Baby Chief Nickel Round Sight

[CZU]

If I could be assured that this left the factory as a nickel I might would be tempted but then there is the problem of the S&W rollmark or lack thereof. Then the fact that it went back to S&W for a refinish so close to when it was built is somewhat confounding. Was it blue then changed to nickel? Was it nickel and re-nickeled? I like the pearls, you don't see them very often or at least I don't.

 

[murphydog]

As you inferred, a nickel "Baby" Chiefs Special is a very scarce gun. It looks like a factory-quality job, minus the missing logo, if it is refinished.

The MOP stocks are probably from a 1910 decade I-sized grip frame, with that medallion style. Cool but not original.

If it is at a decent price, I'd be tempted to roll the dice and get the letter afterward. Finding service records with the "deep dive" research may not find anything, however.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Looks like a barrel replacement which might account for no "N" under the barrel. What does the left side grip frame have on it?

 

[CZU]

There is not an N stamp where you would expect them to be. Here is the left view of frame.

 

[two-bit cowboy]

I am a bit skeptical of its original finish, but I do not totally dismiss
the possibility.

Later Chiefs with an original nickel finish had an N stamped on the
bottom of the barrel and lower left side of the grip frame. I have
not seen early ones with that characteristic so I cannot say for
sure they had the N stamps.

S&W's prewar standard was to stamp a B on revolvers slated to
receive a blue finish, but no known Chiefs Specials have the B
stamp.

S&W shipped an order for 15 nickel Chiefs with serial numbers
1336-1728 on April 21, 1952, to Rex Firearms Incorporated in
New York City, but your serial number is not one of those.

We see many early serial numbers with a refinished nickel finish,
but most known examples started out with a blue finish.

Unfortunately a letter from Don would be the only way to know.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

It went back for service in May 1952, if I read the date correctly. Pretty soon after manufacture to need a barrel replacement. Might need a Deep Dive on this one to "Paul Harvey" it.

 

[handejector]

The O does not always mean replaced parts. In this case, it means a refinish. Note the O is also on the gripframe.
I assume someone wanted their new blue gun to turn nickel.
Murphydog is right about the grips- they are I frame from decades earlier.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

Then, there should be an O on the cylinder, right?

 

[handejector]

Then, there should be an O on the cylinder, right?

Dunno. Wouldn't surprise me either way.

 

[Wiregrassguy]

^shrug^ Okay...

 

[John Fugate]

It's a 600/700 nostalgic carry piece for someone who always wanted a half moon nickel chief but never found a real one , and if they did they didn't want to pay the 4 or 5 grand it would probably have cost them. It still have value and a market , just not at a very high level. The gun looks to have been refinished by Earl Scheib in my opinion , the best thing about Earl was his turn time. Boy was he fast ,,