I scored a VERY nice 4" 28-2 today!

[phenson]

Went to the my local gun shop this afternoon, and the owner handed me this when I walked in the door. It looks to have been fired very, very little. The stocks are very pretty. Has the original box and papers, but no tools. It has sat in the box until there is ever so slight rust on both sides of the cylinder. It may be unfired, but it does have a turn line as you can see, I guess I'll never know. My questions are, what should I do about the slight specks of rust on the cylinder, also the green on the medallion on the stocks, and if it was you, would you shoot this gun?
Anyways, I'm pretty happy about this acquisition!

 

[JWNathan]

Thats a great looking HP, awesome case coloring on the hammer/trigger. Id shoot it, but Id say that about most weapons. Mind if I ask what did you pick it up for? Thanks.
-Jesse

 

[JCS&W]

Cannot help you on the rust, but I am sure that someone will. The green on the medallion will come off easily with Flitz and will buff out very nice. Would I shoot it? Yes. Should you shoot it, well that is entirely up to you. Beautiful stocks on that one!

 

[phenson]

Thats a great looking HP, awesome case coloring on the hammer/trigger. Id shoot it, but Id say that about most weapons. Mind if I ask what did you pick it up for? Thanks.
-Jesse

I'll just say I probably gave a little more than I should have, but this shop owner has given me some very good deals in the past, and I wanted this revolver pretty badly.

 

[Dragon88]

For the rust I would soak the area in Kano Kroil for a couple hours, then wipe. You could use some bronze wool on the area, or even a bit of polishing compound on the entire cylinder to try and make the rust spots less pronounced, but the bluing looks really nice right now. I'd be hesitant to do any more than cleaning. For the emblems, a q-tip and a cleaner of some sort. There are several things you could use that would do the trick I think.

Shoot it!

 

[Jack Flash]

I would proceed very cautiously with rust removal. You can quickly go from "hardly noticable" to "blotchy looking".

 

[phenson]

I think I'm going no further than soaking it for the rust.
Now I think I'm getting ready to learn something.
This gun has a 5 digit S/N. All the revolvers I have ever seen with the N prefix serial number have the N followed by six digits. Is this an early N prefix serial number or what?
I'm pretty curious about this, and it looks like Roy is gone for the weekend.

 

[wheelgun28]

The Sn with five digits makes it a 1971 to 1973 or about vintage. Serial N1 started in 1969. Ive got N576XX bought new in 72.

 

[phenson]

The Sn with five digits makes it a 1971 to 1973 or about vintage. Serial N1 started in 1969. Ive got N576XX bought new in 72.

That helps, thanks. Mine is N168XX and it has lazy ampersands, so I do figure it is from the early '70's or maybe even late 1969?

 

[j38]

What a great looking Model 28! I would coat the rust-affected areas with Kroil or Corrosion-X and let them sit(at least) overnight. Then go over the area with some bronze wool, which is softer than the steel. I'll bet you get rid of your rust problem - and then take that gun to the range and enjoy it.

Jerry

 

[WC145]

Nice looking piece. I clean up specks of rust like that with bronze wool and plenty of gun oil, be gentle it doesn't take much elbow grease.

 

[HalfSwiss]

When restoring slightly rusted bluing on milsurp rifles I use a good quality gun oil or CLP and very lightly rub with 0000 bronze or 0000 steel wool and have had excellent results. In this case, I'd say oil the surface, let is sit and rub with a rag. If that doesn't do it, oil and lightly rub with bronze wool. That is a beauty and you definitely don't want to take a chance on messing it up.

 

[CapnHawk]

Shoot it!!

 

[LeMans]

Awesome find. The 28-2 in 4" seems to always elude me somehow (!)

 

[phenson]

Other side:

 

[WildBillD]

I'll just say I probably gave a little more than I should have, but this shop owner has given me some very good deals in the past, and I wanted this revolver pretty badly.

Nice gun. You'll forget that you might have paid too much in a few days. I bought a 28-2 about 1 year ago, and probably paid $100-150 more than I thought I should, but the condition was too nice to pass up. Doesn't bother me now. A friend of mine always said "In a hundred years, it won't make a difference."

Just enjoy it.

 

[What the]

A little flitz on a q-tip should help clean up those medallions and make em shine like new again. While you have the flitz out use it and a microfiber cloth with a light hand to polish the cylinder, the rust may come off and it's not too abrasive.

By the way that's a very nice piece you have there!! Shoot it and enjoy..

 

[gunnut44]

Beautious, those stocks are amazing! I bought one in your condition about three years ago at a gun show from a guy walking around with a bag and I just happen to ask him if he was selling any guns and to my surprise he pulled out a 28. You know that feeling when you see a nice N frame and I paid his asking price of $350 because the heard started hawking over my shoulders. I was offered a extra hundred from another guy seconds after the deal was done, and as you can imagine it is still in the safe! Nice smiff you got there.

 

[gunlovingirl]

Nice! +1 on the oil and bronze wool. I'd shoot it if it were mine. Also, I believe that unless you pay a ridiculous amount, you don't pay too much. It usually doesn't take long and the value will catch up with the price you pay! Enjoy!

 

[phenson]

Took your advice

I went over to the local indoor range (too hot in LA) and shot 50 rounds thru it this morning. It is a very nice shooting revolver, and after shooting it, I do believe it was unfired till then. Oh well, its mine, and I like it. The owner there is bringing me some Corrosion X, and we're going to try that before we go any further with trying to get rid of the specks.

 

[roaddog28]

I would proceed very cautiously with rust removal. You can quickly go from "hardly noticable" to "blotchy looking".

Jack is right on this. I tried to clean light rust from my 28-2, 19-4 and 36 no dash. Most the time it does come out blotchy looking.
Light pentrating oil will remove a lot of surface rust. Whats left I would leave alone.
Regards,
Howard

 

[Muley Gil]

Shoot it. M28s are great shooters.

 

[Black Knight]

That is a fine looking 28-2. I am of the understanding that very few 4 inch 28-2s came with the target grips. I have heard that most of the 4 inch models cam with the magna grips. Yours actually looks better than mine did when I got it new nearly 30 years ago. Mine was ordered with smooth combat trigger, combat hammer, and target grips. It is one of my best shooters. I carried it on duty for 2-3 years until I could get a 4 inch 686. I still have both.

 

[phenson]

I don't think the targets came as original on mine. I finally got around to taking the stocks off and this is what I found on the inside:

Also, the label on the box is all the same ink except where the code is for the stocks:

Beautiful stocks IMO, but I think they were purchased sometime (still in the "70's) after the gun.

 

[phenson]

I just found out today that this revolver shipped July 1970. Talk about a time machine....
Oh, it has been fired about 100 times now with light 38 Spl rounds. What a joy to shoot!

 

[Retired W4]

It's an N frame. I say run some .357 magnums through it. My 28-2 is completely undeterred by magnum loads. They were definitely built for it. Enjoy!

 

[BigRix]

I know its not a Smith but I've had good luck with cleaning up rusty guns. My latest was a Colt 1908 Vest Pocket .25.

I used a mixture of gun oil, pre 1982 copper cent, and 0000 steel wool. Followed by a very LIGHT polish with Flitz. It will remove Bluing.

Be very careful around any Case Hardened surfaces. Don't get Flitz any where near them.

Your gun doesn't look too bad to me. The blue will usually be very thin or missing under the rust.

 

[linde]

. . . the owner there is bringing me some Corrosion X, and we're going to try that before we go any further with trying to get rid of the specks.

Very nice 28-2 and glad to hear you're enjoying it at the range.

I agree with those who recommend soaking the rust spots with Kroil &/or Corrosion-X first. If the rust spots don't wipe off after a soaking, I'd suggest soaking a small piece of burlap rag with Corrosion-X and rubbing the spots lightly . . . before going to the more aggressive 0000 bronze wool. MikePriwer (here on the Forum) taught me that and it works very well on the nicer finish guns like yours.

Russ

 

[Fkimble]

Very good looking 28. I purchased a 4in 28-2 last year, not quite as nice as yours but with new looking service grips. Mine was a 5 digit serial number also.

 

[JGus]

To get rid of the rust go with FrogLube (www.froglube.com). It's completely NON-toxic and won't cause any discoloration to the gun. Treat your guns with it and they become rust resistant, and if a gun does have rust apply a few times and wipe off. It's not cheap, but it works magic.
I have no idea about the chemistry behind it, but it was developed by a former Navy Seal that had rust issues with his weapons. You can go to YouTube and see an independent test between FrogLube and several other leading CLP's. As you can tell I'm a believer. I've been using it as my only CLP for the last year and it's amazing.