Convert a S&W M28 to .44 Special?

[Murdock]

I have a 4-inch Highway Patrolman M28-2 that is mechanically excellent. It's finish is generally "thin" looking, about 80-85%, showing minor holster wear. There are no rust blossoms, nicks or pits anywhere. It cost me a little under $200 about 6-7 years ago.

I also have a new .44 Spl, 4-inch barrel and cylinder set I bought from S&W in 1988, with the idea that I would find a M28 to convert to .44 Spl. (This was before I found a NIB, 6-inch M24-3, which put the conversion on hold).

My choices are:

1. Leave everything alone. Sell the new .44 Spl parts because then I won't think about doing this anymore. (M28's are going up in $$$ all the time, and changing an original gun is only sometimes a forgivable sin).

2. Put the 4-inch barrel on the 6-inch M24-3. (Difficult because the 6-inch gun is a tack driver, and very powerful with "Keith" loads, but 4-inch M24's are in more demand than 6-inch M24's, and a bit easier to carry on the belt). Sigh.

3. Turn the M28 into a M24, because M24's are harder to come by than M28's. Give the converted gun a premium bluing job. (If I do the conversion I might try to have the now-extra .357 cylinder re-chambered to 45 Colt, and use it as a second caliber for my M25-2, which S&W used to offer as a factory option).

Thoughts? Thanks in advance.

 

[Jim March]

It sounds feasible to do the conversion. S&W heat-treated the 44Mag guns better than the 357s but the lower pressure of the 44Spl should be fine.

Is it a good idea?

Hmmm.

One thing occurs to me:

In a Ruger SA, the best answer would be to ream the stock 357 cylinder up to 44Spl because then your timing and fit are all the same as present. BUT on the SA cylinders the cylinder's ratchet teeth are built in rather than being on the ejector star.

That aside, if it's possible to take the stock cylinder up to 44Spl (and modify the star at the same time?) maybe that gives you better timing and lockup without adjustments versus a cylinder swap.

On taking the 6" gun to 4": my personal view is that stock front sights of that era are less-than-optimum. And if a gun shoots well with a given barrel on it, esp. if the barrel-cyl gap is right'n'tight, I'd rather chop that barrel back to 4" and re-crown, knowing it will still shoot right when I'm done. I would then do whatever sort of swoopy custom front I'd like, with features like swappable blades, Tritium, whatever.

If you're going to customize, why bother making it look stock?

 

[rcmodel]

Or, you could sell the really nice Highway Patrolman, sell the parts, (big bucks there I betcha!) and buy a 1950 Target, or Model 24 or 624. There still seems to be a few nice ones still floating around at gun shows.

Probably come out money ahead and not mess up a fine old S&W .357.

rcmodel

 

[Oro]

rcmodel's approach is what I would suggest. Unless you have a talented gunsmith handy and cheap, it's going to get very pricey very fast.

Sell the gun and parts, and throw in the money you'd spend on customization ($300 minimum, and up to $450 I'd guess), and you can buy a splendid N frame 44 exactly like you want that isn't suspect or altered.

fitting barrels (and cylinders) on these is not the easy proposition it is on 1911s. and some other guns.

 

[Gator]

Drop me a line if you decide to sell the parts! I have a 28 that was converted long ago to .44 Spl, but whoever the gunsmith was did a pretty crappy job. A new cylinder and barrel would be just the ticket!

 

[johnmerry]

Hey Murdock I am thinking about picking up M28 and hveing it converted to a 45 Long Colt.

 

[Oro]

Murdock,

Recall that almost all 28's you will find used will be with recessed cylinder bores. You are going to either need a very skilled and well-equipped gunsmith to re-do the recesses, or get a 28-3, which are harder to come by (only made a few years).

It might just be a WHOLE lot simpler getting a model 25 to start with since you don't already own the gun. They generally only run about $100 more than a 28 in today's market.

 

[Murdock]

Did that years ago

I put a M1955 .45 barrel on another M28 I had years ago, and had Dave Woodruff of Bear, Delaware ream the chambers to .45 Colt. This must have been about 1979, and I don't have any idea if he's still in business. At the time I thought his rates were quite reasonable. He did a nice job. I later bought a .45 ACP cylinder for the gun, but traded the whole rig for a pristine Colt Gold Cup a couple of years later.

 

[earplug]

I like the conversion idea, but I'd put some high tech metal finish on it, instead of blueing. I assume you would carry this gun.
Or convert it to 45 ACP, I was going to do that, If I found a ratty M-28.

 

[vanilla_gorilla]

Given my love for the Model 28 and for the .357, I couldn't bring myself to convert it. I'd use a 624 if I just HAD to have a .44 Special.

 

[Murdock]

I'd use a 624 if I just HAD to have a .44 Special.

Yeah, but 624s aren't blue(sigh) and they don't have that little barrel pin in the frame that says "Older, more refined, more gentlemanly S&W"

 

[AKCOP]

Murdock, Thanks for the post about your conversion with Dave Woodruff.
Back in 1976 or 77 I had a mdl 28 converted to .44 special he rebored my cylinder and did an excellent job. A the time I think I paid $40.
I had forgotten his name but did recall he was in Delaware.

 

[StrawHat]

Murdock,

One of the nice things about converting a M28 is you can build something not offered by the factory.

When I converted this M28 to 45 ACP, I had the barrel rebored from 35 to 45 caliber and fitted a M25-2 cylinder to the frame.



This was in the 80s and long after the M1950s were ended and long before the mountain revolvers were brought out.

I really like the skinny barrel and with that large bore it hardly weighs anything.

(It was my idea to rework the original cylinder to 45 Long Colt but somehow the ex ended up with that cylinder and a bunch of other stuff for which she had no use. Oh well.)

I also rounded the butt regrettably as I find I prefer the square butt configuration.

I for one would urge you to make the conversion.

Either with the parts on hand or by having the revolver rebored, rerifled, and rechambered.

The is/was a gunsmith in Grafton Ohio who was doing a good number of those conversions. Can't recall the name at present but if you want it, let me know.

 

[vanilla_gorilla]

Quote:
I'd use a 624 if I just HAD to have a .44 Special.

Yeah, but 624s aren't blue(sigh) and they don't have that little barrel pin in the frame that says "Older, more refined, more gentlemanly S&W"

I meant Model 24. I don't know why I said 624.

 

[Moonclip]

But a 1980's mod 24 won't have the pin and an older 24/pre 24 will be horribly expensive
Of course, one could get a new production S&W like the Thunder Ranch

 

[44and45]

Be patiant, the Ruger BH is going to be coming out with a 5 shot .44 special...so the rumor goes.

Jim

 

[tipoc]

Let me know if you want to sell the 24.

tipoc

 

[Murdock]

Sorry, Tipoc

The 6.5-inch M24-3 I own is a keeper.

 

[tipoc]

tipoc