I own a stainless revolver. On the right side of the barrel is stamped 45 CAL MODEL 1955. Left side is stamped SMITH & WESSON. On the frame when you open the cylinder is CLEARLY STAMPED N263216 below that is CLEARLY STAMPED MOD 28-2 It was willed to me. I know all about the .357 Highway Patrol and the model 25-2. What the hell does this serial number match? Why does S&W or anyone else know? Very frustrated. Aren't records of serial numbers kept to identify what this gun is? Any help would be appreciated. Was told by S&W this gun does not exist. Well I'm looking at it.

I own a stainless revolver. On the right side of the barrel is stamped 45 CAL MODEL 1955. Left side is stamped SMITH & WESSON. On the frame when you open the cylinder is CLEARLY STAMPED N263216 below that is CLEARLY STAMPED MOD 28-2 It was willed to me. I know all about the .357 Highway Patrol and the model 25-2. What the hell does this serial number match? Why does S&W or anyone else know? Very frustrated. Aren't records of serial numbers kept to identify what this gun is? Any help would be appreciated. Was told by S&W this gun does not exist. Well I'm looking at it.

My initial thoughts are that someone took a Model 28-2 and converted it to .45 by replacing the cylinder and barrel.
Have you tried to place a .38Spl. or .357Mag round of ammunition into the cylinder?
Many types of hardchrome and electroless nickel look very similar to stainless steel.
Pictures would be a great help for further info.

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John

First thing first - WELCOME to the Forum. Second is - everyone was told the same on the 547 at first from the factory. Without pictures I would say you have a 45 acp that has been miss stamped by the factory. Who ever willed it to you gave you two gifts - one a great gun, and two- something you can talk days over it. Get some PIC's and we will be able to help more. The S/N with tell when it was made but not a bunch more.

what you have there is a 28-2 that has been fitted with a 1955 45 barrel and cylinder. This was a very popular conversion back in the 1970s. Also, no way its stainless steel...probably a nice matte finished hard chrome or the like. Sounds like a nice gun!

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ken
SWCA #1959

Thanks for the response. It has 45 rounds in it now. It was manufactured in 1976 I know this much. I will post some pics. It has a 6 1/2" pinned barrel. I love this gun would just like to know what it was or is. I don't believe it was converted

So the serial number won't tell what it started out as? Thats frustrating!

I think when it all plays out, you'll find that it was converted. It's hard to differintiate good gunsmithing from factory production when the work is done right.

I bought a 28-2 from Cabellas which was converted to a .44 special. The "expurts" at Cabela's insisted it was a factory conversion. Not surprisingly, it lettered as a plain old 28-2.

Brian~

Look where the barrel meets the frame. If it is original the rib on the barrel will match up with the frame. If there are small "dimples"on each side of the frame, it was most likely a conversion as stated above. The rib on a Model 28 barrel was more narrow than the one on the Model 25-2/1955 Target.

Hope I was clear.

Bill

Yes, it will. But it involves sending a form letter to S&W along with a check for $50 and then waiting as long as several months for the answer.
If you want to do this, go here: S&W History Letter

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John

Back in the mid 70's J&G Rifle Ranch, then in Turner Montana had a ton of old .44 Special and .45 ACP barrels and cylinders for sale. A lot of people converted M-28's with those parts.

Sounds to me like You were willed a well done conversion, that will probably be a great shooter.

FN in MT

FN is correct. I bought a Model 27 barrel for, I think, $27.50 from J&G around 1976 and put it on a Model 27. Other than a close inspection it would have been difficult to tell it was not original. It was a fine shooter and I wish I had kept it. I did the same with a .44 Magnum barrel and cylinder and it worked just fine except the wider rib on the .45 barrel was obvious at the point it joined the frame.

Bill

Something else to remember is that S&W didn't even make stainlessN-frames until '78 and none were out on the market before '79. Also, no 1955 guns or just their barrels were ever made in stainless steel.FWIW

As John indicated with the serial number there is no problem determining what the gun was originally. It does take research by Roy Jinks at S&W though and a long wait. That is what the $50 fee is for.

Jerry

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

JMHO, but a couple of things: (1) you might run down a copy of Jim Supica's book (3rd Edition, Standard Catalog of S&W)as he has lots of serial number info in the book. Might be a place to start. (2) Sometimes, when the guns were stamped, particularly if deeply stamped, a "5" could look like an "8". Did you check the number with a magnifier? Also, I agree; I don't think you'll find a M.25 in Stainless...more than likely a matte nickel or hard chrome. In any event, these .45's are great shooters, and that's what it's all about!

MikeyL

I was given a pistol by my uncle years ago. On the right side of the barrel is stamped 45 CAL MODEL 1955. Left side is stamped SMITH & WESSON. On the frame when you open the cylinder is CLEARLY STAMPED N139296 below that is CLEARLY STAMPED MOD 28-2. I don't have the box or moon clips, does the pistol use half clips or fulls clips, or can it be shot without the clips?
I still have my Model 28 Highway Patrolman that I used to carry on duty prior to the issue of semi-autos on my department.
The pistol is in great shape but I can't find out much about it. Would a history check be worth it or is it a N frame conversion. I'll post some pictures as soon as possible.
Thanks in advance,
Charlie

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An older Smith .45 ACP N frame can be fired without clips. You just have to pull or poke the empty brass out individually since there's no rim for the extractor star to engage.
New ones can be unreliable without them.

Yours can be used with two, three, or six-shot clips.
Denis

Does it look like this?



Barrel is 1955 45 Cal, It's a Model 28-2 converted & armaloyed.

To sum up:

1) Cannot be stainless. Either dull nickel (neither 25-2 or 28-2 came in nickel), or it's got an aftermarket plate or it's bare metal.

2) The barrel is a 25-2 by the markings.

3) EITHER it's a 28-2 that has been converted to 45 caliber OR it's a 25-2 that is stamped with the incorrect model number (happens a lot).

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