The Really Old Chief's Special Thread

[bmcgilvray]

Apparently this one was made in late 1950 or early 1951 but shipped to Oshman's Hardware Store in Houston, Texas in March of 1952 according to the S&W factory letter. The revolver's serial No. is 2018. It possesses all the early features: flat latch, half-moon front sight, 5 screws, small trigger guard, pre-war style hammer spur. The grip panels are a little shorter than the later J-Frame grips. Some call this frame size the modified I-Frame. I guess if it wasn't wearing its original grips then one would have to find a pair of grips off of a Terrier in order to obtain correct fit. It does have a coil main spring. It's no oil painting condition-wise but it's a good shooter and very accurate except when I toss the occasional flier. I got it at a Fort Worth Convention Center gun show in the early '80's. It was priced less than the later Chief's Specials at the show that had ramp sights and traditional latches. The seller considered it less desirable because of the half-moon front sight. I thought it was novel so snapped it right up.

I've seen a couple with lower four-digit serial numbers. At a recent Dallas Market Hall gun show I found one with a serial number of 983.

Does anyone out there know the approximate serial number range when the last of the Chief's Specials with the half-moon front sight were made?

 

[sigp220.45]

I can't answer your questions, but I can say that I would have tripped over myself trying to buy that old warrior.

You get 1,000 Cool Points.

.....................

 

[gizamo]

Really nice revolver. You can tell its' a early one with the I-frame grip size and stocks and the I-frame trigger guard. Details of the engineering changes are in the "History of Smith & Wesson" by Jinks. Should list the change from the half-moon to ramp there.

Nice early Chiefs Special. Thanks for sharing.

Giz

 

[JayCeeNC]

Neat gun, I like the half-moon front sight.
I have #33618, shipped June, 1953, but it has the ramp front sight.

 

[DWFAN]

On the cool scale it's a 10. Nice honest ware and looks like it was taken care of. I like it.

DW

 

[ldp4570]

COOL!! She looks like a perfect companion for your well used model 10 you wrote about not to long ago!! Heck of a story!

 

[bmcgilvray]

Thanks.

Anyone that has early Chief's Specials ('50's and '60's) is welcome to post photos of them. I'd like to see them. I'd like to see a really nice example of a first-year Chief's so I could know what mine looked like when new.

 

[Erich]

I've already carried on about this gun over at handgunplace, amigo, but I just have to say that you made my day by posting this.

(And now the gripframe on my Model 37 looks huge to me!

)

 

[geoff40]

Ok, I can play. I am told this gun has been reblued, and I'd agree that at least the sideplate has (or maybe replaced), but as for the rest of it I am not sure because the stampings, those small rollmarks, looks awfully sharp to me for a reblue.
I couldn't resist it when I saw it, even if it has been reblued, you just don't see these too often any more. SN 2273, I haven't lettered it yet so I have no info at all on it. Some of you may remember this one from KTP a year or 2 ago. I should shoot some better pics of it I guess.

 

[BlackAgnes]

I'm guessing about 1957...

Tim

 

[Blackcloud2]

The older ones just scream COOL! Thanks for posting!

 

[JayCeeNC]

This is my beat-up old Chief's, ser# 33618. Shipped June, 1953. My dad carried it as a backup and off-duty gun for years.

 

[Sebago Son]

"... Some of you may remember this one from KTP a year or 2 ago...."

Geoff, I remember handling that gun half a dozen times over 3 months or so trying to make up my mind... Thanks for removing it from my temptations!

If I didn't have #1184 at home already, near mint in the origional finish I would have jumped on it...

Lore has it that the ramp sight and half round sight were intermittant in the first 3,000 guns or so.... I believe that the barrel and half round front sight was "barrowed" from the Pre-War Terrier series....

Another interesting note is that in the Meeting Room Upstairs adjacent to the Engraving Area at Smith & Wesson, Chief's Special No.1 is currently on display..... labeled "Roy Jinks Collection", of course!

Drew

 

[bmcgilvray]

Enjoying seeing the old Chief's Specials showing up for this thread.

John, your 1953 revolver still appears to have the early trigger guard and hammer spur. I suppose it has the short grip frame as well. Your revolver has the neat S&W logo on the left side. Mine has no logo. Yours has the satin blue finish and is an attractive old blue gun.

Tim, your revolver was made the same year I was. It looks much better for its age than I do. The factory did a great job polishing and bluing the Chief's Specials along about then.

Geoff, I wonder if your early Chief's went back to the factory for a refinish. I imagine you've already checked the grip frame. I'd like to know when it was shipped. It's serial number makes it a near kin to mine.

I suppose the square butt is 1967 or later.

 

[AIM_SMALL_MISS_SMALL]

Apparently this one was made in late 1950 or early 1951 but shipped to Oshman's Hardware Store in Houston, Texas in March of 1952 according to the S&W factory letter. The revolver's serial No. is 2018. It possesses all the early features: flat latch, half-moon front sight, 5 screws, small trigger guard, pre-war style hammer spur. The grip panels are a little shorter than the later J-Frame grips. Some call this frame size the modified I-Frame. I guess if it wasn't wearing its original grips then one would have to find a pair of grips off of a Terrier in order to obtain correct fit. It does have a coil main spring. It's no oil painting condition-wise but it's a good shooter and very accurate except when I toss the occasional flier. I got it at a Fort Worth Convention Center gun show in the early '80's. It was priced less than the later Chief's Specials at the show that had ramp sights and traditional latches. The seller considered it less desirable because of the half-moon front sight. I thought it was novel so snapped it right up.

Can't answer your questions, but thanks for posting the pictures.

That gun is really nice looking.

I like it almost as much as my pre-Model 10, which shipped on March 14, 1949 . . . I love typing that.

The two look very similar, but I prefer the six-shot cylinder on mine.
But I'd buy yours in heart beat if I ever found an affordable one.

This one isn't my (or my picture!), but mine looks similar to this:

p.s. to whomever originally posted that picture: Thanks (I'll take it down if it is yours and you object.)
In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, any copyrighted work in this message is distributed under fair use without profit or payment for non-profit research and educational purposes only.
[Ref. http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml ]

 

[smith17]

bmcgilvray:
I hope I am not degrading the thread by posting a picture of one that was not made completely of steel. I should get a letter any day about this one that has an aluminum cylinder and has remained unshot since about 1953 (serial 27xxx). Very cool thread.
Ed

 

[bmcgilvray]

Whowee! Whowee! What a rare bird has graced our thread! I'm assuming the frame is alloy as well? The red box is cool and looks to be perfect.

Please post your findings when your letter comes in!

Hey, that bark in the background looks like pecan.

 

[smith17]

There are two barks involved. One is 8 weeks old and was chewing on my ankles during the photo session. The other is a live oak which is part of a mott of them surrounding my house. I will post info upon arrival.
Ed

 

[norfdet]

I just picked up this Chief Special circa 1968.

 

[oneoleone]

No first year or round front sight but a nickel
from '52, a blue and a lightweight from '54.