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  #1  
Old 03-14-2011, 07:39 AM
pseudonym pseudonym is offline
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Hello! I have been searching here for hours but still need some help. And from what I see, this forum is all about that :-) A very friendly and nice forum, thank you for that!

A little background on me. I am not knowledgable. I have training in safe handling, basic cleaning and care, and spend just enough time at the target range each year to be a decent shot and comfortable around firearms. I am a very small woman and as there have been numerous home invasions in my community over the years, my desire has been to ensure I will handle a gun safely and correctly if I am ever faced with that situation.

A little background on why I'm here. My father worked for the Calif Highway Patrol for many years. I have the revolver that was issued to him. I would like to know more about his gun. I'm not sure which forum to post in, though, as I don't know the year he received it. I also don't understand some of the terms used here that should help me identify the model and year. If someone would help guide me I would appreciate the assistance.

I'll do my best to use correct terms but please don't hesitate to question me if what I state does not seem correct. Thank you :-)

My father joined the CHP in 1958 but I'm not sure when he received this gun. It is marked .357 CTG. Highway Patrolman. As far as I know the gun has not been modified and is the same as it was when issued, other than it may have been re-blued sometime in the late 60's (that's a memory fragment I have, which may not be correct!).

On the right side I see two screws on the plate just above the trigger. There is one screw in the handgrips, and one tiny screw under the barrel. I'm not sure what is meant by "#-screws" in some of the posts I've read -- is this considered a 4 screw model?

The gun is blued. Trigger is case-colored. The handgrips are not checkered and have a small gold emblem on each side. Barrel is 6".

There is a stamped number on the frame that is only visible when the cylinder is out, it is five digits. Is this the serial number? From the posts I've read this number is too small to be a serial number, but I haven't found any other numbers (I have not taken the grips off, should I look there?)

I also see some small symbols or marks in the frame above and below the stamped number, I'm not sure what these are?

I'm sure all my questions have simple and common answers that are already here, I'm just not knowledgable enough to find/understand them. So I thank you for your time and any assistance you can give me.

Kind regards,
--pseudonym
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  #2  
Old 03-14-2011, 08:02 AM
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novalty novalty is offline
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Greetings from Maine. Welcome aboard!
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Old 03-14-2011, 12:09 PM
McShooty McShooty is offline
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I can give you a bit of information about your revolver. In addition to "Highway Patrolman" it is also referred to as the Model 28. It fires the .357 Magnum cartridge, very popular and available in many brands and forms at present. The Model 28 was a variation of one of the most famous S&W revolvers, the Model 27, also a .357 and the most powerful revolver ever to be offered when it was introduced around 1935. The picture shows a Model 27, and yours should look the same except for the grips and the front sight, but with a less shiny finish.
The Model 28 was made with a plainer finish, matte rather than shiny, for police work, but was mechanically the same as the 27. The 28 was made from 1954 to 1986. If yours has a shiny blue finish like the one in the picture, then it may well have been reblued, as you indicated. Yours would not be called a four-screw model as grip screws or screws uner the barrel do not count.

Your revolver would be entirely safe to fire with modern .357 mag ammo, should you be so inclined. These revolvers have collector value which is probably enhanced if you have provenance linking it to the CHP. I don't know if there was any mark that would indicate this on the revolver itself. I do know there are lots of folks in this forum who specialize in this kind of item. They know more than I do and will probably check in.
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Old 03-14-2011, 01:42 PM
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Welcome to the forum and here is some information on the Model 28.

The serial number is located on the butt at the bottom and with that we could tell you the date of manufacture if that's important to you. The Highway Patrolman is an N frame and is the exact same gun as the Model 27 except S&W made the 28 without the high luster blue and checkered steel top strap. They did this to obtain orders from police departments as they could charge less for a Model 28 then a Model 27 and hence the name Highway Patrolman.

They are excellent revolvers and they shoot 357 Magnum or 38 special rounds. The 38 special rounds have less recoil and the hollow point 38 special rounds are very affective for defense with far less recoil then the 357 magnum defense rounds.

This is a Model 28.2 made in 1967 with the correct magna grips from that time frame. If you notice the base of the grips the metal is exposed and you can get the serial from there. If you have target grips like the model 27 shown above the grips will have to be removed to see the serial. The serial number will be preceeded by either and S or an N. The other numbers on the revolver are manufacturing process numbers or quality contol stamps.
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Old 03-14-2011, 01:50 PM
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Welcome from Va.
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  #6  
Old 03-14-2011, 02:07 PM
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ogilvyspecial ogilvyspecial is offline
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Hello pseudonym, if that's what your name is , and a big WELCOME ABOARD!!
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Old 03-14-2011, 06:38 PM
deralte deralte is offline
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pseudonym, welcome from North Carolina.
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Old 03-14-2011, 09:27 PM
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Welcome from Texas pseudonym. Great forum for all things S&W, have fun, learn lots, share what you know.

If you will search in the revolver section you can find a number of threads related to your Model 28, Highway Patrolman.
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  #9  
Old 03-15-2011, 06:39 AM
pseudonym pseudonym is offline
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Thank you to all for your warm welcome here :-) And for all the details and great photos. I'll post a modest pic in return. You've all seen a million of these but I've seen only one :-)

@McShooty
You are correct, my gun looks like your picture excepting the front sight and grips. Mine is a shiny deep blue, so I must recollect the rebluing accurately.

Regarding the number of screws, how do I count this? I see I neglected to mention in my post the screw in the front of the trigger guard. Combined with the two in the side plate this is a 3-screw model then?

Unfortunately I don't have hard proof this gun was the CHP issue -- no CHP paperwork with serial number for example. I do have my father's badge, his old motors helmet, uniforms, belt, etc. along with numerous photos of him in uniform, including taking aim with this gun. But again nothing that proves THIS gun is the one seen in the photos or issued by the CHP. My interest is purely sentimental, anyhow. Just wish to know a little more about it.

@fyimo
I did not know .38 special could be shot from this gun, I will learn more about that. Thank you. I have shot this gun with .357 magnum rounds and the recoil is not so much (I am 'used' to recoil I suppose). My perception is this gun has slightly more kick than the .41 mag I've used, no idea if that's factual it's just a perception.

RE: Serial number. Yes I'm interested in locating the serial number and learning the DOB. There is no metal exposed on the butt, the grips come together at the base ("target grips" then?). I will remove the grips at first opportunity and check for serial number.


@ogilvyspecial
Of course it's my real name, isn't everyone here using theirs? ;-)

Thank you again, everyone, for your 'wecomes' and your time helping me. This weekend I will have time to remove the grips and check for a serial number. I'll post back then.

Kind regards,
--pseudonym
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  #10  
Old 03-17-2011, 06:38 PM
MSgt G MSgt G is offline
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Greetings from Northwest Georgia!
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357 magnum, cartridge, highway patrolman, model 27, model 28, patrolman

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