Value ~1956 Pre Mod 28 Highway Patrolman

kazan182 · Mar 24, 2020

Hello folks,
I am looking to get an est on value on this revolver. It's a 1956 Pre-model 28, five screw, pin and recessed Highway Patrolman in good condition. It has a bit of wear but light in the places where its located. 4" barrel and original grips. Locks up tight and barrel in very nice condition.

Thanks!
Steven

younggun22 · Mar 24, 2020

Do the numbers on the barrel, cylinder, and frame match? It would probably sell at $650. Stocks aren’t correct and there is a fair amount of wear.

They made a lot of them so if you really want one just keep your eyes peeled.

Pine_Worker · Mar 24, 2020

$650 -$700, the grips should be diamond Magnas, but I really like it.

series guy · Mar 24, 2020

I would love to buy it for $450 but in this day and age at least $600.

Narragansett · Mar 24, 2020

It looks like the rear sight has been filed a bit. I would go 500 tops, but need better pics

Muley Gil · Mar 24, 2020

Welcome to the Forum.

Narragansett said:
It looks like the rear sight has been filed a bit. I would go 500 tops, but need better pics

The adjustable rear sight blades tend to get beat up, battered and broken, especially in police service. Automobile door frames seem to attract them.

One of the recommendations was to round the edges, like what was done to the one in question. I did the same thing to my M27 to .44 Special conversion, which was my duty gun for a few years.

schutz5 · Mar 24, 2020

$450.00 shooter grade. The year of manu might motivate someone looking for a birthday gun to plunk down a premium...my 2 cents

Narragansett said:
It looks like the rear sight has been filed a bit. I would go 500 tops, but need better pics

Benton Quest · Mar 24, 2020

Muley Gil said:
Welcome to the Forum.

The adjustable rear sight blades tend to get beat up, battered and broken, especially in police service. Automobile door frames seem to attract them.

One of the recommendations was to round the edges, like what was done to the one in question. I did the same thing to my M27 to .44 Special conversion, which was my duty gun for a few years.

Yep...an old Bill Jordan and Skeeter Skelton move. That just shows the gun has done some things.

Sent from my moto g(6) using Tapatalk

kazan182 · Mar 24, 2020

The letter I got from the S&W Historian mentions the revolver was shipped with "checkered walnut grips." Are these the Diamond grips folks are mentioning?

kazan182 · Mar 24, 2020

younggun22 said:
Do the numbers on the barrel, cylinder, and frame match? It would probably sell at $650. Stocks aren’t correct and there is a fair amount of wear.

They made a lot of them so if you really want one just keep your eyes peeled.

Numbers match. And the S&W historian mentioned the revolver was shipped with "checkered walnut grips." These aren't those?

Bullet Bob · Mar 24, 2020

No, those are later (post-'68-ish) checkered walnut grips. A 50's Highway Patrolman's grips would have a small uncheckered diamond at the grip screw.

Since this gun has seem a bit of use, somebody probably had some type of rubber aftermarket grips installed, and then somebody got the ones on it now to help sell the gun.

daddio202 · Mar 24, 2020

Gun looks like a shooter grade gun to me. Along with the 2 problems already mentioned and noticed (the grips and rear sight) I also picked up on one other issue. If you magnify the first picture you will see that the end of the ejector rod is mangled removing all the knurling on the tip. Looks like somebody held it with pliers or vice grips trying to either tighten it or unscrew it. Its a part that could be replaced but make sure it has either left hand or right hand threads(could be why it is in that condition in the first place?). We say any N frame that is in shootable condition is worth $500 so I would not put value over that. If the op just wants a fun revolver to enjoy shooting then its a good gun for that.

jringo8769 · Mar 24, 2020

Beautiful old honest gun
The correct grips look almost identical but have diamonds where the grip screw is...
These guns are some of my most favorites and I think look best with the target diamond grips too
Thank you for sharing this with us
God Bless,John
Love these early ones

Sent from my SM-S727VL using Tapatalk

Muley Gil · Mar 24, 2020

Can you post a picture of the inside of the right grip? Also, is there a date stamped on the left side of the grip frame, indicating a trip back to Springfield?

Art Doc · Mar 25, 2020

The stocks are incorrect being post 1968 style. Deduct $100-$150 for this. The rear sight looks modified. "Melted" by grinding to a rounded configuration. Not a huge deal but any modification hurts value. Finish makes it "shooter grade" for sure. I would not pay more than$500 tops. And really, I'd be trying to get it for $450.

Here's my first year HP with original stocks. Note the diamond around the screw.

hkcavalier · Mar 25, 2020

But, as alluded to earlier, if it saw actual documented time as a law enforcement sidearm, this can help the value. Obviously the LE organization and the officer in question have everything to do with it. A sidearm of a famous NYPD or LAPD cop will have great provenance over a random deputy of a small rural county in the middle of nowhere. This is really difficult to estimate, value-wise.

boatme99 · Mar 25, 2020

While this one is a bit worn, I think in general you guys are undervaluing HPs.
I was looking last week and good condition pieces are running $800 to $1200.
High end with a box and original stocks, of course.

Hawg Rider · Mar 25, 2020

Still a desirable HP...

The bluing wear around the stocks seems to indicate that it may have been wearing some Target stocks or maybe Pachmayrs for some of its lifetime. The wear on the ejector rod end is probably a result of the owner trying to tighten the rod after it unscrewed during shooting- which may cause the cylinder to bind and not swing out easily. A common problem with HPs. It is an early HP and a 5-screw, which makes it desirable...but in its "fair to good" condition and wearing non-period stocks, I agree it's probably not more than a $500 revolver. Should be a fun shooter!

Art Doc · Mar 25, 2020

boatme99 said:
While this one is a bit worn, I think in general you guys are undervaluing HPs.
I was looking last week and good condition pieces are running $800 to $1200.
High end with a box and original stocks, of course.

A few years ago the HPs were insane, selling for more than the "357s." But I think they have cooled off considerably. And this one is not a collector grade example.

minconrevo · Mar 25, 2020

Possible for a pistolsmith to replace the rear sight blade with a new one. He'll match it in height. The ejector rod has threading the reverse of what's currently being made. Still the rods can be found from used parts sources. Pistolsmith can handle the acquiring/install while doing the rear sight. Would still be a shooter grade pistol but a nicer looking one.

Diamond stocks can be found however you'll never find the exact number stamped set the revolver left the factory wearing.

Value ~1956 Pre Mod 28 Highway Patrolman

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