I hope this is in the right sub-forum. I picked this up a few months ago and haven't gotten around to looking it up. It appears to be a 28-2 with a relatively early SN but I don't know what year. I'm guessing this is a refinished gun since the nickel factory ones are so rare, were there any factory chrome guns? Regardless I like that the left the ejector star, hammer and trigger in the original. The trigger and hammer look almost case hardened? I apologize for the cell phone pictures but they're all I have for now, any info would be appreciated!

I'm not an expert, but factory nickel guns are usually stamp with an "N" on the back of the cylinder where yours is stamped "H".

They also usually have an "N" stamp under the stocks.

I would get a letter

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Welcome! The serial number indicates it was likely made in 1972.

As you know, factory nickel model 28s are rare, and their serial numbers are known; someone who has them should be along shortly. It is in the known SN range as I recall.

The H stamped on the rear cylinder face indicates the part was supposed to have a matte (instead of polished) blue finish.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

To answer your questions: Case hardened hammer & trigger is normal for factory nickel plated guns. I've never heard of factory chromed guns, I doubt yours is. Most likely yours is a refinish.

S&W did experiment with chrome for a short while, but not on the Highway Patrolman.

The jury is out, but I tend to doubt that is factory nickel. Also, the GA target stocks are not original. Nice though.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Good looking HP, whatever it turns out to be. Know any history about it? Is it a recent purchase for you? I like it, a lot.

Looks righteous to me, but what do I know?
If it’s a refinish it looks to be well done.
It looks like nickel also. To my eyes nickel has a slight yellow cast.

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I told you not to use Lifebuoy

Wow OP,
That is quite a first post! The gun looks very well done to me. Thanks for sharing. I, too, would like to know what history you know on the gun. Getting a letter is definitely a good idea.
Larry

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Miss My Buddy crsides!!

Looks like a pretty darn good refinish. Welcome from North Dakota

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John

There were about 25 made up for the Florida Highway Patrol, but they had 5" barrels. Besides, they were shipped in 1959 and the 28-2 did not debut until 1961. S/N range is S189071 to S192687. All this is from the SCoS&W by Supica and Nahas.

Supposedly there were some nickel salesmen's samples made up, but I don't remember the details about those.

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You're shy a few manners.

Your Model 28-2 has been refinished in nickel outside the S&W factory as the company did not offer a change of finish on this model. The fifty-four Model 28-2s with a brush nickel finish were shipped in July 1972 and have serial numbers in a much higher range. Your Model 28-2 dates to 1971.

Bill

If it dates to 1971, wouldn't that mean the non-diamond football target stocks could be original?

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You're shy a few manners.

I expect that is an aftermarket nickel finish, but it appears to have been very well done, keeping the hammer and trigger in their case hardened finish like S&W did with their factory plating. I would take off the stocks and look at the grip frame, is there an "N" or "RN" stamped on it near the bottom on the left side? "N" indicates factory nickel, "RN" indicates factory refinish in nickel.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Very nice gun you have there. I have a nickel Model 27 that is a former Florida HiWay Patrol gun. Some LEs valued style too. Not having a “N” stamped on the frame and cyl makes it not likely as a factory nickel job. I wouldn’t be surprised if a LE had his Model 28 nickel plated.

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I invest in Lead and Copper!

M28's came standard with magna stocks.

Ejector stars weren't nickel plated because of close tolerances and being a fitted part, from my understanding. My nickel M29's ejector star is not plated, and it is a factory plate job. No need to plate a part that isn't seen unless the cylinder is open, much like why the inside edges of the gantry and breech face don't get the same level of finish as the outside of the gun.

Looks similar to mine and mine is not one of the rare one's either...

Attached Images

M28-2 390.jpg (60.1 KB, 61 views)

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Only difference Fool/Mule-ears

The only way to tell about stocks is a letter. I have a 1st year May 54 that came with diamond targets.

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"The H stamped on the rear cylinder face indicates the part was supposed to have a matte (instead of polished) blue finish."

Learn something new everyday. Wonder why H and not M?

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No life story has happy end.

Highway Patrolman?

One of the two options for this model was Target Stocks. The other being 4 or 6 inch barrel length.

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You're shy a few manners.

If you decide to letter your gun, get the number off of the bottom of the butt, not off the crane.
Thanks

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Don Mundell

^this. No stamp was blue M27, 'N' was nickel M27, 'H' was non-polished blue M28.

My gut tells me this is a nicely-done aftermarket nickel job, but I have no proof to back that up. It's a good-looking revolver, nontheless. A little Flitz and some elbow grease will make it look like bright chrome.

Never heard this term applied to a gun, what or where is it?

I'm pretty sure some M28s were made in nickle. Hammer, trigger were color case hardened as yours is. Sights were blue as yours is. Nothing about this says to me that it's not factory nickle. The only way to confirm would be a letter of authenticity.
Nice piece.

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NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs

Look a lot like mine.I picked mine up a number of years ago from a pawn shop. It had Altamonte stocks on it so I put the ones that are on it now rather than trying to match the originals as the larger stocks saves my finger when I shoot hot 357's than the original ones. My serial number starts with N5982--.

Attached Images

	S&W28-2.jpg (60.0 KB, 48 views)
	sw28-2.jpg (59.2 KB, 33 views)

[Gantry]

I meant to say yoke, which is S&W's term for the part. I keep "crane" in my mind, but that's a Colt term, and a gantry is a sort of crane, but not applied to firearms. My brain does cruel things to my mouth sometimes, and my fingers are complicit when they type what my brain is thinking..