If this does not belong here, mods please move but I am wondering why some of S&W guns come in plastic cases and some come in blue boxes? I know the PC guns comes in gray boxes but I have seen the same exact gun (638 or 442) come in plastic and some come in a cardboard box Wondering what reason S&W uses to decide this???

I could get shouted down but I don't think S&W has used cardboard for quite some time. Once the transition to the plastic style was complete I'd doubt they'd go back.
Plastic/composite provides better overall protection for the gun itself - IMO.

It depends on which plastic/cardboard change you are seeing .

Cardboard of various colors and types (older two piece, more recent one piece) were standard from before WW II until about 1997, then plastic up until recently, now cardboard is back in. The reason you see both is S & W never throws away good parts of any kind and will use older stuff until they have no more in stock.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

thanks, my 638 black Friday purchase came in a newer cardboard box but the no lock 442 I looked at the same day was in a plastic blue box.

YES THEY DO!!! Sorry, just kidding.

My Shield came in a cardboard box.

I think it depends on how much money you spend. All my j frames of recent have been in cardboard

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No gold. Only lead. Bobby