On Saturday afternoon, I saw it in the case, its classic lines unique and graceful in comparison to the shop full of new, square guns in their plastic holders. I asked to see it but regretfully put it back, trying to save my gun money for the impending M&P45c.

On Sunday morning, Charlie asked, "Do you want that gun?" I said, "Yes, but I'm trying to save my money."

On Monday morning, Charlie asked, "Do you want that gun?" I said, "Yes, but I'm trying to save the money."

On Monday evening, Charlie said, "When I ask you if you want something, you're supposed to say YES!" OH! Thank you!

Early Tuesday morning I drove an hour back to the shop and fortunately there it still was, waiting. People want new nowadays, especially in this particular shop. I'm glad this 28-2, S332XXX came home with me. I haven't shot it yet, but it's already my favorite. It has a soul. A cretin friend asked if I was going to have it reblued. Never. That's honest wear from a hard-working honest gun. I did wax it well with Ren Wax, though.

Congrats Barb, that is one fine looking revolver!

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Dom

That is just too nice to refinish. Hmmm, Model 28's, are one of my favorites also.

Congratulations BarbC. Be careful, my first N-frame was a 28-2 and after one range session I was done. I have a few more now...

Very NICE Barb - I'm happy for you.
Welcome to the HP club!

Good for you Barb! Those stocks are really nice too.

Congrats Barb! Nice shooter, and beautiful stocks!

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Misty

The top-line 357 mag.
Good move.

I snagged a nice 4 " from the classifieds about 20 mins ago.
Great Smiths.

Thank you! I would have always felt bad if I didn't take it home. I really am glad I adopted it.

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing - I can see this leading me down the road to ruin.

Barb, congratulations! Nice gun.

Don't worry about being on the road to ruin. Ruin has distance vision, and is now on its way to you!

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David Wilson

This is a good adoption Barb, congrats and welcome to the soon to be N frame addiction.
Nice find!

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

Where to start. I've never met you, but that will eventually change. Many if not most women have small to average size hands, or at least as compared to most men. Men who are 6'6" and 275 complain about the tiny handles on K frame guns. They prefer N's with target grips. For more average size people, and particularly those who do a good job with K frame Magna's, the target grips are a pain. They resemble blocks of 2x4s more than a well shaped handle to hold a gun.

But if you've ever owned a set of K magna's and then compared them to a set of N magna's, you'll discover they're almost the same. And when you install them on a gun, the grip shape and size is remarkably similar.

So my advice to you would be to take your new gun out and test it. Then if your targets aren't quite as good as you'd expect, find some N magna's and retest it.

N frame guns are a sickness. You've made a good start with a late 1960s version. Now the bad news. Wait until someone tempts you with a 1930s version. The road to ruin is like a western interstate highway. There are no speed limits!

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Dick Burg

Good honest using gun Barb and an "S" prefix to boot. Even though 29's are my thing I bet I have bought 1/2 dozen 28's in the last 8 months. Some I bought for the grips, some I bought to sell, and one I bought to keep which my wife confiscated. I am afraid she has gotten the N frame addiction too....yikes

Congratulations on a great looking Model 28 and I'm sure it's found a great home. Now the sickness and spiral down can start to spread for making you want more and more N frames as others have stated.

I'm sure you're going to be grip shopping very soon. I don't let an N frame sit for long before I dress it in new grips of some sort.
Now you'll be needing a 38/44. (& maybe a 1950 target in 44 Special or 45acp)

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

N frame itis is a terrible disease but I am so happy that you caught it,but you will have to add a 4" to the herd to balance out that 6",they as well as other N frames are always with me in some form,congrats!

Congratulations the gun is beautiful,almost as beautiful as the nice round holes that it will print in the center of a target.

Since 1972 I have owned three 4" HPs. The third one is a keeper. Best gun for the money that S&W ever made. It's really too big for my hand but it's all business and locks up like a bank vault. And they just look COOL.

So congratulations.

Nice N Frame you got there. Congrats!!

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" I don't recall, senator."

Congrats, Barb, and welcome to the other side.

To me, there's nothing like an N frame Smith. I started with a 4" HP and have not looked back.

Now, you have to get a "pretty" HP, the 27. For shooting on Sunday when you get all dressed up...

Very nice looking revolver, thanks for posting the story that surrounds it.

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Barry, youngest son of Claud

You couldn't have picked a better representative of the N frame guns.

If I had to give up all of my guns but one, it would be my 6" bbl Mdl 28-2.

It is the quintessential .357 magnum working gun.


Now, get out there and enjoy your new acquisition and let the addiction begin.

My first N-Frame was also a M-28 but the 4" version. It was due to stay with me for 9 months as my first duty gun. When I got off probation I graduated to a Government Model 45 ACP but kept the 28 for over a year. While I carried it I shot it in weekly practice with Magnum ammunition I loaded myself (a 158g gascheck bullet over the appropriate amount of 2400). All that practice was rapid fire double action. Took a toll on the 28's timing and end shake.

Being young and not nearly as smart as I thought I was, I sold it at a gun show. I remember the guy who bought it thought it was much older that it was and had had a custom trigger job (smile). Cycle an N-Frame's trigger through DA enough times and the pull does get smoother.

Had I known the great gunsmith I know now and call friend back then, that 28 would have gotten tuned up and stayed around for a good many more years.

Ah, the things we learn with the turning of the calendar.

Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

Congratulations, Barb, you will never regret having this gun. I had a six inch 28-2 several years back and went temporarily insane and sold it. I found its twin a few months ago and it will never be sold. Everyone needs at least one.

Great looking grips. great find.

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Roger

Congratulations, Barb. The M28 is my favorite .357 mag. My first duty gun was a 4" M28. A few years ago, I decided I needed one like it and got a retired NYSP 28-2. It was a mess, and I had to rebuild it and then send it to S&W for a bluing job. It is beautiful. The problem is, I haven't been able to force myself to shoot it since I got it back.

Today, however, I made what I consider to be a great trade. I traded a stainless Ruger GP100 for a 28-3. This gun is in great shape, but I'm considering having it hard chromed in a brushed finish and replacing the rear sight with a Bowen "Rough Country" sight for my mountain and desert trips. It's kinda too pretty to mess with, though. I may have to re-think that idea. Have fun with that 6" M28. I may have a line on one of those also. Hope to know soon.

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Dave Frost

Barb, congrats on a great gun!

Those grips are outstanding looking.

Keep up posted and let us know how it shoots!

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Linda
SWCA #1965, SWHF #245

Good ole Charlie! Congrats on the 28-2. I found one of the pre 28's 6" several years ago and it's still one of my favorite shooters. It frequently rides with me on my four-wheeler for snakes. Very accurate.

Great shooter, every body needs at least one.

My first N-frame was also a model 28-2. I bought it new in 1963 for $85 + tax. Still have it, and also a few more just like it now.
Great gun. Congratulations! You'll love it.
teesur.

OH, great! One more person out there hunting down N frames .

My first N frame was a Model 57. I was fine with only one for a couple years, but then N-frameitis hit hard. I am always looking for them, and get lucky once and a while. Be careful though, you'll end up like me...hunting N frames and bringing pre-war K frames home instead.

A very nice example of the Highway Patrolman you found Miss Barb.

I think my love of the N frame began as a kid. All the Texas Troopers were issued the HP/Model 28. Because of that I wanted to be a Trooper too, in the worst way. Had an application in with them and the Agency I work for now (and the past 24 years)...can you tell who called first?

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Non illegitimae carborundum

You're in good company, nice find. Here's mine-not a safe queen but a great shooter and my companion when I'm out in the woods.

Enjoy it!

JG

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Barb,
Beautiful gun, glad you saved it from somebody that may not have appreciate the character of it's condition and history.

I have one like yours, got if from my father-in-law's estate, it came just like he got it in a Bianchi full flap holster. Yours looks really nice and I love those grips, I am a fool for a set of target S&W grips when they have that much contrasting grain in them!

Great looking M28. I sadly sold mine a few months ago and am on the prowl for another. Dang fine guns. Congrats!

Nice gun Barb, I'm sure you'll give it a good home.

Rod

I knew you people would be a bad influence on me!

And as for you, Lynne
you're an expensive friend. I'm going to have to start hoarding money for our spring trip to Ohio.

Take pride in the ownership of a fine revolver. They last forever if properly cared for. I plan to hand mine down to my sons and daughter. By investing in the past you have invested in the future. Money in the bank. Congratulations!

Barb,

I completely agree with you regarding the unique characteristic of S&W's in that they do have a soul.

I certainly feel that way about my 4506 and all my revolvers.

People outside the gun fraternity ( ladies included) look at me as though I am crazy but you know of what I speak.

Congratulations on a fine addition and know you will enjoy it.

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I am a sheep dog!
1601 (ret)

.............and a couple copies of your local dealers FFL.

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Lynnie, Professional Pest

Great grab Barb,especially the "S" serial number, congrats.

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Sure you did

You got a fine gun in that model 28 Barb.
Got my first 28-2 6" barrel a loooooooooong time ago!
My Dad had to buy it for me because at 18 the government didn't think I could be trusted with a handgun.
That 28 replaced Uncle Sam's rattle trap 1911 for me and traveled half way around the world twice.
While most of my shooting is done with 44 and 45 cal. now, the model 28 will always have a place in my heart.
It's a working gun and should make anyone who appreciates quality happy with it.

BTW-Mine came with the magna grips which I like, because they keep your hand higher on the grip.
The gun recoils more back into your hand, with less muzzle rise with the magnas.

That's a fine acquisition. I agree with a couple of the other posters that you might find those target grips to be somewhat uncomfortable, especially when shooting magnum rounds. I'm not a big guy but my hands are meathooks and, nevertheless, firing 125gr. magnums from my 27-3 with targets was definitely not a pleasant experience. I solved that problem by buying a pair of "coke" grips from forum member Kurac. Now, my gun is a sheer delight to shoot.

Just look at those grips!!!!! "WOW" I just love wood. Don

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"Don't worry be happy"

So Barb, I gots to know, are you gonna carry it? You need to at least once.

That gun should get over seven hundred foot pounds with 125 gr. Remington SJHPs. That's what I call a handgun with an identity crisis (it's trying real hard to be a rifle).

Barb, N frames are a wonderful disease. But at least you're a nurse!
Dave

My first N frame. 28-2 4 inch. 1967 to 1968 production. I believe out of all my 357s I shoot this one the best. As sweet a trigger as my K frames.

roaddog28

It's a beautiful gun, roaddog28. I think the model 28s are exactly what one envisions when thinking about a classic Smith & Wesson revolver.

I could be wrong; I'm sure I will find out!

Glad for you.
You're gonna like this.........

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

Maybe not refinished, but you definitely should have "Lady Smith" engraved on the side.
The old guns really do have character and soul, don't they. I guess that's what it's all about.

Congrats, Barb. You're not the first nice girl to fall for a large frame.

However you can be sure that this one surely holds pleasures that can't be guaranteed by some of the others. The only down side, as has been mentioned, is that they are so addictive...wait a minute...that's not a down side is it!

Start making more room in the safe.

Bob