The Model 28 used to be the Texas DPS standard duty pistol. I am pretty sure that the front sight was plain from the factory. When red ramps came out later, a lot of people had them cut and melted in. It's a heavy duty S&W "N" frame revolver, nearly indestructible. It's very hard to find the Safariland JN1 speedloaders for that pistol. But ocassionaly they turn up.

quote:

Originally posted by Nick42:
The Model 28 used to be the Texas DPS standard duty pistol. I am pretty sure that the front sight was plain from the factory. When red ramps came out later, a lot of people had them cut and melted in. It's a heavy duty S&W "N" frame revolver, nearly indestructible. It's very hard to find the Safariland JN1 speedloaders for that pistol. But ocassionaly they turn up.

When I was in uniform, on the road, we just used ammo pouches on our equipment belt. I never could get the hang of those new fangled speed loaders.

When the department started using speed loaders, I was a plain clothes detective. Most detectives just carried extra ammo in their pockets.

Trooper Joe

I had one. I'm sooooooooo sorry I sold it.

A 6 inch 28 was the first handgun i bought, with 124gr it's a tack driver. The red insert is factory, all it had to be is ordered that way, back around 1990 some department dumped a load of 4 inch red inserts on the market, NIB at around 175 Washington's, i wish i had bought at least 5 of them. There's just something comforting about holding a .357 N-Frame

I bought one used in the mid 90's for $225, with the intention of having it rechambered to .357/44 Bain and Davis. Which I never did. And then sold about a year later because I didn't need that big .357 when I already had a 586. (sigh)

Same logic that had me pass on a beautiful 38/44 Heavy Duty for $150, "What do I need that oversized .38 special for?" (sigh)
Young and dumb, and $150 was 3/4 of a week's pay.

Makes me want to crank up some Junior Brown!

Very nice. A 6" Highway Patrolman was my first 357. It was new condition and I foolishly traded it off after a couple of years. Sure wish I had it now.

My dad had one. It was the first pistol I ever shot. Was kind of hoping to inherit it when he croaked but my brother snagged it. I got the M1 carbine.

Strangely, the N frame 357 have shorter cylinders than the K frames. Maybe because when they first developed the 357 they used the existing cylinders for the 44 Special and 45 Colt. Maybe the K frame 357 cylinders are the same length as the 44 Magnum cylinders. I think it would have made sense to use 44 Mag length cylinders in N frame 357s once they were available, but they didn't.

quote:

Originally posted by SgtGold:
I had one. I'm sooooooooo sorry I sold it.

Same. It was my first "personal but authorized for duty" revolver, because it was N-Frame and big and everyone knows bigger is better.

I "graduated" to a 586 when I changed agencies. My fifty-something lower back thanks me for that decision. But it was a sweetheart of a gun.

I'll play...

This was a 28-2 with a 4" barrel. Now converted (by George Matthews) to .44 Spl using a S&W Model of 1950 barrel. First gen ProPoint and custom Micarta Hogue monogrop..


Second is a stock 28-2 ("S" prefix) with Ken Driskill elk stag stocks...


Adios,

Pizza Bob

I LOVE these threads. In 2024 the VAST majority of plastic fantastics are damn near the same, you’ve seen one you’ve seen them all. The guns in this thread, however, kinetic works of art.

I am a child of the 80s so my revolver love is somewhat out of time but damn if I don’t enjoy a good steel and wood (or stag) wheel gun.

While I might prefer a magazine fed polymer semi auto for self defense, I certainly would’t feel under armed with a good model 28. Enjoy it in good health and once again thank you for posting a little fun “kinetic art”

Take care, shoot safe and I really gotta stretch the legs on some of my wheel guns.

Chris

….side note. Every time somebody posts about a Highway Patrolman/M28 it makes my wallet shiver as I’ve never owned one and ………… well I have a problem. .

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:
….side note. Every time somebody posts about a Highway Patrolman/M28 it makes my wallet shiver as I’ve never owned one and ………… well I have a problem. .

I share this problem...there should be a group for people like us, lol!

quote:

Originally posted by cslinger:
….side note. Every time somebody posts about a Highway Patrolman/M28 it makes my wallet shiver as I’ve never owned one and ………… well I have a problem. .

The more expensive form of that disease is this one...


Adios,

Pizza Bob

Went to post a photo of mine, and realized the only shot I have is an “artistic” one.



Bought it maybe fifteen or twenty years ago, it began life as a six inch, I rebarreled it to four inches for… reasons. Probably mainly just because I found a nice four inch M28 barrel at a WAC gun show (back when gun shows were worth going to here in WA).

Lots of character on this one, but SUCH a nice shooter! Maybe due to the relatively small holes in the cylinder, but it has always seemed like the most “solid” revolver I’ve shot.

Bill R

I've got a 28-2 that came out about the same year I did. We both look a little rough about the edges, but that 28 is a lot more mechanically sound than I am. It's still a shooter and I figure it will easily outlive me.

I'd love to find some vintage stag for it. Not new. New just wouldn't look right.

quote:

I bought one used in the mid 90's for $225,

Ahhh.... back in the day when model 10's were $150, 686's were $275, and 4" N frames could be had for $315.

My early 4" mod28 was $250 (in the late 90's), and another $50 for correct magna diamond grips. I understand why pachmayers get put on them...but they're still ugly.

I carried a 4" Model 28, starting in the spring of '69. I really wanted a nickel Model 19, they were simply not to be found. Later, maybe in early '70, I changed the 4" for a 6" model 28. I kept it for about 5-6 months but it was just too heavy.

I still couldn't find a 19 of any flavor so I settled for a Model 15. Not real long after that I finally found a blued Model 19 which I used for the rest of my time as a Police Officer (till I left the PD for law school). I had it Armoloy plated because of SW Florida's humidity, used it for my house gun, even target competition.

My old LGS where I taught CCW classes had S&W Gunsmiths from the factory down for an sales event one year and they rebuilt that old gun of mine for nothing.

I sold that gun about 6 months ago, with some regrets.

Bob