Possible Jovino 28-2 .44spl **Update Post 35 w/range visit**

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**Update-Ok well I went to the range, fired 6 rounds, did pretty good, emptied the cylinder, put 6 more in and I ended up with a "2 shooter". After every two rounds it would bind. I could open the cylinder no problem. When I looked on the bench I found shavings from the bullets. Upon closer inspection I saw that one of the extractor pins from the back of the cylinder was missing (it was there when I bought it). The timing is off so I'm assuming that's the reason for the shavings. No idea though why it would bind after only two rounds-by that I mean the action would not cycle in either double or single though again I was able to open the cylinder just fine. In dry fire the gun cycles perfectly, hmm.

Today, Saturday, I was able to drop it off at a gunsmith I trust and that's done other work for me in the past on S&Ws. Didn't feel it'd be a big deal to get straightened out though the shop is a little busy right now. Probably be 2-3 weeks before I get it back. I'll update then, trying not to get too down about it. Hey the gun is almost 40 years old with an unknown use history so it's acceptable. The seller has agreed to pay for getting it fixed so we're all good.**



Well on a whim I went to the Tanner show outside of Denver today to just look around. I did see more older Smiths at this show than I have in the past-a few original 1917s, 66 no dash, 25." 66-2 and -4, a couple of early 15s and a few 19s from -3 up to -7.

I was going to back for a 22-4 when I spotted a friend that usually has nice things. He had the two 66 snubs, I was going to make a deal on the -2 when I noticed this big snub tucked in the corner of his display box. Hmm, short barrel, round butt 28-2 with what I think are Ahrends grips. He said he got it in a group of a few guns from a guy "up in the mountains" ahaha but on the hang tag it's marked "Jovino Custom". Well now I really had to look. I was almost drooling, to my untrained eye it has the "tells"-barrel profile, ball/detent on the crane so we made a deal. The ramp is definitely red, not as orange as it looks in the photos.

If any one can help with your more knowledgeable eyes I'd greatly appreciate it. Serial number is N5153XX. Here are few quick cell pics (the specks are just dust particles, it's almost flawless):

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Wow! A pinned and recessed snub .44 Special. What more could you ask for. I used to drool over their Effectors in Shotgun News in the 1980s. But I never knew they did .44 Specials, too. Very nice gun, and better than a Lew Horton.
 
Thanks, though the cylinder isn't recessed-I assume (uh oh that word lol) it's a model 24 cylinder that was used. The caliber markings on the barrel look to my, again untrained, eye as factory. My friend has fired it, says it shoots great, looking forward to hitting the range maybe tomorrow to see how it shoots (I have some mild .44 factory cowboy loads for plinking in my 629).

Forgot to mention I also picked up a couple new in the package HKS speedloaders too.
 
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Nice Catch, regardless of who did the work that is a beautiful revolver and being a Jovino would be icing on the cake.

BTW the weather isn't anywhere near as nice as yours but hopefully soon brother!
 
Thanks, though the cylinder isn't recessed-I assume (uh oh that word lol) it's a model 24 cylinder that was used. The caliber markings on the barrel look to my, again untrained, eye as factory. My friend has fired it, says it shoots great, looking forward to hitting the range maybe tomorrow to see how it shoots (I have some mild .44 factory cowboy loads for plinking in my 629).

Forgot to mention I also picked up a couple new in the package HKS speedloaders too.
Oops. It looked recessed in the picture. Don't matter. That's a great gun and another reminder of why I should have bought a Jovino way back when.
 
Thanks all, and BigBoku not to rub it in but I indeed did just get back from a little outing on the bike, almost 80 in the Denver area today!!

arjay, you said it my friend. I allowed myself two hours because it is so nice out and there it was haha. That's the reason the range visit will have to wait. Though now we're gathering the family for breakfast tomorrow then out to the park with the grandmunchkin and the dogs so I may have to wait.

**Put on a set of old Pach Compacs for a round K and they fit perfect. The wood grips are definitely from Ahrends, stamped on the inside of the right panel.**
 
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I looked in the SWSC 4th edition and no mention of a 28-2 in .44 Special,snubby or otherwise. Looks pretty cool!! Wow indeed!

That's because .44 Special was not an option from the factory for the M28.

S&W quit making .44 Specials in the mid 1960s. There weren't many made post WW II. So the only way to obtain a .44 Special was to convert another N frame revolver. The M28 was easier to come by in the 1960 and '70s.

Skeeter Skelton wrote a number of articles in Shooting Times magazine about converting M28s to .44 Special and also to .45 Colt. Forum member tennexplorer and I haunted the stores in Auburn, Alabama that carried Shooting Times each month, hoping for a new Skeeter story on the big bore revolver conversions.

In 1976 I took the plunge and bought a 3 1/2" blue M27 and then found a 6 1/2" .44 Special from J&G Rifle Ranch out in Montana. I took the said items to a gunsmith in Selma, Alabama and had the barrel installed and the cylinder re-chambered. A few months later I had a fine shooting .44. :) I had it trimmed to 5" and re-blued in 2006. Still have it and it still shoots great.
 
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I'm guessing this gun is from 1978 by the serial number, also I owe you all an apology for indeed the cylinder is recessed! I wonder if that means if the original cylinder was used and just bored to the new caliber?
 
I'm guessing this gun is from 1978 by the serial number, also I owe you all an apology for indeed the cylinder is recessed! I wonder if that means if the original cylinder was used and just bored to the new caliber?

My M27 conversion is recessed, as was a M28 conversion that I had about 10 years ago. The original .357 cylinders on both were re-chambered to .44 Special.
 
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Nice catch and looks like it was well done. But, while the snubby conversion was certainly done in a similar style to the Jovino guns, I've never seen anything about the Jovino gun shop doing caliber conversions. There were any number of gunsmiths doing snubby conversions back in the day, with the Jovino gun shop and Austin Behlert being two of the best known. And, as mentioned, M28 big bore caliber conversions were common, heck, they're still being done, I have one out being turned into a 3" .41mag now. So, while it's obvious that it was a skilled gunsmith that did the work on that particular gun, it probably did not come out of the Jovino gun shop.

I'm also looking forward to your range report.
 
That is a very nice looking snubby. Congrats on the find. I just bought and yet to receive a M25-2 that was converted to a 44 mag with a 3 in. barrel, by an unknown gunsmith. Should get it in the mail this week.
 

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