I have examined one serial numbered 1500XX that also did not have a model marking. The serial number was rather unevenly stamped as well, at least insofar as how deeply each digit was impressed, almost as if it was done by hand, albeit with a jig of some sort.
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Chief's Special Target
- Thread starter hsguy
- Start date
That's a nice one, and you don't see them very often. I'd love to find one for my collection.
OP
Sal, Herbie Harris was able to get some very interesting guns from S&W and many of the unusual guns found in this area do letter to Harris. I have a couple of other examples. this is a very early Model 60, all the metal parts including the medallions and grip screw were stainless. The gun was high polish when sold but shows wear from use. I have included the original order letter and some copies of ads S&W published for the gun.
This next gun is a Model 48 in factory nickel. S&W never cataloged these guns in nickel but Herbie was able to get one on special order.
John, thanks for posting the pictures and sharing your knowledge. If memory serves me correctly in the November 1955 American Rifleman HH Harris has a full page ad, showing advertising the CST. I have 2 early 60s (non-target). You've given me insight to check into them further. Further up in this same thread someone mentions what I designate as CST-V2 (chief special target version 2) the 149xxx to 150xxx range. The original production were more of a soft satin blue finish while the CST-V2s are usually all high polish blue). I have one just under 150xxx and one just over 150xxx. Both are not marked for model numbers, although some in this series are marked MODEL 36. I don't see model numbers again until a batch in appx 1966 (or there about) which I designate CST-V3 marked Model 36. I have a few CST-SS (yup, you guessed it Chief Special Target Stainless Steel) that had seem to have been ordered by Lew Horton, nick-named Lew Horton Specials but were actually ordered by Ashand. All marked 60-1. After that the Model 50. I stopped with anything newer than the 60-1 as in the 90s S&W mass produced a 3" version in black and other variants. Naturally, the bug that bit me first is when I read Roy Jink's History of S&W back in the 70s, stating that 114 of the original CSTs were manufacture 1955-57. Question is, exactly how many produced in the 55xxx to 57xxx serial number range, and how many in the 149xxx to 150xxx range ? I have one in the 55xxx range, (55060) and the rest are all in the 57xxx as I've seen various quotes on the production runs over they years. I've never seen one in the 56xxx range. Since I started collecting these many year back I've only passed on one that had been so beaten, rusted and poorly refinished that I just had to pass on it. What I should have done was record that serial number but did not.
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CST-SS
Hey Sal
Your CST-SS is probably a gun from the order by Ashland Shooters Supply, Ashland, Ohio of 1985. There were 666 guns in this order with a product code of 102305. A quote from my factory letter by Mr. Jinks, "The serial numbers of this group are dispersed through a wide range of serial numbers all generally beginning with the AL prefix with one more letter".
An interesting side note! I have maintained a data base from the "Survivors List" from the Joe Miller days and your #55060 is THE lowest serial number I have. Also, I have no serial numbers in the 56xxx range!
Do I detect a renewed interest in the CST guns? ? ?
jcelect SWCA#LM723
Hey Sal
Your CST-SS is probably a gun from the order by Ashland Shooters Supply, Ashland, Ohio of 1985. There were 666 guns in this order with a product code of 102305. A quote from my factory letter by Mr. Jinks, "The serial numbers of this group are dispersed through a wide range of serial numbers all generally beginning with the AL prefix with one more letter".
An interesting side note! I have maintained a data base from the "Survivors List" from the Joe Miller days and your #55060 is THE lowest serial number I have. Also, I have no serial numbers in the 56xxx range!
Do I detect a renewed interest in the CST guns? ? ?
jcelect SWCA#LM723
Survivor's list Chief Special Targets 1955-1956
Nice to know I have the oldest surviving CST. Can you share that survivor's list with me? I'm uncertain if I supplied any of my serial numbers to the survivors list ... I may have, however, if I had not I'm sure I can add "a few" (LOL) to the list ... like a dozen in the 55xxx and 57xxx range (including 55060). Sal
Nice to know I have the oldest surviving CST. Can you share that survivor's list with me? I'm uncertain if I supplied any of my serial numbers to the survivors list ... I may have, however, if I had not I'm sure I can add "a few" (LOL) to the list ... like a dozen in the 55xxx and 57xxx range (including 55060). Sal
Joe, it's been you, me and only a few others collecting these from way back when, but YOU'RE the man !! Sal
Targets Guy
US Veteran
Love my Chief.
I found that interesting also. As near as can tell the box is original to the gun. I can't imagine these guns were hot sellers so perhaps it sat in the SW vault for a while. To me the gun is neither fish nor fowl, certainly not a target gun and I think the target sights would be a hinderence to carrying the gun for self defense. An interesting gun though, and a favorite of mine. I might letter the gun and I suspect it may turn out to be a H.H. Harris shipped item.
Larry, neat gun, I will have to keep my eyes open for one of those it would make a nice companion to mine.
Larry, I did find one of those.
These were from an Ashland special order (in the mid 1980s) of the Stainless Steel Chief Special Target. I thought these were so hot, I purchased a few from Harrison Carrol, ( a specialty S&W, Sig 210, and Colt SAA guy) as only certain upscale dealers got these. Could not find them locally ... remember this was all in the Pre-Internet days.
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Larry from Bend
Member
Yes, I think is was 1986. I got Shotgun News back then. Ashland did a half-page ad for these. I thought they were slick and had a FFL buddy order one for me. When it arrived he called me. I asked how it looked and he said "That front sight takes some getting used to..."
It was my "Canoe Gun" when I fished around Mobile.
Yeah those front sights on the target model I and J frames were quite the shark fin.
The stainless Chiefs Targets finally got a sight base on the 1990, Mod 60-4, 3" HB full lug and Rd Butt limited run.
The blue Chiefs Target got the sight base for the 1st time on the 1975 limited run of the Model 36-1:
The stainless Chiefs Targets finally got a sight base on the 1990, Mod 60-4, 3" HB full lug and Rd Butt limited run.
The blue Chiefs Target got the sight base for the 1st time on the 1975 limited run of the Model 36-1:
crsides
US Veteran, SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
Yeah those front sights on the target model I and J frames were quite the shark fin.
The stainless Chiefs Targets finally got a sight base on the 1990, Mod 60-4, 3" HB full lug and Rd Butt limited run.
The blue Chiefs Target got the sight base for the 1st time on the 1975 limited run of the Model 36-1:
Now that is a classy looking gun.
Charlie
Recently picked up this gun and thought it interesting. It is not model marked but came with what I believe to be the original blue two piece box. The box has the serial number in white grease pencil on the bottom and the end of the box is printed with ".38 Chiefs Special Model 36" and in grease pencil is written "TAR", I assume for target. The gun is serial 1501xx. It presently has a target trigger but there is also a standard trigger in the box, gun has Herrett grips. When I receive the shipping date I will post it.
The first run of the CSTs (CST-1) were very few in the 55,0xx range, NONE in the 56xxx range, and the rest in 577xx to 578xx range, are not sequential. Perhaps built in runs of 10 or 20 at a time for a total of 114 CST-1s. These were all matte finish blue. I originally corrected the Blue Book of Gun Values back in about 1995 who previously had them all listed as bright premium blue.
The next run of the CST (CST-2) are in the 149xxx to 150xxx range. I'm not sure exactly how many (likely about 200 or so ... jump in to correct me) but these were all bright, premium blue.
The box you show is correct with the TAR on the end label and should have the serial number on the bottom of the box (at one end or the other) then another series of number mid box in a white grease crayon type marker. Needless to say, the stocks (grips) are incorrect.
Back about 30+ years ago there were very few collectors of the Chief's Special Target models, including myself, Joe Cebull and a very few others.
In the pre-internet days you bought LOTS of books because the world of data was not at your fingertips. AND you subscribed to the better respected Gun classifieds, e.g. GUNLIST, etc. and traded with members of your club or clubs. Collecting of baby Chiefs was near non existent as a sub-culture collecting back then other than a sharp collector would always be attracted to a nice condition, low SN gun of the models he collects.
The early Centennials were also sought with the airweight nickel Centennial in the front running for the more desirable as many had peeled and had shown up with peeling nickel or refinished. It was (and still is) difficult to find an early Centennial Airweight with a tight original nickel finish.
Then, of course, were the Chief Special Airweight with the alloy cylinder. In the same serial number range as the Chief's special found in the 23xxx-27,xxx range and some up to the 4x,xxx range.
Roy Jinks mentions a Chief's Special Airweight Target in his 1977 (appx 1977) publication of the History of S&W. I found a Chief's Special Airweight Target, which is clearly a master gunsmith or factory conversion in the lower 100,xxx range using S&W CST front sight blade and rear target sight. It is THE only one I every saw. I still have it, hoping one day it will be blessed by the powers that be. It letters only as a standard Chief's Special Airweight with no special comments. When I found it I paid a fair value of an Airweight. The seller did not suggest it was anything odd or special and was not selling it on the premise that it was an Airweight Target.
It was not until the 1960s that the Model 50 designation was assigned to the steel frame Chief Special Target, however it was not used nor marked as such until the run of the Model 50's somewhere in the mid to late 1970s just for that one batch and never seen Model 50 designation after that.
See Joe Cebulls post here: http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1961-1980/167859-model-50-a.html
Chief's Special Targets produced in the 1959 to late 1960s are found as Model 36 designation.
and as Forrest Gump would say "and that's all I got to say about that".
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My great aunt Sadie used to live on the Dog River in Mobile, near the old Air Force base. She got to fish in her back yard whenever she wanted.
BUFF
SWCA Member, Absent Comrade
My Model 50 is a blue 2 incher, 935J63. I made a note that it was 1 of 568 manufactured in 1973, from Roy Jinks' book.
My Model 60-1, the 2 inch stainless Target from Ashland Shooters Supply is ALU3228. I bought it in July, 1985. My dealer ordered me one when I showed him the ad in either ShotGun News or Gun Digest, so they were made in 1985 if not a smidge earlier.
Unusual, cute little devils, aren't they?
My Model 60-1, the 2 inch stainless Target from Ashland Shooters Supply is ALU3228. I bought it in July, 1985. My dealer ordered me one when I showed him the ad in either ShotGun News or Gun Digest, so they were made in 1985 if not a smidge earlier.
Unusual, cute little devils, aren't they?
Leatherhead23
SWCA Member
Friend of mine got a Model 50 from his father recently. He is not a Smith guy...but he refuses to sell it to me. I don't blame him.
He did allow me to clean and wax it and snap a couple pics of it though...
He did allow me to clean and wax it and snap a couple pics of it though...
Update
This is a prime example why of we should never say " S&W never did that"!
All the data I have been able to accumulate on the CST group of gun of 1966 is 1006 made in #391773-#392778. Earlier this year I found a CST at OGCA and walked away from it because the serial number did not fit! ? ! ? Mr. Jinks informed a good friend, CST collector, and fellow Ohioan that #452834 is a CST and there were 4 guns in the shipment!
Just when we think we know it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe Cebull SWCA#LM723
This is a prime example why of we should never say " S&W never did that"!
All the data I have been able to accumulate on the CST group of gun of 1966 is 1006 made in #391773-#392778. Earlier this year I found a CST at OGCA and walked away from it because the serial number did not fit! ? ! ? Mr. Jinks informed a good friend, CST collector, and fellow Ohioan that #452834 is a CST and there were 4 guns in the shipment!
Just when we think we know it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Joe Cebull SWCA#LM723
Larry from Bend
Member
She lived in a pretty spot. I lived on Dog River for almost two years. A buddy had a 22' boat tied to the dock and we'd go out sometimes. One year I got to take part in the Fishing Rodeo.
I did most of my fishing on the Escatava (sp) River near Pascagoula. Loads of fun.
C Broad Arrow
Member
This may sound like an odd question, but did the Model 36 ever come in 38 S&W vs 38 Special?
