Correct boxes? OM flat top, etc.

I have searched through RENE and here on the Ruger Forum, but I can't seem to find out what the boxes look like for the various OM Rugers.

I have a 1959-1960 OM flat top but no box. I also have a 1972 OM 357 and no box for it, either.

Is there a breakdown somewhere with pics of the various boxes that are correct for the different OM's?

I remember the yellow boxes and there were red ones for awhile... but totally ignorant otherwise.

YES, buy MR Dougans new book...shows pics of all the boxes except the rare BKH46 marked box.....not many of those known....I would try and explain all this but my typing and brain work at totally different speeds......I am not certain which is faster :lol: :lol: :lol: the book is well worth the $65....see ya RR.

I will add that you will need books to help get answers. Along with Dougans book, I suggest both Chad Hiddlesons book "The encyclopedia of Ruger 1949-1992" (it's about the 22 autos, but has an excellent chapter on boxes & paperwork.)
Don Findley also has another excellent book on the 22 autos that also has great info on boxes.
QUite often, the info on the label and/or the shipper can mean a lot in $$$$$ on different boxes.

Doug
Here is a link to some photos of a 1959 FT I had for a while. Box was nice.
Tim

http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s303/princeout/1959 Ruger Blackhawk 44 FT/

Even then, there is NO "cut in stone" formula for what ANY given gun was shipped in ,on ANY given day, as they ( the factory) at times often put different end labels and even 'rewrapped' some boxes with other "paper" to use them in shipping...so NEVER say never, nor always... :roll:

any references are for the "norm" :wink:

(add in service, repairs, returns AND owners of the guns ,further down the road,later in 'time'.........)

Thanks for the help, guys. I'll look for the Dougan book to start.

If your flattop is the one in your avatar then you may need an expensive box depending on the SN. The short barrel .357 flattop (up into the 3xxxx range) shipped in a box with no catalog number on the end. Those tend to change hands for around $400. If it is a high SN, then a BKH34 marked box would be correct and those were made for many years, so only bring about $100. All 6.5" .357's were shipped in boxes marked BKH36 and those are also in the $100 range. These are all yellow 2 piece boxes with black end.

Yeah, it has a serial number of 25,xxx. Is this still a yellow 2-piece box?

oh yeah, the early one, as noted above, there would be NO 'catalog' number on the end label...........
would look like this one......

Hey, I got one just like that with 96 on it :lol: :lol: :lol: RR.

radicalrod said:

YES, buy MR Dougans new book...shows pics of all the boxes except the rare BKH46 marked box.....not many of those known....I would try and explain all this but my typing and brain work at totally different speeds......I am not certain which is faster :lol: :lol: :lol: the book is well worth the $65....see ya RR.

Click to expand...

+1 :lol:

Thanks, guys. Probably won't be dropping $400 for the box, but will keep an eye out just the same.

Your gun is a high enough number to where the $100 box would be correct.

Thank you, Contender. I sure appreciate all the help.

When Ruger first came out with the Flattop in 1955 there was only one barrel length, so there was no reason to put a barrel length on their boxes. In 1959, around June. I think, they started making the 6 1/2 in bls. and the 10 in. bls. That was when they started putting the barrel lengths on the boxes. Of course they had a supply of the older 4 5/8 in bl. boxes on hand that didn't have the barrel length marked on the box and they used them up, but they also mixed in some of the boxes that had 4 5/8 in bl. printed on them. RENE states that the earlest known gun that had the 4 5/8 marked on the box was serial number 21578. And the highest know number to have the plain box was 33899. And to make matters worst for collectors serial number 42093 also had the early type box. Parts bin theory maybe? The RENE states that this was the original box. I guess it had the serial number marked on the box the proper way.

So it looks as if your gun could have either box and there would be no way to get the factory to verify which is correct.

Well, that's what keeps this interesting, doesn't it? Thanks again for all the information, guys!

I agree with Street...it could be either the uncatalogued or teh BKH34 box for your gun, almost impossible to know for sure.

I had a BKH34 box for sale in the classifieds for a while but moved it to auction last night. In case you're interested in it, just email me and I'll give you a link to the auction.

BB45C

I agree with street as well, but USUALLY you'd find one with the model info on the label. Since your gun doesn't have the box it came with, getting one of the "cheaper" variations will be the better option.

So get the cheaper one and call it good!

yep.