My first M28-2 4 inch was fed a lot of H-110 loads with 140 to 160 grain jacketed bullets, it worked well until......
I had a top end, but safe load, that the bullets were striking the forcing cone and shaving copper jacket material between the forcing cone and the cylinder. It was as if the forcing cone had lost its dimensions...as in tightened up. It might have been due to a very dirty forcing cone.
Anyhow only about 3 or 5 now over-pressure loads, and they were with flattened primers and stuck cases, and the gun was ruined. It would no longer work properly with any sort of .357 Magnum load. I would get the "sticking cylinder rotation" syndrome without anything apparently causing the hard rotation, no nothing under the ejector star, no nothing hanging between the forcing cone and the cylinder. No indication of anything that would cause a retarded cylinder rotation.
Initially I did have the forcing cone reamed and was told it was under specifications, but I had been shooting it about four years without any problems, then I started having problems with the gun due to the accidental high pressure loads. After reaming the forcing cone the problem still occurred.
Took it back to the same gunsmith who was touted as the "best"...he wasn't. He told me the ejector lugs on the star had been "lengthened" due to the high pressure loads so he filed them down "since they were dragging on the recoil shield and causing my problem."
When I took it out to shoot safe .357 Magnum loads it still bound up. I got rid of it. I have since learned here it might have been "endshake" issues.
Yes, even a N-Frame .357 Magnum can be ruined by too high of a pressure load.
All of the older N-Frames (.357, .41, and .44 Magnum) operated at the same high pressures. Caliber and recoil would not cause problems but the pressures will. Inside the cylinder is a "ledge" that the ejector rod rides upon. High pressure loads "peen" that ledge and cause end-shake.
Metals used in manufacture can be guaranteed to withstand certain pressure loads but after the final manufacture and installation the same metals may exhibit different reactions, as in one cylinder may hold up better than another.
My M29-2 was never fed over-pressure loads but in time it too experienced end-shake which I fixed.
There are many reports here of people who have fired their N-Frames (pick the caliber) a lot and never had a problem.
I do know that when the sport of long-range handgun shooting began there were a lot of S&W .44 Magnums that were being worn out. I have heard that is why S&W did the "upgrade" on the later M29 and 629 versions.
The entire N-Frame can handle a lot of shooting and pressure, except that little metal ledge inside the cylinder that gets peened.
If I wanted a magnum handgun that can handle any top end pressure load, and the occassional mistake of an over-pressure load I would buy a Ruger Blackhawk/Superblackhawk. They ARE tough guns and the design has no weaknesses, unless your loads are too hot and you blow the gun up.
I do not know about any of the other more "modern" magnums such as the Redhawk, etc.
I would suggest you continue to save your dollars and look for a good M28 (and you will find one) and just be careful with your loads.
Good luck.
