Baby Chief pre 36

[Chris Humphries]

I was curious on how rare is it to have a 1950 nickel first year introduced round butt?

[murphydog]

Nickel early Chiefs Specials are uncommon. I cannot recall ever seeing an original nickel one with the "half-moon" front sight.

[two-bit cowboy]

Welcome aboard from Wyoming, Chris.

Give this commentary a look. It might help.

http://smith-wessonforum.com/blog.php?b=104

I believe we'll need some specifics about your Baby Chiefs, the serial number for sure, before somebody can give you a direct answer. Photos would be a huge plus.

Slàinte,

Bob

[Chris Humphries]

The serial number is 266

[Wiregrassguy]

Welcome to the forums from the Wiregrass! You are going to have to post some pictures. Is that SN from the butt of the gun?

[murphydog]

Photos would definitely help for an opinion on the originality of the finish. Also, please let us know if there are any refinish stamps (a star next to the serial number, a three or four digit date code or R-N in a rectangle on the lower left side of the grip frame)?

[Chris Humphries]

Here are a couple

[Chris Humphries]

Thank you all for the help

[SAFireman]

It looks to me like it was refinished.

[Chris Humphries]

I thought it was also, but the 80 yr old man said it wasn't. He said he bought it from the original owner, and when he was a cop. That to add a little custom look. That he got the hammer and trigger nickeled. The stamping all looks untouched. The man that gave it to me, paid for the letter on it, and it should be here in a couple of weeks. For gift it is still a first year chief. Not many people can say they own one.

[Wiregrassguy]

For gift it is still a first year chief. Not many people can say they own one.

True. But I agree with SAFireman that it appears to have been refinished. Look at the knurling on the ejector rod. It appears to have been galled with pliers or some other tool and was plated over.

[DWalt]

I agree with the others who believe the plating is not original.

[JSR III]

A few more photos from all angles would also help make a determination. Early nickle chiefs are very rare. I also question the story about having the hammer and trigger nickle plated. A nickle hammer and trigger are a telltale sign of an aftermarket nickle job as the factory would never do that. Anyone visiting this forum could learn that fact in very short order. One way to cover that fact would be to say that you had it done on purpose. Not wishing to cast any dispersions on the old gentlemen but sometimes if it smells like a fish, it is.

[murphydog]

It is a very early BCS. Does it have a standard thumb piece (cylinder latch) with a square-ish checkered area, or a more rectangular grooved flat latch?

If the hammer and trigger are plated this is a giveaway that it has been refinished, but it doesn't rule out the possibility it was originally a nickel gun. Please let us know what the letter shows?

[Tired Gunsmith]

I have very carefully studied the picture of this revolver.
My firm opinion is that the refinishing ( firmly convinced from what I see) has the color more of a "Bumper Plating" outfit than a gunshop.
In our shop we did rebluing as well as both Nickel and Gold plating.).
(Most of our plating was on refinishing NYCPD Badges

[MSgt G]

More pictures would be helpful, but yes, it appears to be refinished.

[iskra]

Old eyes and not the expertise of many here. Yet without 'undue influence', to agree the finish appearing non-original. The ejector knurling quite suggestive. Yet also to wonder about what appears a wavy "Smith & Wesson" stamp on the barrel. Quite possibly the angle of the photo, lighting or reflection. But the "Wesson" appearing a bit strange. Also the spacing of digits in the serial number seemingly unaccountable. Noting my own similar (not same) model & era exemplar below with quite even spacing.
Still best of luck on all working out to your satisfaction. Truly an interesting specimen in any case. Hoping you 'flush out' here, the missing photo areas!
Just my take

[jsfricks]

I also had noticed the spacing on the butt serial number. A bit odd.

[dobk63]

This gun looks familiar. I saw a re-plated early Chief's Special at Bama Pawn in Montgomery, AL back in the late 1990's. Best of my recollection serial number may have been 266, it was definitely in the 2XX range. The story I had from Mark Pace (store owner) was that it was a police confiscation from a suicide and if true probably came through Gulf States Dist. who got a lot of guns from police depts. and whom Mark did a lot of business with.

[Hondo44]

If there's a B in front of the serial # on the bottom of the barrel, the gun was originally blued when it left the factory.

It's clearly been nickel plated since it left the factory and not by S&W.

[DWalt]

Originally Posted by jsfricks

I also had noticed the spacing on the butt serial number. A bit odd.

I have seen other CSs which also have SNs on the butt which don't look quite right, and in one case a SN which couldn't possibly have been correct, yet it did not appear to have been overstamped over another SN. No explanation from me.

[bmcgilvray]

It appears to be refinished to me and that story about the nickeled hammer and trigger is foreboding.