The Beat-Up Chiefs Special Thread...

[gizamo]

I'm sure there are more than a few of us that wouldn't mind seein' a beater J-Frame or 10 or 12...

We all ooh and ahhhh over the pristined examples that are new in the box. But once in awhile it's nice to see a few that were actually used hard... Times change and now we are all into the hi-cap wonder guns for personal protection.

But there was once upon a time when the little gun got called into play...the daily driver, the one that got put away wet, the one that always gave comfort because it was always there....

 

[Gun 4 Fun]

I don't have a gun for you to look at, but it's nice to see you posting again. At least I haven't seen you around for a while, and seem to recall you had to take some time away. Hope all is well.

 

[mbnatt]

I love a beat up holster worn, j-frame or Detective special, it's like it cry's out ask me where have I been and what have I seen! Like an old battle rifle, so much character, so much to wonder about!

 

[Bob Smalser]

Unfortunately I don't have any "before" pics of this Dick.

It was a 1960's-vintage movie gun from LA with a bored-out barrel threaded to take a fake silencer....and eventually auctioned off, probably during the conversion of studio props departments to private contractors. It was pretty ratty when I bought it from a local gun store for a hundred bucks that included a used replacement barrel.

I changed out the barrel, replaced the broken grips with similar vintage, replaced a worn-out hand and broken firing pin, Oxpho-blued it after cleaning up the larger gashes, and did some test firing. I also added the aluminum shroud, as it came drilled and tapped for one, but using an oddball screw size with too-large holes.

Remaining is to replace the crane. Colts are weak compared to Smiths, and the cylinder on this gun was flipped open and shut cowboy-style so many times the crane is slightly bent. But the $15 crane I scrounged is nickle, so I'm waiting for a ratty nickle gun to come in to justify the expenditure of 75 bucks for Brownell's denickeling kit. Then I'll finish up with the timing and probably give it away to a family member. I'm not a big Colt fan.

 

[Texas Star]

Unfortunately I don't have any "before" pics of this Dick.

It was a 1960's-vintage movie gun from LA with a bored-out barrel threaded to take a fake silencer....and eventually auctioned off, probably during the conversion of studio props departments to private contractors. It was pretty ratty when I bought it from a local gun store for a hundred bucks that included a used replacement barrel.

I changed out the barrel, replaced the broken grips with similar vintage, replaced a worn-out hand and broken firing pin, Oxpho-blued it after cleaning up the larger gashes, and did some test firing. I also added the aluminum shroud, as it came drilled and tapped for one, but using an oddball screw size with too-large holes.

Remaining is to replace the crane. Colts are weak compared to Smiths, and the cylinder on this gun was flipped open and shut cowboy-style so many times the crane is slightly bent. But the $15 crane I scrounged is nickle, so I'm waiting for a ratty nickle gun to come in to justify the expenditure of 75 bucks for Brownell's denickeling kit. Then I'll finish up with the timing and probably give it away to a family member. I'm not a big Colt fan.

Thanks for posting this very interesting story.

I have been criticized on this board for saying that pre- Mark III Colts don't hold their timing as well as Smiths, so am glad to see your account. Doubtless, snapping the cylinder closed with a wrist flick also harmed the crane, as you observed. Movie and TV people like to do that to be dramatic, but it is a prime revolver no-no. Colts lack a front cylinder lock, so they are especially prone to crane warp from this practice.

Please let us know how the project goes.

Oh: the butt looks short for a Cobra or Det. Spcl. Maybe just the hammer shroud and the Tyler adaptor create that impression? I thought it might be an Agent, considering that barrel is a replacement, marked Detective Special?

T-Star

 

[rebelray84]

I recently acquired this ole girl a few months ago and have fallen madly in love with her.She's sporting a tyler T grip now thanks to a fellow member.I don't know if I'd go so far as to call her a beater,but she's sure seen better days in her 40+ years.

The pic actually makes her look a bit better than she is

 

[redlevel]

I have been toting this one, usually in a hip pocket, since 1973. I have fallen in the creek with it several times while working on irrigation systems. I have sweated through with it in pocket probably 100 times. I have shot several rattlesnakes with it, and a couple of armadillos. Finished off one deer hit by the roadside. It saved my bacon once. It has provided uncountable hours of peace of mind because it was there. I have considered having it refinished, but it is just too pretty like it is.

 

[Dragon88]

It has some wear but I like it. I use it for summer CCW sometimes.

 

[fyimo]

Here's mine

 

[Todd.K]

Not the right era for this board, but I hope you'll put up with a well worn 642-1.

 

[45FMJoe]

I do have one, an earlier 6 digit serial with no prefix. It's definitely been carried a lot. Still locks up nicely, negligible end shake or rotation when locked up. I'll have to get a picture or two to share.

 

[ENGINE18]

Real guns! I'm on the prowl for one myself.

 

[revolvergeek]

I recently acquired this ole girl a few months ago and have fallen madly in love with her.She's sporting a tyler T grip now thanks to a fellow member.I don't know if I'd go so far as to call her a beater,but she's sure seen better days in her 40+ years.

The pic actually makes her look a bit better than she is

Glad to read that you are enjoying it!

How about this SB 37??? I bought it just like that with the t-grip and hip grip on it.

 

[Limey-]

Heres my Mod 49. Ex NYPD now my Duty B/U until I retire in a decade or so.

 

[gizamo]

I have one, that's seen some mileage. Bought new in expection of deploying to the Tet Offensive by a member of the 82nd Airborne. Made it's way all over the Globe. Ended up at one point clearing tunnels at Cu Chi...and others outside of Saigon...

Left side of the gun is pretty much worn of finish as it was used in the right hand while crawling through the tunnels....

 

[Ron H.]

Sir, here ya go. Ugly little beast, but it shoots just fine.

Hope this helps, and Semper Fi.

Ron H.

 

[shootinghoosier]

Putting sentimental feelings aside, how much should someone expect to pay if they came across a Chief's Special like the ones shown in this thread and wanted to buy it? Most guns are advertised as NIB or LNIB or fired 40 rounds...these are solid, workhorse guns, but how much discount should be available for the added "character"?

 

[jimmyj]

Not much value in a Smith and Wesson that:
1. been fired
2. touched by human hands
3. been outside in the sun
4. no original box, papers, tools, and sales receipt
5. been taken out after dark
6. has a turn line
7. has a minor scratch on the recoil plate made by the cylinder closing
8. no written record of the number of times fired, date and time of firing, and type of ammo used
9. ??

 

[Dragon88]

I paid $350 out of the door for my 36 no dash shown above. Some might say that was a tad high but I was happy with the price. These seem to be holding their value well, in fact I think someone here is collecting price statistics that show 36s are going up in value recently.

 

[Wyatt Burp]

I hate to be a party crasher but since someone brought up a Colt here's the 1953 Cobra I picked up some months back for $250 including Bianchi lefty (yay!) holster. This gun is mechanically perfect but just happens to look this way. I think it's beautiful because all that wear is probably from an off duty cop or maybe a detective who carried this gun for years and trusted his life in it. Here it is next to it's big bro.