The Really Old Chief's Special Thread

[Ag76]

Jim, thanks for the information and the welcome. Is this a pistol that I should keep in the safe instead of firing a lot of rounds through it? I've not fired it since I just got it, but am wondering if I should shoot it or keep it as a collectible?

Welcome to the forum.

that's a beauty and a great family heirloom to hand down to future generations!

It's a 5 shot, that makes it a Model .38 Chiefs Special. And it's an early one with small trigger guard which makes it a "Baby" Chiefs Special, in collector speak, a 2nd version w/ramp front sight. Made ~ March, 1953. Way too early for a model #, they weren't assigned until mid-1957.

All the details about Chiefs if you're interested:

Simplified Chronology - "Model .38 Chiefs Special" Simplified Chronology - "Model .38 Chiefs Special" - Smith & Wesson Forum

Enjoy,

 

[jackvs1]

I recently inherited a Smith & Wesson revolver, 38 Special. It looks like to me it's a Chief's Special Model 36, but I could be wrong. I took it apart last night and cleaned all the parts and reassembled. It has no model number but has a number on the bottom of the grip, 94XX. I'd like to make sure I've got the model right, and maybe when it was manufactured and any relevant information on the gun if that's possible. Thanks for the help.

I ordered a spring kit for a Smith & Wesson J frame including a Model 36. This revolver is a J frame, correct?

I would not shoot this; is the serial number 94xx on the face of the cylinder and the underside of barrel where ejector rod lays? Also is the number 94XX on the inside of your right grip? I could not tell if the front sight had a smooth or serrated ramp. Collectors call this a Baby Chief, note the smaller round trigger guard compared to a pre 36 or 36 which is more egg shaped. You also have the flat latch cylinder release. You have a beauty.

 

[Ag76]

Jack, the four digit number is stamped on the bottom of the grip frame between the grip panels. The four digits of the serial number are stamped inside the right grip panel. The digit 9 is stamped above the other three digits. The front sight is smooth.

I would not shoot this; is the serial number 94xx on the face of the cylinder and the underside of barrel where ejector rod lays? Also is the number 94XX on the inside of your right grip? I could not tell if the front sight had a smooth or serrated ramp. Collectors call this a Baby Chief, note the smaller round trigger guard compared to a pre 36 or 36 which is more egg shaped. You also have the flat latch cylinder release. You have a beauty.

 

[Rick_A]

Matching numbers with crappy grips...

20150322_005022(1) by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

20150322_004932 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

20150322_005405(0) by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

20150322_005254 by Slick_Rick77, on Flickr

It's quite cute.

 

[Malysh]

Baby Chief I aquired.....

#13501. 1952?

Serrated ramp front sight.

That's a beauty.

 

[jackvs1]

Really nice Baby Chief, congrats.

 

[Leatherhead23]

That's a beauty.

Really nice Baby Chief, congrats.

Thanks guys. I'm excited to have her.

 

[OldDominion]

Baby Chief I aquired.....

#13501. 1952?

Serrated ramp front sight.



That's a beautiful Chief. According to my logs, most likely shipped September '52.

 

[Leatherhead23]

Baby Chief I aquired.....

#13501. 1952?

Serrated ramp front sight.



That's a beautiful Chief. According to my logs, most likely shipped September '52.

Great! Thanks for that info!

 

[Absalom]

I just found this old thread while browsing with the search function after acquiring an oldish Model 36.

Way too many cool pictures to let this linger in obscurity! So to revive the zombie once again, here are a couple of photos of my new addition:

A Model 36 with serial # 1489XX, which should place it approximately in 1959. A retired detective's service gun from New York, it is the first revolver in my collection with the asymmetric wooden stock wear on the left panel, indicating a left-handed officer. Stocks number to the gun. The dealer I acquired it from, a retired NY cop himself who joined up in 1965, expressed his surprise that the condition of the inner grip frame indicates the owner never had a Tyler or other adapter installed at any time, which apparently was almost universal practice in that era. Given the length of service indicated by the stock wear, the gun is in very good shape otherwise and has obviously been well taken care of; action is tight and crisp.

 

[les.b]

George, you have some beautiful babies there! By the way, you have 594, and 584 just sold on GB last night for $1450 I think. Smith Wesson Pre 36 HALF MOON Blue 5-screw 38 Spl : Revolvers at GunBroker.com Is the link. I bid on it up to a thousand, but it wasn't, or didn't look nearly as good as yours. I think the seller is in the Birminham, AL area. Love your collection of baby chiefs and their matching homes!!!

 

[M1A]

This Chief was a hand me down. All I've been able to find out that it is a pre Model 36. SN 464XX. Can't find a model# anywhere. I changed the grips, but have the originals.

 

[Hondo44]

M1A,

You have a very nice and glitzy Model of 1953, .38 Chiefs Special. An early version with the old style
hammer and 4 screw side plate. From about 4 years before there even were Model #s; assigned May 1957.
It likely shipped in the 2nd quarter of 1954.

It's been nickeled over a blue gun or re-nickeled, but since the factory policy was to color case harden all triggers and hammers,
even on nickel models, it's not the factory original finish.

 

[OldDominion]

I picked up these ivories last year and I think they look pretty good on this nickel Pre36 that shipped Feb. 1957.

 

[jackvs1]

Hope this is ok, just posted a thread on this unmarked Chiefs Special Target, S/N 150072, shipped in 1959. Note the front sight.

 

[model3sw]

Hope this is ok, just posted a thread on this unmarked Chiefs Special Target, S/N 150072, shipped in 1959. Note the front sight.

Yep, that's a very nice CST2 (Chief Special Target 2nd release, late 1950s) likely 1959 or thereabout.

The first release of the CST were 114 in total. Very few in 1955, while the bulk were produced in 1956. These first release CSTs are numbered in the 55xxx and 57xxx number ranges with the majority found in the 57xxx range. While books indicate 55000 to 57000, I have never seen one in the 56000 range.

In the CST1 SN range, I have the oldest known to exist (while records show one older was manufacture but has never surfaced) and the only 3 factory engraved that will "letter" as factory engraved. I have seen only one other engraved CST1 that looks correct but will not letter as factory engraved.

 

[Hondo44]

That's certainly ok and a real beauty. Obviously yours was already in the production process when the change order was issued on June 12, 1957
to stamp the newly assigned model numbers in the yoke.

The front sight is the standard ramp blade w/o a base of the 22/32 Target and Kit Gun of the same era. The Chiefs Special Targets were not introduced
with a front sight base until the 1976 production run. (The Mod 34 Kit Gun did not receive the sight base change until introduced in stainless
as the Mod 63 in 1977.)

Yours is numbered near the end of the 198 last of the 1950 Target production runs:

• 312 in 1954-55, Pre Model 37, 3 ½" barrel, reportedly but unconfirmed. These are not in the final count of 2136 Targets.

• First run of 100 in 1955, Pre Model 36, # range 55050-57919, 2" Sq butt, 2nd style flat latch, 4 screw frames, pre war style hammer.

• 14 in 1956, Pre model 36, 2nd style flat latch, new Model of 1953 target style hammer, these may still be 4 screw models.

• 198 in 1959, Pre Mod & Model 36, # range 149811-150133, 2" Sq Butt, 2nd and 3rd style flat latch.

From my commentary here: http://smith-wessonforum.com/blogs/hondo44/105-chiefs-special-targets.html

 

[jackvs1]

That's certainly ok and a real beauty. Obviously yours was already in the production process when the change order was issued on June 12, 1957
to stamp the newly assigned model numbers in the yoke.

The front sight is the standard ramp blade w/o a base of the 22/32 Target and Kit Gun of the same era. The Chiefs Special Targets were not introduced
with a front sight base until the 1976 production run. (The Mod 34 Kit Gun did not receive the sight base change until introduced in stainless
as the Mod 63 in 1977.)

Yours is numbered near the end of the 198 last of the 1950 Target production runs:

• 312 in 1954-55, Pre Model 37, 3 ½" barrel, reportedly but unconfirmed. These are not in the final count of 2136 Targets.

• First run of 100 in 1955, Pre Model 36, # range 55050-57919, 2" Sq butt, 2nd style flat latch, 4 screw frames, pre war style hammer.

• 14 in 1956, Pre model 36, 2nd style flat latch, new Model of 1953 target style hammer, these may still be 4 screw models.

• 198 in 1959, Pre Mod & Model 36, # range 149811-150133, 2" Sq Butt, 2nd and 3rd style flat latch.

From my commentary here: CHIEFS SPECIAL TARGETS - Smith & Wesson Forum
__________________

Jim, thanks, the link you provided keeps bringing me to an Amazon cite. Jack

 

[Hondo44]

Jim, thanks, the link you provided keeps bringing me to an Amazon cite. Jack

Sorry about that. Ok fixed it.

 

[jackvs1]

Sorry about that. Ok fixed it.

Thanks Jim, saw it on the other thread and subscribed. What a wealth of information.