Hello,

I took a .357 Highway Patrolman model 28-2 into a Gander Mountain today to sell. The gunsmith came out with a blue book, and after a thorough inspection said "You don't want to sell this to me". I asked why and he showed me the book...It stated that the model I had could be very rare.

I thanked him and came here. It's a 6" model, blue, with a serial number that begins with "N577..." and also has the following numbers printed just below the model designation: "26674" then F22.

He said it "could" be rare or not, but that I'd be better off researching first. So I have two questions...can someone here let me know if it might be rare, and two, would a letter from S&W confirm that? From what I see, the letters just say here's where and when it was made and here's who sold it...is it worth the $50?

Thanks very much in advance for your time and consideration!

GTA

I am not an expert on Smiths, so with that in mind....

The Model 28-2 started in 1961, with S serial #'s. In 1969, they changed to the N serial #, which is what you have. They sold 28-2's until 1982, when Smith changed eliminated the pinned and recessed feature and called it the 28-3. While I don't know the numbers they made, it would seem that something made for 13 years would be less than rare. The SCSW shows that there are some variants that may be of interest, but yours seems to be a standard 28-2 as far as I can see.

Others will chime in I am sure.

They made the model 28 for about 30 years in different dash models. I doubt your gun is anything so special that it is worth a $50 letter. I would say unseen value is around $350 - $400.

Model 28-2 rare? I wouldn't say rare. There are not tons of them around (say like the model 10's) and they don't command the price of a model 27. BTW, the 28 is the plain sister to the 27. I would hold onto it anyway, unless you just have to get rid of it.

Welcome to the Forum. Factory nickel model 28s or anything except a 4" and 6" are rare. Should you decide to sell, you would likely get more for it with a Wanted to Sell ad here than at a retail store. Hope this is helpful.

__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

First everything Im about to say is my opinion and worth exactly what you paid for it.

After several people give their opinions you can get a general consensus but....

IMHO
While N frame 357's are really neat guns as far as HP models go the 28-2 is the bare bones version of the Model 27 and isnt a very rare gun.

While there are rare configurations in every model line it is usually the older guns pre dating model numbers with low serial numbers begining with S that are more "rare" and sought after .


N frame 357's have gone up in value recently and is probably worth considerably more money than Gander would offer you and what you probably thought it was worth.

Without pictures or more details especially on condition including if the the grips are original and if you have the box and docs it is hard to estimate its exact value.

I valued my 6" 28-2 at about $400 before recently trading it for a K frame model 66 worth about the same.

I agree with the other posters, it probably isn't rare. You could do well to visit the "Ultimate Highway Patrolman" thread in this forum, you will find out everything you need to know about your firearm. They are fine shooters, and great dependable weapons. And there is definitely a subset of S&W collectors that love 28's (I'm one of them!)

According to the blue book, the brushed nickel finish is very rare. Maybe he misread the book?

__________________
Watch & Pray

Your gun, as described would list (and probably sell) for $450 to $500 around my neck of the woods.

Good Luck,

Jerry

I like your member name!

__________________
GO NAVY!

I don't see where anyone said this gun was nickel?
Dick

I just wanted to thank all of you who responded to my question. I think he may have been confused as well. With that said, I think I will hold on to my model...even though I haven't shot it in over 20 years, I've always had an affinity for it.

Thanks again everyone...good shooting!

GTA

A 6" 28-2 is rare? News to me.

rare is the most overused word in the gun world.

as rare as buffalo nickels and wheat pennies.

I think the appellation was an assumption that the guy at Gander read the reference about brushed nickel 28's being rare and mistakenly applied it to the whole species . . .

Here goes! In my humble opinion, I believe the guy at Gander Mountain decided NOT to buy your revolver and after all the time spent with the Blue Book looking it up etc., he just didn't know how to tell you he did not want your revolver. Some people have a hard time telling a person no. It's kind of like when you are set up at a gun show and a guy looks at one of your guns and lays it down and says he will be back...you know he is NOT coming back, so why doesn't he just tell you he does not want it?

Finding knowledgable gun people at Gander Mountains can be classified as "rare".

Its a very early version of the N series 28-2 s....so that maybe why he thought it was something special.

That said...it is something special...as are all 28-2 s...The HP is a peach of a revolver...designed to be a Cop's guns...I like that you are going to keep it...you will never regret having it and they are all going up in value...

Perhaps that was the nice way of telling you that you 28-2 is worth nothing.

I think the guy at Gander Mountain was honest enough to not want to insult you with the best offer the corporate pinheads who run GM would let him offer.

In a world of plastic wundermattics, a good blue steel revolver is "rare."

__________________
John 3:16 .

I was going to say that just because someone is behind a counter at a gun shop or even if it's some guy that calls himself a "gunsmith", he may have only yesterday been stocking shelves with Special Forces Beef Jerky and Tactical Trail Mix. This is especially true at the big chain stores.

__________________
They lack our altruism.

Hi I had a S&W model 28-2 S300958 that was made between 1961 an 1969 I got it in 1973 used when I was in Law Enforcement Sold it in 1976 when I went on got a job on the railroad that year.I had worked at the county jail $7000 a year.The RR was 3 times the pay.I sold it to a life friend who was a deputy.We are both now retired,sold it for $85.00 at that time.He was good enough to keep it,and gave it to me.This revolver is worth priceless to me.

Where can I get me some of that "Special Forces" beef jerky? I'm thinking I need me some

De Oppresso Liber

me too......

__________________
Cheers, Charles
SWCA #2442

burner-- N577000 dates from 1978. HPs were made from 1954--1986 and the dash 2 was in production til 1982 when pinned and recessed guns were discontinued. l picked up a 6'' gun off the net in excellent condition last year for around 400. My # N544000. Hope this helps

It's the camo packaged stuff. I could tell you where to get it but then........well, you know the rest.....

__________________
Even older, even crankier....

Down at the special forces gedunk and gift shop.

Hey! Isn't gedunk a Navy term? We called it "pogey bait". I haven't seen any of that on Smoke Bomb Hill???

De Oppresso Liber

Like was said above if it's an N serial number and 6 inch it isn't rare because the only known rare 28-2's and less then 100 units that were nickel plated by the factory. There could also be a special order out there with an odd barrel length like 5 or 3 inch that if documented with a factory letter it would be rare.

Gun shops and pawn shops are not your friend when it comes to selling a gun as they have and want to make a profit which ends up coming out of our end of the sale at your expense. They have no qualms of offering you 50% for your gun on a trade and then they sell it for a lot more. I agree if you really want to sell it then take good pictures of it and post it in the classified section for sale up here.

Railroadman, how long did you have to dig here to find this thread? I wonder if the OP is still around.

Ive got a nice 28-2 in very clean condition which I bought to have as a carry gun esp in the woods- as opposed to dinging up my Python. I don't wince when shooting serious mag loads, as I would with the Python. Besides I just like a Smith revolver

I don't know what the smith was talking about.

I don't think he does, either...

__________________
No life story has happy end.

Well, it's got a little rarer in the last four years if the prices being bandied about are any indication.

I keep getting sucked in by these necro-threads!

I might become the owner of a S&W 28-2 357 Magnum Highway Patrolman

The man from whom I am buying this revolver believes, and does not claim, that it has been test fired at the factory and not fired sense. Based on his 30 years as a gun collector, his opinions is that it is possible that this gun has only been test fired.

The revolver appears to be in mint condition. A local gun shop owner looked at the photos and his opinion was that the revolver shows handing marks.

If this revolver has had limited use should I shoot with it or keep in a box?

Is a revolver in mint condition worth any more than one that is not?

I suppose I'll need to buy another model to shoot at the range.

Shoot it! It's not rare and even if it hasn't been shot much, proper care and maintenance will not hurt it's value. It'll never be worth less than what you paid for it if properly maintained. And we expect to see pics when you obtain it!

OP, why would you want to sell it? The guy at gander Mtn, was probably doing you a favor, and telling you that he isn't going to really give you anything for it, and at the same time basically saying that you cannot duplicate an N frame 357, for what you are going to sell it for. 28-2's are not rare, especially in 6". Now if it was a 28 no dash, pre 28, 28-1, or some specially ordered unit, it is worth what everybody is saying it is worth. it is a no frills M27

__________________
Pete
Hey, be safe out there

Of course a revolver in mint condition is worth more than one that is not. Stands to reason.

However, we need pics. Turn rings really mean nothing relative to unfired. Why, people dry fire them, and cycle the action, and that creates a turn ring. And of course, how sharp is your cylinder stop?. I try to look at the front of the cylinder for 3 charge holes that show use, the forcing cone, and of course the recoil shield

__________________
Pete
Hey, be safe out there

A nickle HP with an 8 3/8 barrel is rare!

I should also add that this will be my first revolver, indeed, my first modern gun. I own a reproduction of an 1805 Harper's Ferry Pistol.

Also, my investments consist of mutual funds, not guns. I asked about value so I would not depreciate the future value of this revolver by shooting it.

I will post pics when, and if, I acquire this revolver.

I will have to acquire the revolver in order to photograph it. I will know in a few days if I can acquire it.

"rare" is probably the most over used term when it comes to guns. 150 production numbers could be rare. 20,000 is not. 20 is most definitely rare.

See you at Expo Ken.

This is the thread that keeps on giving. Started in 2011. Came back to life in 2013. Again in 2015 AND again yesterday. lol

__________________
Dan
Ps 96 SWCA 2930 SWHF 524

It’s came to life almost as much as Michael Myers or Jason Voorhees.

__________________
Earl Battey

The OP made 2 posts and hasn't been here in nearly 9 years.

__________________
Psalm 27:2

His offer would have been $185.

Rare? No. Worth quite a bit? Yes. In good condition, you'd be surprised how much they can bring! I just scored a nice 28-2 last week (with a 4-digit serial number). It's now in my will! It will join my other 1960's wheel guns!

Attached Images

wheel1.jpg (80.2 KB, 39 views)

How things change. Before I had much interest in S&Ws but was busy buying firearms circa 2005, you'd walk into a gun shop and trip over the piles of 28-2s for $350, particularly the 6" guns. The market for a huge matte blue six shot .357 was deader than Elvis's television set.

__________________
Psalm 27:2

The thread will be eight years old next month.

__________________
Oh well, what the hell.

Hope I am getting it

__________________
Pete
Hey, be safe out there