More revolver pix

**Mike Irwin** · May 21, 2002, 12:14 AM

The first one is my Model 28, the one with the Boone Ivory grips. They burned out pretty badly here. I'm looking at digital cameras that will give better resolution. Hopefully I'll be ready to buy by the end of the week.

The 28 is lying on top of my Bianchi shoulder holster. Can't remember the model number.

The second one is my 28 with my Model 042 J-frame .38. That's the one I'm always referring to when I'm talking about my 99.99995% of the time carry gun.

**Mike Irwin** · May 21, 2002, 12:16 AM

Darn, I thought I could attach multiple pictures. Ok, this is the 28 and the 042.

jar · May 21, 2002, 08:04 AM

Mike
Where did you find those grips?

Also, did you know that the 28-zip was a shiny blue instead of mat?

**Mike Irwin** · May 21, 2002, 11:06 AM

Jar,

Those grips came from Boone Trading Post. They're on the web.

I just discovered, though, a crack in one of the panels. I'm really pissed.

"Did you know that the 28-zip was a shiny blue instead of mat?"

I've actually be talking to Rick Nahaus about that. A friend of mine has a first year production (from what I can tell, one of the first 500 pre-28s off the line), and it's bright blue with no evidence of having repolished/reblued.

Rick initially said they simply didn't exist, but I think we've come to a possible theory, that the first several hundred prouction Highway Patrolmen used partially completed (as in polished) frames for the pre-Model 27.

Still, the quality of the blue on the early HPs is NOT the same as on same time-frame .357 Mags. It could be that the guns were pulled at an intermediate polishing step, before the top rib checkering was cut, and before the final 2,000 grit polish was done.

I have, however, seen early Highway Patrolmen that are DISTINCTLY HPs/28s, with brush/matte bluing.

By the time the model number was adopted, though, which would have been the straight 28, the guns were as they were in their final form, brush blue with matte bluing in areas.

I've NEVER seen a straight 28 that was finished bright blue from the factory.

C.R.Sam · May 21, 2002, 11:39 AM

Nice and Nice.

Sam

VictorLouis · May 21, 2002, 01:13 PM

Quote:

(from what I can tell, one of the first 500 pre-28s off the line), and it's bright blue with no evidence of having repolished/reblued.

I saw a pristine Pre-28 HP at the show that did seem to have more gleam than 'current' ones. However, I would agree that it was definitely NOT a bright-blue as you would see on the 27.

Radicalcleric · May 21, 2002, 01:22 PM

Easy to see if M27 frame used on early M28. Is there fine checkering on top of frame? Possible they just put good blue job on first batch and then decided to cut corners some more with this "service" revolver.

**Mike Irwin** · May 21, 2002, 02:50 PM

Saxon,

Please note that the checkering on the top of the frame was actually one of the last steps done before frame bluing, and after all but the final buffing.

As I noted in my previous message...

"It could be that the guns [should have been frames, my bad!] were pulled at an intermediate polishing step, before the top rib checkering was cut, and before the final 2,000 grit polish was done."

There's no doubt that the frames for the pre-27s & pre-28s were identical, forged at the same time and subject to the same initial stages of finishing, etc. It was only in the final finishing steps that the frames diverged.

Prodigalshooter · May 21, 2002, 08:33 PM

Well, I like it with the matte finish, that is one nice handgun!

Frenchy · May 21, 2002, 09:26 PM

Mike, are those the Cultured/Bonded Ivory grips that Boone shows on their site? They look great!
My Pre-28 does seem to show more polish (especially the barrel) than my 1979 model. Interestingly, the underside of the frame (trigger guard, etc) shows more of a matte finish than the rest of the gun. Mine is in the first 10,000 made.

Shmackey · May 21, 2002, 09:30 PM

Quote:

They burned out pretty badly here. I'm looking at digital cameras that will give better resolution.

Mike, resolution's important for printing, but it's not going to get you better image quality. The two most important things for that, counting down: (2) a good camera ... (1) PHOTOSHOP!

Even if you're a PhotoShop newbie, you can fix things like burned-in images and saturation issues in about 10 seconds.

dewey · May 21, 2002, 09:38 PM

Nice. To me and N frame with ivory grips is IT ! dewey

**Mike Irwin** · May 21, 2002, 10:57 PM

SHMackey,

Ok, I thought more pixels would also give finer digital images. Shows you how much I know.

I'm using a borrowed Sony Mavica, and I can't get the photos to open in Corel PhotoHouse, yet that's what my neighbor uses. I don't understand it.

Dewey,

Very nice. I see yours has the red insert in the front sight. Mine doesn't have that.

Frenchy,

Yes, those are the bonded/cultured grip. My only gripe is that I paid to have the S&W medallion let into them, and the medallions are silver, but the screw and escutcheon are GOLD colored. I was NOT happy.

Frenchy · May 21, 2002, 11:46 PM

I had ordered a set of those grips, but after waiting over a month, I cancelled. The lady at Boone said thay had no idea when they might get more. I keep checking back every once in a while, because I really want a pair of them.

jar · May 22, 2002, 08:44 AM

Mike

Here's my 28-zip. It is very, very close to the polish on my 27-4.

28-nada

and the 27-4

**Mike Irwin** · May 22, 2002, 11:01 AM

SH,

What's the polish like on the underside of the trigger guard and the top of the sight rib on the 28?

It should be a rather noticable matte blue.

I hate to say it, but there's about a 25 year difference (off the top of my head) in the age of the two guns.

You might be seeing a declining standard of worksmanship in the Model 27-4.

Zander · May 22, 2002, 11:02 AM

Ivory grips do nice things to K-frames, too.

Mike Davies · May 22, 2002, 11:06 AM

Mike:
I too use a Sony Mavica and have had the best results by:
-Do NOT use the flash....if at all possible, photograph the subject outside on a sunny day IN THE SHADE, no flash.
-The Mavica does not like sharp contrasting backgrounds....Red is the worst colour, for some reason. I lay my guns on a "washed out blue" background, which gives the best results for both blue and stainless guns (yeah...I know....you don't own any steenkin' stainless guns..)

-The background should be smooth and flat, not textured...this also helps the Mavica take a better "gun" picture.
-Get Microsoft's Picture It! photo program...it's by far one of the easiest and intuitive programs to use for processing digital images.
Mike

Zander · May 22, 2002, 11:07 AM

Oops...the worst pic of the bunch.

Let's try again, even though this one is way too bright:

May 21, 2002, 08:04 AM	#3
jar Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2001 Location: Deep South Texas Posts: 1,719	Mike Where did you find those grips? Also, did you know that the 28-zip was a shiny blue instead of mat? __________________ To be vintage it's gotta be older than me!

May 21, 2002, 11:06 AM	#4
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,642	Jar, Those grips came from Boone Trading Post. They're on the web. I just discovered, though, a crack in one of the panels. I'm really pissed. "Did you know that the 28-zip was a shiny blue instead of mat?" I've actually be talking to Rick Nahaus about that. A friend of mine has a first year production (from what I can tell, one of the first 500 pre-28s off the line), and it's bright blue with no evidence of having repolished/reblued. Rick initially said they simply didn't exist, but I think we've come to a possible theory, that the first several hundred prouction Highway Patrolmen used partially completed (as in polished) frames for the pre-Model 27. Still, the quality of the blue on the early HPs is NOT the same as on same time-frame .357 Mags. It could be that the guns were pulled at an intermediate polishing step, before the top rib checkering was cut, and before the final 2,000 grit polish was done. I have, however, seen early Highway Patrolmen that are DISTINCTLY HPs/28s, with brush/matte bluing. By the time the model number was adopted, though, which would have been the straight 28, the guns were as they were in their final form, brush blue with matte bluing in areas. I've NEVER seen a straight 28 that was finished bright blue from the factory. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

May 21, 2002, 02:50 PM	#8
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,642	Saxon, Please note that the checkering on the top of the frame was actually one of the last steps done before frame bluing, and after all but the final buffing. As I noted in my previous message... "It could be that the guns [should have been frames, my bad!] were pulled at an intermediate polishing step, before the top rib checkering was cut, and before the final 2,000 grit polish was done." There's no doubt that the frames for the pre-27s & pre-28s were identical, forged at the same time and subject to the same initial stages of finishing, etc. It was only in the final finishing steps that the frames diverged. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

May 21, 2002, 09:38 PM	#12
dewey Senior Member Join Date: December 22, 1999 Location: South East Posts: 399	HEY MIKE ! Nice. To me and N frame with ivory grips is IT ! dewey

May 21, 2002, 10:57 PM	#13
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,642	SHMackey, Ok, I thought more pixels would also give finer digital images. Shows you how much I know. I'm using a borrowed Sony Mavica, and I can't get the photos to open in Corel PhotoHouse, yet that's what my neighbor uses. I don't understand it. Dewey, Very nice. I see yours has the red insert in the front sight. Mine doesn't have that. Frenchy, Yes, those are the bonded/cultured grip. My only gripe is that I paid to have the S&W medallion let into them, and the medallions are silver, but the screw and escutcheon are GOLD colored. I was NOT happy. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

May 21, 2002, 11:39 AM	#5
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Nice and Nice. Sam

May 21, 2002, 01:22 PM	#7
Radicalcleric Senior Member Join Date: November 21, 2001 Posts: 645	Easy to see if M27 frame used on early M28. Is there fine checkering on top of frame? Possible they just put good blue job on first batch and then decided to cut corners some more with this "service" revolver.

May 21, 2002, 08:33 PM	#9
Prodigalshooter Senior Member Join Date: December 11, 2001 Location: SoCal Posts: 426	Well, I like it with the matte finish, that is one nice handgun!

May 21, 2002, 09:26 PM	#10
Frenchy Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2000 Location: Mid-Missouri Posts: 719	Mike, are those the Cultured/Bonded Ivory grips that Boone shows on their site? They look great! My Pre-28 does seem to show more polish (especially the barrel) than my 1979 model. Interestingly, the underside of the frame (trigger guard, etc) shows more of a matte finish than the rest of the gun. Mine is in the first 10,000 made.

May 21, 2002, 11:46 PM	#14
Frenchy Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2000 Location: Mid-Missouri Posts: 719	I had ordered a set of those grips, but after waiting over a month, I cancelled. The lady at Boone said thay had no idea when they might get more. I keep checking back every once in a while, because I really want a pair of them.

May 22, 2002, 08:44 AM	#15
jar Senior Member Join Date: March 8, 2001 Location: Deep South Texas Posts: 1,719	Mike Here's my 28-zip. It is very, very close to the polish on my 27-4. 28-nada and the 27-4 __________________ To be vintage it's gotta be older than me!

May 22, 2002, 11:01 AM	#16
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 14, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,642	SH, What's the polish like on the underside of the trigger guard and the top of the sight rib on the 28? It should be a rather noticable matte blue. I hate to say it, but there's about a 25 year difference (off the top of my head) in the age of the two guns. You might be seeing a declining standard of worksmanship in the Model 27-4. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

May 22, 2002, 11:06 AM	#18
Mike Davies Senior Member Join Date: April 9, 2000 Location: Vancouver, Canada Posts: 376	Mike: I too use a Sony Mavica and have had the best results by: -Do NOT use the flash....if at all possible, photograph the subject outside on a sunny day IN THE SHADE, no flash. -The Mavica does not like sharp contrasting backgrounds....Red is the worst colour, for some reason. I lay my guns on a "washed out blue" background, which gives the best results for both blue and stainless guns (yeah...I know....you don't own any steenkin' stainless guns..) -The background should be smooth and flat, not textured...this also helps the Mavica take a better "gun" picture. -Get Microsoft's Picture It! photo program...it's by far one of the easiest and intuitive programs to use for processing digital images. Mike