I just got my first AR. A Sport II. My question is, do I need to keep the box? I know with hand guns, everyone prefers the box stay with the gun.
Should I keep the box
- Thread starter Indynick
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Disabled1
US Veteran
Yes, keep it. When you have to send it back in to S&W for warranty repairs it makes life much easier.
When I bought my Sport 1 I threw the box away. Bad move! The 1st time I sent it in I had to buy a shipping box from FEDEX. S&W sent it back in one of their boxes. The 2nd time I had to send it in I used the box S&W shipped it back in after the 1st repair.
Oh, for those of you interested as to why my AR had to go back;
1st time; Gas port had a hair line crack in it.
2nd time; BCG work. They wanted the complete rifle to fix the problem.
OP
Thanks. Will do.
cyphertext
US Veteran
I was a box keeper, until there were just too many. I still keep them for most of my handguns, but once a rifle or shotgun proves itself to be reliable, I get rid of most of them. Especially the low cost, commodity guns like the Sport, Ruger American, Beretta A300 Outlander....
If you are one who sells and trades, keep the boxes. If you only buy, not sell or trade, there really is no need other than shipping back to the manufacturer.
If you are one who sells and trades, keep the boxes. If you only buy, not sell or trade, there really is no need other than shipping back to the manufacturer.
kbm6893
Member
Up into the attic they all go. They're not in my way so why not keep them?
JaPes
Member
I do almost the same thing. If the firearm was issued in a plastic box, then it's a keeper. Cardboard box for a pistol? Depends on the cost of the pistol. I'll keep that Sig cardboard box my old P250 came it. I'll ditch the cardboard box my Heritage Arms Rough Rider came it.
Long gun cardboard boxes? Depends on the type of long gun. Ruger 10/22 box? That rifle is a keeper, box is gone. Mossberg MVP box? Keeper, box is gone. Any that I even think I might trade or sell, box is kept.
blues7
Member
The only comment I'd add to this, cypher, is that when I shipped my TS back to Springfield for warranty work the rep I was dealing with specifically asked me not to ship it back in the S&W box.
(I'm assuming that it was primarily because it could represent an inducement for someone with less than honorable intentions during the shipping process...but he also mentioned that it couldn't be guaranteed that the box would be returned either.)
I happened to have the outer box that the dealer used to ship the rifle to the FFL, so I used that instead.
Just figured it was worth a mention in case the situation arises for one of our folks.
cyphertext
US Veteran
Interesting. I was not aware of this.
blues7
Member
I don't know if all the reps suggest the same but the gentleman that arranged my return shipping to Springfield was pretty adamant about my using an alternative to the original S&W box.
(It would have been somewhat disappointing to not have the box returned since it has the S&W label with its useful dates and codes...but not nearly as disappointing as potentially having the rifle go missing. I imagine that's pretty rare, though.)
Cal44
Member
I bought several revolvers back in the 1980's.
Never thought of keeping the boxs. Tossed them all.
Now I use I had.
Never thought of keeping the boxs. Tossed them all.
Now I use I had.
DocB
Member
We are all box collectors now; therefore, the boxes will never be worth much of anything. Backing up in time, everybody threw the box away. I have very few that I kept from the 1970's and 1980's. As a result, they have value. Common guns. Rare boxes. It's like I always say, Everybody threw the box away. Nobody threw the gun away.
Rastoff
US Veteran
50 years from now the M&P15 Sport II will still not be a collector's item. If it has gained any value at all, it will be because the country has banned ARs altogether. No, saving the box has no value other than for shipping and you can use any box for that.
Did you buy the gun to shoot it or sell it?
Did you buy the gun to shoot it or sell it?
OP
Shoot. And because Hillary will soon out law them.
sgtsandman
US Veteran
I keep the boxes.
barristerr
Member
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If you got the room, may as well keep it. I have all of mine, you never know what may tickle your fancy down the road and I've found with everything I've ever sold nowadays I can usually fetch a premium with the original boxes and papers.
blues7
Member
I think many folks may equate receiving an item with its original box and paperwork with gear that has been well maintained and cared for.
It seems like a reasonable supposition but I have no idea how it correlates with reality.
It seems like a reasonable supposition but I have no idea how it correlates with reality.
cyphertext
US Veteran
Exactly... in reality, you may have just purchased a gun from a hoarder. I'll examine a used gun, and if it is in good shape and I want it, I'll buy it... box or not. Most guns that I buy are going to be shot, and have little to no collector value. Actually, all are going to be shot.
cyphertext
US Veteran
Very different class of firearm than a Sport II. I would keep the box with that one... but I would shoot it too! Not a lot, but at least a few magazines through it.
