Nice pre 29...

[Gun Relics]

Yes, there can't be all that many of the "pebble" boxes for the 4 inch guns but I don't think I've seen any estimates on the number that exist. There's also the variation in the latches, three different kinds. The earliest (bottom in the picture of the three latch types, photo credit jcelect) on the pebble boxes but the 2nd type also shows up on some of the 4 inch
"pebble" boxes. If anyone has dates on when S&W shifted from the type 1 lock to the type 2 that would be interesting to know.

The rarest box, for 1950s production revolvers anyway, I believe is the "pebble" style for the Combat Magnum. Which also has the type 1 latch and as I understand it only a dozen or so are known.
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If the Combat Magnum box and matching gun came up for sale, I hate to think what that would go for.

 

[Doc44]

The R-Bi stamp also indicates the revolver was sent into the factory by the Customer Service Department. I had a Model 629 with the same stamp and asked Roy about it and that is what he said.

Bill

 

[Doc44]

There are eleven presentation cases known to have shipped with .357 Combat Magnums and are serial numbered to the revolvers on the bottom in white grease pencil. Olympic Wholesale, Los Angeles, CA purchased five .357 Combat Magnum presentation cases on June 21, 1956, and five on July 26, 1956. Rex Firearms in NY purchased four presentation cases on July 3, 1956. It is not known if these cases had a serial number of a .357 Combat Magnum written on the bottom in white grease pencil or if the cases were associated with a specific revolver. On October 21, 1971, Rex Firearms shipped a Class C-engraved .357 Combat Magnum, K940639, with a mahogany presentation case (it is the only one known).

Bill

 

[22hipower]

There are eleven presentation cases known to have shipped with .357 Combat Magnums and are serial numbered to the revolvers on the bottom in white grease pencil. Olympic Wholesale, Los Angeles, CA purchased five .357 Combat Magnum presentation cases on June 21, 1956, and five on July 26, 1956. Rex Firearms in NY purchased four presentation cases on July 3, 1956. It is not known if these cases had a serial number of a .357 Combat Magnum written on the bottom in white grease pencil or if the cases were associated with a specific revolver. On October 21, 1971, Rex Firearms shipped a Class C-engraved .357 Combat Magnum, K940639, with a mahogany presentation case (it is the only one known).

Bill

The number on my box is K260175 and if I remember correctly the person I got it from said the family member who originally purchased the gun lived in the LA area so perhaps it is one of those that went to Olympic Wholesale. Interestingly Combat Magnum K260172 sold at RIA last weekend but with an incorrect box and I wonder if that one might have shipped with one of these boxes. I pursued it but not aggressively enough to win it.

 

[Doc44]

Jeff...K260175 was shipped to a firm in Tucson, AZ so it isn't one of the Olympic Wholesale guns/cases.

Bill

 

[mlbinkley]

Wow! I have that same setup, except mine has a brass brush on the end of the rod. Dunno if it came that way. Shipped in February 1957, a little earlier than the one shown here.

Transparency Alert: After removing the cokes, I am seeing a stamp on the frame which is a rectangle with "R - B" in the middle of it, and a 4 - 74 stamp. I guess this means it was refinished at the S&W factory back in 1974.

I wonder what the value of this is now, due to the factory refinish. Might be important when I resell it. BTW, that is just some oil on the frame below the thumbpiece.

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A friend had an early 6" model that had seen tens of thousands of rounds through it. Around 1980 he sent it back to the factory for refurbishing and we were stunned when it was returned. It looked brand new. Really, there was no way to tell that it had ever been shot. It even had the original high luster dark blue finish. I doubt S&W would do the same today.

 

[mchom]

Here’s my one 5 screw .44
Gently used but nice.

 

[WaikikiWayne]

Nice to know info. Thank you

 

[MarkHayden]

Incredible! I can’t believe that, on a foggy Friday morning in North Idaho, I learned that my S147Xxx with its pebble grained box is worth twice what I paid for it! Thanks to all of you for your invaluable information,

 

[22hipower]

Incredible! I can’t believe that, on a foggy Friday morning in North Idaho, I learned that my S147Xxx with its pebble grained box is worth twice what I paid for it! Thanks to all of you for your invaluable information,

Congrats, that's a fairly low number for a pre-29. Pictures?

 

[QuackHunter99]

While we're posting our 4" 5-screws, here's mine with some "aftermarket" grips (I do have the original Cokes).

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... and for fun, some closer-ups of the grips:

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They are beautiful guns!

What grips are these?

 

[RKmesa]

What grips are these?

Those are nicely aged walrus ivory.

 

[QuackHunter99]

Those are nicely aged walrus ivory.

They look great

 

[MarkHayden]

Hi, 22hipower, here are some pictures of my 44 Magnum.

 

[AC Man]

I love my two black cased original 1956 and 1957 44 mags, but my favorite box is my two first year velour 1964 41 magnums. I have no idea why it was one year only because they still look like new and most after that are rotting away.