there is already some threads here about this model but i would like to start a new one for help on my particular situation.
it is my friends gun , not mine . story .... his father was a collector of sorts and left him with only 3 guns after selling off most of his collection in prior years ....2 of which were "cheapies he has already sold in the under $50 range . BUT the third is a 28-2 hp with a holster .

i have the gun locked in my safe , i have cleaned the gun for him as a favor for a being a long time friend.
now ... about the gun details :
it is a 4" case hardened trigger & hammer , beautiful original grips w/s&w logo. ( no red ramp & no white outline sights ) it does have the pinned barrel & recessed cylinders
AND it is in the brushed nickel finish ... i believe to be factory original also
serial # 2828xx
gun has been shot sparingly in my own opinion has a sweet single & double action pull
all the nickle finish is intact with absolutely no peeling or pitting however it does have a minute amount of light discoloration in a couple of places , again i would say pretty minor .
my own rating : mechanicly 98% finish & appearance 90-95%
has a nice heavy leather holster , stamped on back " george lawrence co. portland or. in excellent condition
he has already been offered $500 from a local gun buyer but from what i am reading here it could be worth a good deal more , with the nickel finish being a rare bird
any help pricing and comments welcome.
thanks rock

Post some pictures, that might help folks on the % condition which would really make the value judgment easier.

If I were you I'd buy it from him. Otherwise sell here or go GB with a ton of quality pictures.

There is a 99% chance it is not factory nickel. Look at the grip frame with grips removed and back of cylinder for N marking. Good luck. If it's a blue gun that has been nickel plated, probably a $400 gun.

__________________
Living a dream - S&WCA #2364

The Standard Catalog of S&W lists the serial number range for the the 5 inch Flordia Sate Police and they were marked "F.H.P). The only listing for the brushed nickel was 5 reportly sold to Adolph Black Inc. These are incredibly rare and the and the only other way to get one would have been a custom order from S&W and only a $50 letter letter from them would tell you if it left the factory that way.

My guess it was redone at some point but it might be worth $50 to find out because if it's a factory original via a custom order it would be worth a lot more then $500

but so far the verdict is not in .
according to "doc" a poster on the 2nd page of this section of the forum , the serial # i gave IS with in the range of factory nickel guns

i could be wrong but it does look original , knowing it is hard to tell for sure.

havent b 4 posted any pics so i am green on know how .
i am done with the gun so it goes back to my friend tommarrow

Send me the pictures and I will post them for you.

It is possible the gun is legit. But also very possible somebody refinished one in the right range of serial numbers - intentional - who knows as fyimo indicated only a letter would sort it out. Pictures would help determine if it was worth going for the letter. If your buddy lettered it as nickel - well then you would have a lot of new "friends".

As I recall there were something like 54 nickel HPs.

What are the odds? Buy a lottery ticket while you're at it. If the gun proves correct you should win a million bucks, too, as you are having one very lucky day.

__________________
No life story has happy end.

That would be close if you counted the bright nickel Florida order with the satin finish 5 that was ordered by Adolph Black Inc.

thanks again to all .
probably wont have time for the pics , sorry .
i can say this ..... when he took it to a retired police officer who has a gun business of sorts , he mostly just buys guns and once in a great while does sell something , he was offered $500 pretty quick by this guy . i asked my friend if he first check into a book or manual BEFORE he made the offer and indeed he did .
i believe there is someone in this local area who can appraise this gun in question and that is what i will recommend to him .
from what he remembered about his father and what little he has told me , his dad did build a collection and more than likely simply cash and carried guns .... you know , the way a lot of old times or older generation folks did it . he had doesent know for certain if his father would have had a gun refinished but it seems pretty unlikely he would have went to the extra trouble .

if it helps any ,when i cleaned the gun i removed the grips and the grip frame has a dull nickel finish to it . the markings on the frame were : a B with a circle around it , A1 A11 & A18 , 81714 , an X enclosed in a sort of triangular shape & the serial # n2828xx stamped very clearly on the bottom of the frame .
thanks again