My model 28-2 identifies as a 44spl

Biblethumpncop

Biblethumpncop

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And I was given the Smith and Wesson highway patrolman which is made in 1966, by my Grandpop in 1985 just a few months before he passed away. I haven't shot it much because it's such a large gun, it really deserves to be a larger caliber. 357 is a great caliber for an L frame.

I found this 44 special barrel, and two cylinders recently and picked them up. I just dropped a gun off at the gunsmith this week. I may someday have the barrel cut down to 5 inches and the gun, either re-blued or hard chromed. IMG_0159.jpeg
 

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I had Cylinder & Slide rechamber a M-28 to 44Spl and install a barrel just like the one shown in the OP in the mid-70s.
Skeeter Skelton put a photo of that gun along with one of his rechambered Blackhawks on the cover of Shooting times.
I later had it hard-chromed.
I loved that gun, but it was stolen in the early 90s. I'm surprised those barrels are still available.
Let us know how the project turns out.
 
Japle said:
I had Cylinder & Slide rechamber a M-28 to 44Spl and install a barrel just like the one shown in the OP in the mid-70s.
Skeeter Skelton put a photo of that gun along with one of his rechambered Blackhawks on the cover of Shooting times.
I later had it hard-chromed.
I loved that gun, but it was stolen in the early 90s. I'm surprised those barrels are still available.
Let us know how the project turns out.
Click to expand...
It's been a project I have wanted to do for many, many years. I bought the new barrel and cylinders (I think one is a 44-40?) online for $235. After tax & shipping, it was $275. I'm excited.
 
Whew...one of those M-28's converted to .44 Spl was the wet dream of my misspent youth...reading Skelton's articles in Shooting TImes in the 70's led me down the path. I never got it done but did own a M-28 for several years hoping for a chance with one of the nationally known gunsmiths, but the cost was just to prohibitive for a young USAF Capt even one on flight pay.

Much much later, I found a M-24 with a 6", or was it 6.5", bbl. in new condition that satisfied me for a cpl decades....that was until the Ruger/Lipsey's .44 special flat tops came out....I've got a pair of the 4-5/8" ones (one's a SS model), & the 5-1/2" as well...and that, my friends, has pretty well quenched the thirst....or should but if a 4" bbl'd M-24 showed up, I'd mortgage the farm to get it. LOL

So good goin' Bible...you've got a winner there. .357 or converted to .44 Spl, it's a keeper....and with the possibility of a unique 5"er...oh my, be still my heart.

Here's a bit of gun P**n for you lovers of the .44 Spl. I shot this tgt with my then new Ruger Flat Top, 4-5/8" bbl'd .44 Spl right after they first came out. The load (Skeeter's favorite) was Lyman's version of the Keith 250 g LSWC over ~7.5 gr of Unique...and at the time, my 61 yo eyes were still good enough to wring out the accuracy that Ruger had built in. Shot at 25+ yds with a pair of home made stocks screwed on and my back against a fence post, it was a proud moment. Best regards, Rod

​
 
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Rodfac said:
Whew...one of those M-28's converted to .44 Spl was the wet dream of my misspent youth...reading Skelton's articles in Shooting TImes in the 70's led me down the path. I never got it done but did own a M-28 for several years hoping for a chance with one of the nationally known gunsmiths, but the cost was just to prohibitive for a young USAF Capt even one on flight pay.

Much much later, I found a M-24 with a 6", or was it 6.5", bbl. in new condition that satisfied me for a cpl decades....that was until the Ruger/Lipsey's .44 special flat tops came out....I've got a pair of the 4-5/8" ones (one's a SS model), & the 5-1/2" as well...and that, my friends, has pretty well quenched the thirst....or should but if a 4" bbl'd M-24 showed up, I'd mortgage the farm to get it. LOL

So good goin' Bible...you've got a winner there. .357 or converted to .44 Spl, it's a keeper....and with the possibility of a unique 5"er...oh my, be still my heart.

Here's a bit of gun P**n for you lovers of the .44 Spl. I shot this tgt with my then new Ruger Flat Top, 4-5/8" bbl'd .44 Spl right after they first came out. The load (Skeeter's favorite) was Lyman's version of the Keith 250 g LSWC over ~7.5 gr of Unique...and at the time, my 61 yo eyes were still good enough to wring out the accuracy that Ruger had built in. Shot at 25+ yds with a pair of home made stocks screwed on and my back against a fence post, it was a proud moment. Best regards, Rod

​
Click to expand...
I sold my Flattop 44spl because I was replacing it with my project gun! IMG_0115.jpeg IMG_0116.jpeg IMG_0117.jpeg
 
I have repeatably kicked my own behind for passing on a M-28 converted to 44 special a few years ago. It looked good, locked up tight and was priced pretty fairly. I don't know why I passed? Kick, Kick, Kick...............
 
lightman said:
I have repeatably kicked my own behind for passing on a M-28 converted to 44 special a few years ago. It looked good, locked up tight and was priced pretty fairly. I don't know why I passed? Kick, Kick, Kick...............
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You passed because it was not what you wanted at the time. Quit replaying it in your brain, a waste of time and it takes you away from new pursuits.

Kevin
 
other than converting one of my two S&W model 28,s(top early N serial number, bottom early S serial number) both in ex condition. i bought this .44 spl model 624 and had a friend make me the custom grips on it.
 

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Personally, I'd have qualms about modding Pap-pap's gun.
Now, with that out of the way, understand what you're doing. Personally prefer bigger, slower loads (.45 Colt) to about any .357. Punkin' rollers are simply more fun to shoot, without the blast and snap of the magnum.
Enjoy your project, keep us posted.
Moon
ETA- that is perhaps the shiniest M28 I've ever seen; my long ago example had more of a bead blast finish.
Reread the post, to make sure it wasn't a 27. That I would have left alone. :)
M
 
Just thought I would share a few thoughts here. Like everyone else, I was riveted to every word Skeeter Skelton wrote when I was a youngster. After the first Dirty Harry movie came out, the model 29 that had once been a $168.00 new in the box offering with mediocre sales jumped to the $500 range over night. That Was big bucks in the early 70s. It was right about that time when it became popular to convert the model 28 to 44 special to satisfy the demand for the model 29s that had become very hard to obtain. That was likely due to Skeeter’s influence And the articles he wrote.

Now if my Granddad had given me that gun, I would keep it just the way he had it. Swapping out the barrel and cylinder isn’t going to hurt the value of the gun. Cutting the 357 barrel down to 5” destroys the value of the gun. If you want a 44 special, my advice is to go buy one. If you still want to convert a model 28 to 44 special go buy another one for that project and leave your Granddad’s gun the way he gave it to you. Just my .02 cents here.
 
I had a HP to .44 project in the works but the gunsmith was killed in a car wreck. NOS barrels had dried up by then, so there is a partly profiled and threaded blank on a shelf somewhere.
170 and 200 gr .357s have gotten me over the urge.
I do consider that I made a mistake having the butt rounded.
 
And, as noted elsewhere, the difference between the Three Fifty Seven Magnum and Highway Patrolman was the finish. The HP had sort of a matt finish.

Bob Wright
 
I read a lot of comments about leaving Dad’s, Grandad’s revolver as is. Unless Dad or Grandad was someone a lot of folks knew or somehow he was historically import, you have just another revolver. Sorry if that bothers some of you, but it is the truth. My Pop had six ships blown out from under him during WWII, the revolvers I inherited from him are just revolvers, no one else cares! And, that is a fact!

Do I have an attachment to them? Sure. But are they wirth more $$$ because Pop owned them? Not really.

Do you want to change it to 44 S&W Special? Then go ahead and do it.

Kevin
 
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I'll never get rid of my 28-2, but I want to enjoy shooting it. I'm looking forward to the conversion and the gunsmith called today. Said he was getting light primer strikes and was going to replace the nose of the hammer.

BTW- I'm keeping the original 357 cylinder and 6" barrel. I do have a 4" 28-2 barrel in the parts bin though!
 
Japle said:
I had Cylinder & Slide rechamber a M-28 to 44Spl and install a barrel just like the one shown in the OP in the mid-70s.
Skeeter Skelton put a photo of that gun along with one of his rechambered Blackhawks on the cover of Shooting times.
I later had it hard-chromed.
I loved that gun, but it was stolen in the early 90s. I'm surprised those barrels are still available.
Let us know how the project turns out.
Click to expand...

I guess most if not all of us have seen the article, but I for one never get tired of it. http://www.darkcanyon.net/Converting_357s_to_44Special.htm
 
Japle said:
I had Cylinder & Slide rechamber a M-28 to 44Spl and install a barrel just like the one shown in the OP in the mid-70s.
Click to expand...
I had one back then too, but it wasn't what I REALLY wanted, so I sent it down the road.

DM
 
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