Smith and Wesson Pre model 28

Matthew Clark

Matthew Clark

Member
Joined
Sep 11, 2018
Messages
200
Location
Sedalia, Mo.
Hello everyone, I found this little jewel at my LGS today. It's a pretty 28 Smith N frame. 357Mag Highway Patrolman. By the serial number and the missing model number I'm guess it's pre 1960's. I forget when S&W started model numbers for sure. It's in really good shape, the turn ring is evident, lockup is tight, timing appears to be right on and the finish is still very deep and full. Without really researching much I bought it on sight. I love revolvers, especially the older Smiths. If I gave too much for it oh well, I wanted it and now I have it. I did not previously have an N frame .357Mag and now I do. I did give sticker price due to another guy looking at it at the same time trying to haggle price with the store owner, I just said I'll take it.
Shame on me I guess for Bogarting the thing but he was talking crap about how bad the gun was and I'm no expert by any means but I know enough he was BSing the owner. The stocks have been traded out for what I believe are Herrett Shooting Stars, everything else is original.
My question to those more experienced than I on this is do any of you have a way to narrow down the production year without requesting a letter? I am just curious is all as to when it was manufactured. For all you revolver fans, enjoy the pic. Comments are welcome just don't beat me up too bad over what I gave for it, I haven't seen one for sale ever around here and the opportunity presented itself. Resale value is of no real interest to me, I buy guns to shoot and enjoy the experience not as an investment. It will never be sold as long as I'm alive. My kids who will get them for free can worry about what they are worth when I'm gone. Have a great day and happy shooting all!
Matthew Revda S&W Hwy Patrolman .357Mag .jpg
 
The designation "Pre Model 28" is a collector's term. When these fine revolvers were being made S&W simple called them the "Highway Patrolman". That is the proper designation for the pre model number work horse 357 Mag N-frame.

During those years the "pre model 27" was simply called the "357 Magnum". It's ancestor was the Registered Magnum. There's much more to the history of these fine revolvers but I'm gettin' old and this is off the top of my head. (smile)

Dave
 
The 5- digit number in the photo doesn't match with N-Frame serial numbers in the standard catalog. If it came from under the yoke it may be an assembly number. Take off the grips and give us the true serial number from the bottom of the butt. It probably starts with an "S" but might start with an "N".


"S" numbers on N Frames began in 1946 with S62489. "N" numbers began in 1969 with N1, which was well after 1957 when the Highway Patrolman was designated as Model 28. You can understand my confusion.
 
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Matthew Clark said:
My question to those more experienced than I on this is do any of you have a way to narrow down the production year without requesting a letter? I am just curious is all as to when it was manufactured. For all you revolver fans, enjoy the pic. Comments are welcome just don't beat me up too bad over what I gave for it, I haven't seen one for sale ever around here and the opportunity presented itself. Resale value is of no real interest to me, I buy guns to shoot and enjoy the experience not as an investment. It will never be sold as long as I'm alive. My kids who will get them for free can worry about what they are worth when I'm gone. Have a great day and happy shooting all!
MatthewView attachment 1154369
Click to expand...
What is the SN? If a "pre M28", the SN should be somewhere around S175000 or earlier, plus or minus a few thousand. Is it a 4-screw or 3-screw gun? It lost the 4th screw (in front of the trigger guard) at about SN S171584, in 1956. Given the age of the revolver and its significance in the S&W model span, I'd get a Letter for it were it mine. That way, your kids will have an official record from S&WHF of it's shipping date, plus a history of the model. That will add value down the road should they ever decide to sell it. It would also be worthwhile at some point to find a set of factory period-correct stocks for it, which I believe would be walnut "diamond" magna stocks. Nice revolver, I wouldn't sell it either.

The SN listed on the sales tag doesn't make any sense, I believe it to be a production number meant to keep fitted parts together while on the assembly line. Production numbers and inspector stamps can be found inside the yoke cut, inside the slot of the barrel extractor shroud and on the lower sides of the butt frame. The legal SN will be on the bottom of the butt of the revolver, you'll have to remove the stocks to see it. All Highway Patrolman revolvers have a 6-digit SN if in the "S" series, which is before 1969. After that, it would be an "N", with either 5 or 6 digits, but it would be a numbered model by then, a M28-2 after 1961.

In the 1st picture, the arrow points to where the production n umber would be in the yoke cut, stamped on the arm of the yoke. 2nd picture shows the legal SN. Revolver is a M28-2 from 1973.
production numbers spot.JPG Serial number on butt.JPG
 
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$600 is an excellent price these days for ANY clean N-frame, even without the factory grips. It may just be the lighting in the pic, but perhaps the gun has been dehorned or refinished. Some of the hard edges appear smoothed or rounded off......?
No matter, as long as its mechanically tight, you done good. Thanks for sharing!
 
Great looking revolver and no doubt a good shooter as well. The Herrett's stocks are just an added bonus. For a quick source on the gun's production date, you can post it on the S&W forum and one of the members will look it up...lot's of knowledgeable folks there..but as always, a few blowhards that muddy the water. Best regards, Rod
 
Without doing a bunch of quote answers I will say thanks to all of you. I learned a bunch already. I will slip in to the LGS and take the grips off and get the real serial number. I think my gun lady will probably appreciate that as well. I paid about 3/4 the total already but haven't finished paying for it yet. I'll try to get there tomorrow and get the true serial number. I was under the impression as I'm sure she was that the serial number would be on the crane cutout.
Now I know better. Thank you all for the very educational conversation.
Be back soon with the real numbers.
Matthew
 
Congrats on finding a great deal on that fine Highway Patrolman. I bought an "N" serial number last year for $800+ that I thought was older because it was wearing diamond grips. That was before I knew it should've had an "S" if the grips matched the gun. My LGS is a old time shop which is struggling to survive in what has become a hostile environment so I'm happy to pay a little more sometimes. Edit: The diamond magnas didn't fit my XL hands well so I put Herretts stocks on like yours and like them a lot.
 
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Tallball said:
That was a very good deal. You will enjoy that fine firearm. I'm looking forward to a range report.

Not enough pics in this thread! :)

View attachment 1154484
Click to expand...
Agreed! Picked up my used 4" Model 28 for $225 at a local gun show back when you could get decent deals (early 1980's), and my unfired 6" from a collector fir $875 a couple years ago. So far, I have resisted the temptation to take it out to the range.
IMG_20170321_230235697.jpeg IMG_0055.jpeg
 
Great find! :thumbup: Here in So Cal that nice .357 would have a $1,100 price on the tag, easy.

An N frame .357 is one that I have never owned. Someday I intend to rectify that, hopefully with one as nice looking as yours. :)

Let us know how it shoots for you when you get a chance to take it out.

Stay safe.
 
Thanks to all of you on instruction of the serial number. My gun lady did know better but did not get the serial number right in her books. She has now rectified that mishap.
The correct serial number is S 118047.
She was more than happy to allow me to remove the grips and was emediately apologetic about the ordeal. No worries, we took care of it and I got an education.
What time period do you think it was produced guys? I'm seriously thinking about getting a letter for this one, it's the oldest Smith I own to date. 20230601_123625.jpg
 
Riomouse911 said:
Great find! :thumbup: Here in So Cal that nice .357 would have a $1,100 price on the tag, easy.

An N frame .357 is one that I have never owned. Someday I intend to rectify that, hopefully with one as nice looking as yours. :)

Let us know how it shoots for you when you get a chance to take it out.

Stay safe.
Click to expand...

I plan on taking it out for a play date around the 15th of June. I'll have extensive experience with it then. If it shoots like everyone tells me it is going to be a happy day!
 
UncleEd said:
Matthew Clark, if you can't get to the LGS soon, perhaps
call for a check on how the gun was logged into the
FFL log book at the store. Hopefully the owner did it
correctly.
Click to expand...

UncleEd, I was able to get there today and all of you guys on here were spot on. The actual serial number was different and started with an S. I posted a pic and wrote the serial number down. My gun lady had entered it in the books with the wrong serial number but that has been rectified today. Thanks for all the help, I got me a good education on this one. I'm used to the serial number being correct in the crane cutout on model numbered Smiths. This is my first non model numbered Smith.
 
Matthew Clark said:
UncleEd, I was able to get there today and all of you guys on here were spot on. The actual serial number was different and started with an S. I posted a pic and wrote the serial number down. My gun lady had entered it in the books with the wrong serial number but that has been rectified today. Thanks for all the help, I got me a good education on this one. I'm used to the serial number being correct in the crane cutout on model numbered Smiths. This is my first non model numbered Smith.
Click to expand...
Go over to the S&W Forum and ask questions and post pictures. They have guys over there that can tell you what the weather was like the day your revolver was made. You got a smoking good deal.
 
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