28-2 values?? General Values.. online

[Model29-26.5]

Recently saw this one up for $1099
Am I missing something?
I have three nice shooters and never bid more than $800.
Two aren't "Perfect" perfect but one looked unused but for the import marks.
I'm a newbie, but I would assume that a dealer would know that no one is going to buy this for this price.
Especially when there are so many out there in much better condition for way less.
What am I missing??
I figured these guys must know a lot more than I do about it, I'm not understanding this.
This is not the first time I have seen stuff like this either.
Items will sit for months on GunBroker at grossly exaggerated prices. It's like the dealer has not looked at any of the other items on the site and seen that other identical items in exactly the same condition are going for maybe a little more than half of what they are asking.
I don't get it.
Thanks

 

[boykinlp]

Recently saw this one up for $1099
Am I missing something?
I have three nice shooters and never bid more than $800.
Two aren't "Perfect" perfect but one looked unused but for the import marks.
I'm a newbie, but I would assume that a dealer would know that no one is going to buy this for this price.
Especially when there are so many out there in much better condition for way less.
What am I missing??
I figured these guys must know a lot more than I do about it, I'm not understanding this.
This is not the first time I have seen stuff like this either.
Items will sit for months on GunBroker at grossly exaggerated prices. It's like the dealer has not looked at any of the other items on the site and seen that other identical items in exactly the same condition are going for maybe a little more than half of what they are asking.
I don't get it.
Thanks

Some people are definitely crazy and confused. I have actually seen sellers that have a gun for sale for months without selling, and in their infinite wisdom, decide the reason for it not selling must be the price they are asking. So…….they RAISE the asking price!! I guess they think if they ask more, then it MUST be worth more!
Larry

 

[moralem]

It's what happens as you get old……you remember things as they were once priced back in the day…..I have two 28s and I bought them back in the day for no more than 500 dollars. How dare people ask ridiculous prices for these now in 2025…..I bought those things in the previous century and thought I was paying way too much. Time and money have a way of marching on, usually leaving us old timers behind.

 

[Model29-26.5]

It's what happens as you get old……you remember things as they were once priced back in the day…..I have two 28s and I bought them back in the day for no more than 500 dollars. How dare people ask ridiculous prices for these now in 2025…..I bought those things in the previous century and thought I was paying way too much. Time and money have a way of marching on, usually leaving us old timers behind.

I get wanting what you think it's worth, but it doesn't take much to see where current values are and how they relate to condition.
I wonder what people are thinking? They can surely see what the market is paying with the click of a button and a couple of weeks watching what they sell for.
I've been on GB obsessively since Jan.
28-2 in perfect condition might fetch $1k tops.
See this top condish 3T
Just a moment...

850 - 900 tops for original parts etc. But they trending lower.

I guess the person doesn't need the $$ and is willing to let it sit for eternity for what they think it's worth.

Lots of examples of this.

 

[stonebuster]

I've seen many revolvers on GB ridiculously priced and relisted many times. I've bought a few special contract guns cheap when a seller didn't know what they had. Look at what the GB guns sold for vs "buy now" asking prices when trying to judge values. Sometimes it's comical the GB starting bids for absolute worn & rusted junk.

 

[stansdds]

Recently saw this one up for $1099
Am I missing something?
I have three nice shooters and never bid more than $800.
Two aren't "Perfect" perfect but one looked unused but for the import marks.
I'm a newbie, but I would assume that a dealer would know that no one is going to buy this for this price.
Especially when there are so many out there in much better condition for way less.
What am I missing??
I figured these guys must know a lot more than I do about it, I'm not understanding this.
This is not the first time I have seen stuff like this either.
Items will sit for months on GunBroker at grossly exaggerated prices. It's like the dealer has not looked at any of the other items on the site and seen that other identical items in exactly the same condition are going for maybe a little more than half of what they are asking.
I don't get it.
Thanks

That is a $1100 Model 28 only if you are desperate to own one. Based on the pics, I'm thinking it's more of a $600 example.

 

[murphydog]

The "free market", such as it exists, presumes a willing buyer and seller.

Someone new to the gun world, and perhaps having a lot of money available, may just jump at the first model (fill in the blank) they see online. If you look at a lot of auctions, common, high condition guns that go for very high prices tend to be bought by new-ish bidders. The "gotta-have-it" fever strikes.

 

[Hawg Rider]

If you've been on Gunbroker "obsessively", then you know that many auctions time out without a sale. That's usually due to an asking price that most buyers find laughable. I have taken advantage of that situation on a few occasions...I will contact the seller via PM, and tell him that I will make him an offer before he relists the gun on GB. If he agrees, I try to make a fair offer with an explanation of why. I have been successful each and every time.

 

[Model29-26.5]

If you've been on Gunbroker "obsessively", then you know that many auctions time out without a sale. That's usually due to an asking price that most buyers find laughable. I have taken advantage of that situation on a few occasions...I will contact the seller via PM, and tell him that I will make him an offer before he relists the gun on GB. If he agrees, I try to make a fair offer with an explanation of why. I have been successful each and every time.

Yes. I've done the same.

 

[Bloodhound]

I had 6" & 4" M-28 15 years ago...got them both for less than $300 each. I then got the "S" fever and sold both guns and bought "S" era guns 6" & 4". Again both were under $300 each. Then I found another "something I can't live without and I sold both M-28s thinking that I could get more later...then the prices started to climb and climb and...

This Summer I decided I needed to get serious and get a couple of "S" M-28s to keep and enjoy, before they got out of my reach price-wise. I set my "All In" price at $600 each. I forgot shipping and FFL fees have also gone up...I did find solid guns, but they are not pristine, but no pits and no major finish loss and I was able to keep them under $620...but it took some risk on my end and lots and lots of looking.

I saw lots of examples on the auction sites and in stores with crazy pricing...I'll bet I looked at over 100 M-28s...the sellers seemed to think they were solid gold under that matt finish bluing.

 

[A10]

I've seen pristine in the box 28s go for well north of a grand. I've seen beat up guns sell for 400. Condition is everything I guess. Well, that and the quality of whiskey you are drinking while cruising GB!

DON'T DRINK AND SHOP!!!

 

[Trooper Joe]

A closer look at the front sight on this HP looks like it did indeed did not come from the factory. It looks like some kind of aftermarket application.



Also, it is hard to believe that this HP was reblued. Some parts of the frame have a parkerized look to them (trigger guard, rear grip area, and under the barrel). The side areas look like a nice semi-polish that may be original, especially when you look closely at the roll marks and lettering on the frame.






Thanks for your input team.

Trooper Joe

 

[tx_oil]

Like any auction, there are (SOME) sellers who see an unrealistic high price realized, and immediately in their mind, that becomes the new threshold for pricing of their own items. An item is only worth what the buyer and seller both agree upon.

 

[Retired W4]

Recently saw this one up for $1099
Am I missing something?
I have three nice shooters and never bid more than $800.
Two aren't "Perfect" perfect but one looked unused but for the import marks.
I'm a newbie, but I would assume that a dealer would know that no one is going to buy this for this price.
Especially when there are so many out there in much better condition for way less.
What am I missing??
I figured these guys must know a lot more than I do about it, I'm not understanding this.
This is not the first time I have seen stuff like this either.
Items will sit for months on GunBroker at grossly exaggerated prices. It's like the dealer has not looked at any of the other items on the site and seen that other identical items in exactly the same condition are going for maybe a little more than half of what they are asking.
I don't get it.
Thanks

I would not give that gun a second look no matter the price unless I held it in hand and it operated like a brand new gun, which I doubt that one would.

 

[LVSteve]

That is a $1100 Model 28 only if you are desperate to own one. Based on the pics, I'm thinking it's more of a $600 example.

I'd call it a $300 gun, myself. I don't care that it's a Model 28.

 

[hkcavalier]

This is why I now avoid free relist gun auction sites. They get cluttered with the overpriced stuff and it's difficult to find the gems. I get my guns from local listings or online one-offs, usually estate or police auctions. Nothing quite like the thrill of a mismarked valuable gun or the lazy auctioneer marking everything as "S&W revolver" for one like us to delve into and explore.

 

[LostintheOzone]

You can find them in lightly used (good) condition for $850 on the internet. Why pay more?

I don't consider a 28-2 to be collectable yet, but they're heading in that direction pretty fast. I purchased a 28-2 and a 31-1 a few years ago for that reason.

I didn't buy them to be held as investments as some collectors might. I bought them to shoot before the prices got stupid.

I paid too much for this one, I thought, until I cleaned it up. $850 with box, docs and tools. GB 2023.

 

[K-22]

Hmmmmmm, The first Mod 28 I bought was $90 out the door.
But then that was through the Sheriffs office in 1972.

 

[dickydalton]

I paid $750 for an almost new one 3 years ago and am not sorry.

 

[Model29-26.5]

I paid $750 for an almost new one 3 years ago and am not sorry.

That's a decent deal

 

[ken158]

Value is established when something sells, not what the asking price is…

 

[charlie sherrill]

I also bought the $90.00 HP in the early 70's. A lot were sold to departments but not so many to the general public. Prices stayed fairly low for a long time because most folks wanted the prettier mod 27 even though mechanically they are about the same. I also bought one ANIB from a "walk around" at a gun show about 15 years ago for $250.00. Two years ago I found one in a shop. The owner said it was on GB and if I wanted it I could bid on it. He did not know he had listed it where no one could find it so I was the only bidder and got it for his original listing price of $500.00. No FFL or shipping fees either because I picked it up at his shop. It's a four screw 4" with "S" serial prefix. Someone did some nice work on it by installing a white front sight insert, .400 smooth trigger, and a very smooth action job. The work appears to be professional. I'm going to shoot it again today with my grand son.

 

[series guy]

That gun looks like original finish to me. The "edges" were a bead blast finish from the factory.

 

[wgg]

I bought a 4" model 28 yesterday. I gave $800.00 for it, no box or paperwork. I was happy to get it. Nothing like a 4" n frame.

 

[Bill Bates]

It appears the 28-2 in the original post is wearing a set of coke bottle grips. If it is then the price might be a tad high but not crazy high and someone might buy it just for the grips.

 

[boykinlp]

It appears the 28-2 in the original post is wearing a set of coke bottle grips. If it is then the price might be a tad high but not crazy high and someone might buy it just for the grips.

I may be wrong, but I don't believe that those are "Coke" grips.
Larry

 

[Bill Bates]

You're right...just standard targets. I should have caught no diamond. For sure the price is near double for the condition.

 

[Tmnguuyen]

Prices are regional. Here in CA there is a premium one must incur. you can't get that in your hands if you were to pay extra. A single action only conversion must be done to get it shipped into the state. i've paid $1200 OTD for a 4" S prefix with box and papers 6 years ago. I know, I know i paid too much.... But, i was at the beginning of my HP addiction then. I still have the gun but since then i got a few more locally via private party at more reasonable prices but not in the $700s. I also sold a pristine 4" with target stock, no extra for $1,100. The buyer was ecstatic to get it.

 

[pantannojack]

That looks like some organic engraving, nicely balanced.

 

[BC38]

Well, FWIW, I bought this 4" - which I consider more desirable than the 6" - with a much better finish, AND (as it turned out) it had police provenance - it was a King County Sheriff's gun.
I paid $420 for it seven years ago. It needed the rear sight blade replaced, but that was all and it was a pretty simple fix.
Comparing it to the $1100 example in the first post of this thread, I can't see where there it is worth 2-1/2 times what I paid, even with the passing of 7 years.
I think the seller is being unrealistically "optimistic" in his pricing.