Mod 28s converted to 44 spl

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longarm4146

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I recently acquired a 28-2 that has been converted to 44 spl. It was well done and then finished in high luster blue.
My question is basically is there a market niche for these guns and what kinda price do they normally bring?
Gonna try to post a couple pics.
 

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For those who like the 44 S&W Special cartridge, sure, there is a niche of collectors who would like the conversion.

Value? Whatever you can can someone to put on the check and sign it. Probably less than a factory unconverted Model 28-2.

I have converted Model 28-2 to a 45 ACP. When I go to sell it, I will be happy if I get 3/4 of a Model 28-2, 357 Magnum price.

Kevin
 
I am a big .44 Special fan, and S&Ws are the best, but I would value that gun based on the quality of the rework and the mechanical soundness. If you knew the name of the gunsmith that did the conversion that might make a difference.

It looks over polished to me, with very soft markings, so I would value it fairly low, like an average condition used model 28.

How does it shoot?
 
In 1976, I had a M27-2 converted to .44 Special. It was fitted with a factory 6 1/2" 1950 target barrel and the .357 cylinder was rebored. Around 2006, I had the barrel cut to 5", a ramp front sight added and the entire gun re-blued.

It was a great shooter as a 6 1/2" and still is as a 5". I carried it as a duty sidearm for several years. It ain't going nowhere as long as I'm above ground. :)
 
I bought a much less than collector value 5 screw Model 27.
Barrel had been cut to 3 1/2”, not well crowned and it had been reblued although the barrel and cylinder were plum colored while the rest of the gun was blue. Excellent candidate for a conversion.
Dave Clements did the work and I was very pleased with the result.
HOWEVER, I have about $1700 in the gun and on a good day I MIGHT be able to get $800-$900 for it. Conversions are rarely money makers.
I’ll never get rid of it and the money I have in it is just that - money.
 

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If it was done by Clements, Bowen, or one of the other big names it would be worth a premium. This one doesn't appear to be near that quality quite honestly. I'd say about the same as a .357 in the same refinished condition. Personally and just my own opinion I'd pass at more than 700, have to think hard at 600, and would probably buy at 500. YMMV....
 
If they're really well done, mechanically and cosmetically, I've seen them priced at least as much as the original M28, sometimes more. The components used make a difference too, a re-bored 28-2 barrel and cylinder or replaced with components from models of the caliber converted. As others said, if the gunsmith is known that can add a premium too. I recently bought one in 45ACP with a 1950 pre-26 5 inch barrel with McGivern bead front sight and cylinder with a very nice bluing re-finish for $1080 and was happy to get it. Of course that one was wearing "cokes."

Jeff
SWCA #1457

https://flic.kr/p/2qmUHGL https://www.flickr.com/photos/194934231@N03/
 
longarm4146 said:
I recently acquired a 28-2 that has been converted to 44 spl. It was well done and then finished in high luster blue.
My question is basically is there a market niche for these guns and what kinda price do they normally bring?
Gonna try to post a couple pics.
Click to expand...

That looks like a nice conversion with a bored out barrel and cylinder, but I don't see it stamped as ".44 Spl." anywhere on the revolver. The barrel still has the original .357 HP stamps. Might be a safety issue, or am I just OCD?
 
Hawg Rider said:
That looks like a nice conversion with a bored out barrel and cylinder, but I don't see it stamped as ".44 Spl." anywhere on the revolver. The barrel still has the original .357 HP stamps. Might be a safety issue, or am I just OCD?
Click to expand...
Not just you, it would bother me too.
 
I agree regarding the value as being less than the cost of the conversion. If the barrel and cylinder are factory parts then you should do ok. If you have a re-bore barrel and cylinder, then not so much.
 
My $637.53 jest aside, it looks like a nicely done conversion. Who ever finished it, should have first taken a small smooth faced hammer and tapped the 357, HP logo on the one side of the barrel for a while and then ran that side of the barrel against a 400 then higher grit slack belt the logo would have disappeared. Then some careful work with a stamp set marking it 44 S&W or even just 44 S&W.

But if you want nice shooter 44 special its a dandy just like it is.

My 45 conversion making a pinned and recessed 45 colt from a early HP and a model 29 cylinder, probably won't sell for high dollars. I am still proud of it
TLRSBDq.jpg


I own a whole bunch of converted and modified S&W, I am not all that concerned about what collectors won't pay for them. My target audience is me then other shooters.
 
Last edited:
Hawg Rider said:
That looks like a nice conversion with a bored out barrel and cylinder, but I don't see it stamped as ".44 Spl." anywhere on the revolver. The barrel still has the original .357 HP stamps. Might be a safety issue, or am I just OCD?
Click to expand...

Why? If the cylinder has been rechambered to .44 Special, obviously, .357 Magnum cartridges will no longer fit.
 
Skeeter Skelton is smiling down on you.
One caution with these conversions is, since the S&W locking notch is centered over the cylinder, there may not be enough metal left in a bored out cylinder.
 
It was unfortunately somewhat common to blow out the cylinder notches, if the shooter tried to fire .44 Spl "magnum" handloads in these.
 
BLACKHAWKNJ said:
Skeeter Skelton is smiling down on you.
One caution with these conversions is, since the S&W locking notch is centered over the cylinder, there may not be enough metal left in a bored out cylinder.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't worry much about the notch not leaving enough metal. 357 cylinders are the exact same OD with the exact same notch depth as 44 magnum cylinders and even 45 ACP and colt cylinders. The 45 acp cylinders are rated for 23,000psi and some guys regularly shoot 45 supers at 28,000psi in them.

Having reamed N frame 357 cylinders to 44 special and 45 colt which is has a .0115 bigger chamber radius than the 44s and 44 mag cylinders to 45 colt never once had a problem, even firing 45 colt loads in the 23-25,000psi range, I can't figure out where this information comes from. An over sized reamer? A batch of cylinders with overly deep notches? Over pressure loads?
 
steelslaver said:
My $637.53 jest aside, it looks like a nicely done conversion. Who ever finished it, should have first taken a small smooth faced hammer and tapped the 357, HP logo on the one side of the barrel for a while and then ran that side of the barrel against a 400 then higher grit slack belt the logo would have disappeared. Then some careful work with a stamp set marking it 44 S&W or even just 44 S&W.

But if you want nice shooter 44 special its a dandy just like it is.

My 45 conversion making a pinned and recessed 45 colt from a early HP and a model 29 cylinder, probably won't sell for high dollars. I am still proud of it
TLRSBDq.jpg


I own a whole bunch of converted and modified S&W, I am not all that concerned about what collectors won't pay for them. My target audience is me then other shooters.
Click to expand...
What is very special to me about your gun here and the Model 28 conversion in question are the recessed chambers. Or it looks like it, anyway. I can’t enlarge the picture on the 4” 28. That feature is a big deal to me. Very classy.
 
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