Chief's Special Target

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hsguy

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Recently picked up this gun and thought it interesting. It is not model marked but came with what I believe to be the original blue two piece box. The box has the serial number in white grease pencil on the bottom and the end of the box is printed with ".38 Chiefs Special Model 36" and in grease pencil is written "TAR", I assume for target. The gun is serial 1501xx. It presently has a target trigger but there is also a standard trigger in the box, gun has Herrett grips. When I receive the shipping date I will post it.
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That's a real nice revolver.

I had a similiar model in stainless, but sold it (oops!). Those Herrett stocks are made of very nice wood.
 
Even though this gun is not model marked it shipped in 1961. Interesting in that 1957 is the commonly accepted date for the model marking of guns. It either sat in inventory for a long time or was made up from a left-over pre 1957 frame.
 
JayCeeNC said:
Interesting that the box is marked "Model 36" but the gun is not model marked.
Click to expand...

I found that interesting also. As near as can tell the box is original to the gun. I can't imagine these guns were hot sellers so perhaps it sat in the SW vault for a while. To me the gun is neither fish nor fowl, certainly not a target gun and I think the target sights would be a hinderence to carrying the gun for self defense. An interesting gun though, and a favorite of mine. I might letter the gun and I suspect it may turn out to be a H.H. Harris shipped item.

Larry, neat gun, I will have to keep my eyes open for one of those it would make a nice companion to mine.

Larry, I did find one of those.


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hsguy said:
To me the gun is neither fish nor fowl, certainly not a target gun and I think the target sights would be a hinderence to carrying the gun for self defense.

Larry, neat gun, I will have to keep my eyes open for one of those it would make a nice companion to mine.
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You're right of course -- they are neither fish nor fowl -- but I have found many uses for mine. Think of having a small, compact, relatively powerful revolver that you can shoot with a good degree of precision, should the need arise. Mine is a favorite for carry around the farm where I might shoot a snake at 6 feet or a ground squirrel at 60 feet. It groups very well with 158 grain lead SWC and the adjustable sights allow me make sure it's "right on" with my favorite load. I really like yours!!

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Very rare, and very nice revolver, sometimes call M-50 (I believe). Info in SCS&W.
I'll bet the Herretts are the same vintage.
 
I read an entertaining article years back where the writier extolled the virtues of the Chief's Special Target. He said he had wondered for years why they had not sold many of them, but one day it hit him -- the name! His idea was that it would have attracted much more attention if they had been called something like the Trail Master -- and I couldn't disagree with him. They are very neat little hiking guns.
 
Pisgah said:
I read an entertaining article years back where the writier extolled the virtues of the Chief's Special Target. He said he had wondered for years why they had not sold many of them, but one day it hit him -- the name! His idea was that it would have attracted much more attention if they had been called something like the Trail Master -- and I couldn't disagree with him. They are very neat little hiking guns.
Click to expand...

Interesting point, one of the oldest ploys in marketing, sell the sizzle not the steak.
 
I just looked at a fixed sight version that is model marked M36, a little higher serial number that the owner says shipped in 1962. This one came in a non-model box, has the serial number written on the bottom. Just another example of "no rules with Smith" I guess!
 
John, another nice gun for your collection. Sure wish I was going to be in Tucson to see some of these new guns you've turned up this year.

Bill
 
Thanks Bill, I am going to miss you in Tucson. Don't think I will be taking anything out there as I will be flying and the TSA hassle would probably be more trouble than it's worth.
 
Pisgah said:
I read an entertaining article years back where the writier extolled the virtues of the Chief's Special Target. He said he had wondered for years why they had not sold many of them, but one day it hit him -- the name! His idea was that it would have attracted much more attention if they had been called something like the Trail Master -- and I couldn't disagree with him. They are very neat little hiking guns.
Click to expand...


Terry Murbach. (The writer.)
 
I had one many years ago and sold it. H. H. Harris, the S&W distributor in Chicago, was a major supplier of these "oddities".
 
I'd love to find the records / documents of HH Harris. All of the early CST (1955-56) I either "lettered" or received a S&W Historian letter from the previous owner when I purchased ... each of the 4 "lettered" shipped to HH Harris. Years ago I researched HH Harris. I found HHH ad, in American Rifleman, I think it was November 1955. If I recall correctly HH Harris had a full page ad with the Chief Special Target featured. Sal Raimondi
 
hsguy said:
Even though this gun is not model marked it shipped in 1961. Interesting in that 1957 is the commonly accepted date for the model marking of guns. It either sat in inventory for a long time or was made up from a left-over pre 1957 frame.
Click to expand...

I found the same thing with my recently purchased K22. There is no model marking and it shipped in June 1958.
 
model3sw said:
I'd love to find the records / documents of HH Harris. All of the early CST (1955-56) I either "lettered" or received a S&W Historian letter from the previous owner when I purchased ... each of the 4 "lettered" shipped to HH Harris. Years ago I researched HH Harris. I found HHH ad, in American Rifleman, I think it was November 1955. If I recall correctly HH Harris had a full page ad with the Chief Special Target featured. Sal Raimondi
Click to expand...

Sal;

This sounds like a good question to post to Roy, on the SWCA side. I recall he either knew or did business with him.
 
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