When you look at the label there are several things to see. First the 33-5 in writing. This was probably placed on the box as the sales BATF book receipt page and line number National Firearms Record book for the dealer page 33 line 5. We do this in our shop to keep track and find the book and page and line easier.. The salmon colored label as you call it was a second label placed on the box. These were used for one of two reasons at the plant. 1. The gun did not make inspection and was sent back to check something and re bar coded into inventory. Or 2. the Serial number was sent back for re-verification prior to shipping and maybe a special order. . What is interesting about the salmon label is the N Frame designation in the label's making. The added label does not detract from the value of the box with the gun proper serial number on it.

Layne12gun

 

Here is a picture of the card that was in the box with the gun. Second owner purchased it from the dealer “J&J Custom Firearms” in 2007, then went back through them to ship it when I bought it from him in 2010. The Marine officer he mentions is McCracken, but no rank.

 

There is no competition, I can think of, where a 10mm, 6 shot revolver would be used. Marines tend to favor service pistols, or weapons modified by armorers for competition. What's a "high ranking Marine Officer"? The definition is different for a corporal and a captain.

 

Hmmm...curiouser and curiouser. Maybe it is time for a factory letter. Next question: What’s the procedure to get the letter? I think it recently changed.

 

According to the card, the name of the high ranking marine was McCracken. Nothing definitive comes up in a Google search.

The procedure for getting an historian's letter is pretty much the same. Cost has risen to $75 unless you are a member of the Historical Foundation or the S&W Collectors Association. Members pay $65. There is a link posted in the sticky posts to the Historical Foundation's website. Roy still does many of the letters but now has help. Turn-around has been running 2-3 weeks. I would recommend against getting a letter on your 610. These days all orders go to an FFL/Store so you are unlikely to find out anything on the previous owners.

RDRBill mentioned Gen. George Van Orden. He and his wife founded Evaluators Limited in Quantico, VA after WWII. They were influential in getting S&W to start producing the Highway Patrolman and Combat Masterpiece. I believe their business was a distributorship for military and LE organizations. BTW, his father, also George Van Orden, was also a marine General who established the Quantico marine base. You can read about the family here.

 

My guess is that the Salmon label was added by Smith and Wesson at the factory while the firearm was still in stock in order to accommodate an upgraded inventory system that was based on using bar codes to check in/out and inventory stock.

The type font on both labels is what you see on Smith boxes.

Don't forget that the FBI is also based in Quantico and they had a romance with 10MM for a fair period of time in the same timeframe as this gun was sold...

The box labels are both matching the gun, and don't diminish their value in my opinion.

 

On the box for my 610, there has been another label stuck over the original label. I guess I would call it “salmon”color, whereas the original is white. The serial number on both labels match the gun. Was the gun sent back to Smith for work and a new label stuck on to designate this? What are some of the markings like “33-5” and the numbers “490” signify? What about the SWE number and the 868308? I’m the third owner and the second owner left some intriguing notes in the box alluding to the original owner being a “high ranking Marine Officer” who had special ordered the gun to use for completion in military matches. I’m thinking about requesting a letter from Roy just because it has me so intrigued. What do you guys think? Would it be worth it? Also, back to the box label, does having a second label stuck on top of the original diminish the value of the whole revolver-box-paperwork package?


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What is interesting here is the dates on the on the card below. The model 610 was only made between 1998 and 2004. Total production ceased in June of 2004. You card below shows a purchase date of 2007. There were also about 5000 made in 1990 as a prelin to sales to test the market. Most of the 10MM boxes did not say n frame on them. The Salmon label does. Contact Roy Jinks at Smith Wesson by writing the company on Roosevelt road in Springfield Mass. Ask for an historic letter on the gun. It will cost you some money. There is a long wait time for the letter to return. Good Luck.

 

Serial number dates it to 1990 according to SCSW4. First run of the 610 was 1989 through 1992, with 4,560 units produced. Mine is one of the 4,560. Production started again in 1998 running through 2004. I think the 2007 date was when the second owner purchased it.