New Purchase S&W 28-2 revolver 1955 45 ACP conversion but with a problem

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65mustang

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Hi everybody I am officially a new member but a long time viewer of this forum.

I just got a 28-2 revolver with the 1955 45 ACP conversion at Cabellas. I thought I did real good until I was looking a little closer. It really is a beautiful gun for it's age and I sold my 1911 in order to get one of these 45 acp revolvers.The cylinder locks up as tight as a new revolver. This one struck me as being unique being a conversion not to mention it was priced fairly decent. The first thing I noticed that the rear sight was adjusted way left then I realized what the problem is. The barrel is not straight it looks like it was tightened too far. Also the cylinder pin does not lock into the underlug beneath the barrel. Is it possible to remove the barrel pin and straighten the barrel out? Would the old pin groove need filled in and redone?
I am usually a do it myself kind of guy but I think this will go to a gunsmith. I might see if Cabellas will do anything about it.
Anyone have any suggestions? thanks
Here is a pic if I do this right. http://forum.pafoa.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=5037...thumb=1&d=1234733412

http://forum.pafoa.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=5038...thumb=1&d=1234733450
 
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A 28-2 is a N frame 357 Magnum highway patrolman model and you are saying it was converted to be bascially a 25-2 model? If I bought it from Cabelas and it had a problem I would return it to them.

If you don't want to do that I'd take it to a good gunsmith and get his thoughts on whether it can be easily fixed and an estimated cost to do the work. If it was very much it would still go back to cabelas.

The barrel change is only a part of the conversion as the cylinder and yoke assembley would have needed to be changed out also. It sounds like they only got part of the conversion right.
 
Conversions are great if done by a gunsmith with all his ducks in a row. I have had a few done over the years. With S&W's, I always ended up wishing I had left them as they left the factory. If you want a good Model 25, buy a good used one and you will never have any regrets.
 
Originally posted by fyimo:
A 28-2 is a N frame 357 Magnum highway patrolman model and you are saying it was converted to be bascially a 25-2 model? If I bought it from Cabelas and it had a problem I would return it to them.

If you don't want to do that I'd take it to a good gunsmith and get his thoughts on whether it can be easily fixed and an estimated cost to do the work. If it was very much it would still go back to cabelas.

The barrel change is only a part of the conversion as the cylinder and yoke assembley would have needed to be changed out also. It sounds like they only got part of the conversion right.
Click to expand...

I will take it in to Cabelas tomorrow and see what they say. It has the proper cylinder as it came with a full moon clip and chambers 45 acp. its just the barrel is improperly positioned. the barrel and cylinder are in excellent condition, it looks like someone did the work and shot it very little. I figured it was shot a least a couple of times since the rear sight was moved so far to the left to match the front sight being off. here is a bigger pic
attachment.php
 
Frankly I would take it back , get my trade in back and be done with it. You could get the barrel issued staightened out and find the gun has other problems. It appears that whoever did the conversion didn't do it properly.

Why fool with it?

What did You pay?

FN in MT
 
One question; is the barrel crooked or canted, as in turned so that the front sight is not top-dead-center? Crooked, as in pointing left or right is a real big problem. Canted, not so bad, but still not right. I'd be back at the dealer pronto.
 
Good luck! I've bought several used guns from Cabela's and their paper work has always said "all used guns sold as is, with no warranty
expressed or implied" I know that is standard verbage on used gun sales, but Cabelas has always stuck to it in my experience. I hope they will help you out at your store!

You can turn a barrel with a pin, but not as easily or as far as a non pinned barrel. It only takes a few thousandths to straighten it up and correct alignment. I've had it done to a Smith that I own that had the same problem as yours, and now the sights are correct ad it shoots great. The pin in yours may be held in place more by friction against the frame than the barrel itself. A good gunsmith should be able to adjust the groove slightly in the threads of the barrel shank to allow for correct alignment.
 
The barrel is canted as you would say. that is why the cylinder pin does not fit into the underlug of the barrel. I do not think there is anything else that could be wrong. I just think someone did not get the barrel right and got fed up with it and kept it in the safe. The cylinder and barrel are in excellent condition like they were almost new. As far as price I got it for $475 after the Cabelas 100 off for their credit card offer. Thanks for everyones opinions.
 
Good news I just got back from Cabelas and they are sending it for repair. I had my choice of returning it or them having it fixed on their dime. They will either send it to S&W or a gunsmith in the midwest. They said it might be a few months but I think it will be worth it.
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I might just make a trip to the range (to shoot my 686) now to celebrate the good news.
 
Mustang,

Having done one of these conversions myself, it sounds like the barrel shoulder was not turned down far enough.

If the top of the barrel is canted to the right as if it wasn't screwed in quite enough, the solution is simple. The barrel pin is removed, the barrel unscrewed and metal removed from the shoulder next to the threaded barrel. Ideally, one removes just enough metal so that the barrel makes contact about 1/32nd of a turn before alignment. This gives firm contact and support to the frame and barrel. And during this process one checks and resets the flash-gap as necessary before pinning the barrel.

Once that's done, the center pin lockup can be rechecked and remedied if necessary.
 
Originally posted by BillCa:
Mustang,

Having done one of these conversions myself, it sounds like the barrel shoulder was not turned down far enough.

If the top of the barrel is canted to the right as if it wasn't screwed in quite enough, the solution is simple. The barrel pin is removed, the barrel unscrewed and metal removed from the shoulder next to the threaded barrel. Ideally, one removes just enough metal so that the barrel makes contact about 1/32nd of a turn before alignment. This gives firm contact and support to the frame and barrel. And during this process one checks and resets the flash-gap as necessary before pinning the barrel.

Once that's done, the center pin lockup can be rechecked and remedied if necessary.
Click to expand...

Well hopefully the gunsmith it is going to knows what to do. The barrel was too far to the left like it was threaded in too far. The Cabelas salesman said if they cannot repair it then I can still get store credit. For what the 25-2 models are going for, I think this will be worth the wait. Good thing I have a new Beretta 92 to help me pass the time but I do have 3 other S&W's that will not be neglected: 686 6 " 357, M&P 15, SW99 9mm
 
Originally posted by LOBO:
Glad to hear that Cabelas is taking care of it. Hopefully it'll be good to go when you get it back from repair.
Click to expand...

I hope it works out ok. I now have 2 guns out for repair and it's driving me nuts. I have yet to shoot 45 acp in a revolver but I did like it in my Auto Ordnance 1911 (S&W was not making them when this was purchased).
 
Well I finally got the gun back last week but I have yet to try it out. It was sent to S&W for repair I would hate to see what that cost. It looks like S&W put a new yoke in and the barrel is now where it belongs. I will be trying it out this week. I am truly impressed with the way Cabelas handled this.
 
I am glad that Cabelas took care of you, but I am also shocked.
icon_eek.gif


That has not been my experience with the one here in Michigan.
 
I guess it may have went to an independent gunsmith, I just assumed it went to S&W due to the case it came back to me in.They told me either it would go to S$W or another gunsmith out west that they use. I do know one thing they did not make any money off of me. It was in a newer model 629 case with all the info, fired shell casing and internal gun lock keys hidden behind the foam with the serial # crossed out. I guess maybe Cabelas could have sent it out that way with a case they forgot to give to someone.
 
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