feathers73
Member
Today stumbled across a pre 28 4 inch nickle about 97%. Based on the serial number and production numbers I put it at 1955. Does anyone know how many nickle versions of this gun were produced?
Pre 28
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feathers73
Member
Today stumbled across a pre 28 4 inch nickle about 97%. Based on the serial number and production numbers I put it at 1955. Does anyone know how many nickle versions of this gun were produced?
None of that vintage I'm afraid....only two runs of model 28's left the factory in nickel as their original finish. One was a batch for the Florida Highway Patrol in the late fifties and then there where a few in a dull nickel finish later than that. Nothing in the mid-fifties.....although it could have been refinished in nickel at the factory.
Brian~
Brian~
diamonback68
US Veteran
Sorry to say, but you have a re-finished gun.
Peter M. Eick
Member
I have personally seen and handled a pre-28 in nickel with the original box that correctly documents it was a nickeled finish. It had not been fired and was a salesman sample. The collector who has it said it was one of two known to exist. It does factory letter as a nickeled pre-28 as I remember it.
Beautify gun!
Beautify gun!
29aholic
Member
Post pics of both sides of the grip frame (without the grips).
Hell post pics of the whole gun
Hell post pics of the whole gun
diamonback68
US Veteran
We would all love to see a copy of that letter.
Your claim rings true except for the pre-28 aspect. Anything is possible with S & W, so I won't say it couldn't happen, but here are the reasons I think you might have been looking at a later model gun.
First, I don't believe that in that time frame the box would have any indication of the finish of the gun and I think that the end labels weren't being used yet, so the box couldn't reveal the nature of the finish when it left the factory. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong on either the box or the label for that time frame.
Second, the "salesmen's sample" version of events is often associated with the ten or so 28-2's manufactured in the early seventies in nickel. Now they did come from the factory in a silver box with end labels indicating a nickel finish.
Brian~
Peter M. Eick
Member
I will see if the collector will let pictures of the package be posted. Suffice it to say that it exists and two are known to exist.
M28...The cardboard box would most likely have Highway Patrolman, barrel length, and blue finish printed on both ends of the box. The blue designation would have been crossed out with black or white grease pencil and NIC or NICKEL written in its place. The bottom of the box would have the serial number of the revolver written on it in white grease pencil (assuming a blue box with silver border).
End labels as we know them did not appear until sometime after 58 or 59 (possbily based on the model number). S&W did use some overstickers that could be described as end labels when they wanted to ship a revolver in a box made for another model.
This is just an educated guess on my part based on other revolvers in my collection.
The fifty plus 28-2s finished in brushed nickel (NBH finish designation) all were shipped to various distributors in July 1972. I don't think any of these guns were a salesman's sample. That seems to be a myth that persists.
A small quantity of Model 28s (S192000 range or so) with a 5-inch barrel were highly polished, finished in nickel, and shipped in 1960 or so to the Florida Highway Patrol as test revolvers. I have examined one of these guns.
Bill
End labels as we know them did not appear until sometime after 58 or 59 (possbily based on the model number). S&W did use some overstickers that could be described as end labels when they wanted to ship a revolver in a box made for another model.
This is just an educated guess on my part based on other revolvers in my collection.
The fifty plus 28-2s finished in brushed nickel (NBH finish designation) all were shipped to various distributors in July 1972. I don't think any of these guns were a salesman's sample. That seems to be a myth that persists.
A small quantity of Model 28s (S192000 range or so) with a 5-inch barrel were highly polished, finished in nickel, and shipped in 1960 or so to the Florida Highway Patrol as test revolvers. I have examined one of these guns.
Bill
~Bill
I didn't see your most recent post to this thread until today and I thank you for taking the time to respond. It had always been my impression that the quantity of NBH 28-2's shipped in 1972 was smallar than the 50 plus you mention. Do you recall the source of that figure by any chance?
Brian~
I didn't see your most recent post to this thread until today and I thank you for taking the time to respond. It had always been my impression that the quantity of NBH 28-2's shipped in 1972 was smallar than the 50 plus you mention. Do you recall the source of that figure by any chance?
Brian~
MKT
Member
I don't know how I missed seeing this post, but perfect timing.
While I know the number of nickle finish 28's is small, they do exist. The owner of my local gunshop just happens to have a brushed nickle 28, he claims it is/was a saleman's sample. My last stop in he did bring it out from the back and allow me to look and handle it. My impression is that he had been taken. While the nickle appeared to be nicely done it did appear to have screw holes which were ever so slightly dished. Serial number to the best of my recollection was in the N548XXX range (might have been N540XXX range), about the same as my NYSP 28-2. Is it possible, or even likely that a salesman's sample would have been a factory renickle job? Or is it more likely this was just a plain old renickle done sometime after leaving the factory?
While I know the number of nickle finish 28's is small, they do exist. The owner of my local gunshop just happens to have a brushed nickle 28, he claims it is/was a saleman's sample. My last stop in he did bring it out from the back and allow me to look and handle it. My impression is that he had been taken. While the nickle appeared to be nicely done it did appear to have screw holes which were ever so slightly dished. Serial number to the best of my recollection was in the N548XXX range (might have been N540XXX range), about the same as my NYSP 28-2. Is it possible, or even likely that a salesman's sample would have been a factory renickle job? Or is it more likely this was just a plain old renickle done sometime after leaving the factory?
Brian...I have specific information on the fifty-five 28-2s finished in brushed nickel that were shipped to fifteen distributors in July 1972.
Mike...I seriously doubt if any sample revolver would have been refinished as S&W always wanted their samples to be of the highest quality. I believe the 28-2 you saw was an outside of S&W refinish and they did not offer a change of finish on the Model 28.
Bill
Mike...I seriously doubt if any sample revolver would have been refinished as S&W always wanted their samples to be of the highest quality. I believe the 28-2 you saw was an outside of S&W refinish and they did not offer a change of finish on the Model 28.
Bill
Art Doc
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
As a general rule as soon as the "salesman's sample" line is used the gun is fake.
Peter M. Eick
Member
Saxon,
You would know both of the current holders of the nickeled pre-28 "salesman samples". They are both SWCA members of high standing. Looking at the paperwork and the box and gun, it would be hard for me to believe they were a fake.
You would know both of the current holders of the nickeled pre-28 "salesman samples". They are both SWCA members of high standing. Looking at the paperwork and the box and gun, it would be hard for me to believe they were a fake.
diamonback68
US Veteran
That's rather odd Peter since Doc44 is the President of the SWCA and has never mentioned ever seeing these two guns you refer to.
