Friend has an opportunity to buy a mint or near mint 28-2 Hwy Patrolman with taget grips, all paperwork including original cardboard box, gun store receipt and tools. Unknown at this point about trigger and hammer type. You might want to sit down as my friend can get it for $300 and asked if it was a fair price. I told him not to sleep untill he buys it.

My question is about the rarity of the three inch barrel. Couldn't find a three inch 28-2 on Gunbroker so I assume it is not common. I questioned him about the barrel assuming he as a lot of people not really familiar with guns. May have measured it wrong from the frame. He sent text to seller and got picture back of box tag indicating a three inch barrel.

Obviously worth more than 300 but does the three inch barrel add value?? How would you experts rate a 28-2 with three inch, hard to find, scarce or rare?? After my friend acquires it he has no intention of selling it.

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Dave

I'm thinking this exciting new find may be even more rare than the famed 28-1 Or, dang it, could just be a mis-measurement. Sitting by with Jack Daniels.

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Some collect art; I shoot it!

Was it measured from the tip of the barrel to the end of the forcing cone? I too would assume a miss measurement. If not, then a shortened barrel or a replacement. As far as I know the 28 was only ever made in 4" and 6" lengths. A 3" would require a factory letter for authentication that it is original. If it was, then someone with more knowledge than me would have to hazard a guess on value. Let's assume it's a regular 4", it's hard to find a really good 4" in my parts for under $650-700. Earl

Can you share the pictures?

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NRA Benefactor Member

I wouldn't think it is factory....maybe a Jovino gun myself.
I'd buy it in a heartbeat at 300 though.

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Paul
S&WCA #2726

There were a few made with 5" barrels as well. But I don't think that any came out of the factory with a 3" barrel. Still, for only $300, it would be a good deal if in good mechanical condition and reasonable cosmetic condition.

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You're shy a few manners.

If it has an original box it will tell you how it came from the factory. If you can get a photo of the gun and box someone here will give you good advice.

Don't forget those few 8 3/8ths

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Paul
S&WCA #2726

I find it hard to believe that its really a 28-2 3.I guess not totally impossible. But, hey not many S&W revolvers with target grips that are not worth $300. I would imagine a factory 3" 28 would multiple times more than any other except a 28-1 Got to see this one.

There were model 27s with the 3-1/2" barrel, right?
And we all know the model 28 is just the value-priced, less polished version of the model 27.
So did they not make model 28s with the 3-1/2" barrel also?
It would sure be easy for someone not familiar with how to measure the barrel to mistakenly describe a 3-1/2" barrel as a 3" barrel if they were mistakenly measuring from the front of the frame instead of the face of the cylinder.

Regardless of barrel length, any model 28 that is even safely shootable and not a rust-bucket basket-case is worth $300 IMO.

My guess - if the 28 has a 3-inch barrel, it is likely not factory.

As was brought up recently there were a few (100?) made with 8 3/8” barrels.

Let's say the box has a counterfeit label and the gun is modified to 3" to make it "rare"; why only $300.00? Something does not make sense.

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Tony

The barrels for 27s are different than model 28 and more than just the roll mark and top strap checkering. I am sure S&W could have made 3" 28 barrels if they chose, but just a few I doubt. You could cut down a 6" and make a 3" by silver soldering the ramp back on. Trying it with a 4" would wreck the ramp and you would need to use one off a diffent barrel or fabricate one.

Most likely not a 3" or maybe not a 28.

I will give $300 for any functioning 28-2 that hasn't been subject to something like a grinder even without a barrel. I got barrels and even a cylinder.

Anything possible, my friend is currently on the way back driving from Phoenix to the Frisco blurb he lives in. I'll fire off a text and email and see if I can get the text photo he showed me. Might take a day or two. Claims it comes with original gun shop receipt.

To soon to think counterfeit. If the seller is willing to go through the trouble of a fake box tag, he'd be wise enough to fetch more than 300. If my friend does acquire it I intend to aggressively twist his arm to get it lettered.

What I'm repeating I got second hand so I may have facts wrong. The current owner did some work for the elderly original owner. He was given the 28-2 upon completion of what ever work he did. In a nutshell, he got it free. According to my friend the current owner has had it in excess of 25 years and has absolutely no interest in guns of any sort. Keep in mind the current owner lives in or near San Francisco. Chances are good he's a typical Frisco lib.

EDIT: Didn't say but I suspect one reason he's anxious to sell it. It might not be registered as all of Moonbeam's sheep are required to do.

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Dave

That's interesting. I didn't know of the 5" ones either. Something else to be on the lookout for though I probably wouldn't ever get a long tube one if I found one. The 5" though, most definitely. I do love my 5" Model 27s.

Earl

The 28-2, according to the Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson came from the factory in the following barrel lengths:
4" - extremely common
5" - extremely UNCOMMON, 25 made for Florida Highway Patrol in bright Nickel, 5 samples made in Satin Nickel
6" - extremely common
8 3/8" - extremely UNCOMMON, ~100 units made

So a 3" 28 would be a custom job of some sort. I'd love to see some pics of it, maybe it truly is a custom, or maybe it is a 4"er being measured incorrectly.

I saw a 5" Hwy Patrolman at J&G's showroom about 6-7 years ago. At the time J&G was selling a bunch of police trade in S&W revolvers. I didn't pay it much attention as the price was ridiculous. I honestly don't know if the barrel was original, shortened etc. For some reason J&G's sales clerks are tight lipped about their police trade in S&W revolvers. They won't even say which or where police dept they came from.

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Dave

I just sent text and email, should hear from him in a day or two. I'll post it as soon as I get it.

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Dave

Oh man don't even mention that. Still a sore spot for me. I didn't (still don't really) know much about Jovino guns. Had seen a satin nickel Model 58 converted to round butt at a gun show for $700. Figured it was nothing but a nice gunsmith conversion and never thought about it again - saw it show after show. Pointed it out to another collector who turned around and bought it saying it was a Jovino conversion and worth $2000 or more. Uggh...

Sounds to me as though someone did not measure the barrel properly. It sounds that they measured it frame to muzzle not from cylinder face to muzzle. A 4 inch barrel from the cylinder face would measure about 3 inch from the frame. Most likely it is a 4 inch. If it truly is a 3 inch it definitely is not factory unless Lew Horton had something to do with it. I haven't heard of any Lew Horton model 28s.

At 300 it's a very good price if the revolver... any 357 HighwayPatrolman... if it's sound. Just buy it & investigate after it's under your ownership. It's win, no matter what, if it's sound.
If it's a 4", it's still worth 300+.
If it's cut & a good job... it's still worth 300.
If it's a Jovino custom... you score big time.

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

Come on guys, measure a 4" gun from muzzle to front of the frame, you get 3".

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Mike 2796
SoFo Bunch member

First guess is mis-measured....very common mistake. Second guess is "chopped"!

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Bob.
SWCA 1821

Also, 3" doesn't work real well, as you would have to cut 1" off a 4" barrel or 1/2" off a 3.5" barrel, which would cut into the extractor rod shroud...

4" HP




3.5" pre-27:



... so... 3.5" barreled HP is a "maybe" at best, 3.0" barreled HP is most likely a "not in my lifetime".

Now - I would love to see a 3.5" or 3.0" barreled HP complete with the coolest barrel roll mark in S&W history... That would be over the top cool.

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

I don't have a 3" 28-2 but I do have a 2 5/8" which started its life as a 6" for the New York State police. I'm guessing it ended up for a facelift at Jovino's

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Wow, that's an awesome looking revolver! Nice!

I just measured a friends 4". From the muzzle to the frame its 3".
We have a less then experienced individual measuring the barrel.
We know that less then experienced individuals measure from the muzzle to the frame.
The most common barrel length is 4".
A 3" factory or Jovino conversion would be as rare as a hens tooth.
It's a 4" with virtual certainty in my opinion.

One picture is worth one thousand words!

That is a beauty! The merger of the front sight with the barrel rib looks to be seamless - very nicely done! I love the photo composition and it shows the point I made above that the shortening of the barrel to three inches or less requires modification to the shroud and it appears that the front lock (in the front of the shroud) was removed? Do you have a photo of the back strap? Did they re-cut the grooves when they round butted it?

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

Actually have 2 of these, I had to go check the second one.
Neither, have a grooved back strap.
Here are a couple of the 28-2's and the whole family

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SWEeeeeet...... LOL,,,,,those always look so cool in pictures....... in person;for me, it's like "WOW is that a big chunk of steel!!!!!!!"

I'll stick with a 3" 66 or 65; thank you very much........carried a lot and shot a little.

31 replies about a guy that measured a barrel wrong.... ?

Around here we'll use any excuse to add a post about some nice S&Ws!!!

Yeah, man, you mean you've been around all these years and hadn't already figured that out?

Next week we'll get a guy with a 1" barrel model 36 , and we can do this all over again. Getting to see pictures from RKmesa and NOTREDAME made it all worth it.

I lost track of the number of customers ordering holsters and providing incorrect barrel lengths. I remember one in particular, full-flap field holster with hand-carving floral pattern made for customer's 4" K-frame; then customer discovered he had a 5" lend-lease Victory Model(measured from the frame forward when he placed the order).

I suspect that is what is going on with this 3-inch Model 28.

My .02 would be that it could very well be factory, but as an aftermarket modification. S&W did things like that, especially if you were any type of LEO. Back in the day, when I was a constable in RI, when I got a new Smith, I would get in the car and take a 90 mile ride to Springfield, and just walk in and go to the big circular desk, and ask to see a service manager. You wait 10 min. and a guy would come out, and you tell him what you wanted done to the gun, and he would disappear behind like 10' X 4' double doors with your gun. You walk up and down the halls and drool on the cases that contained the factory collection. After that, go have lunch somewhere, and then come back a couple hours later, and your gun would be ready. I never had a barrel changed, but I had grips done, target hammer, and target triggers installed, as well as red inserts installed in the front sight. Action work too. All this for a few dollars, so it would not surprise me if they did this, but I am sure it would have to be a standard barrel length offering. That type of service may be gone now for LEO's?

A while back, I remember seeing a story here about a guy bringing in either a model 19 or a model 66 and having an 8 3/8 barrel out on it by the 'Custom Shop' at the factory.

So I totally agree anything is possible. They could have put a 3 1/2" model 27 barrel put on it at the factory, it from a smith.

I'd love to see a pic of the gun in question.

My hunch, is that they are not measuring from the face of the Cylinder.

Right, it has to be measured forcing cone to tip, not tip to frame. A picture with a ruler beside it would say a lot

Below Gentlemen, my original Lew Horton Model 24-3, 44 Spl, indeed a FACTORY "N" frame gun with 3" barrel and well accommodating. Also made in 44 Mag under the Horton brand.
While I do agree, in all probability just a barrel mis-measurement, Better not to conclude "never" at least until such as Roy Jinks with official say.
Also as amply mentioned above, IF with such barrel properly done by whomever, surely worth $300; probably considerably more. To me, the novelty value of such well accomplished, possibly more than a comparable Model 28, of which there are well into multiple tens of thousands produced!
My Horton below not 'prime vintage', but quite a sweet eighties era gun!
My take

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I have a 3" RB 28-2 but it's in .41mag so it probably doesn't count.

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

... as long as you post a photo or two, it counts in my book...

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Richard
Engraved S&W fan

O, Yes, we must see photos. this has been an interesting thread, producing photos of some very nice short barreled S&W's. It's all about pride of ownership, so we need to see this "28-2"

Also a Part Time officer in RI... I made many trips to the Springfield Service Center. They told us to get lost... we had lunch & toured the Springfield Armory Museum. The barrel was set back a turn on my 4" M19 on one trip.

Back in the 1970's a buddy who shall remain nameless... a part time Mass Officer... blew the barrel forcing cone on his well worn Victory Model with a hand load. (He admitted accidentally using a wrong load.) He had to leave the gun & he had to pay for the (then) current M10 barrel that replaced it.

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

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Don't kiss smiling dogs!

looks as factory as some!

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