So I am pondering the purchase of a 28-2 4". The gun is at least 98% in original box with all papers, cleaning rod and such in original vapor paper. Has original grips and S&W faux pearl grips. Has faint turn line and appears fired very little or not at all. N serial prefix. The sales card indicates 1976. It is priced at $875.00 OTD. What do you guys think? Buy or pass on it?

If you haven't handed over the money for it yet, I will. Excellent price for an awesome revolver, especially if the condition is like you say and you've got the box and accessories, too. I gave $1000 for a 6" M28-2 with a perfect finish almost a year ago, but no box or accessories.

jump on it quick, before someone else does. BTW, what's the SN# and we'll look up its approx. birthday. Oops, overlooked the 1976 date. And i just saw where you are; I'm about 45 min. NW of Charlotte. Where did you find this? I'd love to have e 4" M28, or a 3-1/2" M27, actually, since I already have a M28. Check it out thoroughly for mechanical issues, like push-off, and cylinder and yoke end shake.

Two or three years ago, I would have said a little high. In todays market, it's a good deal. P&R N frames are really going up, as are most classic Smiths.

Larry

Do it! I’d love a 4” have 2-6” great revolver.

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Take it easy. Chris

What he^^^ said.
Post pictures when you get it.

In today's market, EVERYTHING is expensive...even in the past couple months everything has gone up. Go for it.

Buy it, buy it, buy it!

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Pine_Worker
Ex-LEO, NRA Life

Don't stop to collect 200 as you pass go, purchase it before it's gone!!

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Ed

Ponder no longer! Buy it!

The pricing on model 28s is all over the place, and Covid is just making things nuttier.

I bought my mint in box -2 about 6 months or so ago and paid 600 dollars. At the time they (guns dot com) listed mine, they had lesser guns listed for 900 to 1000 dollars. I consider mine a fluke price they honored.

I have kept up on pricing and barring a few **** guns, most all nice 4 and 6" model 28s are selling for a 1000 bucks now. One **** gun sold for 700 and it was ceracoated baby poop green.

The price you were given is a buy now price.

I would wait. Prices will come back down.

Although prices generally trend up, we are experiencing a local phenomenon that will correct.

That said, that is probably a "market" price for that revolver today.

No need to ponder break out that fan made from $100 bills offer $700 first. I have no clue as to where the prices will go in a few days if things calm down. Gun prices are worse that Wall Street.

About 15 years ago my online dealer offered the s&w m28-2/6” in blue for $695. Supply and demand puts prices on a roller coaster or a wheel of fortune ride. I been saying for decades now any s&w n frame under $1,000 isn’t a deal it’s a steal today. I’d jump on it.

My online dealer offered m28’s for $695 and m27’s for $795. Of course it was 15 years ago how time flies. That seemed high back then because the older guys don’t want to accept the increase in prices. They all remember the old days. The k frames weren’t too far behind price wise too back then. The k22 were in that price range too but the k38’s were lower in cost.

It’s not remember when it’s what it is today. Look at the car and pickup prices.

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Plant garlic in the fall

No kidding. A few months after I got back to the World, we bought our first house. It was a 3 bedroom ranch style with 1/2 an acre, fenced. Paid $17,950. People pay more than three times that for a pickup now!

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Buy what you can afford the handgun prices aren’t going down.

I sold my ‘73 $29 k house for $215 k when I purchased the new place for $229k/2acres. I put the old house on the market for $300 k the market dropped but a year later it sold. I lost $$ but can’t complain.

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Plant garlic in the fall

You know, sometimes I think we can't see the forest for the trees. We agonize about a hundred bucks give or take on a gun we want and never stop to think how little a hundred or two hundred bucks really mean against a lifetime of use and enjoyment. Good guns don't come by very often these days and if it were up to me, I'd buy that gun and enjoy the heck out of it! ( I'm really not a spendthrift ) IrishFritz

Two years ago, that price would have been a little high. Today, that is a very reasonable price for a used Model 28-2 with box and papers.

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VCDL, GOA, NRA

Wont be available long!

You know how the song goes......."gimme a ticket for an aeroplane, ain't got time for a fast train". Jump on your Harley, or your fastest car/truck and beat feet back to wherever that beauty sits....and...before the Owner can turn on his computer this morning and check GB.

Seriously....these days a case of 357 ammo will run you more than that gun (probably a lot more)!

$875 and Out the Door to boot. Great deal at this time.

Mine is 1975, all original, no box or docs and I wouldn't even acknowledge a $900 offer.

If it is at that little LGS a tad north of Wilmington, out on the way to Wrightsville Beach, it probably won't last the day. They are great folks, but not stupid so I'm thinking honest price, maybe need to pay the rent and/or employees.

Grab it..........if you don't have one, you'll love it.

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Charlie B
SWCA#3083, SWHF#570

That's a deal considering the shape and all the goodies with it.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

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SWCA #3713

As I age, I am starting to see the end of my gun-buying days, so I am loosening up a little on what I will pay for something I always wanted. However, I think we should be responsible enough to not pay any outlandish price someone throws out there hoping to find a sucker.

So let's analyze this one's attributes and see what price it should be.

Start with a six inch beater price of $500.
Add at least $50 for the 4" barrel.
Add $200 for 98% condition. (You won't see one like it < $700)
Add another $100 for the box, tools, etc.

So we are at $850 and haven't valued the S&W faux pearl stocks. Not to mention $875 is OTD, no add-ons like tax and FFL fees, ...

Press the "Buy It Now" button.

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You're shy a few manners.

Truth be told, I sold my only other 28-2 4" in 98% condition on a whim about eight months ago for $700.00 and have regreted it ever since. The opportunity came up to purchase this one and i was a little shaky on the price vs value/worth of it. I am still a little sticker shocked by the current prices and the demand is through the roof. Sure wish i would have had the forethought to have bought all the true "classic" S&W's I had the opportunity to buy in my travels. Granted that hindsight is 20/20, im fortunate to have all the horses that are in my stable.

Disagree. They may flatten out some, but $1,000 is the new "$600".

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Pass it on.
Mark

Buy it or forever be shunned by Santa Claus and get coal in your stocking...and your children's stockings...and their children's too...

They are great guns in my opinion. A few years ago that price would be on the high side but the last couple of years just average has been bring the $800. range so it sounds like a good deal to me.

Can't believe you are asking THIS crowd that question!!!

Randy

BUY THAT GUN NOW!!!

Tell me where it is, I'll go check it out for you.

I said the exact same thing on this forum in December and brought a 4” -2 (sadly no box or goodies) home a couple weeks back DO IT...

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I have looked at 4" 28's for a while. 2 years ago I could have picked up a shooter {gun only} for $600 asking. It was there a few shows. Don't know why it did not sell. I am living in the past, because I bought my 6" no dash 10 years ago for $475. {1960} It was my 1st online gun purchase. Very happy with it. It came with rubber grips. Now has several sets of stocks.
My whole point to this, is that prices keep rolling up on nice guns. Bob

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You know what to do.....so do it.

I know I am out of the mainstream but I would not pay 875 for a 28-2 with cheap aftermarket grips. The 28 is a service grade revolver and I don't think it should command that much money. I realize everyone will disagree and it's your decision.

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No life story has happy end.

Buy It !! With box and papers at that price? They usually run a little higher than that around here when you can find them. That said, when I bought my 28-2 6" almost 2 years ago ($799) and my 28-2 4" ($650) no boxes or papers I sweated like a 14 yr old kid at his first prom with a lady of dubious reputation all the way home while looking for the police vehicle in the rear mirror. I'm surprised I didn't have a pile up on the way.

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Buy it, it's going to be gone and the little bit you might get another one for is not going to be enough to compensate for the loss of it. I paid more for the last couple of N frames I bought and don't regret it a bit.

Here's another vote for "BUY IT". I've purchased 3 Model 28s over the past 10 years, all 28-2s. I would love to have a 1954 Highway Patrolman (my birth year), but I just haven't run into one. Mine are all early 70s and in VG to EXC condition but no boxes or goodies...2 are 4" bbl. and 1 is a 6" bbl. The most I paid was $575 (6" in 2014)- which was a little expensive at the time but it's a 99% revolver. I'm also of the belief that prices for vintage S&W revolvers will continue to increase, not decrease. Model 28s used to be the bargain N-frame, and still are when compared to Model 27s, 57s, and 29s, but they've definitely appreciated. $875 for an excellent condition 4" 28-2 with the box and goodies is a pretty good deal right now. I'm sure that more than a few Forum members would be willing to take that revolver off your hands right now!

The first N frame I bought was in the ‘70’s for $128. Second one in the ‘80’s fir $357. The next one was $500, then $700, then $1200 trade value 2 years ago. They only go up. Buy it.

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Pine_Worker
Ex-LEO, NRA Life

When you adjust for inflation, they cost now about what they did in the 1950s, or reasonably close. There are exceptions (RMs & TLs for instance), but we are talking about the more common ones like the M28.

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You're shy a few manners.

I think it is about $100-200 high and there are lots and lots of model 28s’ out there....that being said, it isn’t a crazy $1000 asking price and $600 is not the new $1000 dollars....we need to be a little more frugal and look around because like I said, there are a lot of Highway Patrol revolvers out there....I own 2 myself, one in each bbl length last one a 6” in pristine condition no accessories for a hair over $600 in Tx last year at a Cabelas. All this being said, if you actually just can’t wait a bit, $875 isn’t so much that it will bankrupt you. I have been excited about a lot of s&w revolvers(every one of them) and I have only paid top dollar once....it is an early 6” model 686 anib unstamped “m” and I paid about $850 for it and I have seen many priced a little less without box and accessories which mine has, and I also have 2 same L frames in 4”, one is a 586, and another 686...those two I paid closer to the $600 mark, both also anib...and I have seen all three models also priced at &1k but I know the truth is that if I surf the shows and stores, I will find them for less again.....just recently, I passed on a 3” model 36 about 1980 or slightly newer-in fantastic condition here in Southern California at a busy gun shop....$500 and it was there at least 1 week....but I have one a little older with a pinned bbl that I don’t shoot and thought it best to let someone else who would jump at the chance to go for it and I suspect they have...I almost bought it on rule of thumb cost point though resisted lol....
All this babble by me and my point is, be patient and you will save a little, but, you won’t be getting stung much if you pay that premium.

It has been a long time since used 28s could be bought for a coupla hundred bucks. Those were the days...............

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dd884
JMHO-YMMV

...and I bought a model 28 last year for 600 bucks. Even back then, it was a fluke price as other guns they had listed were 900 to 1000 bucks.

Prices are nuts right now for most everything but cheapo guns.

not a bad price,but a few hundred more will get you a beautiful Model 27

Maybe, but the model 27 is not the model 28 referenced in this thread. She's might not be as fancy as a 27, but she isn't a lesser gun.

I always thought it was until I held one. Plus, they just have an awesome name.

thanks for the "correction" Lol

I bought a dozen GSP trade ins one time from J&G Rifle Ranch for a lot less than $100.00 each I converted some, sold some, and did several gun trades. All in all a good investment........

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dd884
JMHO-YMMV

At $875, you could do worse. The 28 is a spectacular gun. I have a 1967 28-2 (6"), but it is overshadowed by this first year Highway Patrolman. I do have the correctly numbered Magnas, but they're not much fun for shooting,

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Well, I pulled the proverbial trigger on a sweet 28-2. This is a different one I found. It is a 28-2 with an S prefix. Not in the box and a little more handling wear, but it is tight and I got it at a great price. I added the magna grips while I decipher which grip iteration was its original configuration. It was wearing non-diamond target grips when I bought it. I just refurbished the stock set it was wearing. They are drying at the moment.
Serial is S3042XX.

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Since we're on the subject, A LGS here has a 6" 28-2 for $895. I just gave it a glance and didn't inspect it. I already have a 4", but have kinda wanted a 6" just because. Should I go back and give it a serious look?

Well, they don't make them like that anymore, that's for sure. I think if it checks out and they bend a bit on price, take it home. The 28-2's have definitely increased in price as of late. I really like old N frames.

I'd take this one over the first one you looked at too.

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Kenny
Endeavor to persevere.

That looks like a 5" barrel, too. What is the blistering and powdery look around the thumb latch? Almost looks like somebody welded on it.

I would; look at the SN, see how far back it goes in the -2 series. Never know, you might find an "S" instead of a "N", or at least a low number "N". The price isn't bad for any -2 in decent shape, though.