I carried the SW model 22 357 mag for 30 months as a patrolman in Texas from 1970 to 1973. Only required to use it to dispatch injured animals on duty but fired hundreds of target rounds. It was certainly a smooth pistol to fire. I gave it up for bigger things when I re-entered the Army but I keep my eye out for another.
That's a nice model 28 , the N-frame makes shooting 357 easier and 38 special are very light. I have a model 28 no dash , very cool gun. Nice history of the gun and story of it , thanks for showing.
A Model 28-2 just sold for $775 on GunBroker yesterday. It looks to be in great condition, and I thought about buying it. I had a 1950’s Colt DS with a Duo-Tone finish: Matte on the grip frame, and trigger guard, gloss on the rest.
Thanks, that one sounds like it had some work done to it, this one was a couple more than that but with the original box and paperwork and condition it was priced correctly and from what I’ve seen for I guess what you’d call a collector’s type it was within current market value. I think the prices will continue to go up on good smith revolvers, maybe not at the rate over the past 5- 10 years but I think the “ known quantity “ is now established and there is no going back.
🇦🇺😎👍Mate I’ve got a 2017 model 48 22 mag and the finish is cheap. It’s not traditional blueing although it’s gloss. Its only fired about 400 rds approx and the blueing is wearing out on the barrel where I put it down on the carpet or rubber mat on the bench at the pistol club. Had the stainless model been available at the time I’m sure I would have brought it instead as my 617 has a remarkable finish and durability. Great video
Hey thanks, I assume then you have a Classic series for the 48, maybe the 48-7? That sounds a little strange on the finish wearing like that, you might have a case for a refinish under warranty with Smith. I had a 27-9 for a period of time that was used and I thought the gun was actually put together quite well and the finish seemed very solid, but I do hear of concerns over the newer finishes at times but I personally haven’t experienced that.
Thank you very much for the video. I really learned a lot so thank you ! I was in my lgs lately and picked one up on consignment from a retired CHP officer who purchased in 1977. It is in amazing condition and I was so excited to add a pistol with that history to my safe.
Nice revolver. Revolvers are my favorite handgun hunting tool. I bought a S&W 460V X-frame with a five inch muzzle brake equipped full lug barrel. Smith and Wesson did a Master Revolver Package on mine plus installed a fixed over travel trigger stop on the back of the trigger. And installed a green high visibility front sight on the barrel. The five shot cylinder was black powder chamfered by Bowen Classic Arms. A stainless steel lanyard ring was attached to the grip by replacing the threaded screw that holds the Hogue grip with the threaded lanyard ring that has the same threads that hold Hogue grip on. And a Steel Target Adjustable rear sight made by Bowen Classic Arms replaced the original adjustable rear sight. Shoots 460 S&W magnum, 454 Casull and all 45 Colt loads made. 45 Schofield if you can get it. TK Custom made the cylinder fit their stainless steel rugged moon clips for 45 ACP. As a bonus the 45 ACP moon clip also holds and shoots 460 Rowland, 45 Super and 45 Winchester magnum using Starline brass. An extra long firing pin from Cylinder and Slide makes all rimmed cartridges listed above reliable to shoot without a moon clip to fit in and provide rimmed support. A very versatile revolver. I love it!!!
I came across your canal and was happy to see the M 28. I have my Dads pre-model 28. It is a 4" brush nickel and is in great condition. Works so well I have in my rotation for carry gun. Thank you for featuring the S&W. MODEL 28.
I have a 3T 27-2, 3T 29-2 Nickle and a 3T 19-3 All 6" all with Boxes and the 27-2 has the Most Beautiful Blue and the Entire top Strap/Barrel Rib is Hand Checkered for glare and has a Tapered Barrell and the Only Revolver to receive this Treatment ! Like your model 19-3 mine has The Most amazing Finish i have ever seen on an S&W!
I’m always amazed at just how good the S&W blue can look. , I actually don’t know if there was period of time ( certain decades) when it was deeper and richer but it wouldn’t surprise me given different environmental regulations. But on certain guns that have been very well cared for or new ones, it’s just fantastic.
My dad was a former Sherriff's department reserve deputy back in the 70s and this was his service piece. He asked me what guns of his I wanted passed down and the first thing I said was his model 28. I love the feel and the weight of the gun and being a lefty it is just easier for me to use .
Very cool, love the inheritance stories, I actually believe this is the reason many smiths never see the market , they are handed down and rightly so kept in the family. Glad you have it.
Around 1975 a friend who had a gun store showed me a new 6" Model 19 that had just come it. I was going to buy it immediately until he showed me a new 6" Model 28 that came in at the same time. It was love at first sight. I immediately bought the 28-2 and kept it for 47 years. During that time I sent it back to S&W and had a red ramp front sight installed along with a white outline rear sight, target hammer, target trigger and target stocks. I must have fired thousands of rounds though it, almost all lead SWC at about 850 to 900 fps. When I sold because of my advancing age and deteriorating health it still looked new and the man who got loves it as much as I did. I still have my 4" M28-2 that came along about 15 years ago. All I did to it was put on a set of Miculek target grips and shoot it. It shoots great and I wouldn't trade it for a sack full of the new plastic wonder 9s.
Wow, thanks for a great comment. I’d like to see more of these older revolvers with that red ramp / white rear but I guess it wasn’t super popular back in the day. I think many of these over- built revolvers by smith are “double life time guns” , with some care they are easily 2 generation guns. Glad you still have the 4”.
I have a 28-2 since brand new which I bought back in 1968 and is still in mint condition. I have shot less than 500 rounds with it . Back when armor piercing ammo was still available we tried firing at a small 4 cylinder engine block at 15 yards and it just cracked it. That is how powerful this gun is.
Thanks for the comment, the .357 mag is a very powerful round, very evident when you shoot it and effective for hunting and law enforcement for many years as we know.
What kind of ammo? I've got a 50 round box of old Winchester "Metal Piercing" rounds and a small plastic "six pack" of KTW tungsten rounds that are supposedly "armour penetrating" rounds.
I have a 28-2 in 6inch I wasn’t sure if the stock grips were the ones that came with the gun thanks to your video they are the original I did change them to target grips looks much better thank you for the video
I think we have close to the same collection! I have one as well 3” barrel with some vintage Pachmeyers. It was never carried or issued by a police agency. Unfortunately, it was dropped at some point in its life and the right sight was broken. I had a gunsmith install a fixed combat style rear sight. It’s by far one of my favorite handguns to shoot. Even the hottest .357 is able to be shot accurate and controlled. Thanks for another great video!
I carried a 4" M28 for nearly all my career as a peace officer. It kept me above ground in three shootings during my career. When the agency I was with went to the 9mm autoloaders, I retired shortly after that. I have zero faith in that little caliber. My personal M28 is not for sale, trade, or anything else. Ever....
Hey thanks for a great comment and for your years of service. So was the M28 a dept issued sidearm or did you decide to go with that? What 9mm did they go with it? It’s funny you bring up the 9mm topic because of the more recent decisions to go from .40 to 9mm , I was thinking of doing a video on that topic because the actual ballistics data from say Federal is pretty interesting. Assuming the data is correct, it’s pretty amazing how close and in some cases exceeding the 9mm has gotten to the .40. I think it’s the actual bullet construction / manufacturing technique and materials of construction that have bridged the gap.
@@thedailydefender1408 Sorry for the late reply. The 28 was my weapon. The PD issued me a Beretta 92f, and it sucked! I bought an early US import Glock 19, but I didn't trust it. I had more "hostile trigger time" than anyone in the PD, and I had zero faith in a 9mm.
@@thedailydefender1408 Nope. An additional assignment in the PD was head of officer involved shootings. On or off duty. When we switched to the 9mm, the number of rounds expend rose 200% to stop armed suspects. I consider that as unacceptable.
Interesting do you recall what type of 9mm load that was. I certainly agree back in the day the early 9mm rounds were not great and the original hydra shok had its issues. Looking at a current Federal chart of cartridge performance, it’s interesting to see just how well (minus glass I believe it was) 9mm now does. I think for ccw use the 9mm seems to be a very good choice, not sure I’d agree if I were on the street for a living.@@anangryranger
I bought my 4 inch model 28 the day I turned 21 in June 1976. I carried it as a duty weapon for 3 years. I finally switch to a K frame in stainless steel, Because I got tired of pulling my pants up all the time. It's a damn heavy revolver to be carrying for duty weapon. But I still have my 28 and I love it and have turned down several offers to buy it for lots of money. Mine will definitely get passed down.
Thanks for the great comment, I can only imagine the weight of that to your point day in and day out. Hopefully you a very good duty belt and holster to help manage that.
Absolutely beautiful wheel gun you got there sir! What an artifact of old school craftsmanship, that still holds up today and years to come. Definitely don’t give her up, she won’t fail you. Nice and heavy, soft shootin even with some hotter .357s. Very purty, thanks so much for sharing! 👍🏻
Thanks appreciate the comment, I was lucky to come across it, shop actually had its twin in 6” but I just prefer the balance of the 4” , well and other smiths in 3”. I agree that gun is built to a different standard in a different time and place. I think people sometimes call some of these smiths double life time guns as they are built for multiple generations, and I think that is very true of a lot of them.
Thanks and thanks for a great comment. Funny you mention the model 15 that’s on my short list, found a beautiful 15-2 but the shop wanted probably 300 over its value without original box or papers so had to pass. Great history to the M15 especially with Vietnam era fighter pilots.
👍 Very nice m28 highway patrolman. I like your choice of grips. I think the advent of the 586/ 686 L frame 357 may have played into the demise of the 27/28 as well.
Very nice! I purchased one in a box at a gun show for $850, came with three boxes of reloaded hollow points, which i haven't shot. In the box: One S&W ammunition pamphlet, one Model 19 service pamphlet, and one registration card dated 3/1/1972 by a sheriff department personnel, name withheld- Truly enjoy shooting .38's and nothing says "BOOM" like the .357. I may have to try it on a cast iron target to see the damage it would do to an engine......
Very nice , good buy at that price IMO, very cool w the registration card. .38 special is just a nice cartridge to shoot, not a massive fan of it for self defense but as a +p cartridge it has a solid reputation. Glad you have a cool M28 in the collection.
Love it. I have a 4 and 6 inch. The finish is unique to this model I think. I like it. Cheaper to produce for a working cop on the beat. Get the 27 if you want the high polish. I love that too. $147 in 1975 is about $859 in todays money (Aug 2024) which is about the value of a HP. Condition dependent between $700 and $1100
Thanks for the comment, yep all the HP had this unique finish although I do believe it varied slightly over the years. They continue to be a very desirable smith. It my only N frame and I forget how large that revolver is until I take it out of the safe.
The "Highway Patrolman". I love that name. I don't think any of the other N frames had a name attached to them. I have a 28-2 exactly like this one in the video. It came with the Magna service stocks. I also have a 27-2 that came with the target stocks. I switched the stocks between the two. I never shoot the 27, but I do take the 28 to the range. I don't worry so much about the satin finish on the 28 as I would on the 27. I'm going to the range today and I'll make sure the Highway Patrolman is in attendance. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for a great comment, the HP I think just encapsulates everything S&W was doing back then with the .357 and the LE connection, it’s just a great piece. Other early N frames would have had names like Heavy Duty, or Registered Magnum, and then Non Registered Magnum or at times just .357 Magnum .
Beautiful revolver. I have to agree, the four-inch barrel gives it a very nice profile. I think the satin finish gives it a real no nonsense appearance. I own a 27-2 with a six-inch barrel, which I bought in 1977. Mine has the bright blue finish, and came with the oversized target grips which I think fit the frame perfectly, and it is a joy to take to the range. They really don't make them like that anymore. I recently looked at a 29-10 at a gun store recently. I don't know if this is typical of Smith and Wessons nowdays, but compared to the 29-3 that I have, the action seemed rather stiff. I wouldn't call the finish bright blue either.
No they don’t and I think that’s the major appeal to them and even if your not a collector if folks just to a little research on the older smith revolvers you can pretty quickly pick up on the build quality and fitment of parts from a different era. Also the reason the prices have gone up like crazy. I think the new guns do have a stiffer trigger (good description actually) but still good to very good and I think the guns are also made well. It will be interesting to see what comes out of TN now and what folks will think of guns stamped TN? Are MA guns going to go up in value as well, perhaps…..
Thanks, I’m just a sucker for that midnight blue that just seems to come off perfectly on these guns from the 50s to the 70s or so - when they have been cared for over the years. eBay from time to time has pretty good vintage brochures and catalogs, of course hit or miss and prices can be all over the place…
Just another follow up reply. My serial number is very close to yours and has stock grips. Probably same year. I enjoy the not so popular N frames a lot. Question? What does Z 7 X O on the end label mean in the "special features" box? I looks like it was not written when the label was produced. Mine is just blank
@@coh2conscript851 the customer service I’m ok with from smith in fact I had a very good experience with them on a used, classic series revolver I bought, but I am afraid the QC just isn’t what it was and it would appear the older guns, in good shape, are actually better than what is being produced today. Which is tough to say…..
I just added a 4" Highway Patrolman to my collection. Never was attracted to them in my N Frame collection but when a N frame 28-2 survivor popped up unfired box, papers, and tools I had to have it. Got plenty of "Pretty" guns, now I have a work horse I will never shoot .LOL Paid $1250.00 on Gunbroker. When it is un fired, box, papers, and tools that drives the price up. Normally I would go $800 max for a nice one.
Thanks for the comment, yep that’s one you just have to add to the collection I think if you’re a S&W revolver guy of any type or collector. I think that 900 to 1300 is also what I’m seeing as a std avg, with a push to 1500 is some shops…
The Model 28 was indeed highly marketed to police agencies, as was the Model 19, but neither made their way into police usage in anywhere near the quantity of the Model 10.
You would have been more likely to have bumped into a patrolman carrying the 4"Mod 19 than the 28. I was in LE in the mid 70's in California. When I attended the academy 3 cadets carried M-15 1 4" Python 2 Mod 28's 1 Security 6" and 18 M-19s. Just less load to carry around for 8 hours. The academy serviced 8 counties. So a pretty large representaion.
Well I think you’re probably right and that was the appeal of the K frame opposed to the large N frame. The M19 and M15 are just about perfect as an all around revolver.
Actually, it's wrong to say Highway Patrolman. It's Highway Petrolman. Smith & Wesson made this revolver in 1954 for drivers who were stuck on the road when they ran out of gas. No one stopped when they asked for a little gas to get to the nearest gas station. But when they saw the revolver, they started stopping.
I currently have a set of Pachmayr Presentation grips on mine, ugly but effective. I think a set of Altamont Roper grips with a slightly wider back would be perfect. The standard target grips like you have just don't work for me. The Model 28 is still one of the most perfect handguns ever made. It's a heavy revolver, but it makes controlling heavy loads so much easier.
Thanks for the comment, it’s a treat to own not only to your points but the historical references as well. Rarely do the standard S&W grips feel right to me, although I have a model 15 4” that for some reason do feel ok, could be the perfect blend of balance and size with that model. The rubber grips are crazy effective but man just don’t do anything for the curb appeal of the firearm.
My uncle has one. He knows what it is, but not the history behind it. He won’t come off it. Ever. I’ve tried. I shot it quite a few times. We don’t talk anymore. I sure miss that Model 28!
The only one I’ve seen in a gun store was pretty beat up, and much of the finish was gone. Nevertheless, it was picked up by someone within three weeks.
Can you imagine how degrading it would be for a criminal to learn he was "eliminated" by an Officer using a Highway Patrolman and not the more prestigious original 357 Magnum? That's a bitter lead pill to swallow.
i acquired my 28-2 (made in 1961-62) according to S&W from my friend and FFL 16 years ago for $400. looks like its never been fired but no box or paperwork. I have not fired it it's super tight and perfect. Im getting on in years so I guess I have to pick one of my kids to keep it forever.
I have 2 28-2s and 3 27-2s. The 28 was designed as a carry piece for cops. Not quite a shiny finish by design. Not quite as visible at night like a shiny 27.
Agreed, I think it’s been said before as well that it was a working man’s gun and some production steps were able to be trimmed to help reach a price point for LEO on the street.
Put factory wood grips on it. Those aftermarket makers either don't have eyes enough to see the difference in design or do it intended to dissappoint you. I mean if they make grips anyway, cannot they repeat the design normally???
Yeah for me the factory wood, which I do have for it just doesn’t work with my smaller hand, especially on a gun of that size and weight. For me it has to be a target grip. Just haven’t gotten around to getting an original set of stocks.
given a choice, I cannot understand why someone wouldn't choose a model 57 over a model 28. They're both N-frames, why buy a 28 when you can get a 57. The 57 is a more powerful revolver with a smoother action and trigger pull....I was told that direct from the factory. I actually own one of each. I got the 28 for so cheap I thought being an N frame and only a .357 compared to a .41 or .44 mag, that it ought to be a good tough revolver to keep in the Jeep at the ranch that would last a long time......nope....I quickley found out why it was so cheap.....it was worn out. Like it had a million rounds thru it or something
I've got a 1979 28-2 six'' - beast of a gun.
Yeah they just are, which makes them fantastic!
I got one of these almost by mistake, the finish is a mess but fit and function are excellent. What a delightful gun to shoot with 357 magnum loads.
Sounds like maybe it was a well worn LEO gun?
I have a model 28-2, sent it to S&W to square away the internals and re-blue it. It is an amazing revolver!!!
Matte Blued is one of the biggest attractions to the S&W Model 28, no fingerprinting.
Well that’s an excellent point, another indicator of its utilization finish.
I carried the SW model 22 357 mag for 30 months as a patrolman in Texas from 1970 to 1973. Only required to use it to dispatch injured animals on duty but fired hundreds of target rounds. It was certainly a smooth pistol to fire. I gave it up for bigger things when I re-entered the Army but I keep my eye out for another.
I have the -2 purchased in 1982 from a friend for $150:) I love it
Thanks for the comment, great time to be buying them back then 10x now….wish I would have kept a couple….
That's a nice model 28 , the N-frame makes shooting 357 easier and 38 special are very light. I have a model 28 no dash , very cool gun. Nice history of the gun and story of it , thanks for showing.
Thank, so you have a very early gun then 57-60’ range, is the blue a deeper but more matte color?
@@thedailydefender1408 it looks more darker blue than my friends 28-2
@@JG-xt9io that would make sense to me and almost no sheen or gloss right?
@@thedailydefender1408 yea it's not glossy
A Model 28-2 just sold for $775 on GunBroker yesterday. It looks to be in great condition, and I thought about buying it. I had a 1950’s Colt DS with a Duo-Tone finish: Matte on the grip frame, and trigger guard, gloss on the rest.
Thanks, that one sounds like it had some work done to it, this one was a couple more than that but with the original box and paperwork and condition it was priced correctly and from what I’ve seen for I guess what you’d call a collector’s type it was within current market value. I think the prices will continue to go up on good smith revolvers, maybe not at the rate over the past 5- 10 years but I think the “ known quantity “ is now established and there is no going back.
The Matt blue finish is my favorite feature.
It is cool and makes the revolver just that much more unique IMO.
Fine piece of equipment i have one like that.
Thanks , they are really very neat revolvers that Smith made.
🇦🇺😎👍Mate I’ve got a 2017 model 48 22 mag and the finish is cheap. It’s not traditional blueing although it’s gloss. Its only fired about 400 rds approx and the blueing is wearing out on the barrel where I put it down on the carpet or rubber mat on the bench at the pistol club. Had the stainless model been available at the time I’m sure I would have brought it instead as my 617 has a remarkable finish and durability. Great video
Hey thanks, I assume then you have a Classic series for the 48, maybe the 48-7? That sounds a little strange on the finish wearing like that, you might have a case for a refinish under warranty with Smith. I had a 27-9 for a period of time that was used and I thought the gun was actually put together quite well and the finish seemed very solid, but I do hear of concerns over the newer finishes at times but I personally haven’t experienced that.
Thank you very much for the video. I really learned a lot so thank you ! I was in my lgs lately and picked one up on consignment from a retired CHP officer who purchased in 1977. It is in amazing condition and I was so excited to add a pistol with that history to my safe.
Thanks for the great comment, that’s great that you were able to locate one and have some known history to it!
Nice revolver. Revolvers are my favorite handgun hunting tool. I bought a S&W 460V X-frame with a five inch muzzle brake equipped full lug barrel. Smith and Wesson did a Master Revolver Package on mine plus installed a fixed over travel trigger stop on the back of the trigger. And installed a green high visibility front sight on the barrel.
The five shot cylinder was black powder chamfered by Bowen Classic Arms. A stainless steel lanyard ring was attached to the grip by replacing the threaded screw that holds the Hogue grip with the threaded lanyard ring that has the same threads that hold Hogue grip on. And a Steel Target Adjustable rear sight made by Bowen Classic Arms replaced the original adjustable rear sight.
Shoots 460 S&W magnum, 454 Casull and all 45 Colt loads made. 45 Schofield if you can get it. TK Custom made the cylinder fit their stainless steel rugged moon clips for 45 ACP. As a bonus the 45 ACP moon clip also holds and shoots 460 Rowland, 45 Super and 45 Winchester magnum using Starline brass. An extra long firing pin from Cylinder and Slide makes all rimmed cartridges listed above reliable to shoot without a moon clip to fit in and provide rimmed support. A very versatile revolver. I love it!!!
Wow, sounds amazing!
My first center fire revolver model 28-2 Still have it, pinned barrel and recessed chambers. Fun to shoot.
Thanks for the comment, the 28 is just an amazing revolver and built like a 2 generation gun.
I have a 1976 HP and its such a perfect revolve, Seems mine got a little extra polish on the barrel and thats okay. thank you for your content sir
Thanks for the comment. They are very cool .357 magnums.
I came across your canal and was happy to see the M 28. I have my Dads pre-model 28. It is a 4" brush nickel and is in great condition. Works so well I have in my rotation for carry gun. Thank you for featuring the S&W. MODEL 28.
Your welcome, very cool you have your dads , was he issued the firearm or purchased it on his own?
Super cool that you still carry it.
I have a 3T 27-2, 3T 29-2 Nickle and a 3T 19-3 All 6" all with Boxes and the 27-2 has the Most Beautiful Blue and the Entire top Strap/Barrel Rib is Hand Checkered for glare and has a Tapered Barrell and the Only Revolver to receive this Treatment ! Like your model 19-3 mine has The Most amazing Finish i have ever seen on an S&W!
I’m always amazed at just how good the S&W blue can look. , I actually don’t know if there was period of time ( certain decades) when it was deeper and richer but it wouldn’t surprise me given different environmental regulations. But on certain guns that have been very well cared for or new ones, it’s just fantastic.
Mine is a 28-2 got it from a fellow officer carried it while in service still have it 40 years later I still have blue box thank you for the review
Thanks for the comment , sounds like a great one to now have ownership of.
My dad was a former Sherriff's department reserve deputy back in the 70s and this was his service piece. He asked me what guns of his I wanted passed down and the first thing I said was his model 28. I love the feel and the weight of the gun and being a lefty it is just easier for me to use .
Very cool, love the inheritance stories, I actually believe this is the reason many smiths never see the market , they are handed down and rightly so kept in the family. Glad you have it.
Around 1975 a friend who had a gun store showed me a new 6" Model 19 that had just come it. I was going to buy it immediately until he showed me a new 6" Model 28 that came in at the same time. It was love at first sight. I immediately bought the 28-2 and kept it for 47 years. During that time I sent it back to S&W and had a red ramp front sight installed along with a white outline rear sight, target hammer, target trigger and target stocks. I must have fired thousands of rounds though it, almost all lead SWC at about 850 to 900 fps. When I sold because of my advancing age and deteriorating health it still looked new and the man who got loves it as much as I did. I still have my 4" M28-2 that came along about 15 years ago. All I did to it was put on a set of Miculek target grips and shoot it. It shoots great and I wouldn't trade it for a sack full of the new plastic wonder 9s.
Wow, thanks for a great comment. I’d like to see more of these older revolvers with that red ramp / white rear but I guess it wasn’t super popular back in the day. I think many of these over- built revolvers by smith are “double life time guns” , with some care they are easily 2 generation guns. Glad you still have the 4”.
I have a 28-2 since brand new which I bought back in 1968 and is still in mint condition. I have shot less than 500 rounds with it . Back when armor piercing ammo was still available we tried firing at a small 4 cylinder engine block at 15 yards and it just cracked it. That is how powerful this gun is.
Thanks for the comment, the .357 mag is a very powerful round, very evident when you shoot it and effective for hunting and law enforcement for many years as we know.
What kind of ammo? I've got a 50 round box of old Winchester "Metal Piercing" rounds and a small plastic "six pack" of KTW tungsten rounds that are supposedly "armour penetrating" rounds.
I have a 28-2 in 6inch I wasn’t sure if the stock grips were the ones that came with the gun thanks to your video they are the original I did change them to target grips looks much better thank you for the video
Thanks for the comment.
I think we have close to the same collection! I have one as well 3” barrel with some vintage Pachmeyers. It was never carried or issued by a police agency.
Unfortunately, it was dropped at some point in its life and the right sight was broken. I had a gunsmith install a fixed combat style rear sight.
It’s by far one of my favorite handguns to shoot. Even the hottest .357 is able to be shot accurate and controlled.
Thanks for another great video!
Wow so you have a 28 w a 3” barrel? I don’t think there were any factory issued firearms like that.
@@thedailydefender1408 it’s a 4” barrel. I mistyped.
@@coreybenson3122 got ya, not that I haven’t heard of people changing out barrels for different lengths but that would be a little odd on a HP.
@@thedailydefender1408 the best smith Wesson rumor I’ve ever heard is that the model 28’s that went to Italy were nickel plated 3 & 5” barrels.
@@coreybenson3122 interesting….
I carried a 4" M28 for nearly all my career as a peace officer. It kept me above ground in three shootings during my career. When the agency I was with went to the 9mm autoloaders, I retired shortly after that. I have zero faith in that little caliber. My personal M28 is not for sale, trade, or anything else. Ever....
Hey thanks for a great comment and for your years of service. So was the M28 a dept issued sidearm or did you decide to go with that? What 9mm did they go with it? It’s funny you bring up the 9mm topic because of the more recent decisions to go from .40 to 9mm , I was thinking of doing a video on that topic because the actual ballistics data from say Federal is pretty interesting. Assuming the data is correct, it’s pretty amazing how close and in some cases exceeding the 9mm has gotten to the .40. I think it’s the actual bullet construction / manufacturing technique and materials of construction that have bridged the gap.
@@thedailydefender1408 Sorry for the late reply. The 28 was my weapon. The PD issued me a Beretta 92f, and it sucked! I bought an early US import Glock 19, but I didn't trust it. I had more "hostile trigger time" than anyone in the PD, and I had zero faith in a 9mm.
Thanks for the note back, and has your opinion changed on the 9mm ? @@anangryranger
@@thedailydefender1408 Nope. An additional assignment in the PD was head of officer involved shootings. On or off duty. When we switched to the 9mm, the number of rounds expend rose 200% to stop armed suspects. I consider that as unacceptable.
Interesting do you recall what type of 9mm load that was. I certainly agree back in the day the early 9mm rounds were not great and the original hydra shok had its issues. Looking at a current Federal chart of cartridge performance, it’s interesting to see just how well (minus glass I believe it was) 9mm now does. I think for ccw use the 9mm seems to be a very good choice, not sure I’d agree if I were on the street for a living.@@anangryranger
I bought my 4 inch model 28 the day I turned 21 in June 1976. I carried it as a duty weapon for 3 years. I finally switch to a K frame in stainless steel, Because I got tired of pulling my pants up all the time. It's a damn heavy revolver to be carrying for duty weapon. But I still have my 28 and I love it and have turned down several offers to buy it for lots of money. Mine will definitely get passed down.
Thanks for the great comment, I can only imagine the weight of that to your point day in and day out. Hopefully you a very good duty belt and holster to help manage that.
Absolutely beautiful wheel gun you got there sir! What an artifact of old school craftsmanship, that still holds up today and years to come. Definitely don’t give her up, she won’t fail you. Nice and heavy, soft shootin even with some hotter .357s. Very purty, thanks so much for sharing! 👍🏻
Thanks appreciate the comment, I was lucky to come across it, shop actually had its twin in 6” but I just prefer the balance of the 4” , well and other smiths in 3”. I agree that gun is built to a different standard in a different time and place. I think people sometimes call some of these smiths double life time guns as they are built for multiple generations, and I think that is very true of a lot of them.
@@thedailydefender1408 I agree, the 4 inch has really nice balance.
Great channel keep em coming please. If ever possible do a K38/M15 history and review. Thanks!
Thanks and thanks for a great comment. Funny you mention the model 15 that’s on my short list, found a beautiful 15-2 but the shop wanted probably 300 over its value without original box or papers so had to pass. Great history to the M15 especially with Vietnam era fighter pilots.
👍 Very nice m28 highway patrolman. I like your choice of grips. I think the advent of the 586/ 686 L frame 357 may have played into the demise of the 27/28 as well.
Thanks and I think you may be right with the 586/686 becoming as popular as they did.
Very nice.
Very nice! I purchased one in a box at a gun show for $850, came with three boxes of reloaded hollow points, which i haven't shot. In the box: One S&W ammunition pamphlet, one Model 19 service pamphlet, and one registration card dated 3/1/1972 by a sheriff department personnel, name withheld- Truly enjoy shooting .38's and nothing says "BOOM" like the .357. I may have to try it on a cast iron target to see the damage it would do to an engine......
Very nice , good buy at that price IMO, very cool w the registration card. .38 special is just a nice cartridge to shoot, not a massive fan of it for self defense but as a +p cartridge it has a solid reputation. Glad you have a cool M28 in the collection.
Love it.
I have a 4 and 6 inch.
The finish is unique to this model I think. I like it.
Cheaper to produce for a working cop on the beat.
Get the 27 if you want the high polish. I love that too.
$147 in 1975 is about $859 in todays money (Aug 2024) which is about the value of a HP. Condition dependent between $700 and $1100
Thanks for the comment, yep all the HP had this unique finish although I do believe it varied slightly over the years. They continue to be a very desirable smith. It my only N frame and I forget how large that revolver is until I take it out of the safe.
The "Highway Patrolman". I love that name. I don't think any of the other N frames had a name attached to them. I have a 28-2 exactly like this one in the video. It came with the Magna service stocks. I also have a 27-2 that came with the target stocks. I switched the stocks between the two. I never shoot the 27, but I do take the 28 to the range. I don't worry so much about the satin finish on the 28 as I would on the 27. I'm going to the range today and I'll make sure the Highway Patrolman is in attendance. Thanks for the video!
Thanks for a great comment, the HP I think just encapsulates everything S&W was doing back then with the .357 and the LE connection, it’s just a great piece. Other early N frames would have had names like Heavy Duty, or Registered Magnum, and then Non Registered Magnum or at times just .357 Magnum .
Please upload more!
Thanks will do….
Beautiful revolver. I have to agree, the four-inch barrel gives it a very nice profile. I think the satin finish gives it a real no nonsense appearance. I own a 27-2 with a six-inch barrel, which I bought in 1977. Mine has the bright blue finish, and came with the oversized target grips which I think fit the frame perfectly, and it is a joy to take to the range. They really don't make them like that anymore. I recently looked at a 29-10 at a gun store recently. I don't know if this is typical of Smith and Wessons nowdays, but compared to the 29-3 that I have, the action seemed rather stiff. I wouldn't call the finish bright blue either.
No they don’t and I think that’s the major appeal to them and even if your not a collector if folks just to a little research on the older smith revolvers you can pretty quickly pick up on the build quality and fitment of parts from a different era. Also the reason the prices have gone up like crazy. I think the new guns do have a stiffer trigger (good description actually) but still good to very good and I think the guns are also made well. It will be interesting to see what comes out of TN now and what folks will think of guns stamped TN? Are MA guns going to go up in value as well, perhaps…..
Great line (intoxicated) with the bluing, yes I feel the same. Where can I get that catalog?
Be well
Thanks, I’m just a sucker for that midnight blue that just seems to come off perfectly on these guns from the 50s to the 70s or so - when they have been cared for over the years. eBay from time to time has pretty good vintage brochures and catalogs, of course hit or miss and prices can be all over the place…
My great uncle had one of them, an actual registered magnum, he was a railroad cop for the union pacific.
Wow….thats a great family story. Does he still have it?
No he passed away some years ago, one of his son's my cousin has it.
Just another follow up reply. My serial number is very close to yours and has stock grips. Probably same year. I enjoy the not so popular N frames a lot. Question? What does Z 7 X O on the end label mean in the "special features" box? I looks like it was not written when the label was produced. Mine is just blank
$144 sounds good until you realize that's around $840 in today's dollars. Great video, and beautiful Smith!
Thanks, yeah nothing is really cheap anymore w /r to old smiths in good condition, especially with original box and papers…..
Still worth it from what I hear. Modern companies in general lack in customer support and quality control.
@@coh2conscript851 the customer service I’m ok with from smith in fact I had a very good experience with them on a used, classic series revolver I bought, but I am afraid the QC just isn’t what it was and it would appear the older guns, in good shape, are actually better than what is being produced today. Which is tough to say…..
@@thedailydefender1408 Unfortunate.
I just added a 4" Highway Patrolman to my collection. Never was attracted to them in my N Frame collection but when a N frame 28-2 survivor popped up unfired box, papers, and tools I had to have it. Got plenty of "Pretty" guns, now I have a work horse I will never shoot .LOL Paid $1250.00 on Gunbroker. When it is un fired, box, papers, and tools that drives the price up. Normally I would go $800 max for a nice one.
Thanks for the comment, yep that’s one you just have to add to the collection I think if you’re a S&W revolver guy of any type or collector. I think that 900 to 1300 is also what I’m seeing as a std avg, with a push to 1500 is some shops…
The Model 28 was indeed highly marketed to police agencies, as was the Model 19, but neither made their way into police usage in anywhere near the quantity of the Model 10.
That is very true. The M&P and thus model 10 were used extensively in the US by law enforcement.
Because lots of agencies were restricted to 38 special only and disallowed any version of a 357 magnum
You would have been more likely to have bumped into a patrolman carrying the 4"Mod 19 than the 28. I was in LE in the mid 70's in California. When I attended the academy 3 cadets carried M-15 1 4" Python 2 Mod 28's 1 Security 6" and 18 M-19s. Just less load to carry around for 8 hours. The academy serviced 8 counties. So a pretty large representaion.
Well I think you’re probably right and that was the appeal of the K frame opposed to the large N frame. The M19 and M15 are just about perfect as an all around revolver.
Actually, it's wrong to say Highway Patrolman. It's Highway Petrolman. Smith & Wesson made this revolver in 1954 for drivers who were stuck on the road when they ran out of gas. No one stopped when they asked for a little gas to get to the nearest gas station. But when they saw the revolver, they started stopping.
I currently have a set of Pachmayr Presentation grips on mine, ugly but effective. I think a set of Altamont Roper grips with a slightly wider back would be perfect. The standard target grips like you have just don't work for me. The Model 28 is still one of the most perfect handguns ever made. It's a heavy revolver, but it makes controlling heavy loads so much easier.
Thanks for the comment, it’s a treat to own not only to your points but the historical references as well. Rarely do the standard S&W grips feel right to me, although I have a model 15 4” that for some reason do feel ok, could be the perfect blend of balance and size with that model. The rubber grips are crazy effective but man just don’t do anything for the curb appeal of the firearm.
My uncle has one. He knows what it is, but not the history behind it. He won’t come off it. Ever. I’ve tried. I shot it quite a few times. We don’t talk anymore. I sure miss that Model 28!
The only one I’ve seen in a gun store was pretty beat up, and much of the finish was gone. Nevertheless, it was picked up by someone within three weeks.
Can you imagine how degrading it would be for a criminal to learn he was "eliminated" by an Officer using a Highway Patrolman and not the more prestigious original 357 Magnum? That's a bitter lead pill to swallow.
i acquired my 28-2 (made in 1961-62) according to S&W from my friend and FFL 16 years ago for $400. looks like its never been fired but no box or paperwork. I have not fired it it's super tight and perfect. Im getting on in years so I guess I have to pick one of my kids to keep it forever.
Thanks for the comment , one of smith great firearms and specifically marketed to LEO. Sounds a great one to hand down.
I have 2 28-2s and 3 27-2s. The 28 was designed as a carry piece for cops. Not quite a shiny finish by design. Not quite as visible at night like a shiny 27.
Agreed, I think it’s been said before as well that it was a working man’s gun and some production steps were able to be trimmed to help reach a price point for LEO on the street.
I also changed the original grips. Too small for my hand
Put factory wood grips on it. Those aftermarket makers either don't have eyes enough to see the difference in design or do it intended to dissappoint you. I mean if they make grips anyway, cannot they repeat the design normally???
Yeah for me the factory wood, which I do have for it just doesn’t work with my smaller hand, especially on a gun of that size and weight. For me it has to be a target grip. Just haven’t gotten around to getting an original set of stocks.
given a choice, I cannot understand why someone wouldn't choose a model 57 over a model 28. They're both N-frames, why buy a 28 when you can get a 57. The 57 is a more powerful revolver with a smoother action and trigger pull....I was told that direct from the factory. I actually own one of each. I got the 28 for so cheap I thought being an N frame and only a .357 compared to a .41 or .44 mag, that it ought to be a good tough revolver to keep in the Jeep at the ranch that would last a long time......nope....I quickley found out why it was so cheap.....it was worn out. Like it had a million rounds thru it or something
Interesting, to your point the 28 is and should have been a great revolver, unless it was beat to death as you said.
...... and then came Glocks
The guns are great.👍
However, you use waaaay too much "pc speak" in your narration.👎
Cosmetic deva