Just bought this box from a forum member and I thank him for that.
Wanted a box for my #S-98X,XXX 6" M&P and this box is numbered, S-820063. I was told that this maroon box was too early for my M&P. SO, does anyone have a documented gun in that range that I can get a shipping date on? The box is real nice and I would like to buy a revolver for it. Thanks, Big Larry

Almost certainly shipped in April, 1946. All the examples I have listed near that serial number shipped that month.

The S980000 guns were shipping in February to April, 1948. Those would have shipped in gold boxes.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

I have S-8299XX that was shipped May 1946 in an original maroon box.
Mike

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Mike
S&WCA #2470

First time I have seen someone wanting to buy a gun to match a box rather than vice-versa.

I have a red box for a 32 hand ejector blued, 2 inch with serial no 521768.

I'm looking for a revolver to go with that box.

This box deserves a nice gun. Should not be too hard to find one now that I know what to look for. Thanks all. Big Larry

JP@AK, I have a 6" M&P S/N S 819469 that shipped on 6/5/46 so I assume that it came in a maroon box like larryofcc's.

I also have a 5" M&P, serial # S 850308 that shipped on 11/20/46. S&W must have been cranking out M&P's at a pretty good rate at that time filling pent up, post WWII demand orders.

My 5" M&P came in a correctly marked gold box with the serial number matching the gun faintly visible on the bottom. Were they using gold boxes by November 1946 or did a previous owner add the box and S/N ?

I once owned another 5" M&P, serial # S 858275 that came to me in a correctly labeled maroon box but I couldn't read the S/N on the bottom. I never lettered it, was it too late for a maroon box ?

You must be a newcomer to the forum!

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John. SWCA #1586

Mike, would you please PM the full serial to me? I believe I have that one in the database and I show June, 1946, as the ship date. When I last saw it it was wearing service stocks from the 1930s. Is the box you have with it numbered to the gun? I find no reference to the box in my notes.

Thanks.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

It is a near certainty. I have not found gold boxes that early.

They were indeed "cranking them out" at a high rate of speed, and shipping them just as fast, it seems.

Keep in mind they did not start full production of the target sight K frames (with the K-22) until early 1947 (K-38 shipments started in February, 1948). During the first year after the war, the heavy emphasis was on production of the M&P.

Very likely original. We see the gold boxes first showing up in August, at least by serial range S834xxx.

No. That is not too high a number for there to have still been some maroon boxes hanging around. It would be the highest serial number I've located so far, but I have found them in the S851xxx range and those revolvers shipped in November, 1946. I see guns in the S859xxx and S860xxx range leaving the factory in December. So it is entirly conceivable that yours could have had a maroon box. The supply was probably getting very low by that point and gold boxes clearly had become the norm.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

# 521768 is from late 1948. Is it labeled for a .32 Hand Ejector (round butt stocks) or .32 Regulation Police (round grip frame with rebated back strap and sq butt extension stocks)?

Either way you need to look for a Post war Transitional I Frame with leaf mainspring, 1/2 Rd front sight, and 6 screw frame.

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Jim
S&WCA #819