Have a chance to pick up C237414, round butt, 2". It's in very good condition with a few signs of handling, all numbers match.

It "lettered," and it shipped on November 25, 1953.

Asking price is $950.

Thanks for sharing whatever thoughts you have.

Attached Images

	.38 M&P Airweight.jpg (65.6 KB, 137 views)
	.38 M&P Airweight (2).jpg (64.0 KB, 130 views)

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Very cool! I especially like the first style flat thumbpiece.

And you get it "pre-lettered."

Sorry. I cannot help on the price, but given the rarity, I'd have to say that offering price isn't far off the mark, and it seems low to me.

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Jack
SWCA #2475, SWHF #318

Thanks Jack!

I'd hoped you'd see this before I have to be back at the gun show at 7:30 a.m.

Neat show; terrible hours. We knocked off tonight about 8:30 because no new folks had come for nearly an hour.

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

I’d love to find one in that condition. Mine is maybe a few months older. Although mine is in very good condition, considering how fragile they are, yours appears to be quite excellent.

Enjoy it.

In a sane world the price seems in line, given the condition. But I recently saw a couple of very nice examples online that were relisted several times in the $500 range that went unsold. ?

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Alan
SWCA LM 2023, SWHF 220

Wow.

Thanks Alan. I appreciate the sanity check. I'm going to pass.

The seller has become a friend through the years, and I would rather maintain a friendship than to lose one from dickering over a gun.

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Well, stranger things than this have happened.

My pal dropped by my table at the show today to see what sort of trading stock I might have.

He made a mistake and fell in love with one of my 1955 Chiefs. My asking price was $1,100 because I really didn't want to sell it. I said, "How 'bout you give me your Airweight and $125"?

He said, "How 'bout a hundred"?

Done.

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

My personal belief on this one is that the un-shootable nature of them coupled with the fact that they are still technically firearms puts them in a class somewhat like a deactivated gun, but with all the drawbacks of a functional gun.

I think that this makes them a very, very, odd collectible in that many of us who have owned them eventually ask..why? And are happy to pass them along at that point. So that even though there really isn't a huge supply of them, they just don't have the broad appeal of more functional guns.

I have serial #C22408X that letters to have shipped Dec. 24, 1953. It's also a 2" round butt..

It has been quite a while since I have seen one in VG condition with the aluminium cylinder go for $500.

The one I have is 4500 guns older and was shipped in October of 53

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"Acta non verba"

Not a revolver I would have any personal interest in, but I wouldn't be too afraid to shoot it a limited amount using downloaded reloads. Who knows what the value could be in a few years?

SixGunS... and DWalt,

I sure understand your reservations. The sole reason the K-frame Airweight holds interest to me relates to my Chiefs Airweights of the same year.

I find that new era of lightweight carry revolvers fascinating. Pushing boundaries -- the aluminum cylinder that didn't work -- and discovering -- through failure -- solutions.

It seems the "bug" screw -- upper side plate retaining screw -- also evolved to solve a problem. The earliest Airweight Chiefs Special I list shipped in January '53 to a police chief, and that was an "advertising" expense, according to the order. A brilliant marketing/testing plan to put new revolvers in the hands of those who'd use them and report back to S&W.

My "5-screw" round butt Airweight Chiefs Special shipped in July '53. That upper side plate screw, reportedly, had a tendency to back out of the thin aluminum side plate so the solution was the bug screw, as seen on my October '53 shipped square butt Chiefs.

I don't track the K-frame Airweights, but I've read the bug screw didn't come into play on them till '54.

I've evolved into more researcher than collector. That's where I find the appeal in having these "deactivated" or dysfunctional" guns in my hoard. They help tell "the rest of the story" (with accolades, not apologies, to Paul Harvey).

Attached Images

	1953 Chiefs Airweight (2).jpg (76.8 KB, 25 views)
	1953 sb Airweight - R.jpg (141.0 KB, 26 views)
	1953 Airweight Bug Screw.jpg (71.6 KB, 25 views)

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

$950. And I can remember people advising others to avoid those because of the aluminum cylinder.
Wish I had one.