Highway Patrolman Early Box - is this real?

Gun Relics · Wednesday at 12:14 PM

I took a shot at this in case it's real and the price was pretty reasonable. I have a first year Highway Patrolman and read they came in an unusual box. This box resembles the transition boxes used in the late 1940's. I was wondering if anybody has seen a box like this. I don't have it yet but I'm trying to figure out if it's real before it gets shipped.

s&wchad · Wednesday at 12:17 PM

Looks real to me. I've got an early HP box downstairs. I'll dig it out later and post a photo.

Gun Relics · Wednesday at 12:17 PM

s&wchad said:
Looks real to me. I've got an early HP box downstairs. I'll dig it out later and post a photo.

Whew, you made my day Chad! I couldn't find any pictures of one. That is very nice of you to offer to post a picture of yours.

The serial number on my early Highway Patrolman is lower than the marked serial number on the box. Now I'm going to letter it.

s&wchad · Wednesday at 12:33 PM

I just checked my tubs couldn't find it. I did sell a bunch of orphaned S&W boxes last year that I got from the estate of gun shop owner and must have sold it. The 6" HP box had a paper label on the end and the serial number hand written on the bottom. Sorry...

s&wchad · Wednesday at 12:40 PM

I did find this photo online...

Now that I look at your photo again, I don't see the metal corner reinforcements. I'm not sure...

DEF3 · Wednesday at 12:48 PM

My first year HP (4”) box is blue with the reinforced corners.

Gun Relics · Wednesday at 1:02 PM

s&wchad said:
I did find this photo online...

Now that I look at your photo again, I don't see the metal corner reinforcements. I'm not sure...

View attachment 766023

This looks more like what I would expect and similar to my other early boxes from the 1950's.

The box itself looks identical to the transition boxes in the 1940's (photo below),including the bottom, the color and the way the paper is laminated and texture, so I'm sure the box itself is real, but the label looks different. judging how the label is aged, it dates back but is different from what I've seen.

Another mystery in the land of S & W!

Gun Relics · Wednesday at 1:03 PM

s&wchad said:
I just checked my tubs couldn't find it. I did sell a bunch of orphaned S&W boxes last year that I got from the estate of gun shop owner and must have sold it. The 6" HP box had a paper label on the end and the serial number hand written on the bottom. Sorry...

Thanks for looking.

Hawg Rider · 2025-06-12T09:22:58-0400

I believe that's an earlier S&W maroon box with a label that was added sometime later. The blue boxes used for the first year (1954) 5-screw Highway Patrolman had gray metal corners, and the description was printed on the ends of the box. My 1954 HP box is pictured below. I've learned from this Forum to "never say never" with S&W products, but I don't think that maroon boxes were ever used for HPs.

Gun Relics · 2025-06-12T12:10:16-0400

Hawg Rider said:
I believe that's an earlier S&W maroon box with a label that was added sometime later. The blue boxes used for the first year (1954) 5-screw Highway Patrolman had gray metal corners, and the description was printed on the ends of the box. My 1954 HP box is pictured below. I've learned from this Forum to "never say never" with S&W products, but I don't think that maroon boxes were ever used for HPs.

I think you are quite right, because by now somebody would have recognized that label if it were commonly used. The serial number written on the back of the box is more like 1955 and I think those maroon boxes were long gone by then. The label, however, is clearly ancient.

Welcome to another episode of Smith & Wesson Mystery Theater, brought to you by the nice hands people at Pink Camay.

smith17 · 2025-06-12T16:02:05-0400

I have a numbered maroon box for a 6" K-38 Heavy Masterpiece that letters to 1955 that an N frame with magnas will nicely fit in, so they were at least still around until then. Regarding the label, I have at least 4 boxes with different labels for Combat Magnums from around '57 to '60. The OP's looks legit to me. That box's serial number would be interesting to know.

Gun Relics · 2025-06-12T16:35:10-0400

smith17 said:
I have a numbered maroon box for a 6" K-38 Heavy Masterpiece that letters to 1955 that an N frame with magnas will nicely fit in, so they were at least still around until then. Regarding the label, I have at least 4 boxes with different labels for Combat Magnums from around '57 to '60. The OP's looks legit to me. That box's serial number would be interesting to know.

S 128,644 I never thought about that. We could look up the invoice for this serial number to see if it matches the label. Then it's very likely to be original. Good thinking Smith.

If you get a moment, could you take a picture of some unusual S & W labels? I have the Combat Magnums too (my latest collecting craze BTW). Here's a pic of some of my more unusual labels. My K38 Heavy Masterpiece is a gold box circa 1952. I have no idea what's under the label but I don't want to risk damage to find out. My guess would be it says K38 masterpiece, they added the word "Heavy" to the catalog so wanted a label to match.

Highway Patrolman Early Box - is this real?

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