Been an avid 36-1 fan but new to the world of the early Chief Special and its evolution. I hope the experts here will critique my description and help answer a few questions.

Just acquired an early Chief with an unlikely combination of features: a 2” round butt, 5-screw with small grip frame, small (round) trigger guard, 2nd style flat latch, serrated ramp front sight, early style hammer and serial number 40901 which would put it in late 1953 or early 1954.











At approximately what serial number was the change to 4-screw, the elongated trigger guard, and the larger grip frame . . . and were all three changes made at the same time? At what serial number was the serrated ramp front sight introduced?

The gun is extremely well preserved for having been carried by a New Orleans detective for 15 years. Fortunately, it was well protected by this much-carried holster.



Russ

Russ, even with a soft holster, I'm amazed it didn't corrode more in the weather of LA. Very good find.

Here is a late 50's no dash I picked up recently and had refinished by S&W. I am forever trying to find out more about the history/usage of the flat latches on these era J Frames.

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Aaron Terry

Your looks a lot like my early one.

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S&WCA #2018

Those early 36's sure look great. I have only one from the 1980's and it looks like junk (half-az workmanship) compared to these nice examples.

Yes . . . with the exception of the cylinder latch. Yours appears to be the earlier style. Very nice . . . thanks for sharing.

Russ

Dunno, but this is pre 36 #716XX 4 screw, elongated, standard grip frame, serrated sight so it was earlier than this, from 1955.

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ASA/NSA 67-71
NRA Benefactor

You asked about them. The earliest ones had front half moon sights. Then they went to the ramp sight, later extended the trigger guard and changed the cylinder latch.

Ones with either type front sight and the short trigger guard and 5 screws are sometimes called "Baby Chiefs". The length of the grip frame is shorter than a standard Model 36. (More like an "I" frame) The frame is considered a J frame due to the lengthened cylinder opening to accommodate the longer .38 Special

This is SN# 9108

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S&WCA #2018

I saw one today with serial number 781## and it was nickel.
Thinking it was a '55 gun and wondering whether or not the early guns had a "N" stamp anywhere to signify that it left the factory as a nickel gun or not.
Price was $389 + tax and it looked to be 90-95% for a gun of that age.

Nothing unlikely at all about the gun, EXCEPT the latch. All features are normal for a LATE Baby Chief, except that I have never seen one with the later latch.

The change to the large guard and long grips and dropping the trigger guard screw happened in 53 or 54, at the same time the 22/32 Kit Gun Model of 1953 appeared. As far as I know, all changes occured at the same time, since they were using a new frame forging.

There were 3 sights on Baby's- 1/2 moon, smooth ramp, and serrated ramp. The smooth and serrated ramps are very intermixed in the serial numbers.

I believe the Baby's disappear in the mid to upper 40,000's. I have never seen a Baby numbered in the 50,000's.

I also believe the term "Pre-36" to be inappropriate for Baby's.
Reason- when the Chief was assigned a Model number, the frame had changed significantly, as discussed above. Therefore, NO gun with a model number has, or ever had, the short grip frame, small guard, or 5th screw. It is kinda like calling a Triple Lock a Pre-21.

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Regards,
Lee Jarrett

#36,681

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"I also cook."

Extremely nice! ...........Thanks for the pictures!

It's been shown on the forum before but here is serial number 2018. It's grubbier than all the nice ones shown above.

Thanks for all the informative responses and great pictures. I also did a search and found The Really Old Chief's Special Thread tread on this forum started by bmcgilvray back in May 2007 and revived several times since . . . it's worthy of being a "sticky".

The greatest threat to having just one of these early Chiefs is the temptation to try collecting one of every combination of grip/trigger frame, front sight, latch & hammer produced by the factory.

Thanks again, Russ