Identifying Nickel Plated (1955?) .38 Chief Special Target

tkmey · Feb 23, 2020

I have been told I have a Nickel Plated .38 Chief Special Target:
S/N: 54902 (bottom of gun butt), 5 round capacity, adjustable sight, 1 7/8" barrel. This gun was given to me about 30 years ago and I have never fired it. I have also been told that this model may be 1 of 2000 made, with a manufacture date of 1955. Some screws show improper tool use. It was suggested that I post to this forum to determine if others/collectors might be able to provide me additional info and approximate value. Can anyone verify what I have here, and if I should take it to the range? I have some pics on a Shared iCloud album. Thanks.

Tony: Cell (708) 466-4949

iCloud

JH1951 · Feb 24, 2020

Welcome to the forum. The piece you present is interesting. There are several individuals here that know the Chiefs Special models quite well, and one or so that specialize in the target models. An interesting learning event is likely to be prompted by this piece. Being fond of Chiefs Specials, I am interested to see what is said.

tkmey · Feb 24, 2020

Is my link to my iCloud album working? Is it better to post the images in this thread? Sorry, first time on the forum. Thanks.

BC38 · Feb 24, 2020

tkmey, is there some other way you can post your photos. I really want to see them, but the icloud site isn't working for me. I don't know if anyone else can see them from a non-apple device, but I can't. I tried with two different Windows based browsers - no joy.

You can start a new post in this thread, select Go Advanced and then click on the Manage Attachments button and then upload up to 5 photos to each post. So two posts would allow you to imbed all 9 of your photos here in this thread (5 in one post and 4 in a second post).

Here are two really interesting threads about the Chiefs Special Target revolvers

Uncommon adjustable sight 36?
Chief Special Target Research & Survivors List Redux

mh51 · Feb 24, 2020

Welcome to the forum, and that maybe a really grand entrance! I'd suggest getting a factory letter on it to verify the shipment configuration. The grips are not correct, but the early nickel guns with target sights are rare!! I would think the factory letter for $100 would be a good investment to confirm its originality. Good Luck!
P.S.- I've never seen a rear sight quite like that, but I don't claim to be an expert!

tkmey · Feb 24, 2020

Let me see if I can post the pics.

tkmey · Feb 24, 2020

Here is a set of pics (1 of 2).

tkmey · Feb 24, 2020

Here is more pics (2 of 2)

Peak53 · Feb 24, 2020

Way more than interesting! 1954-55 seems right. This caused me to pull out my book. The SWSC says on page 254 "Nickel finish is scarce on the pre Model 50. In the Model 50 production - 3 nickel frames lettered as Model 36-1 production - thought to be the last 3 serial numbers produced." Whatever that means. In any case, if the finish is original, you are looking at serious value. Very, very nice!

edit: Even though I generally advocate shooting the "average collectible," if that is a class, this one falls outside that range until you have more information. Keep your powder dry and wait for the experts to weigh in.

BC38 · Feb 24, 2020

I am a LONG ways from an expert on these but here is what I see.
The sights and overall configuration look genuine.
The front sight looks to be part of the barrel.
The rear sight shape and profile looks the same as other confirmed examples.
The SN places it just a few lower than the lowest number of other confirmed examples.
The markings don't look sanded or polished down, the sideplate seam is nice and tight, and the hammer and trigger are appropriately case-colored. So there are no visual indications of a refinish.
I don't see an N stamped on the face of the cylinder - which I *think* one would expect for a factory nickel finish on a gun of this vintage.
Can you remove the wood grips and see if there is a letter N stamped on the side of the grip frame under the grips? If there is that would confirm a factory original nickel finish.

I made a bit of a splash finding a nice blued example of a Chiefs Special Target a couple of weeks ago (the threads I linked above), but if you found a factory original NICKEL Chiefs Special Target, you just made a really BIG splash!

The feedback I got from the experts around here is that mine is worth upwards of $900 - and if yours is an original nickel finish, I'll bet it is worth 1-1/2 to 2 times that much - just due to being the rarer finish on an already rare gun.

tkmey · Feb 24, 2020

Here are 2 more sets of pics of the numbers on the gun. Left grip (RS?), right grip (M T 6?), yoke, chamber and underside of the barrel. If you look at the flaking on the rear of the chamber, it appears to be fairly thick plating (I am not an expert and there is no flaking anywhere else on the gun), but if you look at the stamping, none of the stamping is "filled in" and looks as if all stamping was performed after the plating was completed.

tkmey · Feb 24, 2020

Here are a couple more...

tkmey · Feb 24, 2020

I cannot tell all of you how much I appreciate your input. Mike mentioned getting a factory letter from S&W. Prior to this research I contacted S&W customer service and gave them the serial # and all the girl could provide me was that this revolver was manufactured between 1902 and 1905, which made absolutely no sense to me. Any recommendations or comments on how to get a valid letter if they could not even provide me the correct year?

murphydog · Feb 24, 2020

Welcome! A couple of observations:

Is the rear sight leaf blued or nickel? The latter would suggest it has been refinished.

The "R S" on the left lower grip frame may be a refinishing stamp from the factory, but this is usually R-S in a rectangle with a date stamp. Also, a nickel gun would be stamped R-N.

Quite the mystery and worth a letter, I think. Here is the form for the letter of authenticity:

http://www.swhistoricalfoundation.com/swhf_letter.pdf

And with the letter, there may be factory documentation if the gun was refinished. No charge for the record search if nothing is found:

http://www.swhistoricalfoundation.com/swhf_form.pdf

Hope this is helpful.

murphydog · Feb 24, 2020

Also to add, the customer service reps try their best, but she gave you the age range for a K frame .38 Military & Police, not a J frame Chiefs Special.

wordsmith · Feb 24, 2020

The nickel plated rear sight assembly is a virtually dead certain guarantee of the gun being refinished. We never say never, but.....

Cool gun anyway!
DC

BC38 · Feb 24, 2020

The RS on the grip frame and the peeling nickel on the rear face of the cylinder around the ejector star and the lack of an N stamped on the rear face of the cylinder would also seem to indicate to me that it is a refinish. The factory letter is the only way to know for certain if it started life as a nickel finish or not, and if not, if the nickel finish was done by the factory at a later date, or if the nickle finish was applied by someone other than the factory.

Even if it isn't a rare factory original nickel finish or even if it isn't a factory refinish it is still one of only a couple of thousand examples and therefore a fairly rare configuration - making it a neat find. Unfortunately a refinish substantially reduces the value, and a non-factory refinish even more so.

Funny that there have been 3 Chief Special Targets unearthed in the last 3 weeks - after nearly a year with no new additions to the list of known examples.

tkmey · Feb 24, 2020

It appears that the rear sight slide that adjusts left and right may be plated, but it also looks like its not (not sure without taking it out). The lighting or shadows (or my mind) make it also difficult to tell.

I will send out the forms for the letter and see what comes back.

Thanks to all for your input and information. VERY enlightening! I will share what I get back to fill you all in. Cheers!

Tony

BC38 · Feb 25, 2020

tkmey said:
It appears that the rear sight slide that adjusts left and right may be plated, but it also looks like its not (not sure without taking it out). The lighting or shadows (or my mind) make it also difficult to tell. I will send out the forms for the letter and see what comes back.

Thanks to all for your input and information. VERY enlightening! I will share what I get back to fill you all in. Cheers!

Tony

In pretty much every picture you've posted it sure looks like the sight blade - the part with the notch in it that adjusts side to side - sure looks nickel plated. As others have said, pretty much a certain confirmation that it is a non-factory nickel refinish, especially since it isn't stamped R-N on the side of the grip frame.

The factory letter is still pretty much the only way to confirm everything that can be confirmed about it.

H Richard · Feb 25, 2020

The first thing I noticed was the plated sights. S&W never plated any adjustable sights, and I doubt if ever plated a "target" front sight. I'm pretty sure this is a re-finish of a non nickle gun.

Identifying Nickel Plated (1955?) .38 Chief Special Target

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