Near the star, it appears to be an "A" or an "H". I have a 28-2 with 4 inch barrel. S285xxx is the serial number. What does this letter mean?

The finish is nickel - but I am trying to figure out if the finish was original. Ideas?

The other interesting point is the engraving on the frame - above the cylinder on the inside. "TX4433xxx" I wonder if this means Texas High Patrol?

Thoughts anyone?

Thanks for your patience...I've had this weapon for almost 20 years but have not really researched it at all except for this evening.

Both of my Model 28's have the H mark on the rear of the cylinder. No idea what it means, but every one I have seen has it.

The fact it is nickel leads me to believe a refinish. There were very, very few nickeled Model 28's. Those were made for the Florida Highway Patrol.

Without a picture of the engraving you describe near the cylinder, I would have to venture a guess that a previous owner had his/her Texas driver's license number etched in. I think my old TX license had the same number of digits.

__________________
Non illegitimae carborundum

The "H" stamped on the rear surface of the cylinder indicates the revolver has the brush blue finish that was unique to the HP revolvers. If you have a box for a 28-2 with a sticker on the end, you will see an H written in the box designated for finish.

There were fifty plus 28-2s made in 1972 with a brush nickel finish that were shipped to various distributors. Unfortunately, none of them have a serial number in the S285000 range, so it is unlikely your 28-2 was shipped with a nickel finish.

Bill

That sounds more like a Texas DL number to me too. The Highway Patrol guns are marked with DPS then a number.

My Texas drivers license issued in the 1980s has 8 digits. But maybe older ones were 7?

My Texas DL number from the mid 70's was indeed 7 digits and, started with a zero. When they changed to eight digits, they just added a zero in front of it.