Nothing fancy, just a decently clean little 36 square butt I picked up the other day to match the slightly earlier round butt in my small collection - I'd think this one is late 60s, possibly early 70s - can't recall the cutoff for the diamond grips but these do match/number to gun.

*Pardon the oil sheen in the pics, the bluing is pretty solid where retained, mostly just visible holster rub from carry on muzzle and cylinder. Was told from seller this was their father's personal B/U gun when with local PD.

S/N: 4348xx

**Two-ish hours after orig post: Pics added of it next to its slightly older (not bigger!) flat-latch brother from '61 which I've shown before - also w/proper numbers matching stocks, though stamp only on this set and slightly marred as seen.

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The grips if original to that gun indicate a bit earlier. Maybe 1968 or earlier. Look on the back side of the grips to see if the serial number is written in pencil.

The wrangler of stray chiefs will be along soon to answer the question you asked.

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S&WHF #946
S&WCA #3824

Yep, grips have been checked, all scribbles match.

I was guessing maybe a '68-69 when I saw the diamonds with the later raised latch assembly, but could not recall when the diamonds were fully gone from assembly models.

On guns made post WWII, at least, the number on the stocks will be stamped, not written in pencil!

Yes, the diamond was deleted from the stocks ca. 1968. Assuming there is no "J" prefix to the serial number the gun dates to 1953-1955 time frame, so the stocks are probably original to it. If there is a "J" then the gun would be 1976-1977

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Gunsmithing since 1961

No J - stamped one side, scribbled the other, both numbers match.

I generally don't post S/N pics due to hassle but no offense guys - the grips number to gun in every way I can see correctly. No prefix to the serial number.

Sweet little SB J-frame. I have a RB of around the same vintage that was my first ever S&W revolver - my introduction into the S&W addiction.

I'd love to find one like yours to keep it company. So far the best I have been able to find is a nickel-plated RB example to keep my original blued version company.

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Send lawyers, guns & money...

I have a 36 3", SB, flat latch with numbered diamond magnas.
Serial 2032XX I've been told dates it to '60 or '61.
I think the flat thumb latches ended in '65. A serial number list I found with 6 numbers (no floating J) indicated 1962 started at 295000 and ended in 1969 at 786544.
Yours may be 1966?

'66 Makes the most sense so far, glancing through my book (found it) looks like definitively pre-68, post-'62 for this design; grips/frame/etc.

*I had not realized I'd created a different thread about an almost identical S/N some time ago and it did shake out to likely late '66, as flat-latches stopped that spring.

This is quite odd, as that was a different gun in better shape cosmetically (I solemnly swear this IS a different example) - the owner of that one and I couldn't agree on a price.

The one pictured I purchased just the other day from a gent selling off the last of his late father's estate he didn't want; I met him for pickup, and though a different house is actually in the same neighborhood as the other.

It's tight-knit up here in some parts of ID, but it's astounding to consider the two guns I looked at (first passed on) may've gone through the same hardware store or such in the same shipment and never ventured more than a handful of miles apart.

That's a handsome Chiefs Special. Congratulations.

Here are some dull statistics to dry up some of the speculation.

January 11, 1966: S&W issued Engineering Change # 944 to
eliminate the "diamond surrounding the screw and nut
escutcheons on all stocks." The change was slow to take effect.

February 11, 1966: S&W "incorporated" an Engineering Change to
replace the flat thumbpiece with a new contoured thumbpiece. The
change seemingly took effect immediately.

Several Chiefs with 3" barrels in the 434xxx and 435xxx serial
range shipped in spring 1966. My 2" 455586 shipped in November '66.

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Wrangler of stray Chiefs
Bob

Much thanks for landing us on a pretty solid date range there! Appreciate it, as always!