I think I want a S&W Highway Patrolman

You "THINK" you want a Model 28? You THINK?

Jimminey! Of course you want a chunk of N-Frame .357 goodness!

THINK!?!?!?!?!

-kBob

Now that that is out of the way.....

The six inch is a lot of steel, that front sight seems half way to the target. If you do not plan to wear the 28, by all means the 6 inch gives you more sight radius and another two inches of powder burning. A shoulder/ chest rig is nice.

If you plan to wear the thing on a belt then yeah get a four inch, so you can sit down comfortably.

If you are spending the money for a LNIB for gosh sakes spend money on decent wood while you are at it. or at least use wood and not rubber.


-kBob

My 28-2 is still going. Did replace the hammer nose . The chambers are not all alike. Quality control could have been better, i think.
Target grips did not come on the M28, they were extra cost. The 586 comes with wood target grips.
A new 586 in 6" list for $851. Discount would be less, if available. Smith & Wesson’s Lifetime Service Policy on a new gun is a PLUS. https://www.smith-wesson.com/customer-service/warranty

Go for it J-Bar. Personally, I would go for a 4” but I would be happy with a 6”. I am not sure what would be a good price. I just know that if I had the expendable money for something I truly wanted I would not walk away because it wasn’t a bargain. Life is too short and more often than not whatever you spend will be worth it, even if some jasper comes along and brags he could’ve gotten the same thing for less. Jaspers usually can’t prove it, but they sure can talk.

I have a 4" that I have had for 40 years. Great shooter.

J-Bar,

Over time I've owned a number of N-frame Smiths, including 27s and
28s. They always seemed to be "overkill" in size for the caliber and
while I don't have small hands, I never was comfortable with that
frame size and its particularly high bore axis to grip.

The Ks and Ls usually hit my sweet spot especially since I mostly
do double action shooting; single action almost never, never, never.

At the risk of raising a few protests, very feeble ones to be sure, the
N-frame .357 is just there for big mitt bozos who don't know any
better.

But a 28 might be just the thing for you and I know you are not a bozo.

I have a 4" model 28 dash 2 IIRC and it was my dads. I got it when he passed away 14 years ago. He bought, loaded it, threw away the box (dammit) and put it in his night stand. Now that I have it it is still in unfired condition. I am waiting for one of my sons to go shoot we me so they can have the honor of firing the first rounds from it.

You can carry a 6" gun. There is a local here I run into ever so often that is a retired Missouri policeman and he wears a 6" model 28 open carry. He uses a Bianche holster and a stiff belt. The belt and holster are the secret. And he is a strange dude but really cool to talk to. When he wife see's me coming she rolls her eyes because she knows he and I are going to talk for at least half an hour.

He dresses all in black with square toed boots that have chains around the ankles. A black vest and black flat top cowboy hat with a silver band around the top. Of course the belt is highly tooled leather. You just can't miss him.

Here is a group picture of my 357s with the model 28 in the group. Top right.

I consider the Model 28-2 a wonderful revolver for conversions. Here is one I reworked to handle the 45 ACP cartridge.




Kevin

I'd go with the 6" barrel if it will be a range gun (or even a hunting gun), and will generally cost less than the 4" barrel, all other things being equal. I gave a grand for my M28-2, the only mark on it is the turn ring on the cylinder. Target stocks are uncommon on them, the Magna stocks are a bit small but give you a great grip. I replaced the magna stocks on mine with a larger Altamont, but they aren't as large as target stocks. A thousand dollars is a premium price, you should be able to find a good shooter for a little less.

What's not to like about a M28-2?

You will never regret a M28. My 4" 28-2 has over 25k rounds thru her. Last trip to the range with cast 168 gr Keith SWC over 2400 off sandbags I got 2.5" groups all day long at 50 YARDS!
The trigger is sweet, lockup is tight.
Do it!

Get the 6”. It’s just more symmetrical for the size of the bigazz wad of iron. Better balanced as well. How do I know, I’ve has a 4” 28-2 since 1980. I’d try for the fat target grips too. The small wooden grips that came with mine are again seemingly kinda small in proportion . I’ve got Pachmyers on mine now which shoots great but let’s face it are butt- ugly. Those nice wooden target grips IMO are just better all around. I’d love to get my hands on a set myself.
Here’s mine, plain Jane all business........

I have the 6" and it shoots amazing- mainly use for just plinking anymore... with wadcutters-- very nice pistol- carried it in the field for years- well balanced and not horrible on the hip-

Is it a bit big for a .357? Yes.
Is the 586/686 a better balanced .357? Yes.
Do they have the soul of a classic blued N-frame? Nope.
Do you want one? YES!

I paid $750 a few years ago for my minty 6" and another $65 for a pair of clean factory Target stocks. It did have excessive endshake, strangely since there was virtually no wear anywhere else on the gun. Easily shimmed up, no problem.

Some are a little more polished than others, depending on the year they were made. Mine is almost M27 quality.

Very accurate, low recoil. A great classic revolver. Makes you feel a little more manly-man when you own/shoot one.

bangswitch said:

I'd go with the 6" barrel if it will be a range gun (or even a hunting gun), and will generally cost less than the 4" barrel, all other things being equal. I gave a grand for my M28-2, the only mark on it is the turn ring on the cylinder. Target stocks are uncommon on them, the Magna stocks are a bit small but give you a great grip. I replaced the magna stocks on mine with a larger Altamont, but they aren't as large as target stocks. A thousand dollars is a premium price, you should be able to find a good shooter for a little less.

What's not to like about a M28-2?

View attachment 945729

Click to expand...

Nice! This one has the optional Target Hammer and Semi-Target smooth trigger too.

It’s a S&W, you intend to shoot it, and likely it will be a shooter. If one of them strikes your fancy, pull 5 $100 bills out of your left pocket as a trade. If he needs more tell him about the flaws you see. If he won’t budge, pull a $100 bill out of your right pocket. Don’t go any higher.

Buy a brand new 586 or new 19 instead of paying more than $600 for an old, used 28, as others have said.

People bash new S&W’s, but in my humble opinion, a new 586 is nicer than one made in say 1994, regardless of the Lock thing. And the tensioned barrel on a new 19? A new Dan Wesson for a Ruger price? Sign me up!

Howdy

I guess I am a Big Mitt Bozo, I prefer the smaller Magna grips on a N frame revolver. I also like the way the extra weight tames the recoil of a 357 Magnum round better than a K frame will.

The Highway Patrolman was first manufactured in 1954 as a 'utility version' of The 357 Magnum. The finish was less highly polished, therefore it cost less to produce than The 357 Magnum.

When first offered it was called the Highway Patrol, but the name soon changed to Highway Patrolman.

In 1957, when Smith and Wesson began naming their revolvers by model number, the Highway Patrolman became the Model 28 and The 357 Magnum became the Model 27.

I have three Model 28s, all 28-2.

The one at the top of this photo left the factory in 1964, and is the only one I can figure out how much I paid for. $650 a few years ago.

The one at the bottom left the factory in 1965. It has a target hammer.






This one has been refinished, a more matte finish than the 28s usually left the factory with. This one left the factory around 1973.






I like both barrel lengths, I will leave that up to you.

Snooping around on Gun Broker, asking prices for Model 28s seem to be running from about $600 up to about $800. I have not been able to figure out how to find actual sold for prices. Some are relatively rare and the sellers are asking considerably more.

Kevin

Nice work converting that Model 28 into a .45 ACP! Especially like the round butt configuration and the grips with black grip adapter!

That is MR. Bozo to you!

I have a pair of 6" Model 28s and I like them best with the big target grips!

Fine shooting. And surprisingly enough several women who have shot J and K frames then shot my N frame with the big grips preferred it.

Not an easily concealable pistol, but if you don't have to hide it then GO BIG.

Why the heck would anyone want a Highway Patrolman??I
Here's mine.

I picked up an early N serial number 28-2 4” that was unfired outside of the factory. It cost me $800. I thought that was fair. I like the 4” barrel better than the 6”. The 4” seems more versatile and just as shootable.

The top of the line model was the M27. Just in case you young kids have not heard.

I like 4" barrels.

I don't have a Highway Patrolman. I do have a Model 27. I have a 4" Highway Patrolman barrel that I intend to eventually put on another Model 27 that has a 6" barrel (and a bad breech face).

Honestly, the S&W Target grips are awful. Horrible knuckle knockers, and huge at the bottom, even for my big hands. Since I discovered the Hogue Monogrip, I have never looked back.

In a pretend “revolvers anonymous” meeting...
Hello my names _______. I like wheelguns and my dream gun is a m28 smith and Wesson..

welcome ________. Your among friends here.. it’s ok. Tell us more.. 4 or 6 inch?
“ well both I guess?” that’s the right answer.. you’ll do just fine here. We meet everyday