Just got first revolver

[ddwood13]

Hey all,

My wife and I just received our first revolver from a friend. Its a S&W Model 28-2 and from what we were told its just been sitting in a box. I've never owned or even held a revolver till now and I'm honestly just looking for some guidance on taking care of it, what kind of condition is it in, what could it worth if we decide to sell?

Also, I have read in multiple places that this .357 can also fire .38 special, is there truth to this? Is there any other caliber it can shoot?

Thanks in advance for any tips, tricks and advice.

Read More

 

[SynapticSilence]

Congrats! Those are great revolvers that should last a lifetime. And yes, they can also shoot .38 Special. The only thing to be aware of is that firing the shorter .38 Specials can leave carbon buildup in the very end of the cylinder holes near the barrel. If it gets bad enough, it can prevent the longer .357 rounds from clambering. Just brush it our regularly and you'll be fine. This is a nice guide for checking out a used revolver. I'm sure the one you got is probably fine as most of the older Smiths are. But this tells you what to look for. Good luck! http://thefiringline.com/Misc/library/Revolver-check.html

 

[Mikej]

Nice firearm! There's something special about classic S&W revolvers for me. I think a lot of it is the wood grips, and of course the S&W trigger!
I have a pre model 10 (.38 special) that belonged to my father's father (Grandpa), it was his duty weapon somewhere around Los Angeles area in the '50s. Only suggestion I would have is to keep it in a dry place, and wiped down with a cloth, silicon/lightly oiled, and DON'T store it in a leather holster.

Oh yeah, SHOOT IT!

Mike

 

[jbett98]

I would recommend only shooting the heavier 158 grain .357 Magnum loads with this gun.
A steady diet of lighter grain (115) ammo can damage the forcing cone and puts more stress on the timing.
Use .38 special for the wife to learn on, and .357 Hornady Critical Defense for home protection if you decide to keep it.

 

[taroman]

Nice revolver, worth at least 600 in today's marlet.
And keep your fingers away from the barrel/cylinder gap when shooting!

 

[Landcruiser]

One of my all time favorite guns, congrats.

 

[Bon Sauvage]

I have one myself. Dad bought it sometime in the 60's, and gave it to me forty years later; it was the first revolver either of us had fired. I find its weight reassuring.

 

[bruzer]

Dandy little guy. Looks like a nice size. If you shoot lots and lots of .38 and never clean it when you put .357 in the cylinder they can get pretty tight and sticky. No harm just hard to get in and out.
I remember shooting my first revolver as a kid. Nobody showed me how to properly shoot it. I do not know how close my support hand was to the side and front of the cylinder but it was painful. Thank the Lord that it did not do any permanent damage. It was a .22, had it been a .357/.38 I might not have been so lucky.
May our lives glorify God,
Michael

 

[tkdguy]

I would recommend only shooting the heavier 158 grain .357 Magnum loads with this gun.
A steady diet of lighter grain (115) ammo can damage the forcing cone and puts more stress on the timing.
Use .38 special for the wife to learn on, and .357 Hornady Critical Defense for home protection if you decide to keep it.

EXCELLANT ADVISE HERE. THIS IS A VERY GOOD AND IMPORTANT NOTE.

 

[ron]

Nice revolver. The model 28 is a "N" frame. Which is the 44 magnum frame. So you
have a 357 on a 44 frame. This revolver is capable of easily digesting full power 357
magnum ammo no problem. I prefer the higher velocity 125 grain bullets in the 357.
Since you are knew to revolvers I don't want to sound condescending but you should
never flip the cylinder shut on any revolver. For cleaning use a proper fitting
screw driver to remove the screw above the trigger guard which allows you to
remove the crane and cylinder for cleaning. Use a cleaning rod with a bore guide
to protect the barrel crown.

 

[Spray-n-pray]

The 28-2 is a fantastic revolver. I had one, and I wish I had never let it go.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

Good advice above, so I'll just say real nice revolver! I'd like to own it.

 

[mjbskwim]

Nice weapon,but you never need to take ANY screws out to properly clean a revolver.
Especially if you are 'knew'? new to firearms.
Just spray cleaner in every crack and crevasse and let it sit for a bit.Then clean the bore and wipe off all the excess.
DON"T TAKE ANY SCREWS OUT,sheez

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

You can't really say don't take screws out, it's gonna depend on the gun and what you're cleaning.

Can't get the cylinders out on most without a screw.

 

[mjbskwim]

You can't really say don't take screws out, it's gonna depend on the gun and what you're cleaning.

Can't get the cylinders out on most without a screw.

Maybe I'm missing something,but the cylinder swings out on this right? What more do you need?
What DA revolver needs a tool to swing the cylinder out,or to remove it on a single action?
There is no reason to take the cylinder off the crane .He said nothing about it not turning so ,again,no need to remove

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

I wasn't referring to the video. Cleaning the cylinder off the crane is far easier, but not normally necessary.

 

[mjbskwim]

Sorry ,didn't watch the vid. I know just enough about cleaning guns to keep mine running. Can you say dishwasher?

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

I just wasn't sure what you were referring to when you said never take screws out. Basic cleaning doesn't need it, but if you want to clean deeper or just get an easier time on more difficult jobs like cleaning the cylinder face, taking the gun down further is a better idea.

 

[jbett98]

If you ever have the need to remove or tighten the ejector rod, most models are generally left handed threads.
Also, place a couple of spent shells in the cylinder before apply force.
I put the length of the rod in a padded vise and turn the cylinder by hand.

 

[Marine Airedale]

Nice weapon,but you never need to take ANY screws out to properly clean a revolver.
Especially if you are 'knew'? new to firearms.
Just spray cleaner in every crack and crevasse and let it sit for a bit.Then clean the bore and wipe off all the excess.
DON"T TAKE ANY SCREWS OUT,sheez

Without removing the crane and cylinder how on earth would you clean the cylinder side of the crane? I find it much easier to clean the cylinder with it out of the frame as well.