|
|
07-01-2015, 11:40 AM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: VA
Posts: 1,541
Likes: 1,638
Liked 1,889 Times in 527 Posts
|
|
Chiefs Special Target (No Model #)
__________________
Baby Chief Admirer
SWCA 2870
|
The Following 28 Users Like Post:
|
19leben, 3589, BigCityChief, damienph, flagman1776, Hondo44, Isis1200L, jell-dog, JHW, JP@AK, jsfricks, Kansasgunner, loknload, M1A, model3sw, Muley Gil, quinn, RKmesa, RoyS, Rustyt1953, S&W Oldtimer, SAFireman, shouldazagged, snubbyfan, sturtyboy, vonn, Watchdog, Widetrack |
07-01-2015, 12:07 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: May 2015
Location: Nor Cal
Posts: 388
Likes: 1,060
Liked 493 Times in 179 Posts
|
|
Nice find and great Looking little target. I can't recall ever seeing a target Chief. If I'm looking at the SCSW correctly, it appears to be manufactured in 1957. Unless I'm missing something.
Congratulations!
Stu
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
07-01-2015, 12:15 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Chico, CA
Posts: 451
Likes: 79
Liked 400 Times in 165 Posts
|
|
It's entirely possible that this gun was made before they started using model numbers in 1957, and sat around waiting to fill an order around 1959. There's stories like that happening with all sorts of other guns around this forum. Either way, that is a beautiful gun!
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
07-01-2015, 12:17 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: AZ
Posts: 6,963
Likes: 28,174
Liked 46,131 Times in 4,869 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by sturtyboy
Nice find and great Looking little target. I can't recall ever seeing a target Chief.
|
I agree. First time I recall seeing a target version as well. But then again, I can go to my safe and find stuff that I swear I have never seen before...(at least that's what I tell my wife...)
Congrats on picking up that beauty!
__________________
Richard
Engraved S&W fan
|
The Following 7 Users Like Post:
|
|
07-01-2015, 12:22 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 903
Likes: 86
Liked 1,766 Times in 344 Posts
|
|
The 1959 run is mixed with non model marked and model marked (36) chief special targets. Three screw frames, bright blue and flat latch; most shipped in a blue sunburst style box.
|
The Following 3 Users Like Post:
|
|
07-01-2015, 06:48 PM
|
|
Absent Comrade
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: PA.
Posts: 9,773
Likes: 50,901
Liked 44,476 Times in 8,620 Posts
|
|
Nice,,,,,very nice!
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
07-01-2015, 06:49 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: WVa East Panhandle
Posts: 28,663
Likes: 71,252
Liked 81,833 Times in 18,482 Posts
|
|
Now that's a little beauty, thanks for sharing.
__________________
Keep on Chooglin'
|
The Following 2 Users Like Post:
|
|
07-01-2015, 07:27 PM
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Indiana
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 1,091
Liked 1,627 Times in 487 Posts
|
|
That is absolutely beautiful.
|
07-01-2015, 07:44 PM
|
|
US Veteran
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: houston,texas
Posts: 7,198
Likes: 124,841
Liked 23,177 Times in 5,749 Posts
|
|
Pretty cool, I wish I had one!
__________________
Hue 68 noli me tangere
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
07-01-2015, 07:52 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Salt Lake City, UT
Posts: 903
Likes: 86
Liked 1,766 Times in 344 Posts
|
|
Excellent specimen!
|
07-01-2015, 08:01 PM
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: California
Posts: 18,915
Likes: 12,005
Liked 20,652 Times in 8,610 Posts
|
|
That's certainly a beauty. Obviously yours was already in the production process when the change order was issued on June 12, 1957 to stamp the newly assigned model numbers in the yoke.
The front sight is the standard ramp blade like the 22/32 Kit Gun w/o the base of the 22/32 Target of the same era. The Chiefs Special Targets were not introduced with a front sight base until the 1976 production run.
(The Mod 34 Kit Gun did not receive the sight base change until introduced in stainless as the Mod 63 in 1977.)
Yours is numbered near the end of the 198 last of the 1950 Target production runs:
• 312 in 1954-55, Pre Model 37, 3 ½” barrel, reportedly but unconfirmed. These are not in the final count of 2136 Targets.
• First run of 100 in 1955, Pre Model 36, # range 55050-57919, 2” Sq butt, 2nd style flat latch, 4 screw frames, pre war style hammer.
• 14 in 1956, Pre model 36, 2nd style flat latch, these may still be 4 screw models.
• 198 in 1959, Pre Mod & Model 36, # range 149811-150133, 2" Sq Butt, 2nd and 3rd style flat latch.
From my commentary here: CHIEFS SPECIAL TARGETS - Smith & Wesson Forum
__________________
Jim
S&WCA #819
Last edited by Hondo44; 02-09-2020 at 12:59 AM.
|
The Following 6 Users Like Post:
|
|
07-27-2015, 03:07 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2010
Posts: 12
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
|
|
Hello,
Although I am not a collector or dealer I just acquired this S&W .38 that appears to be a CST. I was doing some research and found this thread. The SN# is 577XX. There is no Model number, just production and serial numbers. The R/H grip and cylinder also has the SN stamped inside. Any comments would be appreciated. Thank you.
|
07-27-2015, 05:40 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: VA
Posts: 1,541
Likes: 1,638
Liked 1,889 Times in 527 Posts
|
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Delta53
Hello,
Although I am not a collector or dealer I just acquired this S&W .38 that appears to be a CST. I was doing some research and found this thread. The SN# is 577XX. There is no Model number, just production and serial numbers. The R/H grip and cylinder also has the SN stamped inside. Any comments would be appreciated. Thank you.
|
See Hondo44's post above. It looks like yours is from 1955.
First run of 100 in 1955, Pre Model 36, # range 55050-57919,
2” Sq butt, 2nd style flat latch, 4 screw frames, pre war style hammer
__________________
Baby Chief Admirer
SWCA 2870
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
07-27-2015, 06:14 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Massachusetts USA
Posts: 6,816
Likes: 3,716
Liked 8,980 Times in 3,563 Posts
|
|
One must remember that S&W serial numbers and shipping dates are all over the board. In building my .22/32 HFT database I have found that serial numbers and dated engineering changes have no bearing on each other. We must remember that the books give rough estimates of serial numbers and dated changes.
Many times a run of guns could have taken place just prior to a change being ordered and by the time that inventory was used up it appears that guns with the change didn't ship for a year or more.
With the .22/32's, the engineering change to add MADE IN USA was ordered in May of 1922. The first gun in my database to show that stamping was shipped in October of 1923.
__________________
James Redfield
LM #497
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
07-27-2015, 06:17 PM
|
Banned
|
|
|
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 12,511
Likes: 21,054
Liked 32,463 Times in 7,773 Posts
|
|
Now that is a pretty little gun. That's some kind of front sight on it, isn't it?!?
|
07-27-2015, 07:48 PM
|
|
SWCA Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 3,363
Likes: 11,289
Liked 12,207 Times in 1,951 Posts
|
|
I just found a model market 50 at this weekend's gun show and posted it in the '61-'80 section. Wow, 2 CSTs found in one month by forum members! Congrats to you.
__________________
Randy
Provenance nerd
|
The Following User Likes This Post:
|
|
07-27-2015, 08:07 PM
|
|
Member
|
|
|
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Rhode Island
Posts: 2,000
Likes: 2,515
Liked 1,682 Times in 703 Posts
|
|
NICE! Always wanted one!
__________________
NRA LIFE
Reserve Officer 9yrs
|
|
Posting Rules
|
|
|
|
|