The ultimate Highway Patrolman thread.including N frame ser# ranges

[Allen-frame]

Hello all. Back again with my idea of the "Ultimate Highway Patrolman".

Pictures.................................

If I end up buying it I promise better pictures with a proper set of grips.

Regards
Allen Frame

 

[ab4ka]

You guys are seriously making me lust for a 4" (even more than I already did!)

 

[ab4ka]

hello, this is my first post. below is a pic of my ordinary 28-2. sn N565911.

ain't nothin' ordinary about that...it's a sweetheart!

 

[koz5614]

This is my father's original Duty rig when he joined the Willingboro, NJ police Dept in October of 1970. It was born a 4 inch gun, but my dad shot a lot of PPC competitions back in the day and said he was tired of getting "smoked" by the 6 inchers. At a PPC match in Agawam(sp?) MA circa 1972, a S&W representative was there. He switched out the barrel to a 6 inch for him and "tuned" it. He also had his name engraved on the right side plate (it was originally filled with gold leaf, but that was 40 years ago. It wears a Behlert rear sight and Pachmayr Presentation grips and is pretty much a time capsule from the early 70s. It's not as pretty as the others, but this is one of the most significant guns in my collection, because it was my Dad's.

 

[jdsumner6262]

koz,
what a great bit of history you got there!
And a unique 28. Congrats.

dan

 

[jdsumner6262]

insomniac,
man, does that look like it just rolled off the showroom floor.

I just got mine back from S&W after a lengthy stay (since Sept '10). I need to get some pics up tomorrow.

dan

 

[stuch77]

heres my offering

 

[big50_1]

Allen-frame-that engraved HP is awesome!! The prob with engraving is you either love it or hate it. I love it. Any idea who engraved it?

 

[hankhill33]

My long time Friend ...Never lets me down

Just Feels Right
Don"t it
Hank

 

[delta-419]

Here are my two shooters!

 

[The Angry Pilgrim]

I picked this up about a month ago. It's a 4-screw Mod. 28 6" circa 1959-1960 and has been wearing those non-relieved targets for at least the past 30 years - maybe since new. Serial number is S 203XXX. A guy I know needed money & I gave him $300 for it. How could I go wrong?

 

[AirCommando]

Exactly! Those grips are probably worth almost that! Free gun!

 

[spikey614]

,Ultimate Highway Patrolman Thread After searching for, and reading almost every Highway Patrolman thread,(there are currently 24 pages when using the search function). I found myself longing for a thread where one could go for all things H.P.

This thread would ideally include serial number ranges, pictures of members guns,including Ser.#s(excluding digits
as preferred) , any info received in letters , and, of course, plenty of opinions.

Kind of a Highway Partolman database, where newbies and all could be directed to, to answer questions.



April, 1954, Highway Patrolman introduced, Ser.# S103500
,8,427 produced in 1954,

Sometime,late 1956 to 1957 the upper sideplate screw deleted at approx. Ser.# S171584 (earlier 4 screw N frames have been noted,but this is generally conceded to be the dividing line.)_ Al

The time between when the upper sideplate screw was deleted and the model number was stamped is when the
4 screw non-model marked N frames were produced. By my estimate, there were approximately 11,000 n.m.m. 4 screws
produced throughout the various models including ,,357 Magnum ,Highway Patrolman ,38/44 Heavy Duty ,44 hand ejector ,1950 Target models , and 1955 Target models. ,How many of these were Highway Patrolman , who only knows.
But do keep your eye out for this scarce variation and let us know whenever you find one

1957, the Highway Patrolman is model # stamped MOD 28 at approx ser.# S1821xx -

1960, as with all N frames during this timeframe, the extractor rod thread is changed from right hand thread
to left hand thread to prevent unscrewing and binding under recoil.
At this time a model marked , 28-1 , was produced ,but no examples have been found.

(Optimistic Note; to you who read this,If ever you should find a model marked 28-1, do what you must to make the deal and contact us here at this forum. We all would love to see one.

1961, or 1962 the Mod.28-2 is born with the elimination of the triggerguard screw, and a change to the
,cylinder stop.
Note;: The earliest 28-2 I have observed is S222652 AND IS A 3 screw gun.

1968 , Diamond center stocks are deleted

1969 begin N serial # prefix

1982,Model 28-3, cylinder counterbore,pinned barrel deleted , cylinder length shortened to 1.57"

1986 , The Highway Patrolman dies an untimely, buy business wise death.



Would any of you having info to add please post it and I will add it to this original post.

There you are, take care and have a great 2008 , Regards ,,Al



,,S serial prefix , N frames, the Highway Patrolman Years,.

1954--1955 , ,S103500, to S139999

1955--1956, S140000 to S149999

1956--1957, S150000 to S175999

1957--1958 S176000 to S181999

1958--1959 S182000 to S194499

1959--1960 S194500 to S206999

1960--1961 S207000 to S219999,

1961--1962 S220000 to SS227999

1962--1963 S228000 to S231999

1963--1964 S232000 to S235999

1964--1965 S236000 to S257999

1965--1966 S258000 to S261999

1966--1967 S262000 to S289999

1967--1968 S290000 to S304999

1968--1969 S305000 to S329999

1969--1970 S330000 to S333454


1969--1972 N1 to N100000

1973 N1000000 up

1974--1977 N200000

1975--1976 N300000

1977--1978 N400000

1978--1980 N500000

1979--1980 N600000

1980-- N700000

1980--1983 N800000

1982--1986 N900000

N97xxxx being the highest known 1986




Here is the list (breakdown) of members guns by ser.# range and particulars

6 4" 5 screws ,S# range S1046** to S1343**

1 6" 5 screw S# Range S1650**

2 n.m.m. 4 screw S# range S1762** to S1822** 1 4" 1 6"

4 MOD 28 4 screw S# range S1926** to S205*** 4 4" 2 6"

7 28-2 S prefix S#. range S223*** to S294*** 4 4" 3 6"

22 28-2 N prefix S#. range N1141** to N5756** 14 4" , 8 6"

4 28-3 N prefix S# range N9562** to N959*** 3 4" 1 6"

My 28-2's serial no is N96XXX. But this list states that the N prefix and No 9 state it's a 28-3. Me no under stand?

 

[snw19_357]

My 28-2's serial no is N96XXX. But this list states that the N prefix and No 9 state it's a 28-3. Me no under stand?

Yours has only 5 digits after the "N", right? So then it would fall into:

1969--1972 N1 to N100000

 

[spikey614]

Here's my 4" 28-2's numbers, N963XX.

So tell me, do the numbers make mine a 28-3? Because it reads 28-2 on the yoke.

 

[Ironhand]

This is my first S&W revolver! This one has an S-prefix number, 287***, and looks like it has been reblued at some point. The S&W logo/stamp is a bit faint on the right side, and the cylinder and barrel are slightly plum-colored. I don't think the grips are original, either, but who cares? I am just tickled to have found this revolver when, and how, I did.


I've wanted a Highway Patrolman since I first saw one in a S&W catalog back in 1981 or 1982. I was in middle school, and back then the worst thing that would happen if you were caught reading a gun magazine in class, was the teacher would take it from you and not give it back until the end of the school year! I mistakenly thought the Clint Eastwood carried one in "The Gauntlet", but I think that was a 66, right?




I looked inside the grips and came up with 'NT38' and '5828' on the inside of the grips. Are they original to this gun, or do they belong on some other model? I think the smaller grips look better than these, but I like the feel of the big grips much better. These seem like they'll be more comfortable to shoot, as well.

 

[snw19_357]

Welcome to the forum. Enjoy your Model 28!!

I mistakenly thought the Clint Eastwood carried one in "The Gauntlet", but I think that was a 66, right?

Right

I looked inside the grips and came up with 'NT38' and '5828' on the inside of the grips. Are they original to this gun, or do they belong on some other model?

5828 is the correct part number for the right panel of the Walnut target stocks available on the Model 28 and others. The left panel doesn't have '5826' in it?

An NT38 is a Model 23 .38/44 Outdoorsman so they could have been on one of them.

 

[Ironhand]

Welcome to the forum. Enjoy your Model 28!!


Right


5828 is the correct part number for the right panel of the Walnut target stocks available on the Model 28 and others. The left panel doesn't have '5826' in it?

An NT38 is a Model 23 .38/44 Outdoorsman so they could have been on one of them.

Yes, but it's a lot more faint than on the right.


From what I've been able to gather, the light logo stamping on the right is indicative of a refinish. Given my crappy phone pic, dues the finish look correct? It's definitely a matte, almost bead-blasted blue, with a bit of purple on the cylinder and barrel. I've seen no obvious refinish stampings yet.

Also, was the wide, grooved trigger standard for this model? Mine also has the wide, deeply checkered hammer spur, too.


Sorry for all the questions, but I'm still grinning as I write this! I've owned Rugers and Charter Arms over the years, but this is my first Smith. An N-frame, to boot. Not nearly as concealable as the Model 49 I almost bought instead, but just as cool...

 

[snw19_357]

Okay, so the left panel says 5826, not 5828.

Neither the wide target trigger nor the target hammer are standard on this model. They appear to be blued to me so that is another indicator that it has been refinished.

 

[Ironhand]

Okay, so the left panel says 5826, not 5828.

Neither the wide target trigger nor the target hammer are standard on this model. They appear to be blued to me so that is another indicator that it has been refinished.

Sorry, misread your question. Both sides say 5828 and NT38.

Were the wide trigger and hammer factory options, or is this more likely a previous-owner modification? Either way, it makes no difference to me. I buy shooters, not collector's pieces, so a refinish or mod doesn't bother me as long as it does not affect shooting or reliability.

I showed it to my 14-year old son, who(of course)recognized it from a video game. We're going to shoot it tomorrow...