The Really Old Chief's Special Thread

[DWFAN]

BTW- I object to the title of this thread, since none of "The Really Old Chief's Specials" are as old as I am!

Except for Ed or Alan I think you got dibs on the old thing.
DW

 

[handejector]

Except for Ed or Alan I think you got dibs on the old thing.
DW

Don't forget I've seen you, my friend- you ain't gettin' carded on a dark night with Ray Charles workin' tha door!

 

[Dragonfly]

I don't know if it counts as really old, since it dates from 1960 0r 1961 or so, but hopefully it's close enough:

 

[depicts]

DW and Lee, you both look like an ad for an assisted living facility. It does take a long time to get that gruesome looking. Good thing these Smith's hold up better than we do.

DW, I guess this means I won't get a discount on my grip work, will I?

 

[DHENRY]

Lee,
Wait til you get really old!
This February, 1956 version shipped while I was (probably) sitting in the principal's office during 5th grade!
Don

 

[Landpimp]

Lee,
Wait til you get really old!
This February, 1956 version shipped while I was (probably) sitting in the principal's office during 5th grade!
Don

have you thought about trading it for a cane gun? or maybe a 4 barrel walker

 

[DWFAN]

DW and Lee, you both look like an ad for an assisted living facility. It does take a long time to get that gruesome looking. Good thing these Smith's hold up better than we do.

DW, I guess this means I won't get a discount on my grip work, will I?

In true retail fashion I will artificially raise the price 30% and give you a 20% discount.

Hey, you can pick on me all you want. If you can't take it you shouldn't hand it out.
DW

 

[depicts]

Hey, you can pick on me all you want. If you can't take it you shouldn't hand it out.
DW

Paul, it's just that I know how much abuse we Vietnam vets can put up with! How we don't get upset or angry!! Go for it.

 

[kennethg]

Here are my old Chiefs.
Top one 12XX
Middle one 427,XXX purchased new by me in 1966
Bottom one 36,XXX

Both baby chiefs purchased in the last 3 years.

 

[animalmother]

Great gun and pic BlackAgnes!

 

[redsfan2]

Glad this thread is still around.
I went to the gunshop with my son today and saw 2 36's. I jotted the ser #'s down on the back of my hand and looked at the S&W catalog when I got home. It's a little vague on dates, and I thought I could probably get some input as to when these may have been manufactured.

Both are 2".

1 is #58J9xx
and the second is #AWW90xx.

From what the catalog says, ... I'm thinking the 58J .. 70's ?? and the AWW ... 80's ??

Neither has the box or any paper work. 58J is the nicer of the 2 and the asking price is 339.00 on each of them.

Thanks for any info.

 

[handejector]

DW and Lee, you both look like an ad for an assisted living facility. It does take a long time to get that gruesome looking. Good thing these Smith's hold up better than we do.

DW, I guess this means I won't get a discount on my grip work, will I?

I just saw this- that's really cold.

Actually, I think you have DW and I confused with Gary G. and Don W.

They would never let DW and I live in the same facility- they couldn't handle THAT...

 

[Dan M]

This one needs a little help but I thought the 4 digit serial # made it collectible. The grips are not correctly #'d. anyone have an extra set of magnas?
serial # 1168

Dan

 

[papabear]

If you'll let a youngster in herei s my '58-'59 1456XX 36 no dash SB, w/matching SN stocks. Pretty sure its been re-blued but for the price I got it for I didn't complain, picked it up a couple years ago for $300 OTD.

papabear

 

[CITYREPO61]

Here are some pics of my first year 36.
Serial number 23XX

 

[cxm]

Enjoying seeing the old Chief's Specials showing up for this thread.

John, your 1953 revolver still appears to have the early trigger guard and hammer spur. I suppose it has the short grip frame as well. Your revolver has the neat S&W logo on the left side. Mine has no logo. Yours has the satin blue finish and is an attractive old blue gun.

Tim, your revolver was made the same year I was. It looks much better for its age than I do. The factory did a great job polishing and bluing the Chief's Specials along about then.

Geoff, I wonder if your early Chief's went back to the factory for a refinish. I imagine you've already checked the grip frame. I'd like to know when it was shipped. It's serial number makes it a near kin to mine.

I suppose the square butt is 1967 or later.

Bryan,

You are not too much the worse for wear considering your age...

I'll bet you would look as good as new if Gene Williams were to re-blue you....

Chuck

 

[geoff40]

This thread is still going, good!....not really mentioned in SCSW is that these early Chief's had at least 4-5 incarnations of hammer design, (these are my own observations) with very slight differences in thumb spur length, angle(s) of the curve, width of the thumb spur, and the checkering on them. I have owned several early 5 shot 38 J frames and seen many others, and there is no question about the variations. It must have taken a couple of years +/- for the factory to finalize a hammer design, all the while producing Chief's. It may be as many as 6 slightly different hammers I have seen, but I have not kept records or notes, hindsight being always 20/20 if I could go back and start again I would this time photograph each of the different hammers I have seen. You can see some of the subtle differences if you look carefully at the pics in this thread.

 

[bmcgilvray]

It ain't the age Chuck, it's the miles. Repaired a valley in the roof yesterday in anticipation of coming rains and sure am stiff from the trips up the ladder and standing on the extreme pitch.

CITYREPO61; You're little Chief's is less than 300 numerals away from mine. Even with worn finish it's still attractive. Wish it could talk. I'd like to know the results of a letter if you ever get one.

 

[labocca]

I want to pass this down to my son, it was my father's.I'm told it's from the early 50's. So am I. Should i have it restored or leave it the way it is. All opinions welcome. I have the grips that came with it.

 

[Hoot]

I wouldn't restore it. It would loose it's history, and the connection to his GF.

And, if times ever get really bad, the collector value would be diminished as well.