Saw one today, model 28-2 marked for $399.99. At first I thought it was a M29.

The bad news it that it had NO BLUING. Not nickeled or hard chromed, or anything like that either. Just looked like it had all the blue stripped off and then wax applied to the raw steel. Roll stampings all looked pretty sharp. No significant pitting or scratches I could see. Didn't look like it had been heavily buffed. I'm thinking it might have been chemically stripped.

Mechanically it seemed to be in very good shape, no pushoff, timing, or endshake issues. It was wearing a Hogue monogrip instead of its original stocks.

Just doesn't quite seem to me like it would be worth $400, even as a good shooter. Am I wrong?

Yeah nowadays, that is still a good deal even if you do spend another $200-$300 for a reblue/nickel.

Where was it at - pawn shop, LGS, gun show? You could always offer $300 or $350 and see what happens. Assuming it's a good shooter $400 wouldn't be a terrible price.
Seems rather odd for someone to go through the trouble of removing the old finish to just sell it as is. I would go over it a second time and maybe remove the side plate if seriously considering buy it to make sure there's nothing funny going on inside the gun.

Yeah, I'd love to take a look at the internals too, but since it isn't a private party sale it is so extremely unlikely that I'd be allowed to take it apart that I wouldn't even ask.

In my experience, retail places just don't usually let you dismantle stuff that's in their sales inventory.

I might see if I can pick it up cheap and try my hand at a home reblue. For a shooter, there's not much to loose, right?

Buy it shoot it clean it. $400.00 is not bad for a solid 28.
Jim

Nope if passes a basic functions test I would pay $400. Your basic blue job isn't that hard to do. Good propane burnerand a steel pot big enough for the gun and some chemicals, time and a brain

Bare chrome moly steel is just about as good as blued steel for resisting rust. I put together a truck rifle one time with a bare steel barrel. I meant to get it blued at some time, but years went by and all I did was to keep that barrel waxed with at first hard automotive wax and now 'Ren' wax. The rifle was built on a Arisaka 6.5 action and the barrel was a take off Winchester .308. It was fitted with a peep sight. It has been on every Deer and Elk hunt that I have ever gone on. And I used it in Alaska as my 'survival' rifle buried back in the fuselage of my airplanes. I have never had a lick of rust specs on that bare steel barrel.

I say it is well within reason to clean the gun, wax it thoroughly and to keep it in a gun rug that breathes. Do not store it in a gun run made of Naugahyde...... Shoot the heck out of it and rewax at every cleaning. Works for me. .....

At 4 bills I would take the chance.
Doubt you will loose any dough.

I would offer $350, see if they take it. Then I would get it hard chromed for $275-$300.

You will have a top notch revolver that will have a lifetime finish. A great field gun.

For some reason the South Texas Hispanics like to strip blued handguns of their finish and carry'm that way? At the other extreme they keracote'm all kinds of colors and patterns. I see a lot of'm both ways.

BTW, you could parkerize it in your kitchen oven.

Hot bluing a handgun is not difficult. Brownell's, among others, sells the chemicals and the instructions are free. The biggest obstacle is finding a suitable tank; I just use the bottom part of a USGI 50 cal. ammo can.

How does parkerizing go on? I know the basics of bluing but don't know anything about parkerizing. I always thought it was a spray on coating like cerrakote or something.

True Parkerizing is even easier than bluing, and less dangerous to do. Again, Brownell's has everything you need.

I strongly advise against using any spray-on substitute, let alone paint.

I was thinking of seeing if I could get it for around $300 and then using something like Birchwood Casey or Oxpho Blue and a heat gun!

Be careful................ I've seen more than one over the years that were in a fire and resulted in bare metal.

I'm pretty sure this one hasn't been through anything like that. The area behind the yoke is still blued, and there is still some traces of bluing in the cylinder flutes and behind the ejector star.

Bought this 28 no dash two weeks ago for 425.00.
Deals are still out there , you just need patience and a little savvy.

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I have a pre war heavy duty someone did the same to. Just must have put naval jelly and stripped it all off. Sounds like a good find.

Yeah, if I can get it for $300 or so, if not, then I many very well just pass on it altogether.

I've never really understood the appeal of a 6 shot 357 in that big heavy N-frame.

BUT, I'm thinking I may soon get to try one and find out for myself - and at a pretty reasonable cost of admission.

I agree, except for an 8 3/8 barreled gun for silhouette.

I shoulda jumped on one a couple years ago when everyone wanted shorter barrels. Now they're going for stupid money.

You got a deal on that gun…..the non relieved targets are worth close to that……maybe more to the right person…..

Semper Fi!

Big heavy n frame that holds me back when it's in my hand. I love it.
$400 gun, $200 for nickel by s&w, I have the correct grips. When it's done it's priceless.

Online there $695. Normally

A cheap model 28 can become anything I want. A little searching on EBay, about a $100 for a barrel, $130 for a reamer if I don't have one I want. Less $ for about any adjustable sight big bore I want. Right now I have 4 model 28s (1 will stay a 357)and 4 45 barrels and a 45 reamer. I see 41 & 44 barrels all the time. You always can resell the 28 357 barrels etc. Fun with guns.

I guess I should have mentioned this one is a standard 4" carry-length barrel.

Parkerizing is what the US Military used for years. It's baked on. The chem icals and instructions
are available online.

Good LORD, when will I learn?

I keep coming on here expecting you guys to tell me I made the right decision to pass on buying another S&W revolver.

Then I always come away from the conversation trying to figure out how I can afford to go back and buy the danged thing!

I swear you guys are worse than crack dealers!

It is actually more of a mutual enablement forum

I'd turn it into a 45 Colt and have it hard chromed.

__________________
Sure you did

Buy it, send it to s&w refinish it. Let them go through it so it's good to go. Nickel?

I would of bought it already.

You bought it CORRECT? I bought this one recently off of GB for $452 delivered to my FFL.

Buy it. Ditch the Hogues. My opinion is that rubber grips are rust magnets. Shoot it. It isn't going to rust if you give it the normal care and attention you'd give to any blued gun.

I'd pass. I'm all about a gun project, but this one wreaks of "if they did that to the gun; what else did they do to it". For, within, another $100 you could get a 28 that's in better shape and will not need work. Just my 2 cents.

Yeah, I hear you salt8. Like I said, I might be a buyer at $300. But just for comparison, the only other one I've seen around here in the last year hadn't been stripped and was priced at $575. It was in comparable condition to the one that M1lover posted above, just a little more worn with pretty beat up original wood on it. And it only sat in the case at the LGS for 2 weeks before it sold.

I'm not going to find any like that lying around in my area for cheap. The only way I'd be interested in this one is as a project gun. BTW, the place that is selling it has buyers that are very knowledgeable about guns. While it doesn't eliminate the possibility, it dramatically reduces the chances that it has some big issue that I've overlooked.

No way to know the story on it, but I'm thinking it is probably a former LEO gun that showed significant holster wear and someone decided to try to freshen up its appearance - maybe with naval jelly as others have suggested - and ended up taking the bluing off.

Don't hesitate to purchase the right handgun on GB. Take your time and watch the auctions. Often a handgun will not sell and the owners are open to offers. Its worked for me. Several times. Ask questions. LOOK at the side plate screws for evidence that Bubba may have been in there. There are lots of decent 28's for $500 or less. Good things come to those who wait! Good luck in the hunt! H.

At $300-350............clean side plate screws........project gun you've always wanted.............I have

two words for you ..... "hard chrome"....... great wet weather gun for Washington.

.....maybe round butt it ..... add a red ramp cut.......

If you have a custom idea in mind then it wouldbe perfect at $300.
I like my s&w's mostly factory original.
If I saw it , I would pass on it.
Twig.