1950 44 Target Blue Box

[trouthunterdj]

Hello all,

I am trying to understand more about the Smith and Wesson boxes from the 40's and 50's. I purchased a 1950 Target 44 Special in the last couple weeks that came with a Blue box that was numbered to a different gun. I almost left it with the person I bought the gun from. I have always seen these guns come with a Gold box or maroon box. Did guns of this period come with a blue box and where did it fall in the order of boxes?

Any information would be helpful.

Thanks,

ddj

 

[brick]

That is a nice looking box. I received an unnumbered gold 1926 Target box with my pre-24.

 

[Roadranger]

I'm sure the blue box is authentic, the end label I'm not sure about. I could easily make that label using word perfect labels. I make labels all of the time for ammo boxes and that one looks like a label I would make. But then again you bought the M24 or pre model24, not the box. Bob!

 

[trouthunterdj]

I've only had the box for a week so I'm not sure about the label but it looks similiar to others I have seen on Maroon boxes.

I may trade the box as partial trade for a S&W revolver of some make.

Thanks,


ddj

 

[Hammerdown]

Hello all,

I am trying to understand more about the Smith and Wesson boxes from the 40's and 50's. I purchased a 1950 Target 44 Special in the last couple weeks that came with a Blue box that was numbered to a different gun. I almost left it with the person I bought the gun from. I have always seen these guns come with a Gold box or maroon box. Did guns of this period come with a blue box and where did it fall in the order of boxes?

Any information would be helpful.

Thanks,

ddj

Hello trouthunterdj
I cannot answer your question of exactly when S&W switched over from the Gold Boxes to the Blue one like you show and I am sure there is no sure Exact pin Pointing way to find which box would be correct for your gun as "S&W wasted nothing back then", If a Box was there in the Final Inspection and Packing Part of the Plant for a gun of that model or variation it got used, such as The Sight adjuster's being of Black Oxide or Nickel finish, I have seen the Nickel finish sight adjuster's with Blued and Nickel example revolver's, S&W did not care about collector's back then, They cared only about sales of their Products and getting them shipped Promptly. Proof of this would be my Model of 1950 .44 Forth Variation Hand eject revolver. it shipped in a Box Originally Intended for a Model of 1926 .44 Hand ejector. On The Very early Forth Variation Hand Eject 44s S&W used a factory sticker placed over the Model of 1926 call out on my Box shown and it mentioned that in it's Factory letter also saying mine was one of the very earliest Model of 1950 Forth Variaton hand ejects to leave the factory Mentioning this and the fact that it had this factory Placed over strike sticker.





I no Longer have the gun shown After having & enjoying it for a while, I swapped it off for an Original Nickel finish Model of 1955 .357 Magnum revolver with a 3-1/2" barrel to a forum member here with No Regrets. He Collected and Loved the .44 special caliber revolver's like this one and I had a hole to fill in my collection so I felt that our Trade was good for both of us, meaning neither gun was Better than the Other, or less desirable, he is a very good friend to me and several of my S&Ws that I have in my collection came directly from him in the past so I felt I Really Owed his this swap, to make up for all that he had done for me over the years by selling or swapping with me to Improve my S&W collection.






Here is The Gun I spoke of above shown below with it's Box. This actual box shown did not come with the gun, but it was serial numbered very close to it, so I felt it was Indeed correct in form for this vintage of gun, as it Mentioned this in It's factory History letter about this over strike sticker Placed on the gun's box. Oddly, The Forth Variation .44 Hand ejects Prompted by Elmer Keith for S&W to Build back then, got off to a slow start as far as sales went, and this one was a Transitional model with it's Mushroom shaped Cylinder extractor rod, making it even more desireable & Collectible, again showing that S&W wasted nothing if it could be used in production or shipping of their guns.





This Gun shipped with Magna's on it from the factory On January 24,1951 to Folsom Arms of New York City but I replaced them with the Coke Profile stock's shown on it for eye appeal, and Better control when shooting targets with it. I did swap it with a correct time period set of Magna's that my friend had given to me to Place on it shortly after I originally Purchased it before we struck up our trade deal. I felt he gave them to me as a frendly Gesture so it was only Right that I shipped it back to him with the stocks that he had given me...The reason he had sent me the Magna's for it as he felt it did not look right with the larger Target stock's on it, and he just wanted me to have them. I did refurbish them so they Matched the shape of the revolver



I wouldn't be "Too Quick" to trade or sell that Box off that you have shown. I have not seen too many like that compared to the more Popular Gold Boxes that we see often used in this series of guns. That box may be very valuable, and hopefuly someone will be able to tell you more about it than I about how scarse or rare it is to see one of that time span.

 

[opoefc]

trouthunter, I've never seen that exact lable on a S&W box, w/o the little blue wavy border design around the lable. All mine have the same general wording, but have the described border. Although the lable on your box appears to have been on it for sometime, I have my doubts as to it's authenticity. As said above, lables are easy to make. Ed.

 

[trouthunterdj]

Thanks for all the opinions.

Can anyone say if it is all original?

ddj

 

[29-1]

trouthunter, I've never seen that exact lable on a S&W box, w/o the little blue wavy border design around the lable. All mine have the same general wording, but have the described border. Although the lable on your box appears to have been on it for sometime, I have my doubts as to it's authenticity. As said above, lables are easy to make. Ed.

Here are some original factory labels. It would be easy to duplicate these today.
Chuck

 

[handejector]

Is it real or fake?

Answer:
Maybe.


Seriously, I tend to think real.
I have seen labels with black ink. I currently have one I'm sure is real.
I'm almost dead certain I remember seeing labels with no border, and they were on 1950 Target boxes.

If you look at the array of labels in this thread alone, it is easy to see they were not high priority items.
Outa 44 labels? Overmark a 45.
Never had 4 inch labels for that model? Overmark a 6-1/2.

Once home, the box was tomorrow's trash for most folks living in a rented room, a small GI Bill house, or the old farmhouse.
How many boxes do you keep for the "stuff" you buy?
Do chefs keep the boxes their pans come in?

 

[Hondo44]

Once home, the box was tomorrow's trash for most folks living in a rented room, a small GI Bill house, or the old farmhouse.

Lee,
I can't tell you what a great 'picture" that statement paints of the early '50s! And why vintage boxes are so hard to find. But I've also found boxes at yard sales with any number of non-gun related things stored in them. And sometimes with reloading components in them.

 

[trouthunterdj]

Thanks again guys.

handejector - I can see why collecting boxes can be addicting and challenging. I'm fairly sure the label is correct and maybe someone will have a box with a similiar label.

Do any of the Smith and Wesson books cover the types of boxes or give values?


ddj

 

[dant]

Chuck, great pictures, and show what we've "normally" found to be true, some sort of border and MANY different variations as your pictures show,but as noted above, never say never, that box looks pretty good, I question if, in his picture to the right of the white label is that a slight discoloration of the surface, much like a glue or adhesive would do????the label is off set a bit to the left but that usually is a sign of how things would be done, if too good ( too perfect) makes one wonder..........gosh ,look at the label on Hammerdowns box.......