Fun at S&W Day

[Nframe_is_no1]

A local haunt was having a S&W day event today, so I went over to have a look. After looking at lots of lightweight J-frame .38s and polymer bottom-feeders, I spied a lonely, holster-worn model 15 all by itself. Most likely a police trade-in of some sort, it was wearing factory football targets and turned out to be a 15-3. Despite the holster wear, I thought it was a good deal at $199 OTD, so I grabbed it up. While I was inspecting the 15 prior to starting the paper work, a gentleman walked in with a plastic bag under his arm. He pulls out a rather large blue two-piece Bangor-Punta era metal-cornered box that immediately caught my attention. Inside was a like-new model 28 that he proceeded to trade-in on an autoloader of some type. The 28 was a 28-2 and was like new in its original box with the papers, warranty card and unopened S&W brown wax paper. The gun wore its original magna stocks. I asked the salesperson if it was for sale and he said they would have to price it. After spending some time waiting for my papers to be called in to NICS, I fought my way back through the crowd and asked again about the price and struck at deal for $425 +tax. That 28 never had a chance to make it into the case! Upon getting it home, I found that the 28 actually had dust around the thumbpiece and creaked when opened it was so tight! The cylinder showed very faint flash marks. Maybe it was test fired with 6 rounds and then put away and forgotten. I know I paid up a little for it, but I figured that even though the model 28 is certainly not rare, the number that have survived in this kind of condition is certainly not large and I have seen 28s priced past $500 lately. Best of all, the serial number of the 28 is N510xxx, dating it to 1978 according to SCSW, making it a birth year gun for me! The 15 is # 1K54xxx, dating it to 1971. The 15 turned out to be a real tack-driver, sending 18 rounds of 158gr LSWC +P into a group of about 1.5" at 25 yards! It may not look perfect, but it sure shoots good! I will shoot the 28 next week. I guess sometimes you just have to be in the right place at the right time! Here's some pics:
The 15-3:

The 28 (dressed up with some targets from my wood pile, as the magnas are way too small for me. They will reside in the box):

The box:

 

[peyton]

Quick tell us if you stopped at the gas and go and bought lottery tickets, you luck was hot!! You did a fine days worth of spending greenbacks.

 

[Flint Ridge]

They probably gave the guy $250 in trade for it. Looks great.

 

[murphydog]

Looks as though on this day the Nframe was no2 .

You did just fine on the price for the model 28. Enjoy!

 

[Jebus35745]

WOW, you had a great day. You have two very nice guns especially the 28. Let us know how the 28 shoots, Larry

 

[Vulcan Bob]

A good day indeed! Kudo's on buying the 28 too, you know if you had not grabbed it, it would not have been there when you went back.

 

[Nightowl]

Well done! My local gun shop that usually has some decent prices had a 28-2 last weekend, no box or papers, it obviously had an action job and the cyhlinder stop displayed too much movement---get this $675!! I passed, but he said he had two people wanting to look at it. I passed on a 27-2 in presentation box the week before for $100 less.

 

[Nframe_is_no1]

Vulcan Bob,
You are right. I was thinking the same thing! That would not have been there at the end of the show!

Thanks for all the kind words so far! I replaced the pictures of the 15 with ones that had a little better focus.

 

[Reddog]

I gave $695 for a new, without box, 28-2 two weeks ago!