I would like to get outside opinions if I may. I bought a 6" 28-2, p&r at a gun show 6 months ago. My first n frame. It was most likely an officers duty gun, no box or papers, ratty target grips, nice bluing other than the muzzle and the cylinder. It looks to have spent a lot of time holstered. Mechanically, very good, shoots well, nice action and lockup, no lead shaving. My intention was to have an n frame shooter, without worry about how it looks. The thing is, after several hundred rounds, I have decided it's not as fun to shoot as my k frame or d frame. I like it a lot, am going to keep it, but now I think I want to send it in to S&W for a once over and reblue. What kind of expense am I looking at, and what value if any will it lose by a reblue? Thanks.

Let's see some pics and we'll help you decide. Oh, and welcome!

Just getting a set of good stocks for it will change the entire look of the gun. S&W targets with the football cutout, or a set of Smooth targets will transform it.

Check out this one, it's my 4" 28-2, it had Pachs on it, and now it sports a set of Kurac Smooth Targets in Cocobolo.

Mine is a little well worn, but otherwise very solid. The stocks totally change the look of the gun.

I was afraid someone would axe for pictures. I'm overachieving by posting a question, but I'll study up on it.

I have a new set of rosewood magnas for it, with a Tyler T grip, but they seem out of character on an HP. That's one reason I think I want to reblue, so that the gun looks as good as the grips. Not that I would want a model 27 type hi polish finish, just an unblemished HP finish.

The Model 28 is a duty gun that was sold to pice and sheriff departments as a lower cost issue weapon to their officers. It has a lower quality blue finish as a cost cutting measure.

I doubt if S&W refinish a gun that old. I know they would not reblued my Model 10-6 a couple of years ago while they had it for repair.

A reblue by a good company will be a higher polish and brighter than the original close to the finish of a Model 27. You will be money ahead to buy a Model 27 which is a much nicer finished gun and more valuable and sell the Model 28.

The Model 28 is a duty gun that was sold to police and sheriff departments as a lower cost issue weapon to their officers. It has a lower quality blue finish as a cost cutting measure.

I doubt if S&W refinish a gun that old. I know they would not reblued my Model 10-6 a couple of years ago while they had it for repair.

A reblue by a good company will be a higher polish and brighter than the original close to the finish of a Model 27. You will be money ahead to buy a Model 27 which is a much nicer finished gun and more valuable and sell the Model 28.

I would strongly suggest that you do not refinish the gun in any way. Sell it if you don't want it, and use that money to help finance the gun you really want.

you will spend several hundred dollars for a decent blue job and end up with a gun worth about what it is in current condition, maybe less depending on current condition.
If you want a 28-2 with a nicer finish, sell your current gun, add the cost of a re-blue and you can have a very nice 28-2 with an original finish. while they are a very nice revolver, 6" 28-2's are fairly easy to come by.