S&W Model 28-2 Pricing

D

David1958

New member
I saw a great looking HighwayPatrolman M28 for sale in a pawn shop. I'd say it's about @ 95% revolver/Fine to Exc cond. However, the asking price is $ 459.00! I know that I can negotiate it down somewhat, but Blue Book is only @ $ 210.00. My recent experiences locally is that used blued S&W's cannot be had for under $ 300.00,Except for some M10's. What is realistic pricing in this situation? My gut says it'll end up around $ 350.00 and they won't go any lower. Any thoughts on this? I have noticed that the 28's are harder to find than even the 19's. Thanks. :confused:
 
there isn't any M-28 made worth that kind of money. it is a nice revolver but even for $350 they would keep it. maybe $250 to $275 but not much more
 
The problem with most pawn shops...

is that they don't really know much about guns and prices. They usually have some idea; some are much better than others. Pawn shops usually price items for what they paid for the item; sometimes it's a lot, sometimes it's cheap.

I just bought a nickle M27 here in PDSR California (where rents are higher) for $350 plus tax and dealer prep and such. That 28 is priced way too high.

But talk nice to the man. Offer him a genuine cash offer of what you think it's worth. Then go back next month and see if it's still there. Talk to him again. And keep looking. I have found some real prizes in pawn shops. Not knowing what they have works both ways.
 
The problem with Fjestad's Blue Book is that they're totally out to lunch on S&W revolver pricing. I'll buy every 95% 28-2 you can find at $210, since I could easily turn a quick $90-$100/gun profit.

Fjestad's says a nickelled Bodyguard Airweight in 98% is worth $275. On what planet? I paid almost $100 more for mine, and have two local Smith buffs still pester me at gun shows because I beat them to the gun store by a matter of hours.

As the supply of nice Model 27's has started to dry up, disappearing into various collector's safes, the price of Model 28's has gradually risen to levels that would have seemed silly a few years ago. (...and you just try and find a 95% 3.5" 27-2 for $300 like Fjestad's says you can! :rolleyes: ) So, yeah, $459 is a loonie tune price, but those who say they wouldn't go over $250-$275 may as well sit around pining for $0.35/gal gasoline while they're at it. ;)
 
Eh, those Blue Books and their pricing, that's a whole other thread! Mine's just used for production date reference and such. Seems more sensible to just use Gun List as a running price guide, along with observation at decent sized gun shows.
Well Tamara, hope the vendors up this way don't read this thread, since they haven't jacked up the Model 28 prices that much....yet. Sh-h-h, be vewwy quiet, I'm going to the Ohio Gun Collector's Ass'n show this weekend, huntin' wevolvews.. :D
 
I bought a 98(+) per center S&W model 28-2 out of Illinois in the fall
of 2000 for $270.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
I bought a 98% + 28-2 last fall, with box for $300 and thought I got a steal. Well I did buy that H&K P7 at the same time so I guess they cut me a break.
 
S&W M28 Pricing

Thanks to all for your comments and guidance here. The M28-2 is a 98% revolver. Exc. finish (for an M28 :) ) and good lock-up. Offered $ 275.00.
Counterman made pained face and went and looked it up. Said he could do $325.00 tops. I offered $300.00 cash. He said he couldn't do it. Smiled and thanked him for his time and left the store briefly. Thought about it in the truck......really wanted the gun. Asked if he would throw in a case for the $325.00. No case to be found. Went and looked it up again. Said he could do $ 300.00. SOLD to the man with the cash. I think that it was win-win. He moved the revolver and I feel that it was a decent/fair deal. In the end that's all that realy matters. No shipping or FFL charges either. Ran a box of .38's and .357's through it immediately @ the range. Dead on. Great revolver. Sometimes Blue Book is not the Bible of transactions. Asking price was really $ 459.00. But, hey, there's folks that have paid the sticker price for cars, too. Buyer beware and make your best deal.
 
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S&W M28 Pricing

I've bought 2 revolvers @ Money Man Pawn. There are a number of them throughout Metro Charleston and surrounding areas. I don't know about the smaller indies as I have not gone into them. I need to stay out of them for a while, though! Good luck.
 
Tamera is dead on. The Blue Book is way off on S&W revolver prices. S&Ws have made a big jump in the last couple of years. The main reason being that serious shooters want the older guns rather than the new production stuff. Some of the nicer used Smiths are actually selling for more than the brand new ones. :eek:
Model 28s in particular are commanding premium prices as shooters are rediscovering the N-frame .357. $300 was a steal for that gun. In my area I could easily get $375 - $400 for it.
Right now good used Smiths are a sellers market and they will only go higher.
 
Ala Dan,

I bought a 98(+) per center S&W model 28-2 out of Illinois in the fall of 2000 for $270.
Click to expand...

That's four years ago. Older blued P&R Smiths have been climbing ballistically in price in these last four years. I bought a 98%+ '48 M&P in the factory box a year and a half ago for $275, but I wouldn't tell people that that's the normal price they should expect to pay for that gun in that shape; I stole it and I know it.

Prices seem to have briefly levelled off, and even dropped somewhat for more common models (this past weekend was the first gun show I've attended in three years where one could count the number of P&R blued Smiths with <$300 price tags in any condition on more than the fingers of one hand, and even at that they were mostly dirt-common M&P's and Chief's Specials.) However, those folks looking for sub-$300 N-frames in this, the two thousand and fourth Year of Our Lord, had best have the patience of Job. ;)
 
S&W M28 Pricing

All that having been said, I think I did alright on my M28 for $ 300.00 even. Glad I didn't wait. Probably would've been gone by next time I went to look. So now I'm all done buying revolvers....... :rolleyes: :rolleyes: Thanks again to all who offered feedback.
 
I paid $285 for this one about 4 years ago.

28_2l.jpg


However... all the gun shows I've been to in the last year, the model 28's had asking prices between $400 and $450. Maybe prices are bumping up?!?

Joe
 
California Premium

For all you CA TFLers - Due to the restrictive "Not Unsafe" (Demo Dufus Speak) handgun list, almost all older and venerable revos, both Smiths and Colts, are in short supply because they can only be purchased in a private party transfer (PPT) or consignment sale (treated under CA law like a PPT). In the PPT both parties must be present at the point of transaction to fill out their respective piles of paperwork. The unlisted handguns may not be "imported" into CA from out of state nor sold in state from dealer inventory either. Therefore, Fjestad's Blue Book is totally out of whack when it comes to this state. There is here now what I would term the "California Premium" for all of the desirable Smiths and Colts unlisted. Especially P&R "-2" Smith "N" frames. I used to think I could put a percentage on it like 15% or 20%. Not now. The price is what ever the market will bear. I recently offered a TFLer here $425 for his Model 27-2 with 6" bbl (95-98% condition, no box or papers). He held out for more and got it!
 
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