My First S&W Revolver...A Highway Patrolman!!

[Ironhand]

A couple of quick phone shots, here...

I got this at the Bill Goodman show here in Nashville over the weekend, and I'm just tickled as hell to have an N-frame Smith now! The serial number is 287***, which puts it at 1966-67. The big revolver has a number of non-standard parts in it, as well as an odd finish. The trigger and hammer are both of the "wide/fat" variety, rather than the narrow combat versions. I find them both very comfortable, so there are no plans to change them back to stock. What I first thought was bead-blasted bluing looks more like some sort of painted/baked on finish, as it can be flaked off. Oddly, it looks like it has been applied OVER the existing bluing, as you can see(maybe not in the pics)that the barrel and cylinder have a purplish tint to them still, while the rest of the gun is a dull grey. Someone also took the time and effort to slick the action up, as both the single-action and double-action trigger pulls are VERY smooth. From the looks of the frame at the cylinder gap, the big HP hasn't been fired much at all. The rear sight leaf is broken off at the right corner, but I will order a new one soon.


Overall this looks like it was someone's project, and the work looks like it was reasonably well done. My 14 year old son and I took it out yesterday and shot it, mostly American Eagle .38's, with some Magtech .357 158gr. JSP's thrown in. The '28 didn't like the Magtech much at all, as it failed to fire about one round in a cylinder-full, leaving me with 6 duds that had obviously light primer strikes. The rest fired just fine and hit their targets(once I raised the rear sight), but the misfires were disconcerting. I placed them all in the cylinder and repeatedly fired them until they finally went off, and some of them took up to 6 strikes before they fired. The AE .38's(130gr FMJ) ALL fired without a problem. The rims of the Magtech ammo appear thinner than the AE, so maybe the duds were just a hair thinner still, allowing the firing pin to only graze the primer, instead of a heavy 'whack'. My gunsmith/friend/mad machinist from Hell inspected the revolver before and after we fired it, but there was nothing obviously wrong with anything that may have contributed to the misfires.



I LOVE this big cannon!! I was actually filling out paperwork on a Model 49 when I noticed this one laying underneath the snubbie on the dealer's table. Same price for both, $375...


I need a good holster for it, the rear sight leaf, a couple of speedloaders, and AMMO AMMO AMMO...

 

[Flint Ridge]

Others will chime in soon. However the extra parts might be stock as is a target hammer and target trigger. The finish I recall reading that the Highway Patrolman had some type of mat blue finish, but don't recall where and I could be totally wrong - ask The Bride.

That is a beauty for sure.

That's an excellent one to start with - now what are you getting next?

Oh and thanks for the pictures

 

[W.E.G.]

My bet is on non-standard springs in the gun and/or hard primer-cups on the ammo.

Finish looks like Gunkote.

 

[Geronimo Jim]

I like it!

 

[rags]

Nice FIRST! As you know they're loads of fun. Welcome to the Forum and addiction! What's next??

Thanks for the pictures too...We like 'em!

rags

 

[USBP SW]

My first revolver was also a Model 28 but it had a six inch barrel. I also changed to the target hammer, trigger and grips. Missfires is not a common problem with the model 28, unless someone has tinkered with it. Some of the tinkering techniques are obvious and some are not. The most common is to back off the strain screw (located under the grips at the front of the grip frame). Some people ground the strain screw (where it contacts the mainspring). There were also some that ground the sides of the mainspring. Whenever someone has tinkered inside a Smith & Wesson, the first thing I check is push off. All the aforementioned misfire problems are an easy fix, push off on the other hand is not. My Highway Patrolman provided me with years of trouble free enjoyment, I hope yours does as well. Good luck and enjoy.

Steve

 

[C Islander]

Can't do much better for your first. Welcome to the forum!

 

[RalphK22]

My first N frame was the 4" 28-2 at the top, for which I paid a bit more than you did, my second N frame was the 6" on the bottom, for which I paid a bit less than you did, so hopefully it evens out.

I can remember seeing the 4" setting on a table at a gun show and thinking, Man! that is what a handgun should look like, all business. At the time I didn't even know what a model 28 was, (I was hunting for a 29) but I had to have it.

Congratulations on your first 28, I am sure your eyes will now be peeled for another.

 

[BillM]

Congratulations!

My first S&W was a 28-2 6" I bought new in 1971. Learned a lot, shot Police Pistol Competition at an indoor range in Waukegan IL that used to be an old bowling alley.

I've only got one N frame now and keep thinking that my 629 6" could use a 627 or an older 27/28 to keep it company....

Treat yours to a good set of springs and enjoy!

 

[Ralph G. Briscoe]

My second Smith was a 28....bought new in 1976. Unfortunately I traded it years ago. They are wonderful, very strong guns. I've been shopping for another. You got it for a good price. I live in the Nashville area too but unfortunately missed the show as I was out of town. Where do you shoot?

 

[stevieboy]

I'm a huge fan of N-frames and of N-.357s in particular. I presently own a 4" 27-3 and a 6" Highway Patrolman. The Highway Patrolman certainly is in the running for my favorite revolver. Maybe it's the 6" barrel and the longer sight radius, but whatever, I can shoot it more accurately than any other handgun that I own. I shoot exclusively 158 gr. Magnums through mine and I've never had a light strike. As others have suggested, I'd check to see whether the strain screw has been backed out to "lighten" the trigger. If not, the next possibility is that someone replaced the factory mainspring with a non-standard mainspring. I'd try replacing the mainspring with a full power spring. It will make the trigger seem somewhat heavier but it will also increase the force with which the hammer strikes the primers.

 

[Ironhand]

Thanks for the welcome, y'all!!


On to some of the questions...


The strain screw tip looks beveled, as if someone had ground the tip to match the angle of the spring, then turned it. Only the very tip is contacting the spring, Isn't it supposed to be domed or otherwise rounded? The long spring(the mainspring? I'm new to revolver guts)looks like it is snugly against the rear of the grip frame.

Pics of the screw..


Where can I find some of those thinner grips that probably came stock with my HP? I like the feel of the bigger target grips that are on now, but I really like the look of the smaller ones.


Ralph Bristoe: I usually go out to a buddy's down in Triune or to the Cheatham WMA range.


WEG: Is this WEG from The 'Files?



Where is the best place for a new rear sight leaf assembly? Midway is back-ordered, and my brain hurts every time I try to wade through Brownell's site.

 

[jwk]

The smaller grips are called Magnas. I am sure if you watch the classifies here, you will find a nice original set for sale. There are also a lot of aftermarket manufacturers that make a magna styled grip. Some are just solid grips, others are fancy woods, stag, ivory etc.

The 28 is a fine revolver. FYI, the M28 is basically a plain version of a M27 which is the top of the hill in my opinion both in .357 revolvers and in S&Ws.

I have a M28 that is a redone Texas DPS trade in. It was so ugly that having a matte nickle finish applied and having it cut to a round butt configuration didn't hurt its value. While I say the finish is matte nickle I am not exactly what the refinishing material is. I have some particularly nasty skin chemistry. I can pretty much turn the finish on anything bad even with reasonable care. My gunsmith had another customer whose company plates downhole tools used in oil drilling. My smith figured it crude oil wouldn't eat the other customer's finish, it might stand up to mine. More than 15 years and it is still as pretty (ok as it looked when it handed back to me from the smith but pretty really isn't accurate) as ever. While I don't shoot it as much as I used to, it is the gun that hangs out in the lock box in the bedroom for things that go bump in the dark. Says a lot about my trust in this model.

You have a good revolver. Enjoy shooting it.

 

[Ironhand]

A quick funny...


I was just inspecting the revolver while I had the grips off and for the first time noticed A CRACK IN THE FRAME TO THE RIGHT OF THE HAMMER!!!!!

My heart jumped into my throat until I noticed that the line ran around the side of the frame............... and the "crack" is the sideplate seam.



D'oh!!!



I had a silly idea of turning my 28-2 into a sort of "Indiana Jones" clone, with a lanyard loop and smaller dinged-up grips. I know it's the wrong caliber and has the incorrect ejector shroud, but I was met with angry looks from several shooting friends when I mentioned wanting a 1917 for just this purpose.

IndyGear.com: Guns

I guess I need to make a flap holster, too...

 

[Ironhand]

I was able to turn the strain screw in approx. 1 1/2 turns until it bottomed out in the grip frame. I'm sure this is not normal, so maybe I cured my light primer strike problem??? Since the tip of the screw looks like it has been ground or filed, should I replace it with a factory part? Also, do I need to use blue loc-tite on the screw? I have noticed that the double-action pull is now heavier since I tightened the screw, but I am not a target shooter, so I'll live with it. Maybe a new set of springs from Wolff, too. I am more concerned with reliability anyway..

Like Boris the Blade says, " The weight is sign of reliability... I always go for reliability...."

 

[Maximumbob54]

My HP didn't come with its original grips so I bought some laminate walnut smooth magna's from Altimont. The fit was so-so, not bad but not that great. They would be better I think with a T-grip. But then I ordered some of Ahrend's Combat grips and OMG... My HP is complete. Mine are cocabolo. I like the shade even if walnut would be more correct.

Altamonts:

Ahrends:

 

[hsguy]

Ironhand, since you were able to turn the strain screw in I will bet you will now find it 100% reliable. Turning out the strain screw is a "poor man's trigger job". It makes the trigger pull lighter but can lead to reliability issues. Great gun for your first S&W, all you need in a handgun, nothing else.

 

[ColColt]

My first handgun was a M28 HP with 6 inch barrel. It felt like a cannon then at the ripe age of 25...wish I had kept it. I can't recall the price but it was definitely under $200 NIB.

 

[Ironhand]

Ironhand, since you were able to turn the strain screw in I will bet you will now find it 100% reliable. Turning out the strain screw is a "poor man's trigger job". It makes the trigger pull lighter but can lead to reliability issues. Great gun for your first S&W, all you need in a handgun, nothing else.

Do I need to loc-tite the strain screw, or will it stay put by snugging it down?

 

[hsguy]

Do I need to loc-tite the strain screw, or will it stay put by snugging it down?

It should stay in place if snug, I have never had to use Loctite and wouldn't recommend it.