With the thoughtful cooperation of forum member Valbehaved I was able to reunite a postwar transitional .38/44 Outdoorsman in my safe with its original box, which had come to him in a recent transaction. He had found a prewar M&P target, and that K-frame revolver resided in the wrong box -- this one.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/...8-a44d-41a2-9897-71ce6aeddbcd_zps07022ff9.jpg
There is no doubt it is the one I needed.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/...2-2c27-412b-9495-639deeb90147_zps324925c1.jpg
As one would expect, the gun fits the box like a dream. (Please pardon the distortion; I was shooting handheld with a moderate wide angle, and I didn't watch my lens position carefully enough to keep everything parallel.)
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/...8-6a97-4435-a696-6605e130fd8a_zpsb89147be.jpg
I acquired the gun from a forum member a little over three years ago. It came to me in an unnumbered gold picture box. Neither the prior owner nor I knew whether the box was completely correct, and only later did I learn that the earliest postwar ODs shipped in the maroon boxes like this one. I still don't know when the gold boxes came into use for these revolvers. The .38/44 HD models apparently had gold boxes a little earlier than the ODs did. Bill? Jerry? Can one of you help me and others out with an approximate date or serial number range for the transition to the gold boxes?
The N-frame .38 target revolvers are some of my favorite S&Ws, and the postwar transitional .38/44 Outdoorsman is my preferred variety. The prewar long action coupled with the large micro-click rear sight and ribbed barrel make the perfect target revolver.
This gun benefits in my view from having King products front and rear. Up front is a reflector base with red bead blade, and the rear insert is a King 111 white outline U-notch leaf. I doubt the sights were installed at the factory, but a letter should reveal the answer. I thought I had lettered this one but now can't find the letter, so perhaps I didn't. I know the gun shipped in September 1946, but I don't have the exact date or where it went. I need to fix that.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk176/DCW1000/Hardware2/S70130/IMG_2322-1.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk176/DCW1000/Hardware2/S70130/IMG_2326.jpg
The box was called to my attention when it was recently featured in this thread:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/340615-how-rare-box.html
I thought I would start this new thread just to let the reunited couple have their own moment of public happiness. Together again after all these years!
My thanks again to all who helped guide this box safely back to its revolver, with particular thanks to Val.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/...8-a44d-41a2-9897-71ce6aeddbcd_zps07022ff9.jpg
There is no doubt it is the one I needed.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/...2-2c27-412b-9495-639deeb90147_zps324925c1.jpg
As one would expect, the gun fits the box like a dream. (Please pardon the distortion; I was shooting handheld with a moderate wide angle, and I didn't watch my lens position carefully enough to keep everything parallel.)
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/...8-6a97-4435-a696-6605e130fd8a_zpsb89147be.jpg
I acquired the gun from a forum member a little over three years ago. It came to me in an unnumbered gold picture box. Neither the prior owner nor I knew whether the box was completely correct, and only later did I learn that the earliest postwar ODs shipped in the maroon boxes like this one. I still don't know when the gold boxes came into use for these revolvers. The .38/44 HD models apparently had gold boxes a little earlier than the ODs did. Bill? Jerry? Can one of you help me and others out with an approximate date or serial number range for the transition to the gold boxes?
The N-frame .38 target revolvers are some of my favorite S&Ws, and the postwar transitional .38/44 Outdoorsman is my preferred variety. The prewar long action coupled with the large micro-click rear sight and ribbed barrel make the perfect target revolver.
This gun benefits in my view from having King products front and rear. Up front is a reflector base with red bead blade, and the rear insert is a King 111 white outline U-notch leaf. I doubt the sights were installed at the factory, but a letter should reveal the answer. I thought I had lettered this one but now can't find the letter, so perhaps I didn't. I know the gun shipped in September 1946, but I don't have the exact date or where it went. I need to fix that.
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk176/DCW1000/Hardware2/S70130/IMG_2322-1.jpg
http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk176/DCW1000/Hardware2/S70130/IMG_2326.jpg
The box was called to my attention when it was recently featured in this thread:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-hand-ejectors-1896-1961/340615-how-rare-box.html
I thought I would start this new thread just to let the reunited couple have their own moment of public happiness. Together again after all these years!
My thanks again to all who helped guide this box safely back to its revolver, with particular thanks to Val.
