish. That information is from the source of all knowledge-Wikipedia. My buddy bought this one in 1972 from a cop he knew. I have surfed the internet and the consensus on a lot of the forums is that if the trigger, hammer and ejection "star" on the cylinder are NOT plated then it is probably a revolver that was originally blued, but sent back to the Smith and Wesson factory and nickel or chrome plated by the manufacturer. Also, a lot of aftermarket nickel plating jobs were not as well done and the plating is thicker looking on the lettering. On this one, the plating on the lettering looks just right, so I'm fairly sure it was a nickel job done by S&W. I wish it was one of the plated revolvers commissioned by the Florida HP because it would be worth 3 to 4 times what I paid for it. I really do like this revolver a LOT though. It's a keeper for sure.

[desdem12]

Nice revolver SB.

[SA1911a1]

Agreed, that is a nice rig. If you would like a black, patent leather, cop holster to go with it, I have one in Right hand and Left hand.

[sbkittrell]

Agreed, that is a nice rig. If you would like a black, patent leather, cop holster to go with it, I have one in Right hand and Left hand.

Thanks, but I also have an old level II duty holster around here somewhere that I think it might fit in. I won't be carrying this one at work though, but thanks for the offer.

[Ironnewt]

Very Nice. I had a 6" with the original matte finish. Big SOB. Sold it to buy a Python, which I sold to buy a Colt .45 Gold Cup and a shit load of loading supplies and a press. I wish I had either of the wheel guns although I do have two S&W L frames. When I think about some of the stuff I sold over the years I want to kick myself in the ass.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I love it Who needs more than six rounds anyway so long as you place the first one were it will count, and if more are needed then speedloaders are available. People fail to practice with speedloaders, but if you do it's amazing how fast you can reload a revolver with them.

Really you only need one, and it really amazing how far you can send an accurate round down range with a model 28. Sbkittrel what makes you think it's an after market nickle gun? Looks extremely well done and one thing that is a dead give away on after market nickle is whether the casehardened hammer is nickle. Smith and Wesson did not nickle plate hammers or triggers yours are correct. Looks factory to me from the pics though I know down south after market nickle plating of guns was common.

Good to see you on the forum

One round does it if you have the skill and coolness under fire to place it there, you never know until it happens if you are up to it or not. I was shot at once, it was not intentional on the part of the shooter, just carelessness, but I did it just like in training,moved for cover, drew the weapon, acquired the target, front sight, aimed for center of mass, started to squeeze the trigger when the shooter dropped his pistol, It all happened in seconds, no time to think, just react like I had practiced, Over and over. I didn't have time for the shakes until later, managed not to piss myself and I remembered to thank the man who trained me for his expertise, and suggestion that I practice all of the things that I used in that situation. It sounded like a firecracker went off a few inches from my ear, but I am not sure how close the bullet came in reality, it was in my direction and that's close enough. No matter what you use it's important to practice with it until every move you make with it is as familiar as brushing your teeth, too many people buy wonder pistols and expect the extra rounds to make up for lack of skill.

[JoeR]

That's a nice hog leg.

[millman]

Very nice Smith.

[Bossk]

Great find! I've got a Model 27 that belonged to my Grandfather. I love the looks of them. I'd never carry it, but really enjoy blasting paper with it.

[Junk Yard Dog]

Got pics of that piece ?

[sbkittrell]

Speaking of revolvers......I'm working on a deal to trade my G27 for a 3 screw Blackhawk .44 mag. I shot that exact same revolver thirty plus years ago (first time I ever fired a .44 mag handgun) and always wanted it and my old friend is interested in my G27. I don't think this one has the transfer bar factory refit either. But, off topic, and will have it's own thread if the deal goes through, complete with photos.

[Junk Yard Dog]

I believe Ruger will fit the revolver with the later transfer bar safety if you want. The Blackhawk is a nice piece, I have one in .357, and have shot the .44, hope you can work the deal.

[sbkittrell]

Major problem with the S&W Model 28! I took it to the range today and shot it for the first time. I noticed that it was shooting left. I was shooting 158 Gr JSP .38. Then I switched to 158 gr SJHP .357 and got my face peppered with lead fragments on the first shot. Nothing major, but it stung. My boss was shooting next to me and he's a gunsmith and I told that it was spitting lead and so he fired a round and got frags in his forearm. His bled a little too. No more shooting the Smith. He said that the hand (found out that's the lever that pushes up and advanced the cylinder) was too short. He can fix it, but he recommended that I call S&W and see if they have the part (since it was manufactured in the early seventies) and if they do, send it to them for repairs. So I'll be calling them this week. I also shot my new (to me) Ruger SBH and I really like it. Also took my Ruger Single Six and burned up a lot of .22's. I had a good time, especially letting a 14 year old kid shoot the Single Six and the SBH. He did pretty well too. His dad was proud of him. Sorry, no photos, because I am senile and forgot my camera.

P.S. This incident is an excellent illustration of why you should ALWAYS wear eye protection.

[desdem12]

[Ranger1968]

Very, Very nice....

The SW revolvers, the older ones especially, are just so classy.