A S & W Highway Patrolman

Biggfoot44 · Mar 5, 2021

Some " Polices" did use 1911 back in the day , but it was highly Regional .

More common Back in the Day ( for Gun Savvey L E who provided their own sidearm was the S&W 44 Hand Ejector , and M1917 .

Johnconlee · Mar 5, 2021

Very nice

python · Mar 5, 2021

Very nice revolver. FYI, production started in 1954, and was designated the model 28 in 1957. Your target stocks are of later vintage. Standard stocks were diamond magnas. Target stocks were the only option offered. Here's another one that's first year production. I have the original diamond magnas numbered to the gun. Not too comfortable to shoot with, hence the Herrett's Jordan Troopers. Added a photo of a new addition. The 6" Highway Patrolman is also from 1954. The 4" in the foreground is the same one in the other photo with its original stocks.

boatme99 · Mar 6, 2021

python said:
Very nice revolver. FYI, production started in 1954, and was designated the model 28 in 1957. Your target stocks are of later vintage. Standard stocks were diamond magnas. Target stocks were the only option offered. Here's another one.

Yeah, when I bought it it had pachymers on it. These were the only N frame stocks I could find at the time.
I'll never understand why people don't keep the original parts when they change things like stocks.
If yo can find a real diamond set the cost is astronomical!
Dating: it's been so long since I checked it, I've got the dates mixed up. I know it's not a '54, thats my birth year, that would have been nice.

Brychan · Mar 6, 2021

One of my favorite revolvers. Mine is in this thread https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=123249
Mine came with a letter from the Smith and Wesson historian, you maybe able to contact them and get a little of the history of yours.

pbharvey · Mar 6, 2021

Anyone know anything about this grip?

Magnumite · Mar 6, 2021

Old target grip. Probably PPC game grips. There is no way to thumb cock the hammer for bullseye...when revolvers were used for that...which how most used the revolver for that sport.

Doc TH · Mar 10, 2021

why didn't police use 1911...

At the time, favored 1911 carry was "cocked & locked". PD supervisors thought this was dangerous & would lead to too many AD's. (The increase in accidents post switch to SA pistols - e.g., NYC and Wash DC - showed they might have been correct)

Most 1911's of that era were designed for use with ball ammo and that was viewed as less effective, more penetrative, thus greater risk to the public.

Little difference in capacity - 7 vs 6.

Sigfan77 · Mar 10, 2021

boatme99 said:
My S&W 357 H.P. It's a true HP, pre model 28 which dates it at 1952 or 53. They were produced under the HP name for 2 years before being designated Model 38.
N frame, 4" barrel. Recessed and pinned.
I think it's in pretty good kip for a 66 year old shooter.

Gorgeous. Oh, my my my... :envy:

Markpixs · Mar 10, 2021

Biggfoot44 said:
Some " Polices" did use 1911 back in the day , but it was highly Regional .

More common Back in the Day ( for Gun Savvey L E who provided their own sidearm was the S&W 44 Hand Ejector , and M1917 .

Now that's really back in the day, but for most departments it was a lot easier to train FNGs on a DA revolver, pull the trigger and it shoots. Kinda like the Glocks today, no safeties to learn for those LEOs who weren't gun people. (Yep, some aren't, just another tool on the belt)

Sigfan77 · Mar 10, 2021

Cold Steel said:
The 1911s of 1953 didn't have the reliability of 1911s today. If you had someone who could go over your 1911 of the day, fine, but I had a friend who waded ashore in the Philippines just a few days after MacArthur, but there were no photographers or journalists. But there was a wirey little Moro who came screaming out of the jungle with a machete raised over his head. My friend thought quickly, pulled his 1911 and shot the man in the chest after which his gun jammed.

So he used his 1911 as a club and he brought it down on the man's head. "And he survived!" he told me. He never owned a .45 auto of any type for the rest of his life, despite the advances in ammunition and guns. He put all his faith in the .357 125gr JHP and 9mm specialty ammo.

--

My friend's father was a Marine officer in the Pacific (after having been enlisted/Drill Instructor) during WW II. He told us about being on the Island Hopping campaign and, on one of the islands, a rather large Japanese soldier came out of the bush and started running away. He said that he shot the guy 6 times with his standard sidearm (.38 S&W) and saw 6 'puffs' come from the guy's blouse as he ran. He said that, as far as he knew, that guy was still running!

After that incident, he threw the .38 down in the dirt and picked up a B.A.R., which he carried for the rest of his time overseas. :gun3:

herkybird72 · Mar 10, 2021

Nice pickup. I have a 4 inch Model 28 that I bought brandy new in ‘78 when stationed in Guam. It is my favorite wheel gun, accurate as hell. It cost all of $195.

python · Mar 15, 2021

Brychan said:
One of my favorite revolvers. Mine is in this thread https://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=123249
Mine came with a letter from the Smith and Wesson historian, you maybe able to contact them and get a little of the history of yours.

Not worth the $100, unless the gun has a special provenance or back story, which would be unlikely on such a common gun.

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