When my dad retired in 1975 as a local police officer he was allowed to keep his issued Model 66 (gun only, no box; issued circa 1972.) It was an early gun, serial number 2K55868. Dad passed away in 2002; I have the gun now.
While cruising eBay the other night I spied a pristine Model 66 box from a seller in Billings, Montana, and checked it just out of curiosity. It had a 2K serial number, so I checked my list to see how close it was to dads gun.

It matched! It’s the original box for my Dad’s Model 66.

I was stunned. I messaged the eBay seller, who said he bought 25-30 S&W boxes from a dealer (identity unknown) who said his dad had sold the revolvers years ago and he was clearing out his storage unit.
Needless to say, I bought the box.

What are the odds that this box made it from central North Carolina to a storage building in Montana through two hands and an eBay seller and then to pop up in front of the guy who had THAT gun after 45 years??

(The eBay seller has also sold some other Model 66 boxes in the last six months with serial numbers in close range. My guess is that the dealer’s father in Montana was from my home town here and had some connection with the PD, maybe a retired officer, and thus had the boxes.)

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John

very cool!!!

That is awesome....thank u for sharing....looks like it was meant to be....God Bless,John

Sent from my LGL41C using Tapatalk

Had a similar thing happen. When we got our duty guns we didn't get the boxes. Just the gun. New armored came in and cleaned out the armory. He put all the boxes in the briefing room and told us we could grab one if we wanted it before he threw them out.

I grab a box. Head back to my office. Take a look and it's for my handgun. What're the odds? Not nearly as minute as yours though

John:

That's amazing!! When our department went to the Glock, we were allowed to buy our 66s, and I purchased my 2 1/2" and 4", and already had the boxes from when I had been issued the guns. But I know that most officers didn't care about boxes, and many didn't want them in the first place, and I think they were eventually thrown out by the PD, as taking up valuable storage space. If only I had known, but I was retired, and there were lots of things thrown away, as I learned later, old useless early generation night vision, other "junk" that freed up storage space. I think your guess is probably right on. Anyway, so glad that you were able to aquire the correct box!!

Best Regards, Les

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SWCA 3084, SWHF 495, PGCA 3064

It was meant to be!

I will put in the mandatory "you need to buy a lottery ticket" comment here. This has similar odds to winning a Powerball drawing...well, maybe slightly better .

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

WOW! The probability of that is very near the limit of 1/x as x approaches infinity.

Awesome! No other word.

Brings a whole new meaning to a "Small World". What an awesome find for you, I can only imagine your joy when you got it in your hands. Now Dad's revolver is back home. Thanks for sharing.

Great story!

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Mike, AmVets Member, Navy Vet

now that is karma... wow

Congrats on stumbling upon a needle in a haystack. I'm very glad you got the matching box to a family revolver.

Heck, I'm still holding my breath for 2 boxes that should be relatively easy to come across. Bought a Python and Diamondback from a family friend's widow. This friend always bought the best and took immaculate care of his possessions, like keeping all documents and boxes for important things. So the boxes most likely exist somewhere in that house but need discovered. From what my brother tells me, the attic is a complete hoarding situation.

Maybe one day I will be lucky. Those guns even letter to my home towns, man I want those boxes.

Man, that is such a great story and most excellent find. Call it divine intervention possibly, if you'll allow such a thing.

How precious and cool. Could almost make a man misty, but not quite this time.

Congrats on the find John. Incredible.

Charlie

Once in a lifetime happening!
I once bought a model 53 in Tucson, AZ.
Brought it back to the greater Phoenix and stored it in the safe for two or three years.
A friend said he wanted to by it and he'd pay me a profit.
When I delivered it to him he pulled a box for a Model 53 down from the top of his safe where he had it stored for a few years.
You guessed it - the box numbered to the gun.

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Living a dream - S&WCA #2364

You DO need to play a lottery! From the advice from somebody here gave after I purchased 2 different guns from 2 different places in same 2 weeks for $379. So I went out and played cash 3 number 3 7 9 boxed. That night # 3 7 8 came in had I known they have a 1 away option if I would have played I would have won but didn't know about it. So play your lottery every way possible!

Good for you John!
Bet your Dad is wearing a big smile.

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LEX ET ORDO

Wonderful reunion...Great looking 66 too!

love this! glad you found it, or it found you!

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Loving retirement!

JayCee, it must have been Providence that reunited your Model 66 and its shipping box. Yes, the odds are astronomical.
I have a somewhat similar story: Shopping at an LGS in December of 2007 I found an excellent 2nd Series Colt Woodsman Sport Model made in 1948 that lettered as having shipped to a hardware store in Illinois.
In July of 2010, I suppose just after reading a thread on some gun board about how valuable gun boxes have become, I was browsing ebay. I spotted a box for a 2nd Series Woodsman Sport that also contained the owner's manual and serial numbered factory test target. Hmmmm.... serial number might be close to mine......
I checked, and by Jiminy it was for my Colt ! Needless to say I didn't let it get away and actually won it for a very reasonable price. The seller was located in a town about 25 miles away. After I paid him I sent an email and explained that I had the matching gun, and where and when I purchased it. I asked if he could share some info regarding if he were the previous owner of the gun or had acquired the box some other way. In fact I asked him twice, and never received a response at all. It would have been nice if he could have at least given me some answers to the puzzle, but the gun and box are now reunited.

That is awesome!

That's fantastic. Thanks for sharing. I love a happy ending

To all who suggested I play the lottery--nope, I figure my "odds" karma is all used up!

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John

That's your dad looking out for you.

Great story and for a family piece even better!! Plus the box looks to be in very good shape as well.
Congratulations to you.

After a rough day for me personally, reading this has really helped turn around my attitude. The chances of this happening to any of us that have a gun without a box are one in never, add the circumstances that its your fathers gun, on ebay, by happenstance, WOW.

Buy a lottery ticket, enjoy a good cigar or scotch if you enjoy those things and admire pop's 66 back in its home. Thanks for sharing.

you made my eyes wet...it must be your dad sent this to you, I believe.

That is a cool story and I love the fact you were able to reunite gun and box sounds like a higher power there.Where in NC are you I grew up in Kinston and lived in Goldsboro a few years .

So you're saying there is a chance....

..of finding "your" box

I had two of my old guns show up on Gunbroker about 10 years ago. They were both being sold by a pawnshop in Reno. One was my old 28-2, and the other was my first Dan Wesson 15-2. I still had both serial numbers written down for insurance purposes. The 28 was well worn and still looked identical to when I had it, but the DW was pretty rough looking. I put bids in on both of them, but forgot about the S&W and got outbid by a buck, the DW by a lot. I just let it go. Worked out great for me as about a week later, I ended up scoring my best GB deal ever, a near mint DW 715, in the box, with 3 grips, wrench and all the internal parts for $269. I still have it 10 years later.

Great story.
Good things come to good people.
Truly amazing. Thanks for sharing.

Wow that's wild,you may want to buy some lottery tickets.

Great story, thanks for sharing!

But I have to ask, did you buy any of the other boxes he had?

I have to admit, I would have bought them all, as it sounds like they were most likely also from your area.

This was the last Model 66 box he had. His last 6 months of auctions showed 3 other Model 66 boxes close in serial number range. All gone.

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John

WOW!!! Congrats!!!!

That is just too cool man! I am really happy for you that you were able to get the box your father's pistol originally shipped in with such an unlikely way for you to come upon it.

That is a very early gun. And, both are still in such amazing condition. What a wonderful story!! Was anything still in the box?
I know, don't push it!

Nope, just the box. I already had an old Model 66 instruction pamphlet.

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John

Amazing indeed and thanks for sharing. I love good stories and happy endings.

Congrats on finding your box. Do any of you on here remember the $4,000.00 registered magnum box from several years ago?

Outstanding! Thanks for sharing your story. It was meant for you to have that box.

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"In God We Trust"

Your story made my day!