The S&W Chief’s Special and a CS40 Quinfecta

[skjos]

The Chief's Special line of handguns was developed as single stack subcompacts "for the 21st Century", although they are not really that much smaller than the typical single stack compacts (908, 3913, 3914, 3953, 3954, 4013, 4014, 4053, 4054).

CS40 vs 4014

They were offered in three calibers: 9mm, 40S&W, and 45ACP. The 9mm and 45ACP experienced relatively long production runs from 1998 – 2006, however the CS40 was only made for three years (1999-2002) with an odd-ball 2005 exception (more later). All models sport a steel (carbon or stainless) slide billboarded with "Chief's Special", as well as an aluminum frame in a satin or black finish and a Hogue rubber grip.


Chart with Cheif's Special Production Dates
The Complete 3rd Gen Model List


Even though the CS9 and CS45 enjoyed long production runs, they were only available in four variants (ignoring safety configuration), while the CS40 had five different variants: CS40 Stainless, CS40 Blued, CS40 Two-Tone, CS40D Stainless, and CS40D Blued. The non-"D" models were TDA with a decocker/safety, while the "D" models were DAO with second strike capability. The SCSW is a little ambiguous when it comes to product codes for the Chief's Special:

CS9
103884 3" Blue TDA with ambidextrous safety (also observed with single-sided safety)
103886 3" Blue DAO (not listed in SCSW)
103887 3" Stainless TDA with ambidextrous safety (also observed with single-sided safety)
103888 3" Stainless DAO (not listed in SCSW)
403888 3" Stainless DAO (not listed in SCSW)
603888 3" Stainless DAO (not listed in SCSW)
403887 3" (assuming stainless TDA with ambidextrous safety, maybe night sights)

CS40
108521 3.25" Blue TDA with single-side safety
108543 3.25" Blue DAO with magazine safety (Not listed in SCSW)
108544 3.25" Stainless TDA with single-side safety and magazine safety
108545 3.25" Stainless DAO with magazine safety (Not listed in SCSW, production date 2005)
108567 3.25" Two Tone TDA with ambidextrous safety
149358 3.25" Special
408544 3.25" (assuming stainless with single-side safety) TDA with magazine safety (maybe night sights)
408545 3.25" (assume stainless) DAO with magazine safety (maybe night sights)
608544 3.25" (assuming stainless with single-side safety, not listed in SCSW) TDA

CS45
103000 3.25" Blue TDA with single-side safety
103014 3.25" Stainless TDA with ambidextrous safety (also observed with single-sided safety)
103018 3.25" Stainless DAO
Missing blue DAO model?


There are a few popular modifications out there, the most prevalent being replacing the Hogue grips with cut down grips from a compact single stack model. There are a couple guys on the forum that offer them, or you can do it yourself if you don't mind the possibility of scrapping a few grips coming up the learning curve. Another modification is milling down the slide-mounted safety lever to reduce the overall width of the pistol. Then there is sanding off the front of the magazine's pinky rest to keep your fingers from bunching up on the grip. You can also covert your CS40 into a CS10 – I'm sure this subcompact 10mm hand cannon packs a wallop, so make sure you hold on tight. Finally if you own a CS40 and a CS45, you can interchange the slides and magazines to make your CS40 a CS45 or vice versa (see post #10).

Grips
Modified CS9 Grips

Magazine Base Plate (post #2)
Chiefs Special Basic Trifecta

Safety (post #38)
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-wesson-semi-auto-pistols/576183-cs9.html?576183=#post140248529

CS10
http://smith-wessonforum.com/smith-...69706-bmcm-my-cs10.html?569706=#post140167441


Collecting each one of these variants can be a challenge, especially if you are on a budget. From experience I can tell you finding the CS40D variants is an exercise in financial restraint and patience.

I was finally able to piece my CS40 "quinfecta" together after acquiring a reasonably priced blue CS40. Here they are, listed in acquisition difficulty (easiest to hardest):

CS40 Stainless

CS40 Blue

CS40 Two-Tone

CS40D Stainless

CS40D Blue

CS40 Quinfecta

I've been tracking serial numbers ranges of the rarer variants of the CS40 - the Two-Tone, CS40D Stainless, and CS40D Blued. Here is what I have so far:

CS40 (Two-Tone): TDR8589 – TDS4430

CS40D (Stainless): BDH5535, EKY4976, EKY4980, EKY5107, EKY5117, EKY5124, TDU2035, VJD7389

CS40D (Blue): EKY4985, EKY5006, EKY5064, EKY5068

The "EKY" looks to be mixed in with all the Chief's Special models, but the "TDR-TDS" seems to be more exclusive to the two-tone model, however a 410 has been observed in the TDR
range (TDR8237), and a couple CS45's has been observed in the TDS range (TDS3958 and TDS3994).


Here is the product code back-up information for the CS9D and CS40's that were missed in the SCSW including the odd-ball 2005 CS40D.

CS9D Stainless Product Code #108333

CS9D Stainless Product Code #608333

CS40D Stainless Product Code #108545 (2005)

CS40D Blue Product Code #108543

If you have any other insights regarding the Chief's Special, please let me know and I can update this post.

 

[18DAI]

Excellent summation! Congrats on completing the set! Regards 18DAI

 

[wyo-man]

Very well done.

wyo-man

 

[clang444]

Nice.

I guess now you need to do the Shorty 40s.

 

[cherrypointmarine]

Sweet , someone else that enjoys the CSs . I have one of each and always looking for more . Wanted a CS10mm and BMCM told me what to look for . Found a CS40 at a gun show and sent it off . He also took care of my CS9 . I didn't know the 2 tone CS40s were rare . Got to say , these things get a hold of you and don't let go .

 

[jtj5002]

What I'm really want to see in is some thin Aluminum grips for these CS guns that screws into the Hogue block. There are some decently priced Aluminum CNC service out there. Scanning the factory CS Hogue grips into CAD and thinning it down shouldn't be too hard.

 

[vigil617]

Nicely done, skjos, and with documentation worthy of sticky status. Once again, you serve this Forum so very well!

 

[Fastbolt]

Damn, that's impressive amount of work and collection of a little appreciated subcompact in the 3rd gen lineup.

FWIW, I remember during one of my conversations with someone at the factory, while we were discussing the 4040PD, I think it was, when the subject of the CS40 came up. He told me that the end of production for the CS40 came when corporate reviewed the total annual orders for the CS40 for the last 12 months and saw that less than 100 units had been ordered. Bye.

The CS9 and CS45 were still selling well, and without any advertising, but were never intended to be what you might call major production models. I was told they were still seeing demand among LE customers for the CS9/45's for a while even after they'd been dropped from the commercial catalog.

I never got the bug for a CS40, myself.

Well, comes to that, I only bought my 4013TSW because I couldn't find a 4513TSW at that time ... even though that 4013TSW eventually turned out to become one of my favorite .40's. I didn't have a discount certificate to order one from the factory as an armorer, so I had to buy whatever I could find among the stocking gun shops back then. That turned out to be the 4013TSW I saw in a display case one day.

I only bought the 4040PD I own because it was one of the NIB Demo/T&E guns we received from the factory for some testing when we were getting ready to replace our aging early 3rd gen duty weapons. I almost didn't buy it, but the LE sales dept at S&W offered to sell it to me for $425, which was pretty tempting (obviously ). I was apparently only the second person involved with the T&E guns who was even interested in trying it. I was told the other person who decided to shoot it fired less than 50 rounds, as they didn't care for the recoil and much preferred the 3913TSW's we ended up ordering.

My G27 was a last minute spur of the moment purchase, too, after I'd just bought the G26 I really wanted. That was in the early 2000's when Glock told its LE reps to significantly cut back on the number of demo/loaner guns they all had out. The then-rep told me that the G27 had only been sent to him (with Meprolight night sights) to loan to a gun writer for an article, and it had just been sitting in his inventory ever since being returned from the writer. I bought it as a virtually LNIB demo for barely $300, with the night sights (through the local Glock LE dealer). I'd paid $425 for the NIB G26, without night sights, so the price for the G27 successfully tempted me.

My SW9940 was ordered on a whim after my first SW99/P99 armorer class, because it appeared we were going to be trying 50-odd of them more or less as a pilot program, and I had an armorer purchase program discount certificate burning a hole in my pocket.

My M&P 40c was another "What should I do with an armorer discount certificate? purchase. A neat enough smallish .40, and much milder shooting than the G27. The damned compact .40's were so back-ordered by both commercial and LE orders that it took a few months for my order to be filled. During one of the "where's my gun?" calls with the factory I was finally asked if I'd accept a slightly different model of the 40c, as they had a current LE agency production run going, but the variation I'd ordered wasn't due to see a production run for another couple of more months. They'd send me one of the overruns from the current order if I didn't want to wait another few months. Guess which way I chose? In retrospect, I rather wish I'd waited until the Shield 40 was released, as I actually prefer the Shield 40 from the slim overall size/mag capacity ratio perspective.

 

[BruceB]

Nice summary , skjos.

I very much like my two-tone CS40. It's TDR964x with a 0033 date code. I got a set of the original Big Dog grips for it, with the extended back strap area, so when a mag is inserted it's flush on the bottom.

 

[JohnHL]

Congrats on the "quinfecta" and a very nice write-up!

I was not aware of the 2005 production run.
What was the reason for the 2005 run?
(I'm guessing a "small" agency order.)

My CS40 (product code: 108544) with metal sights and ambi safety, was my first S&W center fire, semi-auto pistol.

Hail to the Chief: an Anthropomorphic Fantasy (with pictures)

Not a correction but something you didn't mention is the fact that the CS40 and CS45 have interchangeable slide/barrel and magazine assemblies.

That makes them the only S&W regular production 1st, 2nd, or 3rd gen pistols to have a multi-caliber capability (as well as being infinitely versatile as the attached thread illustrates).

Hail to the Chief!

John

 

[skjos]

I was not aware of the 2005 production run.
What was the reason for the 2005 run?
(I'm guessing a "small" agency order.)

My CS40 (product code: 108544) with metal sights and ambi safety, was my first S&W center fire, semi-auto pistol.

Not a correction but something you didn't mention is the fact that the CS40 and CS45 have interchangeable slide/barrel and magazine assemblies.

I added another picture to the 2005 run (test round packet with date).
Interesting that your 108544 has an ambi-safety, SWSC shows MNSF - but like I said in the OP there is a lot of ambiguity in the product codes.
I added the interesting tidbit about the CS40/CS45 interchangeability.

I very much like my two-tone CS40. It's TDR964x with a 0033 date code.

Sweet picture of the two-tone, I added the serial number to my TDR-TDS list.

I didn't know the 2 tone CS40s were rare

I'm not sure how rare they are exactly, but the current serial number range suggests about 6,000 units if they were numbered sequentially.

 

[JohnHL]

I added another picture to the 2005 run (test round packet with date).
Interesting that your 108544 has an ambi-safety, SWSC shows MNSF - but like I said in the OP there is a lot of ambiguity in the product codes.
I added the interesting tidbit about the CS40/CS45 interchangeability.

My CS40 has a VJF9959 serial number and a build date of 08/23/02.

It was a "close-out" and the serial number, build date, metal rear sight, and ambi safety suggests to me that this pistol was probably part of a group that was assembled on dedicated (but as yet unmarked) CS45 frames to use up CS40 slide and mag assemblies and liquidate them through the retail network.

John

 

[mauser9]

Excellent review and worth of "sticky status" Gotta check the serial on my stainless CS-9. Bought in 99 new.

 

[CW3RDL]

CS40 magazines usable in the Model 4013/4053?

I saw a CS40 magazine advertised recently on ebay. The owner thinks he has a Model 4013 magazine. I know the CS40 was had a seven round mag. Is it too short to lock into the Model 4013 and feed properly? I'm pretty sure the Model 4013 magazine will not fit into the CS40 due to the metal tabs sticking out from the body of the magazine. What is the truth on interchangeability?

 

[Jeppo]

A tidbit

I have a tiny tidbit to add to your amazing write up. I somehow stumbled upon a complete and unfired CS9D (with only one magazine...not sure if there should have been two).

The s/n is EKY8***, product 103888 and date of 9301. The box is marked CS9 but on the right of the label, "Double Action" is mentioned.

 

[JohnHL]

CS40 magazines have the same body dimensions as S&W 45 magazines.

They have nothing in common with any other S&W 40 caliber magazines

John

 

[silverstateS&W]

ca45

i have what i think is a bad CS45 mag. Does anyone else have a mag with the
vertical dent shown?
please PM
thanks
larry in reno

 

[JohnHL]

That's not a defect.

It keeps the top round from displacing on the faster moving CS45 slide.

It should be on both sides in the same location.

John

 

[colt_saa]

Congratulations

Very nice gathering of Chiefs

It is always nice when you can end up with one of each

Not being a fan of the 40S&W cartridge, my interest into the CS-40 did not start to grow until I learned that the pistol was a donor for a 10MM Auto conversion.

Over time I have gathered one of each of the TDA variations. I have stayed away from the DAO versions for two reasons. The first is a preference for TDA, the second is that having the safety
makes racking the slide on a CS-10 much easier than the flat sides of the DAO version

I do know that I need to take a fresh photograph with the two tone Chief and it's brethren

 

[GaryS]

Lots of good information on CS45 and other magazines in this thread. 4553 6 RD MAGS

i have what i think is a bad CS45 mag. Does anyone else have a mag with the
vertical dent shown?
please PM
thanks
larry in reno