A puzzling Haenel 28

[ccdjg]

I have been puzzling over this Haenel 28: https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/a...8-a7cc00f5638f and still cannot make my mind up about it. Everything says that it is an amateur customisation, perhaps an attempt to disguise some damaged grips, and yet the steel frame and its forward extension would have taken a lot of skilled work to make it look so original. The crude notches on the frame (was the owner a hit-man and these are his kills?) don't stack up with the quality of the work. What is the general opinion about this? (Not the hit-man theory).

(It reminds me of the extended barrel Haenal 28's, which as far as is known are factory modifications, so there may be some precedent for Haenel being prepared to experiment a little.)

[45flint]

Interesting, I don't see any weld marks on the metal part of the grips? Grips must have been in bad shape and he salvaged the medallions? Why the trouble of the extension?

[Benelli B76]

Looks like an amateur custom job by a previous owner, shortened the grip frame by the look of it, and now not worth its previous value. Pity about the notches, I have never been impressed with the 28, well built but poor performance, I prefer the 26 which at least is a comfortable weight.

Baz

[Lakey]

I have been puzzling over this Haenel 28: https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/a...8-a7cc00f5638f and still cannot make my mind up about it. Everything says that it is an amateur customisation, perhaps an attempt to disguise some damaged grips, and yet the steel frame and its forward extension would have taken a lot of skilled work to make it look so original. The crude notches on the frame (was the owner a hit-man and these are his kills?) don't stack up with the quality of the work. What is the general opinion about this? (Not the hit-man theory).

(It reminds me of the extended barrel Haenal 28's, which as far as is known are factory modifications, so there may be some precedent for Haenel being prepared to experiment a little.)

Yes, I noticed that, and knew at once it wasn't a variation I had seen before. Looks factory done to me, as the protruding metalwork has the same patina as the rest of the grip ( that , and I cant see any join in the metal). It would suit someone with small hands.
If it wasnt factory done, it certainly has been that way for a very long time. Whoever filed the notches in the offside needs shooting, as it has devalued the gun in my opinion. Still a very nice, unusual thing.

Lakey

[trajectory]

A bit of an oddity, would be interesting to see an alternative view to get a look at the front & back starp, just to see if there is any evidence of alterations etc. Or a picture with the side plates off. Side plate screws seem to me to be in contrast with the quality of the rest of the work. The notches are odd too but seem pretty evenly spaced for an ad hoc tally of what ever was being recorded. Only one medallion? Looks like it to me, if it's there its under the lot no. & then the side plates wouldn't be symmetrical, so I think it's just one. Would a factory alteration be symmetrical,to my way of thinking ,yes. Funny toe tang possibly to help prevent the hand slipping during cocking. A shortened grip wouldn't help with the leverage during cocking that's for sure. They aren't that easy to cock at the best of times. Might be wrong, just my initial thoughts.

[JimmieDee]

If you look very carefully just about the protustion of the grip, you can see a join line and the colour of the metal changes very subtly. The grips are far from original I'm sure we all agree. The grain is in the wrong direction and the wood does not appear to be the type normally found on these pistols. The question is, how was this section added as other have said, there is no signs of a weld. Perhaps it has been drilled and tapped and screws fitted somewhere.

[ggggr]

I have been puzzling over this Haenel 28: https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb/a...8-a7cc00f5638f and still cannot make my mind up about it. Everything says that it is an amateur customisation, perhaps an attempt to disguise some damaged grips, and yet the steel frame and its forward extension would have taken a lot of skilled work to make it look so original. The crude notches on the frame (was the owner a hit-man and these are his kills?) don't stack up with the quality of the work. What is the general opinion about this? (Not the hit-man theory).

(It reminds me of the extended barrel Haenal 28's, which as far as is known are factory modifications, so there may be some precedent for Haenel being prepared to experiment a little.)

I have never worked out how you are supposed to cock these properly, but I turn the pistol upside down across my left thigh and push on the frame with my right hand. They are a swine to cock and although well made, not a great design in my opinion.
My thoughts on the pistol shown are that maybe it has been modified for a child or woman with small hands. The extension to the frame would held keep the hand on the grips and my feeling about the notches on the right is that they are there to encourage the shooter to keep the trigger finger on there, fully extended, until the gun has been brought up to eyeline. It is something I tell first time shooters to do, so there are no accidental discharges, while they picking up the basics.

[45flint]

I have never worked out how you are supposed to cock these properly, but I turn the pistol upside down across my left thigh and push on the frame with my right hand. They are a swine to cock and although well made, not a great design in my opinion.
My thoughts on the pistol shown are that maybe it has been modified for a child or woman with small hands. The extension to the frame would held keep the hand on the grips and my feeling about the notches on the right is that they are there to encourage the shooter to keep the trigger finger on there, fully extended, until the gun has been brought up to eyeline. It is something I tell first time shooters to do, so there are no accidental discharges, while they picking up the basics.

I need to UTube how I cock the 28, I find it really not that bad. I have a harder time with the Webley cause of the longer distance of the throw?

[Mark D]

Never done at the factory. Look closely and you can see a fine line on the frame near the foot of the grip and as Jimmie has spotted the patia is a slightly different shade. Home made grips and grip screws. Shouldn't make half the expected estimate in my opinion, however who knows what people are prepared to bid.

[ccdjg]

Yes, I agree and am now fully convinced that it is a non-factory modification. Whoever did it obviously put in quite a bit of effort to make it look the part, so I wonder why he then ruined it by filing those crude notches on the frame? I would put very little value on it now, other than as a curiosity.