Best Police Trade-In Guns (2026): Duty Guns for Less

The best police trade-in guns of 2026 are still one of the smartest ways to stretch a gun budget. When an agency upgrades, its old duty guns go back through distributors and onto dealer shelves, often for a fraction of what a new gun costs. Some carry a department roll mark that adds a little history. Most were carried a lot and shot a little, because plenty of officers only fire their issued gun at qualification.

That is the core of the deal. A trade-in may look worn on the outside, with holster wear, scratches, and a scuffed finish, but the parts that matter are usually in decent shape. You give up cosmetics and get a proven, reliable firearm built to a duty standard for the price of a budget gun. Our writers have shot, carried, and written about every category below, from .40 caliber Glocks to Model 64 revolvers to Remington 870 Police Magnums.

This is a refresh of our 2025 list, which covered five trade-ins. We kept those five, updated the buying advice, and added the Ruger P89 and the police M1 Carbine. Prices are what our writers saw at the time of their original articles, so treat them as ballpark figures. The used market moves with supply, and when a big agency dumps a batch of guns, prices drop fast. Check current listings on GunsAmerica before you buy.

If you are new to buying used, read our guide to buying second-hand handguns first. It walks through the inspection basics that matter even more with a gun that rode in a duty holster for years. Then start with the buyer’s guide below.

Buyer’s Guide: How To Choose The Best Police Trade-In Guns In 2026

Police trade-ins are not all the same. Some are excellent values, some are tired guns with a cool roll mark, and the difference comes down to inspection, caliber, and what you plan to do with the gun.

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Inspect Like A Skeptic

Look past the finish. Check the bore and chamber for pitting, the frame and slide for cracks, and the muzzle crown for damage. On revolvers, check timing, end shake, and cylinder gap. On pistols, check the slide-to-frame fit and look at the locking surfaces. Holster wear is cosmetic. Cracks, bulges, and heavy pitting are not. Our used handgun buying guide covers the full checklist.

Plan On Springs And Night Sights

Budget for a refresh. Recoil springs, magazine springs, and tired night sights are the most common items to replace on a trade-in pistol. Tritium loses brightness with age, so a gun from the 2000s may have dim sights. Most of these guns have huge parts support, which makes this cheap and easy.

Caliber Drives Price

The law enforcement move from .40 S&W to 9mm flooded the market with .40 caliber Glocks, and low demand means low prices. Nine millimeter trade-ins cost more because more people want them. If you are fine shooting .40 S&W, you can get a lot of gun for the money. Some Glock owners also swap in a 9mm conversion barrel, though that should be done with quality parts and testing.

Magazines, Holsters, And Parts

Trade-ins often arrive with one magazine or none. Check the price and availability of magazines before you buy. Glock and Remington 870 owners have endless options. Older Smith & Wesson third-generation pistols and the Ruger P89 have fewer accessories, especially holsters, so factor that in if you plan to carry one.

Know What You Are Buying It For

A police trade-in can be a carry gun, a home defense gun, a truck gun, or a collectible. A duty-size revolver or all-steel DA/SA pistol makes a great nightstand gun but a heavy carry gun. For more help choosing a defensive gun, see our best home defense handguns and best first handgun guides.

Buy From A Seller Who Describes Condition

Many trade-ins are graded in lots. Look for listings with real photos and an honest condition description, and ask about the return policy. Department markings, original boxes, and documentation add collector value, but they do not make a worn gun shoot better.

Best Police Trade-In Guns Ranked: 2026 Product Roundup

Glock 22 Gen 3 and Gen 4 Trade-Ins: Best Overall Value (2026)

Police trade-in Glocks are the best overall value on this list. Glock has owned the law enforcement market for decades, and as agencies moved from .40 S&W to 9mm, a wave of Gen 3 and Gen 4 Glock 22s hit dealers. Our 2025 writer said the Glock 22 Gen 4 seemed to be the most common police trade-in of all, at around $300 at the time he wrote it, and our classic carry guns roundup found .40 caliber Glock 22, 23, and 27 trade-ins for less than $400 at the time.

You get Glock reliability, simple maintenance, endless holsters and parts, and a gun that will likely outlast you. Nine millimeter and .45 ACP trade-ins show up too, but they cost more because demand is higher. If you want to tune one, our Glock 22 accuracy upgrade story shows what a match barrel can do. See our classic carry guns roundup for more on used Glocks.

Key Specs

• Caliber: .40 S&W (some 9mm and .45 ACP trade-ins)
• Capacity: 15+1 (Glock 22)
• Barrel: 4.49 in
• Action: Striker-fired
• Generations: Mostly Gen 3 and Gen 4, some Gen 2 and Gen 5
• Price: About $300 to under $400 at the time of our articles

Pros

• Lowest price per pound of reliability
• Huge holster, magazine, and parts support
• Simple to inspect and refresh
• Gen 4 grips are adjustable with backstraps

Cons

• .40 S&W recoils more than 9mm
• Night sights may be dim
• 9mm trade-ins cost more

🛒 Check Current Price for Glock 22 police trade-ins on GunsAmerica

Smith & Wesson Model 64: Best Revolver (2026)

The Smith & Wesson Model 64 is the best police trade-in revolver, and it is still surprisingly easy to find. The 64 is the stainless version of the Model 10, the quintessential American cop gun, and the 64-3 series served in large numbers through the 1980s and 1990s. That means these guns are not ancient, and most are in good mechanical shape.

Read our full Smith & Wesson Model 10 review here.

They are six-shot K-frame .38 Special revolvers with hard rubber grips, a ramp front sight, and a trench rear, usually with a 4-inch barrel, though 3-inch versions turn up regularly. Our 2025 writer put them right around $300 at the time he wrote it, and said it is tough to find something better for less. If you would rather buy new, Smith has brought back the Model 10, and our full review covers how the classic K-frame shoots today. Our S&W M&P K-frame history traces the lineage.

Key Specs

• Caliber: .38 Special
• Capacity: 6
• Barrel: 4 in (3 in variants common)
• Frame: Stainless steel K-frame
• Action: Double/single action
• Sights: Ramp front, trench rear
• Price: About $300 at the time of our 2025 guide

Pros

• Classic K-frame action and reliability
• Stainless steel resists holster wear and rust
• Easy for new revolver shooters
• Plenty of grips and speedloaders

Cons

• Large for concealed carry
• Fixed sights
• Six rounds of .38 Special

🛒 Check Current Price for Smith & Wesson Model 64 on GunsAmerica

Remington 870 Police Magnum: Best Shotgun (2026)

The Remington 870 Police Magnum is the best police trade-in long gun for home defense. For decades, the shotgun was the police long gun, and the 870 was the most common one in the trunk. Trade-in Ithaca 37s are rare and expensive, but 870 Police Magnums are plentiful and affordable.

Read our full Remington 870 Police Magnum review here.

Police models are more than a roll mark. Our full 870P review notes a receiver milled from a solid piece of steel and a Parkerized finish, and our 2025 writer said police models often have metal trigger guards, tighter quality control, and six-round magazine capacity instead of the standard four. They may look rough from years in a cruiser, but after a thorough cleaning, they are sturdy and ready. Once you have one, our best Remington 870 upgrades guide and ultimate home defense 870 build show how to modernize it.

Key Specs

• Gauge: 12 gauge
• Capacity: Often 6 in police models (standard 870 holds 4)
• Action: Pump, dual action bars
• Receiver: Milled steel
• Finish: Parkerized on many police guns
• Price: Varies by condition; check current listings

Pros

• Proven police duty shotgun
• Robust receiver and finish
• Massive aftermarket
• Police roll mark adds history

Cons

• Cruiser wear is common
• Safety and action bar lock placement take practice
• Crude factory sights on many guns

🛒 Check Current Price for Remington 870 Police Magnum on GunsAmerica

Smith & Wesson Third-Generation Pistols: Best All-Metal DA/SA Pistol (2026)

Smith & Wesson third-generation pistols are the best all-metal police trade-in handguns. They were the duty guns that competed with the first generations of Glocks, and they were the last Smith & Wesson automatics built around metal frames and hammer-fired DA/SA actions, with some DAO models in the mix. You will find them in 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and 10mm, in full-size, compact, and subcompact frames.

The three- and four-digit model numbers look confusing until you learn the naming system. Our writer said they are reliable and accurate, but ergonomics vary, the cheaper three-digit models show the price difference, and the .45s can feel giant next to a 1911. Demand keeps prices higher than other trade-ins, around $400 to $600 at the time of our 2025 guide. The TSW models with rails cost more. Our classic carry guns roundup covers the compact 39-series guns too.

Key Specs

• Calibers: 9mm, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, 10mm
• Capacity: Varies by model (single and double stack)
• Frame: Aluminum alloy or stainless steel
• Action: DA/SA (some DAO)
• Sizes: Full-size, compact, subcompact
• Price: About $400 to $600 at the time of our 2025 guide

Pros

• All-metal duty durability
• Wide range of calibers and sizes
• Classic DA/SA manual of arms
• Collector interest is growing

Cons

• Confusing model numbers
• Holsters and magazines are harder to find
• Heavier than polymer pistols

🛒 Check Current Price for Smith & Wesson third-generation pistols on GunsAmerica

Ruger P89: Best Budget DA/SA Pistol (2026)

The Ruger P89 is the best budget police trade-in pistol if you like steel slides and hammers. Our writer summed up Ruger’s P-series as pretty good and pretty cheap. Ruger used investment-cast parts to keep costs down, and that made the P89 several hundred dollars cheaper than competing duty guns in its era. Police in San Diego, Chicago, Wisconsin, and beyond carried P-series pistols.

Read our full Ruger P89 review here.

The P89 is a 9mm DA/SA pistol with a 15-round double-stack magazine, a slide-mounted safety and decocker, a 4.5-inch barrel, and a 32-ounce weight, and it was made until 2009. DAO versions exist too. Our writer found it decently accurate, with mild recoil thanks to its weight, though it is blocky, not optics or light ready, and not a tack driver. He said it is still remarkably affordable.

Key Specs

• Caliber: 9mm
• Capacity: 15+1
• Barrel: 4.5 in
• Overall length: 7.75 in
• Weight: 32 oz
• Action: DA/SA (DAO variants)
• Production: Ended 2009

Pros

• Very affordable on the used market
• Tough cast-steel construction
• 15-round capacity
• Mild recoil for a 9mm

Cons

• Blocky and heavy
• No rail or optic cut
• Accessories are limited

🛒 Check Current Price for Ruger P89 on GunsAmerica

Police Carry-Handle AR-15s: Best Patrol Rifle (2026)

Police trade-in carry-handle AR-15s are the best way to get a quality patrol rifle for less. Flat-top uppers are the modern standard, but agencies bought a lot of carry-handle rifles from Bushmaster, DPMS, and Rock River Arms back when those companies were turning out some of the best ARs on the market. Our 2025 writer said these older police guns represent those companies at their best.

A carry handle looks dated, but mounting an optic on it gives a high, comfortable sight line, and it is easy to add a modern handguard. Our writer said you could get a high-quality, well-made AR for less than $500 at the time he wrote it. Our history of the patrol rifle explains how agencies got here.

Key Specs

• Caliber: 5.56 NATO / .223 Rem
• Capacity: AR-15 magazines
• Upper: Fixed carry handle (A2 style)
• Makers: Bushmaster, DPMS, Rock River Arms and others
• Action: Direct impingement semi-auto
• Price: Less than $500 at the time of our 2025 guide

Pros

• Quality older production ARs
• Takes standard AR parts and magazines
• Easy to upgrade handguards
• Department history

Cons

• Carry handle limits optic options
• May need a parts refresh
• Condition varies widely by agency

🛒 Check Current Price for police trade-in AR-15s on GunsAmerica

Police M1 Carbine: Best Collector Trade-In (2026)

The police M1 Carbine is the best collector pick among police trade-ins. Before the AR took over, some progressive agencies issued M1 Carbines as patrol rifles. Our patrol rifle history notes that the Michigan State Police adopted it, and that police trade-in M1 Carbines pop up every so often.

The appeal is easy to see. The M1 Carbine is light, handy, low recoiling, and magazine fed, and it was easy to store in a cruiser. The .30 Carbine round gave officers more range than a pistol. Today, a department-marked carbine is as much history as it is a shooter, so pay attention to provenance and condition, and expect collector pricing on documented guns.

Key Specs

• Caliber: .30 Carbine
• Capacity: 15- and 30-round magazines
• Barrel: 18 in
• Action: Short-stroke gas piston semi-auto
• Weight: About 5.5 lb
• Price: Collector pricing varies widely; check current listings

Pros

• Light and handy
• Low recoil
• Real law enforcement history
• Strong collector interest

Cons

• Hard to find with documented provenance
• Ammo costs more than 5.56
• Not a modern optic platform

🛒 Check Current Price for police M1 Carbines on GunsAmerica

Final Thoughts On The Best Police Trade-In Guns Of 2026

The best police trade-in for most buyers in 2026 is a Gen 3 or Gen 4 Glock 22. It costs about what a budget pistol does and runs like a Glock. Revolver fans should grab a Smith & Wesson Model 64, home defenders should look for a Remington 870 Police Magnum, and fans of all-metal guns have the Smith & Wesson third-generation pistols and the Ruger P89. Carry-handle ARs are a quality patrol rifle bargain, and a police M1 Carbine is a piece of history you can still shoot.

Inspect every trade-in carefully, replace springs, and test it with your carry ammo before you trust it. If you like old metal guns, read what our writer loves and hates about the SIG Sauer P239, or look at military surplus like the Walther P1. When you are ready to buy, find police trade-ins and used guns on GunsAmerica.com, and if you are trading up, sell your gun online to help pay for the next one. Always clear a used gun before you inspect it. Train hard, shoot straight, and stay dangerous.