This showed up at the lgs a couple days ago and here I am again confronted with a bright blue finish. I suppose I'm going to have to change my attitude towards these, it is a pretty gun.

I'm thinking it is an I frame by looking at the cylinder window, it does seem square to me. The serial number is in the 65K range. There were not any tools, box, paper work but it did come wearing a pair of J frame combats. The grips were another reason for the purchase. I have changed those to J frame targets.

Very nice. I like those flat latch guns.

That's a great find. I have a Kit gun, similar vintage (1953) with a 2" barrel...

Attached Images

Kit Gun Flat Latch 1953.jpg (171.0 KB, 31 views)

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Living a dream - S&WCA #2364

Love old kit guns, the SB presentation stocks are a big improvement IMO.
On a side note while the I and J frame guns do have different size windows I usually focus on the frame length just ahead of the trigger guard under the yoke arm pivot.
The J frame is visibly longer there.
If its an I frame my eye then jumps to the firing pin cross set pin, 2 proud pins usually means its an earlier gun than 1 proud cross pin.
If you look closely yours has 2 pins but one is polished flush.

The model 34-1 was the first J frame, all previous variations were I frames of various types that Jim (Hondo44) knows best.

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

In my opinion the bright blue is stunning on mint examples, but just a little wear makes it appear much worse than a standard blue does with the same wear. Maybe it's just more noticeable, same with a nickle plated Smith.

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Randy

Nice catch. Your photographic skills are great.

As far as frame size at the trigger guard I didn't realize that could be a give away for the 22/32's but I do use that looking for Baby Chiefs. Didn't look real close at the pins on this one and didn't realize that it had 2. My 2" model that is about 3K earlier than this one has 2 proud pins.


I feel the same, along with the wear that you see oil streaks and fingerprints will jump out at you as well. A good thing as far as finger prints go as you'll be more apt to wipe it down.


Thanks, I sometimes get lucky with the pics.

"Thanks, I sometimes get lucky with the pics." unquote

Nothing like blue steel, a good piece of wood, and a nice piece of history. That is, of course, if there is a good picture to show with it. Nice purchase. Great choice of better-looking grips(to me).

Classy little gun

Do people actually like the flat latch itself? To me it looks ugly and cheap, like a Charter Arms or something. I just don't see the appeal.