I think I want a S&W Highway Patrolman

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Nice! This one has the optional Target Hammer and Semi-Target smooth trigger too.
Three of the four S&W magnums I own (M19-3, M28-2, M57, M29-2) have the wide serrated target triggers, and I like the smooth 'semi-target' on the M28 the best by far.

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!
Nothing S&W has built since 1982 is 'better' than the last years of the P&R revolvers. I know it's a matter of opinion, but there's a "feel" to the hand fitting of the older guns that is sadly absent in the newer ones. Many of the changes in the post-P&R era were made to decrease production costs, not to make the guns better. I even find it difficult to consider a L-frame model because they weren't existent before 1980, and don't have the classic lines due to the full-length ejector shroud. Makes them look too much like a Colt for my taste. Like I said, that's all opinion, I suppose it shows my age, partly because I started shooting these guns in the early '70s and they are reminiscent of my youth.

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.
That's another reason I changed out my target stocks on the guns that had them. Not only to "fat" for my hands, but they put my middle finger knuckle right against the rear of the trigger guard, which got a smack with every round fired.
 
have written about this revolver before. As an Leo, I wanted a 4”, N frame chambered for the 45 ACP. In the 80s, the only ones available were in collections as they were not being produced. My department sent me to the S&W Armorers School where I learned a few things about the various S&W pieces and parts and how they were to fit together.

I had a 28-2 and found an ACP cylinder. I unscrewed the barrel and shipped it to Richard Nickel who recut it and rifled it for the ACP bullet. While that was happening, I fitted and timed the cylinder, removed and replaced the frame lug, tuned the action and rounded the frame. When the barrel came home, I installed it. B/C gap was large so I needed to set it back one thread. Not having a lathe or milling machine, all work was done with hand files, bench stones and hammers. Once everything fit together it was and is a great revolver. The only thing I would change is I have found I prefer the square butt. Not going to weld it back! Conversion grips are much easier to make as can be seen on this ACP Mountain Gun.


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Kevin
 
I had one pass through my hands a couple years ago. Condition was perfect 99%+.
Too pretty for me to carry it and add holster wear. I sold it.

I'd rather have one that already has some holster wear or a stainless gun.

That being said, I have blued 3 inch Ruger Security Six heading my way that I won off of gunbroker. It's finish is just about perfect as well.
 
I bought a 1979 vintage 28-2 from a gentleman at the range. It suffered a lot in its previous life as it was very rusted and pitted. But, it shot very accurately. So, I bought it in its rather unfortunate condition. Then, I placed it in the local gun hospital for some cosmetic surgery. After it was discharged from the gun hospital, I replaced the magna grips with dress whites, as I'm partial to those. All in all, the used and neglected Patrolman got a makeover, and looks completely different.

It's a great shooter. Pics:

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Bayou52
 
I still kick myself for not picking up a 28 when I had the chance.......

A pawnbroker buddy of mine had one in the case right next to a Ruger Security 6. Both were blued and worn quite a bit. He had 189.99 on the Model 28 and 179.99 on the Security 6. This was around the 2012 time frame. They both were tight as a drum in lockup and the bores were pristine. Looked to have been carried a bunch, but not fire a whole lot. They were both 4in guns as well....
 
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.

To find out how much guns sold for look just to the right of the search box and you will see the word in small letters "advanced". Click on the word and it will take you to a second page called "advanced search". There are two tabs at the top of the page. On says Current items and the other says Completed Items.

Click on the Completed Items and then type in the gun you are looking for. Scroll down the page to the bold letters on the left that say "show only" and use the pull down arrow and I always select the "ended within the last 30 days". Then hit the green "search" button. Then you can see what the selected guns sold for and what didn't sell.
 
I have a 6 incher that I like to look at but don't shoot it much. Its a big chunk of metal and I'm partial to K/L frames. With that said, it probably has the best single action trigger of any gun I own, and it has the cool Highway Patrolman roll-mark. Smith and Wesson didn't do many things like that.
 
I picked-up an almost NIB ~1970 28-2 6" for $275 in 1997. I quickly found out why- firing .38s were fine, but .357s would lock-up the entire action. It turns out the firing pin bushing had been pressed into the frame too far, and was allowing the primers to back out. A few months later and the local gunsmith fixed the problem, but that debacle is a discussion for another day. Still shoots great today...
 
The question is not 4-inch or 6-inch; the question is which one will you find first...

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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.

You're a lucky man-I've always wanted to meet Hopalong Cassidy and you get to have conversations with him!
 
The model 28 is the GMC truck of the S&W line. I had one riding in a holster hanging from the gun rack in my pickup on the ranch for over 20 years.
I used it as a hand carbine that was handier than the M-1 in the same rack.
I shot a coyote that was biting a calf’s nose while it's mother was down trying to have the calf and couldn't do anything about it. One shot at 80 yards and it was DRT.
If the world falls into a dog eat dog survival situation, I want a 6 inch model-28 on my hip.
 
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The model 28 is the GMC truck of the S&W line. I had one riding in a holster hanging from the gun rack in my pickup on the ranch for over 20 years.
I used it as a hand carbine that was handier than the M-1 in the same rack.
I shot a coyote that was biting a calf’s nose while it's mother was down trying to have the calf and couldn't do anything about it. One shot at 80 yards and it was DRT.
If the world falls into a dog eat dog survival situation, I want a 6 inch model-28 on my hip.

just hang loose for another month. You just might get in that situation
 
I have a 6", wanted a 4" but the 6" was at a good price-in 1981-and in excellent shape. Good wood grips look dressier, rubber ones are comfortable and absorb recoil nicely. Next to an M-27 an M-28 will take you back 85 years to when the .357 was introduced. Firing 38 WCs is like firing 22s.
 
That is a very shiny M28, looks almost like a M27 finish. You been polishin' on that thing?;)

My M28 isn't as shiny, looks like I could do some polishin' myself.

Oddly, the barrel is pretty shiny as you can see. But the rest of the gun doesn't quite match. Its not mis-matched, it all blends pretty well. The frame sides are pretty good looking, but the front and back are on the verge of parkerizing. This is the only other picture I have right now and it doesn't show it that well. But either way, its still a fine gun.
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I had also been shooting it when I snapped the pic, so its a little sooty.
 
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