6 inch Highway Patrolman
- Thread starter RogerC
- Start date
The upper side plate screw (the one nearest the hammer) was the first to go, leaving the two lower side plate screws, and the one that is usually hidden by the stocks, along with the one in front of the trigger guard (4 screw). The trigger guard screw was next to go making it a 3 screw. This is my "5 screw" pre-28, one of the first 10,000 made...There is one hidden by the grips, and one in front of the trigger guard.
Roger's is a correct "4 screw".
Roger's is a correct "4 screw".
Number of screws
When talking K/N frame Smiths, the conventional discussion of 3,4 and 5 screws generally covers the postwar changes, which were as such:
5 screw guns - 4 sideplate screws, one trigger guard screws - up to about 1957/58.
4 screw guns - 3 sideplate screws, one trigger guard screws - roughly 57/58 to 1961/62
3 screw guns - all sideplate, post 1961/62.
Because these guns have been made for over a century, any discussion about the number of screws needs to be tempered with the timeframe for the piece.
By this, we need to remember that there were "pre-5 screw, 4 screw" K frames. Yes that's right, the original K frame hand ejectors - Model of 1899, had 4 sideplate screws but NO trigger guard screw. So, technically you can call these 4 screw guns, with all the screws on the sideplate, but again - when folks generally talk about 4 screw guns they are talking about the ones in the late 50's to early 60's.
As well, the recent manufacture of special guns from the Performance Center have included several "4 screw" sideplate guns, but there is no trigger guard screw.
Now, we won't even talk about the 6 screw J frames guns. Another example that the standard is that there is no apparent standard.
.................SmithNut
When talking K/N frame Smiths, the conventional discussion of 3,4 and 5 screws generally covers the postwar changes, which were as such:
5 screw guns - 4 sideplate screws, one trigger guard screws - up to about 1957/58.
4 screw guns - 3 sideplate screws, one trigger guard screws - roughly 57/58 to 1961/62
3 screw guns - all sideplate, post 1961/62.
Because these guns have been made for over a century, any discussion about the number of screws needs to be tempered with the timeframe for the piece.
By this, we need to remember that there were "pre-5 screw, 4 screw" K frames. Yes that's right, the original K frame hand ejectors - Model of 1899, had 4 sideplate screws but NO trigger guard screw. So, technically you can call these 4 screw guns, with all the screws on the sideplate, but again - when folks generally talk about 4 screw guns they are talking about the ones in the late 50's to early 60's.
As well, the recent manufacture of special guns from the Performance Center have included several "4 screw" sideplate guns, but there is no trigger guard screw.
Now, we won't even talk about the 6 screw J frames guns. Another example that the standard is that there is no apparent standard.
.................SmithNut
Which finishes did the 28's come in? There is a 27 and a 28 in my local shop. Both have a gloss blue finish. The guy behind the counter thought the 28 had been refinished because he thought they all had matte blue finishes. To me the 27 still looked like it had a better finish, but they were pretty close. Comments?
- Makarov
- Makarov