Recently a friend of mine took a liking to my Model 15 snub,
He offered me my choice between two 6" N frames .
They are very similar but very different guns.

Choice A is an early 1950's "Pre" Model 23, 38/44 HD with diamond targets.
It is cosmetically good, Some bluing loss on barrel and cylinder from holstering but no rust and mechanicaly excellent.
The grips have small repair on heel but the cylinder was never altered from .38 caliber as a plus.


Choice B is an early 70's Model 28, Target grips, some honest wear but very clean in very good to excellent condition.


Both guns being mechanically solid and equally nice tight shooters .
I will probably only use it to shoot paper targets with 38 special ammo,

Normally I would prefer the older 5 screw gun,
The 28 has a slightly better finish, wide hammer and trigger and 357 capabilities but I will probably only shoot .38 special through it.

I am leaning towards the 28-2...Which would you choose ?

My choice would be "A" 38/44, because I don't have one and want one really bad. The non relieved grips are very nice and not that common. The 28 is also nice but they are fairly common. Trade him for what ever you like and buy the other!

Your Model 15 must be a prize!

I agree with the above: go for BOTH!

Cheers!

HD over the HP

If you intention is to shoot 38 Specials at targets, the "Outdoorsman" would be a natural. In my mind the fit and finish (as done by the factory) is superior on all 5-screw guns to those of the Bangor Punta era. No contest for me.

Dave

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RSVN '69-'71
PCSD (Ret)

The HD, the HD, the HD by the way the HD!!! MHO!

I Know...its killing me...HD's are so nice
But..
I failed to mention the M28 must have had a trigger job as it is every bit as nice as the HD...
Normally I would jump on the 5 screw but the magnum option is making me lean towards the M28.

The Model 15 is an unfired pristine Nickel bull barrel with original PC grips.
Probably one of the nicest I have ever seen, too nice to destry by carrying.
But MAN it is pretty.

I love the 23 but Im picky about a guns finish and its only a 38.
I realize I could reblue and convert the 38/44 but would not want to hurt its originality.

I am sure eventually both will end up in my collection since we both like to trade but getting both is not an option yet,

HD. I shoot DA and I prefer the standard trigger. But the HD just seems nicer, too.

I almost hate chiming in because I'm still pretty new around here ..... and I don't have & never have had an HD ..... But I do have a 28-2 that I've never even considered trading for anything I've seen yet. I'm fairly sure I'll have that gun til I give it to my son ... someday.

38/44 take it. it seem 28-2 HP are a dime a dozen...

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George Jamison

As Dave pointed out the Choice A "HD" is actually an Outdoorsman model which can be loaded up over 1100 fps. Not bad for a .38Special !

I would quickly choose it over a Model 28 although some around here might contend I am biased !

As a side note the Outdoorsman in your photo would sell for about 150-200% that of the 28 ! The non-relieved walnut grips on that gun are not at all common !

Jerry

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

HD for sure.

rayb

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"cumplo pero no obedezco"

I'll cast yet another vote for the Outdoorsman.

Get the Outdoorsman. If .38 is all you're going to use, why worry about the .357. If you ever want more power, the OD and HD scoff at the most potent .38+p out there. If you reload, you can probably work up some loads as good or better than .357 with it.

If it's a straight swap the OD is worth considerably more money than is the HP.

For practical use the HP's 357 caliber is a better choice.

The cool factor definitely favors the OD.

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No life story has happy end.

Gotta go with the majority -- take the .38/44.

Figure it this way: whichever one you take, if you start to feel the hunger for one of the other kind somewhere down the line, a good 28 will be easier to find and less expensive to pick up than a Model of 1950 Outdoorsman. The company made only a little over 6000 in the 1950 configuration, model marked and non-model-marked combined. Compare that to how many tens of thousands of the Highway Patrolman they turned out, and I think the question kind of answers itself.

I have two pre-27s and a pre-28, but seven .38/44s, a mix of Heavy Duty and Outdoorsman models from prewar and postwar production runs. One cannot have too many of them.

Trade for the OD. Trade for the OD. Trade for the OD.

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David Wilson

Thank you for the response.
I am starting to get the slightest feeling that I should go for the HD?

I am not set up for handloading.
Reality is I will probably shoot targets 99% of the time , But I also wanted a field gun in 357.

The overwhelming voices say the HD is more hard to find .

Dont all N frame revolvers have the same internal parts ?

So besides the partridge site, diamond grips and grooved rib they are basicly the same gun.
But the Model 28 can fire 357 magnum.

Your advice has not fallen on deaf ears.

To the contrary, I was sold on the M28 HP but now I am leaning towards the Heavy Duty 38/44.

Ultimately either guns will work great for what I need.
I suppose the solution is get both...He he.

I like the idea of get both...but as has been said...you can always get a 28 later...there are lots of them...that HD is a rare find....do not hesitate....

As DaveT first pointed out we are dealing with a .38/44Outdoorsman (OD) here not a .38/44 Heavy Duty (HD) !

The Outdoorsman illustrated with those non-relieved walnut Target grips is simply worth a bunch more money than the 28-2 HP ! Trade for the Outdoorsman, sell it, and buy two Model 28-2s !

If the Outdoorsman were a model-marked Model 23 it would be a VERY valuable gun !

Jerry

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

There is no bigger HP fanatic than myself, however I would take the OD hands down in this situation. You will run into many, many more HP's in your travels.

Brian~

Tough choice, but I'd go for the 38. The coolness factor is off the charts, and you can load it nearly as hot as a 357 if you want.

A minor point: the cylinders on both guns are the same length. True Keith bullets will poke out the front of a 28 cylinder if you load them in 357 cases and crimp in the crimping groove. They'll fit if you crimp over the driving band, which cuts powder capacity to about that of a 38 Special, and then you're right back where you started. Of course, I didn't realize that until I bought a Model 28 and got it home.


Okie John

between those two, I'd go for the .357 M-28 Highway Patrolman with that much N-frame gun. I have one EXACTLY like that one and love it. It makes a good shooter and, if you feel like you need extra punch, makes a great wilderness gun. Those target grips, 6 inch barrel and heavy frame are what the .357 magnum was mean't to be. Little recoil but you still feel the power of the .357 going up your arm and blowing back into your face like a zap of electricity

If you are looking at value of trade, ie: your gun's value being traded for his gun's value, then the .38-44 is the clear choice. It is worth at least twice the value of the 28.

If you are looking at which gun you like best, then only you can answer that question. A lot depends on whether you are a shooter, a collector or a shooter collector.

Personally, I would take the .38-44 and either trade something else for the 28 or wait until another one comes along and buy it. As others suggested, you could also take the .38-44, sell it here, take the money and buy your friends model 28 and put the change in the bank.

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James Redfield
LM #497