An interesting thread.
It is a really good chance to learn much about early Chief's.
For several decades, many have referred to the early Chief's that have the short grips and small trigger guards as the "Baby Chief".
I can address a few points:
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Some call this frame size the modified I-Frame.
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Remember- NO Chief's Special is built on the I frame. The I frame cyl is too short to accept a 38 Spec.
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Does anyone out there know the approximate serial number range when the last of the Chief's Specials with the half-moon front sight were made?
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I doubt we will ever know. The first five years of the steel and alloy Chief's contain a JUMBLE of mixed features and intermingled variations. Several more points I will make show this well.
There are THREE front sight variations on the Baby-
Half Moon
Smooth Ramp
Serrated Ramp
The smooth and serrated ramps appear mixed in serial number ranges.
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Apparently this one was made in late 1950 or early 1951 but shipped to Oshman's Hardware Store in Houston, Texas in March of 1952 according to the S&W factory letter. The revolver's serial No. is 2018.
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Possible, but not probable. The Chief's were hot little items, and sold like hotcakes. I doubt any sat in the vault more than a few days. More likely, it was built out of sequence due to the "batch system".
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You can tell its' a early one with the I-frame grip size and stocks and the I-frame trigger guard.
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I think we should get away from the "I frame" references. It confuses the newbies. Should we say that a 686 has a "K frame" grip and trigger guard?
About 1953-54, the small frames, both I and J, were modified by lengthening the grips and enlarging the trigger guards. A few Airweight Chief's were made with a BABY size frame. BUT, notice that on page 1 we have a steel Baby in the 33,000 range and on page 3, we have a steel Baby in the 36,600 range,
BUT on page 2, we have an airweight with
1953 features(LARGE TG & LONG grips) in the 27,000 range!!
All blued Baby Chief's I have seen have SATIN Blue.
I have seen a few Baby Chief's with 3" barrels. All had ramp sights.
All Baby Chief's I have seen with original grips had magnas.
I have never seen a SQUARE butt Baby.
The Chief's Special, if you include the Airweights, would make a very interesting collection with all the variations.