Mid-afternoon and I suddenly had an urge to throw some lead, and to try out my new-to-me Model 28-2. Grabbed the revolver and my range bag , also took my EDC, a Springfield EMP4, to practice with and 100 rounds for each gun.

When I got to the range, there was a couple there already shooting, so I signed in put my muffs on, and got my stuff out. As I was loading magazines for the EMP, the lady started shooting and I looked to see that she had a large-frame revolver. I then noticed it looked a lot like mine, so after she finished a few cylinder loads, I asked what it was, already sure I knew the answer. Sure enough, it was also a Model 28 S&W. What are the chances of that? her husband and I started talking about it; he's a few years older than I (I'm 65) and he said he bought it new in 1969, and paid $175 for it. I got a quick look at the butt and saw the SN# started with an "S", which makes it older than mine, which starts with a "N", and I know mine was made around 1973. His was perfect, not a mark on it, and he'd mounted a red-dot sight on it, which looked pretty cool. He still had the Magna grips, like mine, other than the rear sight, you couldn't tell the guns apart (both 6" barrels).

I started out shooting my EMP4, put about 50 rounds through it. Then I loaded the M28 with some .38+P loads I'd made up and shot them single action, to get a feel for the trigger break. This is the first time I've shot this revolver, only had it since Monday. The trigger is incredible, very short and crisp, and the pistol was dead nuts on target at 15 yards. I shot two cylinders of the +P reloads, then opened a box of 125 JHP Magnum loads from Remington. I shot about 50 rounds of that, both single and double action, shooting steel from 7-1/2 to 25 yards. The gun ran perfectly; the lockup is very tight, no movement of the cylinder at all, timing is perfect, and everything I pointed at I hit. The double action pull is very smooth and the break-over is predictable and consistent. At 25 yards, I was hitting slightly left, but a click on the rear sight had me dead center. I had worried that the small grips would have my hand hurting after shooting those magnum loads, but the large frame absorbs the shock much better than my M-19 does. I still will put a slightly larger grip on it to fit my hand better. I really found a gem in this revolver, and after cleaning it up after returning from the range, it looks even better than it did when I bought it.

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Nice one. I'm no expert, but I've never come across a Smith that did not have an incredible SA pull. Just touch it and off it goes.

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No baby we aint

Hair, you found a good'n. It looks near new.
Isn't it a nice feeling when a gun you just got does everything you hoped for first time out?

I shot my M28-2 maybe a couple hundred rounds wearing its Magna grips and that was back when it was new.

For shooting these Pachmayr grips are my favorites.

I've put more rounds thru this M28-2 than all my other guns combined and I've never put one .38 thru it.

They are awesome.

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Kenny
Endeavor to persevere.

I carried a Mod. 28 for 13 years until my department decided to retire them and switch to semi-autos. It fired thousands of rounds at the range, and worked well during a couple of "conflicts". Needless to say, it ain't for sale!

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Mike H

The Magna grips look sort of puny on that large frame, but I was surprised how well they worked. I have a set of grips coming that look sort of like the target grip, but are slightly thinner and have finger reliefs, and are checkered. They aren't as fancy as the grips on my M19, but hopefully the feel will be the same. Those fit my hand perfectly.

The difference between shooting magnum loads in my M19, vs. the M28 is significant. I've never had a large frame S&W until now. Back in earlier days I had a M66-1 with a 4" barrel, shot the heck out of it in Service Revolver class (PPC) for the pistol team I was with (Corrections Officer). I put wadcutters through it at matches, but shot a ton of magnum loads, too, and those always jarred my hand pretty hard. Always felt like the gun wasn't made for them, really, but never had any issues. I wasn't a collector then, and knew little more about the guns beyond safety and operation.

Over the years, reading and talking to owners, I felt some better about putting so many magnums through the K frame, but still felt like I was giving liquor to a 12 year-old.

Now, the shoe is on the other foot. As well as the N frame was sucking up the recoil shock, I'm now feeling like using .38Spl rounds in it is like feeding Gerber's to a heavyweight boxer. I want to use a heavier bullet than the 125's but I've had a big box of them for a while, and due to the fear of cracking the forcing cone in my M19 with them, they've sat unused, 'til now. But it's giving me a nice collection of brass to reload.

Agree! the M28 has everything you need

I agree they look kind of puny on N-frames.
They work great on my M58 .41 Mag and I was surprised too with how well they fit and worked.



When shooting my 6" M66-1 it wears Hogue Monogrips.
It was originally shipped with Targets.

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Kenny
Endeavor to persevere.

.357s in a K-frame:
"...felt like I was giving liquor to a 12 year-old."

.38s in an N-frame:
"...like feeding Gerber's to a heavyweight boxer."

You sir, have a way with words!

I have yet to find a N frame that didn't have a excellent trigger. Ive owned 2 Colts..Lawman and Trooper Flat awful triggers...DOM early 1970's... sold and bought 3 M 28's some years ago.

Sounds like a great day at the range but I thought the story was going a different direction.

"I ended up coming home with two Highway Patrolman's rescuing one from having to wear a red dot."

Instead, it sounds like two happy customers at the range and nothing wrong with that. Although, I just can't see that revolver with a red dot. Maybe a larger frame scandium or even stainless but not such a classic.

I'd never have done it to a gun I own, but he's had that revolver for 50+ years, loves to shoot it, but said his vision was deteriorating and he had problems sighting with original sights. Plus, the gun actually looked pretty good that way; better than how large telescopic sights look. I don't know what brand the sight is, but it was very low profile, much narrower than the cylinder, only took up half the space on the top strap. I asked if it used the same holes the factory sight did; he said he had to drill and tap one hole and used the rear hole already there. he's a retired machinist, so I suppose he's qualified mechanically to do that. I'll give him a pass, just so he can keep shooting the gun. Who knows, maybe I'll be looking at alternatives myself as my vision gets worse. He let me sight through it to see; the red dot sat just over the top of the front sight post for me; if it works for him, great.

In other news, my new Triple-K holster for the M28 arrived today. Perfect fit.

"Ding Bats" for everyone!

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I am glad you had a great day at the range. Congratulations on your latest acquisitions.

Model 28's are great! I never had one until recently. I bought a 27 for my first police academy...a buddy liked it so much he went to get one and ended up with a 28 instead. We took them out and had a great time shooting.

I finally got my 28:

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No good deed goes unpunished.

Fine looking gun. I would hesitate to holster carry it, but that's me.

Someone installed a target trigger on it at some point. Looks like the standard semi-target hammer.

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You're shy a few manners.

Mines not as nice as your's. Its lived most of its life in this holster.
Its pretty much only been used for rabbit hunting and only for about 3-4 years.

It spent the rest of the time either in the riffle scabbard of a horse blanket seat cover in my pickup or in the holster in a safe.

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Kenny
Endeavor to persevere.

It's a full target hammer, the spur is the same size as my M-19, which is a "3T" model and I have the box for it, so I know the M19 is a factory install. I figured the M28 was the same, although the trigger is smooth instead of ribbed. May be that someone did it afterward, but I can't tell that the side plate has ever been removed. Doesn't really matter, I love the trigger.

I have two guns with smooth target triggers and I like them too.

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Kenny
Endeavor to persevere.

The M19s commonly came with the 3Ts from the factory. As for the M28, not so much. My belief is that the only options on them were 4 or 6 inch barrel and target or magna stocks. Of course, who knows what S&W might have done for a dealer or good customer.

I was just making an observation. I am the last person to whine about "originality".

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You're shy a few manners.

I'm not taking offense or arguing; I just assumed it came from the factory that way (the M28), the side plate screws look untouched. I figured even though it is a "budget" model, that maybe S&W made allowances to install some niceties upon order. I figure that even with the target hammer and trigger, it still cost less than a similarly equipped M27. What I don't know, is the smooth trigger a separate choice from the ribbed trigger? My M19's trigger is ribbed, but now that I have something to compare, I like the smooth trigger better. As far as originality goes, it's "original" in my eyes, regardless whether or not the previous owner did the mods. It'll stay just like it is while I own it, which will be for the rest of my days. Well, except for the grips; I got a new set today, but I'm going to do a new thread about them, because I plan to do a 'review" of them.