Smith & Wesson Forum

Go Back   Smith & Wesson Forum > Smith & Wesson Revolvers > S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present
o

Notices

S&W Revolvers: 1980 to the Present All NON-PINNED Barrels, the L-Frames, and the New Era Revolvers


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 11-18-2011, 10:17 AM
sophie's Avatar
sophie sophie is offline
Member
Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980  
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Texas Panhandle
Posts: 7,183
Likes: 5,551
Liked 3,392 Times in 1,706 Posts
Default Color of S&W boxes about 1980

Hello to everyone,
In mid 1981 I purchased two Nickel guns new in the box. One Model 19-4 with 2 1/2" barrel and one Model 10-7 with 2" barrel. Both guns came in dark blue Bangor Punta boxes with proper description and all #'s correct. They are still NIB. I have seen members talking about all Nickel guns having the light gray Bangor Punta boxes in those years. I have seen them for sale with the dark blue box and the light gray box. I think that S&W used both in those years. The Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson doesn't address this issue in the box description section. I would like to hear from someone who also has run into this. I have several other Smiths' and just never carried or shot these. Over the years I have traded and sold some but never my S&W's. Kinda crazy isnt it. -The wind is blowing like crazy here today. --James
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-18-2011, 10:41 AM
29aholic 29aholic is offline
Banned
Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980  
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Bolivar, MO
Posts: 6,360
Likes: 3,558
Liked 3,241 Times in 1,099 Posts
Default Welcome to the forum

I am not 100% sure when Smith switched to the one piece box, but it would be close to that time period and as is often said, they dont throw nothing away. So while they were using up inventory it became less important as to the color of boxes. I would hazard a guess thet had a lot more blue boxes than grey. Typically throughout the 2 piece box era after the gold box time frame nickel guns did come in a grey box, and blue in blue. Dont know if this helps.
PS the wind ALWAYS blows here
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-18-2011, 11:15 AM
gkitch gkitch is offline
SWCA Member
Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980  
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 1,521
Likes: 3,791
Liked 1,844 Times in 469 Posts
Default excellent

Quote:
Originally Posted by sophie View Post
Hello to everyone,
In mid 1981 I purchased two Nickel guns new in the box. One Model 19-4 with 2 1/2" barrel and one Model 10-7 with 2" barrel. Both guns came in dark blue Bangor Punta boxes with proper description and all #'s correct. They are still NIB. I have seen members talking about all Nickel guns having the light gray Bangor Punta boxes in those years. I have seen them for sale with the dark blue box and the light gray box. I think that S&W used both in those years. The Standard Catalog of Smith and Wesson doesn't address this issue in the box description section. I would like to hear from someone who also has run into this. I have several other Smiths' and just never carried or shot these. Over the years I have traded and sold some but never my S&W's. Kinda crazy isnt it. -The wind is blowing like crazy here today. --James
This is good information. Please post some pictures? I had assumed that S&W jumbled the boxes occasionally before abandoning the color-coded boxes altogether in the mid-80s.
Two words that are dangerous are "always" and "never", especially to the collector.
The fact remains that old boxes are often faked these days to recreate a "LNIB" situation to up the prices. The color of the box is a valid clue.
Did you originally buy your S&Ws from a shop, or a gun show? Do the boxes indicate an "N" under the finish blocks on the labels?
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-18-2011, 11:48 AM
1 old 0311 1 old 0311 is offline
Banned
Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980  
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Indy
Posts: 1,164
Likes: 0
Liked 109 Times in 53 Posts
Default

I know of a collector who has two nickel Smiths he bought new in the 1980's that came in blue boxes.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-18-2011, 12:05 PM
sophie's Avatar
sophie sophie is offline
Member
Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980  
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Texas Panhandle
Posts: 7,183
Likes: 5,551
Liked 3,392 Times in 1,706 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by gkitch View Post
This is good information. Please post some pictures? I had assumed that S&W jumbled the boxes occasionally before abandoning the color-coded boxes altogether in the mid-80s.
Two words that are dangerous are "always" and "never", especially to the collector.
The fact remains that old boxes are often faked these days to recreate a "LNIB" situation to up the prices. The color of the box is a valid clue.
Did you originally buy your S&Ws from a shop, or a gun show? Do the boxes indicate an "N" under the finish blocks on the labels?
Thanks guys for the reply, I don't know how to send pictures yet but will learn. The two nickel guns I mentioned were bought new at gun shop. I bought quite a few in late '79 thru about "81. These people were friends and no funny business going on. They sold lots of guns. Both boxes have the hand written in ink all of the correct info on them and yes they have an N in the proper area. All of my S&W boxes are 2 piece dark blue, including all my blue guns. I have been accused of never throwing anything away. On the other end of the 2 piece box is another identifying label that is a factory label also and looks to be machine made but is definitely s&w and has correct info also and denotes nickel. I purchased the model 19-4 just as S&W was deleting the recessed cylinders and didnt actually care for the nickel, but later decided that I like them. There is no doubt that they are original. No question about it. Someday I will learn to send pictures. I hope I am doing this right. --James
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-18-2011, 12:24 PM
murphydog's Avatar
murphydog murphydog is offline
Moderator
Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980  
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 26,785
Likes: 938
Liked 18,880 Times in 9,242 Posts
Default

To post photos, click on Post Reply under the last message, then Manage Attachments a little bit down the page that opens. You can link photos from your computer or a website from there.
__________________
Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-18-2011, 12:45 PM
sophie's Avatar
sophie sophie is offline
Member
Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980  
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Texas Panhandle
Posts: 7,183
Likes: 5,551
Liked 3,392 Times in 1,706 Posts
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by murphydog View Post
To post photos, click on Post Reply under the last message, then Manage Attachments a little bit down the page that opens. You can link photos from your computer or a website from there.
Thanks Alan, can I just insert picture from a file like you would send a picture in an email? What pixel do I need to downsize the pictures to? I'm used to sending them in emails. Is this similar or do I create a folder especially for the forum? I see people posting great pictures.--James
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-18-2011, 01:31 PM
sophie's Avatar
sophie sophie is offline
Member
Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980  
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: Texas Panhandle
Posts: 7,183
Likes: 5,551
Liked 3,392 Times in 1,706 Posts
Default

I am going to try to attach photos of these boxes for my nickel guns from 1981 and hope I do it right.-James
Attached Images
File Type: jpg P1000924 [1024x768].jpg (55.5 KB, 221 views)
File Type: jpg P1000926 [1024x768].jpg (49.2 KB, 177 views)
File Type: jpg P1000927 [1024x768].jpg (65.1 KB, 179 views)
File Type: jpg P1000929 [1024x768].jpg (40.8 KB, 165 views)
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-18-2011, 01:53 PM
gkitch gkitch is offline
SWCA Member
Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980 Color of S&W boxes about 1980  
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Charleston SC
Posts: 1,521
Likes: 3,791
Liked 1,844 Times in 469 Posts
Default thories?

My best guess is that when they were cutting to save money in 1979-1981 (they were going to standardized bbl lengths for all models, dropping recessed cylinders on magnums, and dropping the pinned bbls altogether) they also began phasing out the gray boxes for nickle guns. Nickle was becoming less popular by then as Stainless was all the rage.
How they decided to use the gray boxes vs blue is anyones guess.
Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
model 10, model 19, punta, recessed, s&w, smith and wesson

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Correct color boxes RECONJJ S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 7 04-21-2017 12:57 AM
KARMA THREAD.... 4 Boxes of Western PreWar Boxes and Nickel Cases ** WINNER ** jjbrewst1 S&W Hand Ejectors: 1896 to 1961 57 04-10-2014 04:57 PM
WTS: All Boxes SPF Smith & Wesson Vintage Bangor Punta Blue Boxes 1970-1980 rck281 Accessories/Misc - For Sale or Trade 21 07-02-2013 11:11 AM
s&w boxes from 1966 to 1980's!!! zywina Accessories/Misc - For Sale or Trade 2 03-27-2010 06:36 AM
FS: 6.5" Post War Heavy Duty Barrel and Boxes-All Boxes Sold 1Aspenhill Accessories/Misc - For Sale or Trade 33 10-11-2009 04:48 AM

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
smith-wessonforum.com tested by Norton Internet Security smith-wessonforum.com tested by McAfee Internet Security

All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:18 AM.


Smith-WessonForum.com is not affiliated with Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ Global Select: SWHC)