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lunker

Work on a S&W Revolver

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I am a big revolver fan and was interested in acquiring a revolver for IDPA and Steel Challege. I had a Model 19-3 4" that I had been using, but my wife claimed it as her own.  So now I had a reason to buy another gun. :)

After doing a lot of reading, and seeing the nice features (Novak style rear sight, front brass bead sight, tapered cylinder, tapered underlug, rounded edges), and handling one in person, I bought a Wiley Clapp Ruger GP100 revolver. It seemed to have everything I wanted in a revolver, and there was not a single negative review on it. Except I hated shooting it. The Ruger trigger range of motion is much different (and inferior, IMO) to the S&W trigger. The gun is blockier than my N frames and slow on target for me. Ultimately, it went right up on GunBroker and I will just live with losing $100 on it. I suppose it means that I am just a Smith and Wesson fan, or possibly am just to old and stubborn to try and get used to something different that I like less.

The only revolver I currently own that is a good candidate is a Model 28-2 Highway Patrolman 4". It has some drawbacks though. It weighs too much (by a few ounces) for IDPA. So I was thinking about getting 1" chopped off the barrel, and having it recrowned and blued. And while I was at it, I would have the smith put on a Novak-style rear and brass bead front sight.

Alternatively, I could buy another Model 19 and have the same treatment. 

Can anyone suggest a good gunsmith that can do the work? I am no longer living in Jersey, so them being local is not a worry.  

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Chris:

 

I don't shoot steel, but I shoot both SSR and ESR divisions in IDPA. There are far better solutions than chopping up a nice model 28 that is becoming more valuable with each passing day.

 

With the money you would spend to have the modifications you list, you would be well on your way to the purchase of a more "task suitable" S&W revolver. I would suggest the 686 SSR. Yes it is an L-frame, but it has a tapered ejector rod housing rather than the full underlug you dislike. It is suitable for SSR division (hence the gun's name) out of the box and a quick trip to TK Custom to machine the cylinder, could make it a dual purpose IDPA gun, suitable for SSR with speedloaders and mild .38 Spl loads, or in ESR division using moon clips and warm .357 mag loads. And now that TK is onced again a full custom shop, he could undertake things like a trigger job, chamfering the charge holes and any sight arrangement you wish (FO front sight is my front sight of choice - LPA or a Weigand blade for the rear).

 

Just a suggestion, but I hate to see a no-longer-made 28 cut up. And the custom work on the SSR can be done as time and funds allow.

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

 

110k6ma.jpg

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Thanks Bob (as usual). I was looking at the SSR and considering it. I have been seeing lots of shooter condition Model 28's in the $600 area, so I wasn't as opposed to using one as a base gun as long as the custom work wasn't that expensive. 

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Doing what you specify will leave you with gun that only you may want - not necessarily a bad thing, but forget any thoughts of resale. 3" smiths are desirable - as long as they are K-frames. A 3" N-frame is nice if it comes from the factory that way and the caliber starts with "4". You'd have a poor man's model 27 with a half inch shorter barrel and the rollmarks off-center. Cut, recrown and probably the best alternative for a new front sight would be a Weigand front site base that will then accept DX/Classic type user replaceable blades (that's one on my 586 in the picture, but that was because the blade was integral with the base - not because of barrel shortening). Not an inexpensive proposition. Plus you lose sight radius and shift the balance point rearward, not forward where it helps with recoil.

 

You may want to peruse this thread...

 

http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1961-1980/388661-28-2-pricing-craze-seen-first-hand.html

 

Adios,

 

Pizza Bob

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