K32 gold box

[larryofcc]

Anyone here know if the gold boxes for a standard bbl. K32 are the same as the heavy bbl. K32? Both 5 screw vintage. Thanks, Big Larry

[JSR III]

Larry, try reaching out to George Wimer. He has had several for sale on GB IIRC and may know if there are different ones for different barrels.

[sandwtrader]

All the one's I have, and can remember having, were all identical accept for the serial number on the bottom. Remember there were a lot more boxes produced than the guns and the boxes come up on e-bay etc rather frequently. Dave Ballantyne in Fl is a wealth of info on K32's.

[rburg]

Somebody here tells a story about buying a box car full of the boxes. Maybe its DanT. Or if not, maybe its Ray Brazille. For a while about 15 years ago you could pick them up for $20 each. Then they went to $50, and now about $100.

I had a source up in Eastern Kentucky who was beating the bushes for the guns. Every gun show or two he'd have anohter, and I'd dutifully spring for the $1200 or so he wanted for the guns. Of course I needed a box for each one, so I was the sucker. Then at one show a guy had a small stack of them and wanted $25 each. So I sprung and paid him the asking price of $150 for a half dozen of them. They were obviously the unissued boxes, all still nearly perfect. But it cured me of the disease.

And at the next big show word got around I was a sucker and they boosted the price. Problem was, I had more then enough. So a few vendors were sitting on over priced boxes and couldn't even attract any interest from me. Then one of the guys sold one for $50 or so. Within a few minutes, he had another one up in its place. He kept the same piece of cardboard price tag, too!

By about 2003 or so, any gold box was selling. The price of K22 boxes had blown through $125 and they had become unobtainable.

I'm not sure why the interest in wide/narrow rib boxes. I guess its just an extension of wanting a correct box for a gun. But none of the K32 boxes were correct anyhow, they were the over run. I seriously doubt S&W was even particular about matching narrow to wide rib boxes. They shipped in the box they had. And if they didn't have one, they'd just paste a label over the incorrect one.

[moosedog]

That was Ray Brazille, I bought a three pack of those off him too.

[larryofcc]

How do I contact George Wimer? Thanks, Big Larry

[Frank237]

Larry,

I think he still has one listed on either GunBroker or E Bay. I recall seeing them go for $70 sometimes a bit less within the last year. I bought one for $60 about a year ago...simply to have ,should I EVER find a K-32.

Good Luck.

FN in MT

[larryofcc]

Well, if not for the incompetence of Fedex, I would have my K32 in my hands as we speak. It was due today and I had paid extra for 2nd day air. Some moron put it on the wrong plane. I hope it doesn't get lost. Thanks, Big Larry

[PMRet]

How about boxes for K-22/32/38's equipped with target hammer and/or target stocks? Any gun shipped with either wouldn't fit the standard gold box, would it? Am I correct that these guns were shipped in a special oversized blue box, and that a sticker with the model/caliber and target option(s) was placed on the end?

[larryofcc]

You are correct Sir. They do not fit with target accessories. Someone told me that they were indeed shipped in a bigger blue box. I have one marked for a K38 with target grips and target hammer. No gun to put into it. One of my target K38's came with a target hammer and trigger and standard magna grips. Now, I have a K38 Combat Masterpiece coming next month that is factory fitted with target grips and target hammer and it is in a re marked 6" Masterpiece gold box. So I guess they could get a 4" gun with target grips and hammer into a 6" gold box. WOW !!! What a can of worms. The only K32 box I see listed is on Ebay for $149 starting bid. Its not mint either. Big Larry