Help idetifying this gun!

E

EPM

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Hello all,this is my first post. I've tried every kind of google search,and I can't find out any information on this gun I just bought on gunbroker.com I may have got a decent price,but don't really know. I'd like to know any factual information any of you can provide ,model number ,year made, anything.
Please help! The gun information and pictures can be found by going to gunbroker.com and entering the auction number in the search space. The auction number is 130437833,and is still displayed on the site.
If anybody can help me it's you guys. Thank you all for any help.
Ed
 
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Help identifying this gun!

P.S.
The gun looks like a chiefs special,is five screw,five shot,barrel marked .38 special ctg. [not 38 S&W],flat latch,half moon front sight, the original wood grips are on the gun and 1/4 inch shorter than a j frame[i frame grips will fit the gun],the serial number is three digit 8XX. The owner bought it in excellent blued condition 35 years ago,and at that time sent it to S&W for factory nickling,and aquired the genuine mother of pearl grips at that time. When Smith plated the gun they returned it with a astrict[*] stamped after the serial number to indicate the finish change done by them.
Thanks again all,
Ed
 
Ed, welcome to the forum.

The information provided by the seller looks completely consistent with what I see in the pictures: It's a Chief's Special from early in the model's production run before the model number system was introduced. I'm not an expert on these small guns, and I think the only thing I would add to the seller's description is that these early versions with the short grips and the smaller trigger guard were commonly identified as "Baby Chiefs Specials." After the first couple of years, the trigger guard was expanded into a more oval shape and the front attachment point of the guard moved forward on the frame. Also, the original half round front sight was replaced by a serrated ramp. You definitely have an early one, and those bring a premium compared to models from the later production run.

Value? Since it is a refinished gun, some collectors would pass it by. But it was refinished by S&W, who did it the right way, and you got some great medallion pearls as part of the deal. I think the price you paid is not out of line for the package. You may even have made a pretty good deal. Others here will have better ideas on that than I do.

Nice gun. Enjoy it.

David Wilson
 
Help identifying this gun!

Thank you DCWilson,
I appreciate your input greatly. What book or source can I find the information you provided to doucument this gun.The gun is unique enough I'd buy the reference material to help verify what the gun is. After hours of frustrated google searches I came up with nothing. Anyone have further info.?
Thanks,
Ed
 
The first revolver that became the Chiefs Special was completed on October 24, 1950 and began with serial number 1. At a meeting of the International Association of Police Chiefs in the fall of 1950, the revolver was shown and the name Chiefs Special received the most votes. In 1957, this model was assigned number 36. The Chiefs Special was available in either blue or nickel finish.

The early Chief Specials had a rounded trigger guard and round front sight. By 1952 or so the round front sight had been replaced by a ramp front sight and the trigger guard had been expanded.

Bill

Sources: Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, Third Edition, by Supica and Nahas, and History of Smith & Wesson by Jinks.
 
Help identifying this gun!

Great info. I knew the forum members would come through with information. Based on the information with serial numbers starting with 1,what year was this gun made with a three digit number of 8XX.
Thanks
 
Nice score! I would love to have that one.

I don't know a lot about old Smiths, other than that I love them, but I'd guess by the serial that your gun is a first year production example. Hopefully, one of the site's resident experts will tell you for sure.
 
C&R Baby

Unless you fork out the $30 for three years, then you can have C&R guns, like this one, imported from free states.:cool:

Bill
 
EPM...Assuming S&W started production of the Chiefs Special in the fall of 1950, I would assume your revolver was made the first year of production (1950). Since it is an early revolver, I would letter the gun just to find out when and where it was shipped. It would be worth the $50.

Bill
 
someone say Baby Chief?

mine is 52-3 vintage, liberated from Chicago :)

316480273.jpg
 
Talk to your 01 FFL

Heatseeker said:
???

I do have a C&R. I was under the impression it did me no good on handguns. School me on this!!!!
Click to expand...

I have asked many of them about having a C&R gun shipped from out of state and receive it here on my C&R. They say it will work just like them selling me a gun off their shelf. The gun sits in their safe during the 10 day gun buyers patience enhancement program and then it's yours. I haven't actually done this yet because I haven't bought an out of state gun since I transferred here.

Bill
 
Heatseeker, The gun is a C&R. It's importable to Calif. just has to come in thru a FFL dealer registered with the CA DOJ to receive out of state shipped guns who can then transfer it to you. You pay the DROS and the dealer's fees.
 
EPM said:
Great info. I knew the forum members would come through with information. Based on the information with serial numbers starting with 1,what year was this gun made with a three digit number of 8XX.
Thanks
Click to expand...

I had s/n 175xx, and the letter I got from S&W said it was shipped in Sept 1952.

If it were mine, I'd definitely letter the one you got!
 
opoefc said:
Heatseeker, The gun is a C&R. It's importable to Calif. just has to come in thru a FFL dealer registered with the CA DOJ to receive out of state shipped guns who can then transfer it to you. You pay the DROS and the dealer's fees.
Click to expand...

Thanks to you and mtb1bkr. I will contact my favorite FFL shortly(he should be back from the Middle East next month). Thanks to you guys, I can see deeper poverty in my future :D .

I apologize for taking this thread off topic.
 
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