M28 Fair Valuations?

[Biggfoot44]

( I'm guessing at year)

My best friend passed in Feb , and I will be buying some of his guns from widow , and trying to figure fair vuations.

This one I actually used to own . 4 inch blued, purchased from a co-worker circa late '80s , sold to my friend subsequently . Alas I don't recall dash number or s/n .

When I bought it was well used, and had purportedly been refinished . I had wide b/c gap,.yet shot sub 1in groups @ 25yds . My friend had sent back to S&W to have bbl set back .

I would make it exponentially simplier to handle this with my 003 C&R .

What is breakdown by dashnumber for year ?
What s/n would indicate end of 1967/ start of 1968 ?

M28 prices seem to be all over the place. What range would be lower end of refinished Shooters?

 

[jdlii]

$400 to $450 in my estimation. Anything with the S&W logo on it goes for crazy money on local web sites and if there is a box with it, be prepared to have a co-signer nearby.

 

[Laketime]

Under the circumstances I would think $600.00 would be fine.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Under the circumstances I would think $600.00 would be fine.

you describe a "well used" 'shooter grade" gun you're buying from your friends widow.....

$600 seem fair..... about what I'd expect to find/buy one for in a LGS in this market

 

[CapnB]

I wouldn't pay my friend's widow, any widow, less than $600 for a functionally sound 28 in reasonably good condition. Under the circumstances you describe (yours, his, now yours again) it would then become priceless.
Doug

 

[lamarw]

This past June, I purchased one in perfect condition at auction for $608 plus 10% sales tax.

I think the $400 estimate is a good value point. Where else is she going to get this amount for it other than you? I doubt even you would be able to resell it for $600. Just my opinion.

 

[oysterer]

that's too high, refinished shooter is $400 in my mind.

 

[Camster]

I think that 500 is fair for everyone involved."Simple" is worth something to both parties.Virtually any N frame is a $500 gun in my book-they're just a good,big ole hunk of shootin' iron.
Beyond that, takes it into the realm of store or online prices,and you were not in the retail market for a shooter grade 28,were you? nor taking on the chore of selling it online for her, hopefully for more money after fees,etc.
If you later had to sell it to a shop yourself, you wouldn't be in bad shape.

 

[Babysitr]

lamarw got a heck of a buy on that one!.. Refinished, shooter. without the sentimental value, probably $500 or less. My 4" purchased last year, with targets,no box, 95%....$640 total

 

[Charlie Foxtrott]

Well used....

And refinished to boot. Four bills tops. Four and a half if you want to be nice.

 

[22hipower]

As to your serial number question, I bought S281XXX yesterday which I believe is 1966/67. It is also a four inch in good condition with minor edge blue wear and some usage marks, no box/papers, and paid $600. I think S serial numbers stopped about S330000 in 1968 or so. As described, well worn with refinish, I think as others have said, $400-$450 would be about right. Good luck.

Jeff
SWCA #1457

 

[MichiganScott]

Being that you would be buying it from a friend's widow, I'd personally tack on $100 more than I'd pay in a gun store.

 

[Camster]

Being that you would be buying it from a friend's widow, I'd personally tack on $100 more than I'd pay in a gun store.

Another viewpoint is to value it as the deceased friend would,if he was selling it back to his friend. The widow should get a fair price.The thought that she got something extra for it,will never enter her mind(and neither should it-that takes it into a more of a charity case scenario which no one wants to be considered).That said,non monetary help and favors would also be freely dispensed from my being.

 

[steelslaver]

Would someone please tell me where they are finding adjustable sight N frames in good working order for under $500. I would get a couple.

 

[BAM-BAM]

Would someone please tell me where they are finding adjustable sight N frames in good working order for under $500. I would get a couple.

Ditto and I'm not even a N-frame fan.

FWIW I would not want someone to tell the widow of a friend that the gun I paid her $450 for sell for +$600 in the LGS. You can rationalize $400-450 all you want, in all probability she will always think you took advantage of her.

A few years back; had a older gentleman (I didn't know) walk into a LGS and ask the Gunsmith to do a consignment ..... he said he wanted to get "$400 out of his 1947 K-22 Masterpiece"......I told him I'd be willing to do that as I wanted one for one of boys; down the road........later found out he was dieing of cancer and was selling guns to raise money to tide his wife over. Mailed him an additional check ........ . I still got a fair deal......and slept a little better!

 

[Charlie Foxtrott]

You do not see them everyday.

Would someone please tell me where they are finding adjustable sight N frames in good working order for under $500. I would get a couple.

But they show up from time to time. Just bring money because they do not last long. This works for South Western VA anyway.

 

[Laketime]

Another viewpoint is to value it as the deceased friend would,if he was selling it back to his friend. The widow should get a fair price.The thought that she got something extra for it,will never enter her mind(and neither should it-that takes it into a more of a charity case scenario which no one wants to be considered).That said,non monetary help and favors would also be freely dispensed from my being.

Sometimes it is good to do the right and moral thing even if no one is around to witness it.

 

[dcopper]

What Laketime said, it's called INTEGRITY!

 

[Camster]

Sometimes it is good to do the right and moral thing even if no one is around to witness it.

Pay her a fair price for the gun and openly give her some extra bucks as a gift.It doesn't have to be a private matter within the gun purchase.
Most folks in my world would prefer help in another than monetary ways however.Giving of yourself is more important than things or money in quite a few situations,but things and money are often the easiest for some to do.

 

[PALADIN85020]

What is breakdown by dashnumber for year ?
What s/n would indicate end of 1967/ start of 1968 ?

In early 1967, I purchased a 28-2 6". Serial was S2859xx.
In early 1968, I purchased a 28-2 4" for my dad. Serial was S3053xx.

Hope this helps.

John