I have a 4 inch Model 28 S serial number that makes it about 1968. It was a carry gun for sure with holster wear to the blue, but not shot much, still a very tight gun. It is a fine shooter and doesn't need to be refinished or hard chromed. But when I started as a Sheriff's Deputy I was mentored by a retired Sheriff's Deputy and his duty gun was a Model 28. Due to an incident while arresting a guy, he ended up tossing his gun off the dock into the ocean, where they were to avoid the bad guy getting it. The dive team recovered the gun and a company in the area cleaned it and hard chromed it for him.

I shot that gun several times and it is the reason I wanted a 28 in my collection. His gun went down the road to an unknown buyer after he passed away.

So I am swaying back and forth on getting my 28 hard chromed and if so who to do the work.

Here are a few pics of my gun.

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A chromed finish will not prevent corrosion. It may be more durable in some instances than a blued finish, but it is not as corrosion-resistant as stainless steel. I think you destroy the gun's value by putting a chrome finish on it, especially since the original finish was blue. I would leave it as is, shoot it and take care of it.

Get it nicle plated...then chromed....I dont know who does firearms but get a pro to do it...check around....dont take it to a shop that does motorcycle stuff/car handles....Someone who specializes in firearms

I don’t know to whom you’d send your big six shooter……..

But, I vote Yes to Hard Chrome. There a million M28s. So what if one of them is different. If it’s done correctly, hard chrome looks nice. Your gun could use a make over anyway.

I want to see pics when you get it done.

I vote yes, I'm considering having 2 of my 6 guns HC, I recently as in 2 weeks ago sent my G23c slide to APW in Georgia and they did a stellar job!

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This is the way....

I understand your desire to make your 28 look like your mentor’s. But yours is yours, just as you and he were similar but unique people.

You say it is an excellent shooter. I hesitate to modify anything that is working that well… parts can get lost, clearances can change with plating, it looks new and somehow just ain’t the same gun. I modify things I have no history with, and if it doesn’t work out no big deal.

Just finished a rather philosophical book, so that’s the mood I’m in. It’s your choice, but to me an important tool is mine because of its long association with me, and I like them to show the passage of time just like I myself do.

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Uvidíme se později, aligátore.

Another great option is a black nitride finish. Very durable and looks similar to the 28’s original finish.

We Are Different | H&M Blacknitride+™

FYI: BN is not a paint or plating, it actually penetrates, I believe, 5 mils into the metal. Tough stuff

Familiar with the company and the product but not affiliated.

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213th FBINA

Hard chrome and electroless nickel are extremely durable. I had a custom built 1911 for IPSC over thirty years ago and the gun had been drawn and reholstered thousands of times over that period. It has been in the rain, dirt and used hard and shows no wear. It a brushed hard chrome and still looks outstanding, as good as new.

I also bought a model 15 that was in rough shape but mechanically excellent. I had it bead blasted and electroless nickeled. It too had been in and out of a leather holster thousands of times and is thirty years old too. It too looks as nice as the day it was done.

Between nickel and chrome, nickel is warmer in color than chrome. I’ve read nickel is a bit more for idiom resistant too. It’s probably a little softer but over 30 years of use neither show any west so I’d say they’re pretty even.

Don’t confuse electroless nickel with electro plated nickel. Electroless is in many ways a better finish in that it is much more even and uniform and plates in areas that are a problem for electroplating. My electroless nickel revolver has a beautiful slightly warm satin finish, not bright shiny plating.

If your gun is worn badly and not collectible there’s no reason not to have it refinished. 28’s, especially well worn ones, aren’t collectible so why not turn it into something that looks great and will wear well for decades. I just don’t buy into this idea of not refinishing guns.

I have a 34-1 2” that’s mechanically excellent but is really rough. It has pitting from rust and someone put cold blue over worn areas to try and make it look better. It didn’t work and looks terrible. I’m giving serious thought to having it bead blasted and electroless nickel plated as well. Doing this I can take an ugly but great shooter and turn it into something that shoots and looks great.

The idea of not refinishing a gun is like saying I have a rusted 1955 Chevy. Should I restore it or drive it to shows all rusted out. Do you see car collectors displaying their classics all rusted out or oxidized paint. No you don’t so what’s the harm. How many 28’s were made, 100,000 or more.


Excuse the bad photos.

Pictured is my 28 I bought new in 1978 and is near new in the box also my electroless nickel model 15 and my brushed chrome 1911. The color in the last two is a touch warm due to the light source.

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I dunno, but looks pretty good to me with its honest wear.
It’s yours to do what you want but I’d leave it as is and shoot the heck out of it.
MTCW

I’m with the getter done crowd. I like my guns to look good. Get refinished anyway you like. Post pics when finished!

Mahovsky's Metalife.........the best IMO........

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Whatever turns ya propeller...........Should come back purty.

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S&W Accumulator

Industrial hard chrome is an exceptionally durable finish and has been used in firearms for many decades now. It does provide more corrosion resistance than the stainless steels used in firearms construction

Hard chrome was probably at its peak in the firearms industry back in the 70s or early 80s. One of the companies that provided this product was Accurate Plating and Weaponry.

Bob Cogan and APW originally were near Clearwater along Florida's Gulf coast 12 or so years ago they relocated to southeastern Alabama

I still own several of the firearms that Bob plated for me back in the day.

The Colt Gold Cup that I used to shoot in Ipsec has had many tens of thousands of rounds of ammunition down the tube but you would not know it to look at the firearm

The P220 in the lower right corner of this family photo was plated by APW back in 1977.

While I no longer carry/shoot this specific P220 today, it was my primary personal carry weapon for a couple of decades.

If you decide to go down the road for Hard Chrome, Accurate Plating and Weaponry will take good care of you

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"Acta non verba"

When the S&W L frames came out I wanted a 686 6" bbl with the high Patridge front sight to allow a neck hold in PPC leg matches. I wanted stainless because my regular PPC revolvrs were stainless. I was/am very aware of how much handling a revolver gets in match use. Also many of our matches were in very hot areas of CA, so sweat was an issue.

A revolver of that spec was impossible to find. Finrally Cheshire & Perez in SoCal found a revolver of that spec, except it was a 586 rather than a 686. I decided to grab it. Shortly thereafter I sent it off to be electroless nickel plated. I specified a matte finish. It came back perfect. I have done some other customizing to that 586. It looks pristine.

I am a fanatic about taking care of my gear. This is not limited to just firearms. It is anything I own.

So I would say git 'er done. Your choice of chrome or nickel. When you get it back you will have a 28 as perfect on the outside as on the inside. None of the other kids in the neighborhood will have that.

Bragging rights are nice to have, even if we are too modest to flaunt them
(or at least to overly flaunt them).

Armoloy is still in business and still the best.

Anyone who says chrome is not as durable as whatever is thinking of bumper chrome and needs to get into the 20th century. Armoloy and other electroless plating bond at a molecular level and it is nearly impossible to remove mechanically. They also add a level of lubricity, not needed on revolvers but desirable on self loaders.

Your revolver, your choice, but I recommend Armoloy.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Is he still in business? He’s been around a long time.

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

I vote yes, and I also recommend APW. I had a shotgun engraved and hard chromed by them in 2018 and it looks and functions great. I get many compliments on it. I dealt with Romae when I used them:

Romae Zamsky
Sales & Marketing Manager
Accurate Plating & Weaponry Inc.
Cogan Custom
334-585-9488
[email protected]

I had the trigger assembly done in bright hard chrome, the receiver in brushed HC, and the barrel and rib in satin HC.

They had me ship the complete shotgun, then performed all the dissassembly, engraving, chroming and fitting/reassemble to ensure everything fit and functioned properly.

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NRA Certified Shotgun Instr.

Looks fine the way it is. Hard chroming would destroy originality.

Hard chrome makes shooting in bright lite difficult because of glare.

Had many gun hard chromed at a place in Anaheim back in the day. Was a great deal. They charged so much by the frame or part. Super durable, looks awesome, only had a few PPC guns done most were autos. Just pull the sights off so they remain black. Here is a Tanaka PPC revolver and a Springfield 6" that I had hard chromed 20 years ago and thousands of rounds later. They still look pretty good.

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I'm not a fan of refinishing vintage firearms, especially when the prices of those with the original finish are on the rise. It is your firearm, so do as you wish. If you are set on refinishing in a corrosion resistant finish, hard chrome is expensive, but the best choice.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Your toy, your choice. APW would charge $340 to hard chrome it. $275 to re-blue it. Doesn't seem too expensive to make your revolver look the way you want it.

While the price of 28's is on the rise, it's the collectable niche that is rising the most. Yours is used but taken care of. Again, make it what you want. There is nothing wrong with (and I don't care for this often derogatory term) shooter grade firearms. Hell, they were all made to be shot.

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S&WHF #1123
TX Gun Collectors

Keep your current gun as is, find a “ basket case” 28 to tinker and refinish

I bought a used Python that was hard chromed, and it was my service revolver until the 686 came out.

Your 28 looks good. My 14 and 15 service revolvers are 60 years old and I would think they look like "Safe Queens" instead of a fighting revolver.

Mahovsky is half the price of most of the others, with equal quality by many reports. He is some 84yo or something like that, so how much longer is he going to work his skill?

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

I am of the “your gun - your choice” crowd and I favor working guns. I saw this model 29-3 last year and snapped it up. It had been magnaported and hard chromed. The gunsmith who had it knew the original owner and said he believed it had been done by Mahovsky. I thought perhaps it might have been done by MagnaPort while it was there but they don’t keep records by serial number. I think it looks great. I had a PPK done by Armaloy back in the early 80s. I passed it on to my buddy’s daughter when she graduated from the Police Academy. But my buddy decided to carry it and somehow rusted it.
My 28 is still the original blue.

Firearm Plating -Mahovsky's Metalife

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I think your 28 is a fine example of honest wear and working gun. As such I wouldn't do a thing to it other than clean, shoot and enjoy;-)

Do it. It's your revolver.

I wanted to create a SHTF revolver. I had my gunsmith hard chrome my 28 and add night sights. I inherited mine. It's a no dash made in 1955. My uncle was an IL state trooper. I think he would approve. It's a tool. Just like anything else.

Do not hard chrome the hammer or trigger. You'll lose that smooth action.

I've not shot other 28s, but the trigger on mine is amazing.

I'm hoping I don't receive any hate, but if I do - that's ok. My uncle always stressed the importance of making your tools work for you. He was a furniture maker after retirement. I've been a woodworker for 25 years. Adapting tools to make them more efficient in use is a smart thing to do.

I have a couple hand saws made in the late 1870s. They're not pretty, but they work. I've filed the handles so they fit my hands better. I view this as the same thing I did to my 28.

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All lost in a boating accident

I thank you all for your input. I am still thinking about it...and will likely think some more on it in the upcoming months. I spent a bunch of my "play money" on a rifle project, so am forced to hold off on 2 pistol projects.

So in the meantime, I'll shoot it and enjoy it as is. Thanks again

This is my favorite shooter. It is a little rough and doesn't even have a smoothed narrow trigger that I like but it is just right. I've shown it many times. Maybe yours will do the same for you.

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The main rule I have learned on this forum is ALL S&W firearms REGARDLESS of their condition are “collectible”’and should not be modified in any way.

My rule is I own firearms for my personal enjoyment which means I have shooters and some that are infrequently or unfired.

In regards to the Model 28 I carried one for a while and had issues with rust on the backstrap. As it was a Department issue gun the only thing I could do to clean it frequently. It was common back then for leo’s to have their personal 28’s hard chromed or electroless nickel finish.

I have a 4” barrel factory nickel Model 27. If I was to acquire a Model 28 I would (will) not hesitate to have it either hard chromed or electroless nickel. It will make a excellent choice for carrying outdoors.

I’m not into stainless but in 1999 I bought a 4” stainless Colt Python in a pawn shop for $475. I ignored it for a year and a half then bought it. I’m surprised no one else grabbed it. But later I discovered it was actually electroless nickel which makes sense since it’s a 1980 gun and stainless came out in ‘82. So E-nickel was an option for about two years. At Colt Forum we have a theory that a Texas company called Nitex run by an Ed House did the finish for Colt. I still have that Python.
To the OP’s Model 28. If you do plate it I’d leave the trigger and hammer case colored.

I have had a couple of pieces Armalloyed and since sold them. Would I do it again? Certainly!

As a matter of fact, this is the revolver I will have Armalloyed, my Model 28-2 that has had some “minor” modifications. The lower revolver in this image.

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

The round butt grip and grips panels are a nice touch. Why is the cylinder a brighter blue than the rest of the gun?

Get it plated if you want. Just make sure it's done right. Peeling plating looks real bad. I see nothing wrong with getting it plated if you're ok with the expense. I'm sure it'll look great and be protected. I shot a borrowed 28 in academy until I got my 66. It was parkerized which didn't look great but was functional.

Because, what you can not see in that image is the original barrel has been bored and rifled to accept a 4f caliber bullet and I fit a new Model 1955 ACP cylinder to the frame, making a blued version of the Mountain Gun but back in the 80s!

Kevin

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Unshared knowledge is wasted.

Originality is only important to the next owner. Did you buy it for the next owner? I buy my firearms for my use and enjoyment. If the next guy doesn't like it, he can just keep looking.

A wise man once asked me, "Is that the only one they made?"

If you chrome it - make sure you bring your polarized sunglasses with you to the range - HA HA - lol. It will have quite a glare outdoors.

If I still owned a M28 Highway Patrolman and had to refinish it, I would do a high gloss traditional bluing job such as a M27 has. That's just my personal preference. Good luck in whatever you decide and please let us know how it turns out.

Chrome is going to glare like crazy in the sunlight and can make the sights hard to see.
Also, unless it’s just to be used as a range toy, and you plan on carrying it out in public, a flashy gun might draw too much unwanted attention.
I personally would be embarrassed to be seen carrying a chromed gun out and about.

Chrome is going to glare like crazy in the sunlight and can make the sights hard to see.
Also, unless it’s just to be used as a range toy, and you plan on carrying it out in public, a flashy gun might draw too much unwanted attention.
I personally would be embarrassed to be seen carrying a chromed gun out and about. But that’s just me. You do you.

I hope whoever does the job does a great job for you.
A chrome 4: M-28 would look great!!

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Kenny
Endeavor to persevere.