busy2mch1
Member
I never had a modified M28, but I did have a couple nickel ones (factory original).
Quite scarce....
I am SO jealous.
Modified Highway Patrolman Thread
- Thread starter A10
- Start date
I am SO jealous.
busy2mch1
Member
Thank you
Thank you. I'm not sure why I didn't think of this. There's a place near me called the Heritage Guild that will allow people to shoot weapons on a trial basis. I'll pick up a box of *relatively* standard loads, pump 50 rounds out, and see how I feel.
Since I have everything I need, I will probably just go with .357, but I like to keep my options open.
Has anyone done a barrel swap themselves? I bought some vise jaw inserts that should hold this nicely, and I've got a nice set of small pin-punches. I made an action wrench a while back when I changed the barrel on my mini-14 (picked up a government barrel with the bayonet mount - I couldn't resist), and I think that will work with this as well - using leather to protect the frame. I was wondering, though: after I punch the pin out, is it better to heat the metal around the barrel or just go ahead and wrench on it?
And, before you ask, I DO know about yoke & crane alignment and cylinder gap.
'My dad is a t.v. repairman. He's got this ULTIMATE set of tools. I can fix it..."
Thank you. I'm not sure why I didn't think of this. There's a place near me called the Heritage Guild that will allow people to shoot weapons on a trial basis. I'll pick up a box of *relatively* standard loads, pump 50 rounds out, and see how I feel.
Since I have everything I need, I will probably just go with .357, but I like to keep my options open.
Has anyone done a barrel swap themselves? I bought some vise jaw inserts that should hold this nicely, and I've got a nice set of small pin-punches. I made an action wrench a while back when I changed the barrel on my mini-14 (picked up a government barrel with the bayonet mount - I couldn't resist), and I think that will work with this as well - using leather to protect the frame. I was wondering, though: after I punch the pin out, is it better to heat the metal around the barrel or just go ahead and wrench on it?
And, before you ask, I DO know about yoke & crane alignment and cylinder gap.
'My dad is a t.v. repairman. He's got this ULTIMATE set of tools. I can fix it..."
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I never had a modified M28, but I did have a couple nickel ones (factory original).
Quite scarce....
Factory nickel plated Model 28's are rare items. 99% of the nickel plated Model 28's circulating are aftermarket refinishes.
StrawHat
Member
busy2mch1
Member
Nice! And GOD'S CARTRIDGE. So, do you recommend heating it before trying to turn it, or just turn it?
Grayfox
US Veteran
I've posted this before. This is one of my own creations. Did all the work myself. It took about 2.5 years to acquire all the parts and learn how to put it all together.
I started with a bare nekked 28-2 frame that I got from GunBroker. A Model 25-5 cylinder. A 6" 25-2 barrel which had to be cut on both ends. various internals and such from here and there and finally a Cylinder & Slide Extreme duty rear sight.
The end product: A 3 5/8" .45 Colt Snubby.
I started with a bare nekked 28-2 frame that I got from GunBroker. A Model 25-5 cylinder. A 6" 25-2 barrel which had to be cut on both ends. various internals and such from here and there and finally a Cylinder & Slide Extreme duty rear sight.
The end product: A 3 5/8" .45 Colt Snubby.
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Marksman
Member
I removed the barrel to send for caliber marking and rust blue, no heating is necessary.
Here's my before/after pics for what started out as a beater Model 28-2, and ended up as an 8-3/8" .44 Special. The seldom-seen 8-3/8" .44 Special
And here are before/after pics of a Highway Patrolman that I posted about in 2009. (I accidentally deleted the thread when I was trying to just delete a duplicate post.) I bought it as an already modified gun that had been rebored and rechambered to .45 Colt, along with a stainless .45ACP extra cylinder. I sent it to Smith & Wesson to be factory refinished.
I was surprised that they were willing to work on it since it had been modified outside the factory, but they didn't bat an eye. Of course that was 15+ years ago. That was early in my S&W collecting phase and was kind of an experiment to see what a factory refinish would look like, without killing any collector value. I'd say they did quite well back then.
And here are before/after pics of a Highway Patrolman that I posted about in 2009. (I accidentally deleted the thread when I was trying to just delete a duplicate post.) I bought it as an already modified gun that had been rebored and rechambered to .45 Colt, along with a stainless .45ACP extra cylinder. I sent it to Smith & Wesson to be factory refinished.
I was surprised that they were willing to work on it since it had been modified outside the factory, but they didn't bat an eye. Of course that was 15+ years ago. That was early in my S&W collecting phase and was kind of an experiment to see what a factory refinish would look like, without killing any collector value. I'd say they did quite well back then.
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busy2mch1
Member
Oscarflytyer
US Veteran
1974ish. SN# N221380. Originally 4". Box and original bbl incl. Current guise is a 6" bbl and Aristocrat sight rib set. Shoots like a laser. I will only shoot it in SA mode. It has the narrow duty trigger - serrated ~.362" wide hammer, which is fine. I plan to upgrade it to a .400" serrated Target Trigger, as I will only shoot it SA/Target/Long Range mode. I AM looking for a replacement .400" Target Trigger (hint hint!!!)!
28-2 In .44-40 WCF
Here is my 28-2 that shipped October of 1973 and is converted to .44-40 WCF with a 3-3/4" barrel and lanyard loop.
One of my absolute favorite Franken-Smiths!!
And truly one of a kind.
Notice the well done roll stamping.
Here is my 28-2 that shipped October of 1973 and is converted to .44-40 WCF with a 3-3/4" barrel and lanyard loop.
One of my absolute favorite Franken-Smiths!!
And truly one of a kind.
Notice the well done roll stamping.
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Here is an early 5 screw HP I converted to become a 5 screw pinned and recessed 45 colt by reaming a recessed 44 mag cylinder.
PS the gun came to me with some kind of coating on the cylinder, hammer and trigger. Not a case of modifying a nice one
PS the gun came to me with some kind of coating on the cylinder, hammer and trigger. Not a case of modifying a nice one
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OP
Here is an early 5 screw HP I converted to become a 5 screw pinned and recessed 45 colt by reaming a recessed 44 mag cylinder.
PS the gun came to me with some kind of coating on the cylinder, hammer and trigger. Not a case of modifying a nice one
That's a nice one! Those stocks are pretty cool...
OP
Here is my 28-2 that shipped October of 1973 and is converted to .44-40 WCF with a 3-3/4" barrel and lanyard loop.
One of my absolute favorite Franken-Smiths!!
And truly one of a kind.
Notice the well done roll stamping.
Outstanding! Sambar Stag grips? They really add a finishing touch.
Inkgardener
Member
My new 28-2 shipped to Lubbock PD in 1966.
Originally blued and 4” barrel. I have no clue how it got to looking like this, but it sure is fun to shoot.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Originally blued and 4” barrel. I have no clue how it got to looking like this, but it sure is fun to shoot.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
2 5/8” modified 28-2
Here’s three that I have picked up over the years.
The first two are 28-2’s that lettered to the New York State Police. I’m wondering if they made their way back to Jovino’s when they were traded in by the State police.
The other 28-2 I picked up here from a forum member S&W Fan. This one I have never lettered. This was changed to 44 Special.
Here’s three that I have picked up over the years.
The first two are 28-2’s that lettered to the New York State Police. I’m wondering if they made their way back to Jovino’s when they were traded in by the State police.
The other 28-2 I picked up here from a forum member S&W Fan. This one I have never lettered. This was changed to 44 Special.
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S&WshooterFIN
Member
All S&W revolvers are wonderful and special.
Why do you have to move, and don't you already have enough of those factory-made ones?
I ask because I live far from the USA and here I have all the S&W revolvers I want
Why do you have to move, and don't you already have enough of those factory-made ones?
I ask because I live far from the USA and here I have all the S&W revolvers I want
busy2mch1
Member
I just realized I never followed up! what is WRONG with me?!?!?
It was actually easier than I expected to change the barrel. I 'fabricated' an action wrench out of a long piece of angle-iron. I cut up an old bed frame into a 30-inch piece and an 8-inch piece, and drilled holes in both so they could be bolted together with the angles facing away from each other.
I then proceeded to remove the cylinder, and punch out the pin holding the barrel in place.
I ordered some curved vise jaw inserts and wrapped the barrel with a lead barrel-vise insert to protect the finish and clamped it in place. I wrapped the frame with an old gun belt I have and bolted my 'action wrench' to each side.
I sprayed the area at the end of the frame where it meets the barrel with PB-Blaster (penetrating oil). I then proceeded to heat up that same area with a torch. Not red-hot, but definitely enough to not want to touch it. I then applied torque to the wrench and it started to turn almost immediately.
Barrel off!
Then, I sprayed the threads of the new barrel with PB-Blaster and threaded it in as far as I could by hand. That got it to where it looked like it was all the way in, but the front sight was pointing to 8 o'clock, from the shooter's perspective. Meaning it still had more than 180-degrees to go!
I immediately thought 'Oh no! it's not gonna match up!'
I wrapped the new barrel, clamped it in the vise jaws so that the barrel was right-side up and I could clearly see the lines on the barrel and on the frame, and heated it up just a little again.
Then - and I think this is the key - I turned the wrench doing my best not to stop until everything lined up. It was one smooth but very strong motion, and I really had to keep my eye on the alignment marks.
I don't know if it was accident or fate, but it came out REALLY nice.
It was actually easier than I expected to change the barrel. I 'fabricated' an action wrench out of a long piece of angle-iron. I cut up an old bed frame into a 30-inch piece and an 8-inch piece, and drilled holes in both so they could be bolted together with the angles facing away from each other.
I then proceeded to remove the cylinder, and punch out the pin holding the barrel in place.
I ordered some curved vise jaw inserts and wrapped the barrel with a lead barrel-vise insert to protect the finish and clamped it in place. I wrapped the frame with an old gun belt I have and bolted my 'action wrench' to each side.
I sprayed the area at the end of the frame where it meets the barrel with PB-Blaster (penetrating oil). I then proceeded to heat up that same area with a torch. Not red-hot, but definitely enough to not want to touch it. I then applied torque to the wrench and it started to turn almost immediately.
Barrel off!
Then, I sprayed the threads of the new barrel with PB-Blaster and threaded it in as far as I could by hand. That got it to where it looked like it was all the way in, but the front sight was pointing to 8 o'clock, from the shooter's perspective. Meaning it still had more than 180-degrees to go!
I immediately thought 'Oh no! it's not gonna match up!'
I wrapped the new barrel, clamped it in the vise jaws so that the barrel was right-side up and I could clearly see the lines on the barrel and on the frame, and heated it up just a little again.
Then - and I think this is the key - I turned the wrench doing my best not to stop until everything lined up. It was one smooth but very strong motion, and I really had to keep my eye on the alignment marks.
I don't know if it was accident or fate, but it came out REALLY nice.
