Baby Russian Cardboard Boxes

Boulder350

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What are the differences between the 3 1/4" boxes and the 4" boxes for the baby russian? I did a quick search on the internet and it looks like the center design is the same for both boxes, they just added about 3/8" on each side of the label. Is that true for all baby russian boxes?

In the quick search there appeared to be many more 3 1/4" boxes than 4" boxes. I track the features of these guns and have info on 257 baby russian guns. Of the 257 guns about 40% have 4" barrels so the 4" barrel is much more common than most collectors think.
 
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Mark, I have only seen one 4" box in person. Your assessment is correct as I remember the box. As you said, the 3 1/4" box seems to be more common and I'm surprised that your data stands at 40% for the 4" revolvers. I wonder if the large percent of 4" barrels in your data is because of the "brag factor"? Personally, I like to say that I have a (presumed scarce) 4" in my collection. I don't say that I have three 3 1/4" Baby Russians in boxes. That's not as exciting as the 4" for me. I was picked on as a child also. Does that help?
 
According to a article by Roy there were 17017 units with 3.25" barrels in all configurations and 8006 units with 4" barrels in all configurations. These numbers include both blue and nickel guns, various grip types, and engraved guns. Of the total production of 25,023 Baby Russians 68% had 3.25" barrels and 32% had 4" barrels.

B. Mower
 
Sounds like my numbers are off a little. Its a good size sampling and my numbers are fairly close to the actual production.

The blued guns are not often found, especially in the 4" model. If there were a higher percentage of 3 1/4" guns made in blue, and less of the blued models survived, that would skew my numbers towards more 4" long models surviving. Also agree that more collectors tend to show off the less common guns skewing the numbers.

Here are pics from the web of the 2 different sizes found.
 

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And so, how many are blued, irrespective of barrel length, and still in the box? I LOVE the graphics of the Baby Russian box!
 

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And so, how many are blued, irrespective of barrel length, and still in the box? I LOVE the graphics of the Baby Russian box!

And in high condition like yours, Beautiful!

Neal and Jinks states that 6502 were made in blue. With a total production 25548 units that means that 25% started life as blued. My findings are that about 8% of the 258 I have records on survive as blued guns today. Some were lost to corrosion and some to a refinish. Maybe other markets like the blued model and many were shipped over seas, or south of the border.
 
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Another piece of trivia is the belief that all blue Baby Russians had wood stocks when in fact there were 169 blue revolvers with ivory, pearl or black hard rubber stocks. The misconception stems from page 106 (N&J, 1975) which states: "Blue finish revolvers were furnished with wood stocks throughout the manufacture of this model." However, on page 110, it states: "A total of 6,502 of this model were finished in blue of which 6,333 were sold with wooden grips. The remainder were furnished with either rubber, pearl or ivory grips."
 

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And in high condition like yours, Beautiful!

Neal and Jinks states that 6502 were made in blue. With a total production 25548 units that means that 25% started life as blued. My findings are that about 8% of the 258 I have records on survive as blued guns today. Some were lost to corrosion and some to a refinish. Maybe other markets like the blued model and many were shipped over seas, or south of the border.

Again, according to Roy's article, of the 3.25" barrel guns 4318 were blue with wood grips and 988 were blue with rubber grips. Of the 4" guns 2087 were blue with wood grips and 42 were blue with rubber grips. The forgoing does not include engraved guns. The article states there were 18 blue engraved guns with various grips (pearl ivory etc). Interestingly, the article only identifies one factory engraved nickel gun, it was a 4" with rubber grips.

B. Mower
 
In my experience, blued Baby Russians are pretty scarce. And in my small collection, 4 inch barrels out number the 3 1/4s two to one.

Books
 

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In my experience, blued Baby Russians are pretty scarce. And in my small collection, 4 inch barrels out number the 3 1/4s two to one.

Books

Nice collection! However you need to find a actual ammo box with a Baby Russian not a 2nd Model 28 SA. See attached picture of a UMC box. Baby Russian ammo boxes are harder to find than the 2nd 38 SA box in my experience. The original cartridges for the BR were made by the United States Cartridge Co. and were marked 36/38 caliber which was used for about a year after which the cartridge became known as the .38 S&W.

B. Mower
 

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Nice collection! However you need to find a actual ammo box with a Baby Russian not a 2nd Model 28 SA. See attached picture of a UMC box. Baby Russian ammo boxes are harder to find than the 2nd 38 SA box in my experience. The original cartridges for the BR were made by the United States Cartridge Co. and were marked 36/38 caliber which was used for about a year after which the cartridge became known as the .38 S&W.

B. Mower

Yes, the 'proper' ammo box is on my wish list. Along with a 3 1/4" and a 4" blued in original boxes and one with the Aldrich safety device. :)

Books
 
Aldrich device

Yes, the 'proper' ammo box is on my wish list. Along with a 3 1/4" and a 4" blued in original boxes and one with the Aldrich safety device. :)

Books

Good Luck with the Aldrich device Books.
I have serial number 9x in my collection and the factory filled in the recoil shield with a plug where the device would have been. It's machined for one but it looks to me like they never actually produced them.

Murph
 

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I have only heard of one Aldrich device revolver that had a working mechanism. As Murph alluded to, there are many frames that were machined for the device but not finished. The hole for the device was either plugged or there was a screw installed. The plugged frames were filled and then finished in blue or nickel.
 
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