I am trying to understand box labels and maybe someone could help me. Let's say I have a 66-1 box label on a blue box. It is a stainless steel 2.5" model, so the box says SS under finish and 2.5 under barrel. Then we have "STOCK" and I can't make out what it says under that. What is "STOCK referring to and what determines what is in this box? Next we have TH & TT. There is nothing in these boxes. What are these boxes in reference to?
In the middle there is a line that has "INS" & "PKR" This box has 49 & 2 in these boxes. What are these two parts of the label in reference to and what does 49 and 2 mean. On the third line I understand the serial # box, but what determines what is in the "FRONT SIGHT"and "WO" slots. This box has RR in the front sight slot and nothing in the WO slot. Help is appreciated. Thanks, Keener

Stock section with an S designates square butt and an R a round butt. If the gun shipped with Target Stocks there will be a T or sometimes an ST in the box.
INS and PKR I think are Inspector and Packer.
RR in the front sight is Red Ramp. W/O is White Outline rear sight.

After finishing my post I see wetdog beat me to the reply button.

I agree with wetdog you can see R or maybe RB (for round butt frame) and S (for square butt frame) in the STOCK box and it could also be marked with a T or TS orST for Target grips/stocks. I've sometimes wondered if a S in the box might have also meant Standard?
RR=red ramp
WO=white outline
TH=Target Hammer (wider than standard and some think more desirable?)
TT=Target Trigger (wider than standard and some think more desirable?)

Pages 170-171 in The Third edition of SCSW are full of abbreviations.
INS and PKR are not listed but I agree with wetdog common sense suggests they stand for Inspector and Packer.
RB or RBG = Round Butt Grip
SB can mean either Square Butt Frame or Black Blade front sight (2004)
SBG = Square Butt Frame

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Scoundrel & Ne'er-Do-Well

This will help with the S in the stock box. I lettered a 28-2 that I bought with Target Stocks which were not original with the gun and I asked about the S in the box. Also have another 28-2 and a 520 that were the same way and have the same statement at the end of the letter.

Thanks to all for the quick info. I guessed at some of the label parts and was correct, but with others I was off or just could not figure it out. I do have the book coming by the way. Thanks again guys! Keener

In regards to the application of labels...some seem to be mounted on the box end so that it is upside down when the box is right side up. I am assuming that this is incorrect, and that maybe the applicator was upside down on that particular day, but don't know that for sure. Keener

They were put on that way so that when they were on display the lid went under the bottom and could be read.

Ahhh, the science of box label reading!

Here's one more thing to look for on blue and gray two-piece cardboard boxes and earlier. On the outside bottom of many boxes you will find the serial number written by hand with a grease pencil. I'm not sure why, but it is quite common.

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I'm gonna grow fins.

IIRC, the labels were put on upside down because,if the box was right side up , and was pulled off of the stack, the bottom of the box, with the gun hit the floor..The boxes were stacked top down, label up....??? Anybody else heard this???
JIM.......................

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SWCA # L-1911

That sounds familiar to me now that you mention it. ETA, I stand corrected. It's only partly for gun shop display. Thanks snake803 for getting my wheels turning.
Label upside down on Bangor Punta boxes

Hope someone can help.... I have Model 49 I bought on GunBroker a while ago. It has a beautiful nickel finish, seller said it was original. But on the box under FIN is lists a "B" which I'm thinking means
blued. Does that mean it was originally blue and nickel plated at the factory, or have I been fooled? Any comments would be appreciated, thank you.

Does the serial number on the box match the gun? If it's an older one, do you have a gray or blue box? Nickel guns used to ship in the gray one.
Next, is the ejector star blued? That's how S&W does it on a factory nickel job. Next, remove the grip panels and look for a capital "N" stamped underneath. If your gun is old enough, an "N" may appear on the cylinder, also.
If you aren't sure about the markings under the grip panel, post some photos of that area. There are quite a few experts here to help pick out what's pertinent and what's not. Some photos of the rest of the gun can help determine if it's a refinish, too.

Thank you for the quick reply. Yes, the serial number on the gun matches the one on the box, and the box is blue. I'm going to try to send some pics, I'm new at this, not sure if it will work......

Think they're attached...

Attached Images

	Model 49...backstrap.jpg (24.4 KB, 85 views)
	Model 49...inside.jpg (76.6 KB, 99 views)
	pix826152202.jpg (67.4 KB, 87 views)
	S&W 49.jpg (69.5 KB, 77 views)

Nice looking 49!
A few more pictures may help the pros here (I'm not one, but do appreciate a nice 49 when I see it). Some shots of the markings will tell us a lot. Also, the end label....
I've got a couple of them and would like to find a nickel one.

JG, that looks just like a 649, the stainless version. If it's not, then it's possibly an aftermarket hard chrome finish, such as Armoloy or Metaloy. Definitely not factory nickel, though.

I agree with this ^. Open the cylinder and see if there's a model number stamped on the frame where the yoke rests when closed. That should tell you at least what it should be-of course we all know sometimes the factory mis-stamped revolvers lol.

I believe the silver boxes went away in the mid/late 70s but don't hold me to that. I had a 1978 66-1 that shipped in a blue box, came with the original box.

Thank you everybody for your opinions. Gun is very clearly stamped as a Model 49, not a 649. I'm attaching a picture of the box label, also. Serial number on box matches the one on the gun. Guess I'll never know for sure. JG

Attached Images

Model 49 Label.jpg (52.9 KB, 66 views)

I agree that it looks like it could be a 649.


That little inventory sticker A25-2405 on the box label is the same size and format as my John Jovino custom guns.


KO

Then I'm going to say it's an aftermarket finish. It sure ain't blued. Still a nice little gun, though! I'd buy one like that - I had several guns Armoloyed back in the late 70s-early 80s. It was kind of a "poor man's stainless" when the real ones were sometimes hard to get.