Would appreciate an opinion on the value of this one. Carried by my dad in our gun store for several years. Some holster wear, but fired very little. 3" square butt.

Attached Images

20210408_150110.jpg (105.3 KB, 160 views)

__________________
David Reynolds

$400 to $500 as is nobody etc

Sent from my SM-N986U using Tapatalk

I sold mine, same configuration, last year with original box, papers and grips for $700......Ben

__________________
Cogito, ergo BOOM!...

Can't say price, but a beauty!

__________________
No baby we aint

Appears to be from the '70s. If the right side looks the same as your photo of the left side I'd say at least $600 in today's market, more if you have the box and goodies.

__________________
Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Oh, my. Looks like there isn't even a turn line!
I could see that going for $750+ in the current market, up from around $500 before Panic Porn began.
What I'm cautious about is that the expected gov't gun grab will keep prices up even after the Chinese virus is just a bad memory, rather than going back to what many folks think is a "real" value for firearms. "Wait and see" is my plan going forward, but in the meantime we should be realistic: prices are definitely up - there's a simultaneous but only partly related shortage of vintage guns,* and a not-adequately explained ammo shortage. The gun shortage definitely drives up prices along with the fear from Panic P.
Anyway, enough rambling, you get the idea.

* I say only partly-related because simultaneously, us old guys are keeping the guns we've bought in the last few years and we're seeing the last of the big dumps of police-issue revolvers onto the civilian market. Most of those sold off at usually low prices and when they finally do come back to the market, they'll go for more.... but that's down the road a couple years or more IMHO. In the meantime - shortage w/shortage pricing.

Hi all, new to the forum. I ask your help. I have a widowed friend who found her husband's S&W .38 Chief Special Airweight. She is chronically ill and asked me to help her find out about it and what it might be worth. I did a little research first but it is a bit confusing. It looks like a model 37 but has no "mod.#" stamped on it. The number 11715 is where the model stamp would be. The serial number is 64374 stamped on the butt bottom, barrel bottom and cylinder. The bluing is worn at the front of the trigger guard and on the top by the rear sight, but other than that is in very good condition and seems very functional. There is no box or papers. Gave it the magnet test. Steel cylinder & Barrel. Thanks in advance for your consideration.

Attached Images

	Chief1fx.jpg (56.2 KB, 50 views)
	Chief2fx.jpg (113.2 KB, 42 views)
	Chief4fx.jpg (57.0 KB, 61 views)
	Chief6fx.jpg (40.0 KB, 40 views)

“Head slap” a three inch model 37 was one I let get away. Stupid.

Welcome!

You would be better off to start a new thread, but here goes....

Your neighbor's revolver is a S&W .38 Chiefs Special Airweight, built on the J-frame. It was produced several years before S&W began producing the model with the Model 37 designator in 1958.

This Airweight wins the distinction of being the third of three Airweights I've documented with a 3-screw frame, much earlier than other J-frame models.

From your third photo it appears to suffer from a cracked frame, all too common in the older Airweights. We'd need to see a better photo of the bottom of the frame where the barrel penetrates the frame. If it's cracked you might be able to feel it with a finger nail, and the crack renders the gun dysfunctional (at least I wouldn't pull the trigger with any ammo).

The revolver still has value as a parts candidate, but that would likely only be a few hundred dollars.

Please get back to us and let us know if it's really cracked.

__________________
Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob