S&W Blue Hard Case

[frankmusic]

This may or may not have already happened with other gun sales, but I was wondering how others felt about it. I love the products - but this just totally took me by surprise.

I recently ordered online the SW-9VE from XYZsales. As usual, the gun was then shipped to my FFL dealer. When the gun arrived, I went to his store. Upon inspecting the gun, I noticed that the standard blue hard case had been totally omitted. I asked my dealer if he was aware of why the traditional hard case did not accompany the gun. He said he did not know, but that is how the gun arrived to us. I just shook my head a little. I thought hmmmm, I ordered a S&W 442 revolver a month ago and it came with the standard S&W blue hard case. This particular gun however, was wrapped in a simple blue and white cardboard box with a Smith & Wesson logo boldly printed on the outside. That's it!

So when I returned home, I contacted XYZ by phone. The courteous staffer told me, that is how Smith had shipped out their latest merchandise to us. Okay, I heard him, but I still couldn't believe that this would now be the norm. I then decided to call Smith & Wesson (1-800-331-0852) to find out if this was true and why the change.

I called S&W and quickly got a S&W operator on the line who was equally courteous. After explaining the situation, he told me that it was indeed true. He went on to tell me that shipping guns in cardboard boxes was a new company decision and that they were doing this to hold the line on their gun pricing. I asked him if they were planning to ship out all of their gun merchandise in this fashion and he said YES. I told him that I was planning to buy a S&W 1911 from them soon and would like to know if they would be omitting the hard gun case with this gun as well. He said YES, again.

He then added that he could sell me a suitable Black M&P Plastic Gun Box with Foam Interior #390340000 for $8.95 (with shipping) for a total of $15.99 - - while he and I were on the phone discussing this issue.

So I wanted one and went ahead and simply bought one.

Has anyone else experienced this hard case omission yet?

 

[Badkarma 1]

No, but I've noticed that the new Bodyguard .380s are coming in the boxes you mentioned. Personally I wish they'd go back to the bile and silver or blue and white boxes of years ago! Dale

 

[oldman45]

Is there a way the blue plastic cases can be bought from S&W?

 

[psquarejr]

Yes, the cases can be ordered from S&W, the blue cases are $10.58 for a large or small case. They also have large black M&P cases on sale right now for $8.95.

 

[frankmusic]

Is there a way the blue plastic cases can be bought from S&W?

All they told me was that a suitable case was available and could be ordered online. The item number is #390340000.

While to some gun enthusiasts knowing that S&W now omits the hard case with their guns may not be such a big deal, I on the other hand, just like keeping my guns inside that particular case when I go to the range.

I know that there are many generic cases obtainable for purchase, but I do prefer the original that visually touts S&W on its surface. That's just MHO.

 

[Bullet Bob]

Maybe S&W got tired of all the complaining about the non-classic
S&W features (lock, MIM, etc.) and decided to go old school on the boxes!

 

[oldman45]

While to some gun enthusiasts knowing that S&W now omits the hard case with their guns may not be such a big deal, I on the other hand, just like keeping my guns inside that particular case when I go to the range.

Ok, each to his own and I have several hard cases from various makers in my gun room. Not a single gun is inside any of them.

I keep a range bag ready to go at all times. It has the ammo for the three real calibers that I shoot (.45acp, .357 & .40S&W). All I do is take the couple of guns I will need out of the safe and put them in the bag. One bag, three guns, 300 rnds of ammo, some assorted tools, DME and each well protected from another. While I could carry guns to the range in a case, there are reasons why I do not.
1. A case is easier to snatch when a person is carrying more than one object.
2. People see someone bringing in a gun case and they feel the shooter is a newbie to guns. Most active gun shooters forget about the cases as the guns age and the newness wears off.
3. There is generally limited space available for gun cases and such around the shooting area. With just one bag, I can place it between my feet and it is secure and out of the way.
4. A gun in a hard case is more difficult to reach. I wear my carry gun into the range. The others are in a padded range bag.
5. Seeing anything with a gun logo on it created a tempting item for even the casual thief and there are too many opportunies to snatch a light, small gun case and walk away.

JMHO

 

[Ogandydancer]

I had not heard of this. Gee I hope Sig and Beretta and some of the others don't elect to follow suit on this one.

 

[Black_Sheep]

My 642 came in a plastic box big enough to hold a 1911 and a couple of magazines. I actually prefer the cardboard boxes, they take up much less room in the safe...

 

[CajunBass]

I seem to remember about a year or so ago, I got an email questionair, or poll, from Smith and Wesson asking my opinion on this topic. Plastic or paper. I voted for paper. They take up less room.

Probably the person who only has a couple of guns like the plastic ones better.

 

[frankmusic]

Ok, each to his own and I have several hard cases from various makers in my gun room. Not a single gun is inside any of them.
JMHO

I agree on that particular note. As you so astutely noted, that's your absolute sound rationale behind your method, and it obviously works quite well for you. Maybe you're right. It could be that many people won't care about S&W eliminating the case from here on in.

Regardless of what one actually does with the cases (stow them/sell them) - I still feel that the gun case should be part of the product as are some of my better power tools. JMHO

Concerning the perception of the newbie thing at the range -
Geez, I could care less what someone else thinks of my gun container. I'm not there to make a fashion statement. He/she should be devoting more attention to their designated target.

 

[Faulkner]

I fall in the I don't care about the shipping container catagory. A cardboard box is fine with me, the only reason I even keep the original container is in case I decide to sell it at some point.

 

[scooter123]

This might present a problem in some states. I've been told that in Michigan any handgun purchased MUST go with the purchaser in a lockable hard case, doesn't matter if it new or used. At one point I though it was the dealers trying so squeeze an extra 10 bucks from each sale on a used gun, until I purchased my 617 used and the dealer mentioned this requirement and told me that I could save purchasing a hard case if I promised to keep my mouth shut about it. Which I've done until now and no I won't reveal the dealer. Fact is it was an act of an honest man and I have plenty enough of these cheap hard cases.

 

[Davwingman]

I suppose in the future these blue plastic cases, numbered to a particular gun, will be coveted in much the same way as are original Outdoorsman boxes !

 

[GKC]

When I first started buying handguns again a couple of years ago, I threw the boxes away. I quickly learned that it makes a difference when you want to sell them or trade them...so, now I keep them but I don't use them for anything. I keep my handguns in a silicone-treated gun sock in the safe. When I carry guns to the range, I put whichever ones I am taking in a zippered gun rug (one for each gun, of course) and then in a range bag. Carrying several handgun boxes is cumbersome. I do have a large metal case, with combination locks on it, that has foam padded sections and layers to hold a number of handguns, if I want to carry a number of them at one time.

I do keep some of my power tools in their boxes, and those on a shelf in the garage, for storage and protection from dust, etc.

Some guns now come in cardboard boxes: the Ruger LC9, the Ruger LCR, and the S&W Bodyguards I bought came in cardboard. As far as I am concerned, it makes no difference to me...many of the S&W plastic cases have flimsy hinges and snap locks that are more of a PITA than they are effective anyway, IMO.

 

[T-Rod45]

The 642 I bought 2 months ago came in the blue plastic case...


My $2000 rifle, came in a cardboard box. A buddy's $2500 Les Baer, cardboard as well.

It seems more and more manufacturers are doing it these days. While I have to say I never put my guns back in their cases, it's still nice to have them all...

Hope my new M&P comes in a case tomorrow!

 

[Fishslayer]

I'm with Oldman. The cases they came in (the new ones, anyway) are stacked in a closet. The guns live in rugs or socks in the safe. They go to the range in rugs inside a generic looking Husky plastic toolbox. 2 or 3 or 4 rugs takes up much less space than hard cases, and nothing in my wagon (no trunk) screams "GUNS HERE!" Well, maybe the "Got Ammo?" sticker on the big green ammo box...

Foam is bad for long term storage anyway.

 

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

I'm with Oldman.

 

[CajunBass]

A buddy's $2500 Les Baer, cardboard as well.

There was a long running thread on "Glock Talk" about Les Baer guns and cardboard boxes. Well that's what started it anyway. It went on and on and on for months, and hundreds of pages, and thousands of posts. It was a riot.