Last Monday I went to Lexington, KY to hit the local gun stores. Didn't find anything of interest till I got to Buds. Picked up a blue label Glock 26 GEN4 with factory night sights and a LEO discounted S&W 642-1. I only paid $320 for the 642. The new prices were really evident with the LEO discount, hard to beat that price! I talked to the salesman and we agreed part of the new prices are probably in the new packaging, they're shipping in cardboard boxes again. I also noticed they moved the logo on the sideplate to the upper corner instead of being centered. Btw, I replaced the current boot grips with a set of Uncle Mike's as they clear my speedloaders. Just wanted to share.

Here's the link to Bud's LEO site for the 642. http://www.budspolicesupply.com/cata...oducts_id/3378

That's interesting. I would think definitely part of the price reduction and doesn't bother me a bit. I never store my guns in the factory boxes anyway.

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Centennial Every Day

I agree, mine go in a footlocker and never see the light of day unless sold/traded.

Thanks for the info, very smart move on S&W's part, I was recently thinking about the small tupperware boxes the Glocks once came in and how easily they stored. TJ

nice...i really want a snubby. i'm glad to see the paper boxes again.

well, the fact that those "fold up " boxes can be stored quite easily and LOTS of them in a 'limited' space ( they come "flat" and as need are folded into shape, and the tabs ,keep it aligned (together) bet them plastic cases took up LOTS of room , and area bear to stack and store,sssoooooooo.....hhmmm,maybe they are getting a very GOOD ( cheap ) price for the 'cardboard' again............and all too often , the plastic 'tabs' ( snaps) break off and we know of folks who sent their back for 'replacements' ,interesting.....................plastic cases were supposed to be very cheap to make for the gun companies, and they all seemed to have gone to them ....................

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dan
NRA Benefactor,PMA

I see you got one of the no-lock 642's . Excellent!! Bob!

I don't do locks, not anymore anyway, got rid of any lock models I had awhile back and will never own another one. I was looking for a 442 Pro but couldn't pass up the price on this one. I recently thinned the herd so to say recently but missed the 442 and 642 no locks I got rid of and needed to replace at least one of them.

I am planning on getting one of those LE 642s. I don't mind the cardboard box but I find the movement of the logo unappealing.

I agree that the logo looks unbalanced.

Nice gun and price.

I know I haven't removed the scary laser sticker yet. The logo
location does look good with the CT grips.

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The funny thing is, those cardboard boxes, will probably last longer than those early light blue plastic ones they used, where the two tabs to close them snapped off after a while.

I think the logo might have been moved so you could use grips that round upward and it wouldn't be covered. Like these:

Congrats Sonny Crocket! Handy little revolver at a fair price.

Nice to see a new S&W from the left side too! Regards 18DAI

They DO look so much better without the..........wish they made some N's and L's without the.......

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Sure you did

What is that grip?

Where did you get it??

How do I get one???

Congrats on your new 642. That's funny. I never considered I would come to think of a cardboard box as an improvement, but then I would have never expected S&W to ship their product in those awful plastic things, too. I hope they are doing that for all of their guns - not just those for police sales.

I'll join the others who are not thrilled with relocation of the S&W trademark - and refrain from commenting about the absence of the ...

I ordered them off eBay. They are rosewood and hand-made in Thailand. They are round-butt to square-butt conversion grips. I had to sand a little inside to tighten up the seam, but otherwise, they are well made and feel great. The seller is "butterfly-orchid" I believe.

You prefer the CT grips to cover half the logo instead?

I definately like to see the entire logo with the CT grips. The higher location is perfect.

My bad. I misread your post. Sorry

No problem, I misread all the time

So that'a a 4th generation box????
1st generation all 2 piece boxes
2nd generation one piece boxes
3rd generation plastic boxes
4th generation new one piece cardboard.
So we have a new no lock in a 4th generation box with the logo put in a spot that nobody likes-does the thing come with a screwdriver??? Er....I mean sight adjustment tool?????
I might buy one IF they move the logo back to where it belongs AND they go back to the 1st generation box.
And I want the logo engraved-not etched.
And the lazy ampersand.
I never knew what an ampersand was until I joined this forum
or those little thingy doies on the Model 28 for that matter either.

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Forum consigliere

I just put one on hold at my LGS. The logo is in the center and it is a 642-1 brand new in the box; box is hard plastic.

Wonder if this is due to distribution channels?

Respectfully--

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Rather be outdoors

I bought 4 new S&Ws this year. The only one that came in a plastic box was a 2010 NOS 637-2. Interestingly, the 642-1 I bought came with the keys, but no IL.

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NRA Benefactor

I purchased a 642-1 about a month or two ago, and it came in a cardboard box with keys lol.

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Disabled Combat Veteran OIF

All the current production 642's are delivered in cardboard boxes (as far as I know).

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Centennial Every Day

I'd be willing to bet that one is a left over 2010 model. Now that I have both boxes in hand, I have no preference either way. The plastic boxed gun did come with a sample rubber speed strip. That was an unexpected bonus.

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NRA Benefactor

You can look on the boxend label and it will have the ship date.

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Centennial Every Day

Regarding the box, I recently sent a 442 because of a cracked frame. Smith replaced it with a new 442 and sent it to me in the cardboard box just like the one that the 642 that we are discussing....if that means anything.

My 3 month old 442 came in a plastic box.

The conspiracy continues!

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This...is my BOOMSTICK

Cardboard is cheaper then plastic. They ran of ways to make there guns any cheaper so now they went to work on the box.It goes along with everything else S&W he's been doing in the last 8 years or so. I'm not bashing them I just bought a new 642 too. I'm just saying. Angin not bashing them it's just the way I see it.