The Really Old Chief's Special Thread

[jimgoldth]

For Chief Specials I have always liked the 3" barrel. My first S&W was a 3" model 36 bought in 1963. I shot it a lot and wore it a lot and finally swapped it toward a 22/32 kit gun several years later. I had bought a model 60 and thought that I really didn't need a blue j frame. After a number of years I searched for a replacement and 3" guns were not that pleantiful. Finally I found this nice pre 36 3" serial 553XX which Roy dated as March 1956. It was my first square butt J Frame. I have the original grips but these S&W targets work well.

 

[RABULL]

Here's my a 1955 Chief Special (my birth year).....

 

[oldcorps76]

Baby Chief - early features

Guys:

I am a fairly new poster. I was surfing GunBroker today, under 'Smith 36,' and happened across this piece. I know a bit about older Smiths, and figured for under $300 delivered this was a bit of a steal. I bid 'buy it now.' The pics are off GunBroker. I am hoping it has not been reblued - looks pretty pristine. When it arrives (hope the NY dealer takes a C&R) I'll post my own pics. I welcome your thoughts.

 

[smith17]

oc76:
Looks like an early one with the half moon sight. Good grab.
Ed

 

[ttucker6706]

My high half moon chief is #2043, My low ramp chief is #4668. The changeover would be between these numbers.
ttucker6706
SWCA989

 

[dacoontz]

Guys:

I am a fairly new poster. I was surfing GunBroker today, under 'Smith 36,' and happened across this piece. I know a bit about older Smiths, and figured for under $300 delivered this was a bit of a steal. I bid 'buy it now.' The pics are off GunBroker. I am hoping it has not been reblued - looks pretty pristine. When it arrives (hope the NY dealer takes a C&R) I'll post my own pics. I welcome your thoughts.

Honestly, it does look refinished. I say that based on the pics though. I am seeing the bottom edge of the side plate and it just doesn't look like a sharp enough fit. Although I don't see any dishing around the screws but the S&W symbol on the right side and the address lines aren't very distinguishable. Hey, I paid $350 for a factory refinished pre-36 and still feel like it was a good price to pay so I think you still did okay with this if it is refinished. Plus, those half moon front sight chiefs don't come around very often, so good grab.

 

[JSR III]

That serial number seems very high for a half moon front sight.

 

[bmg60]

hi
I have one that is later than that it is 3729 and it has the half moon front sight. ship date is feb of 1952.
jim fisher

 

[oldcorps76]

JSR - that's not a serial number, it's a store inventory number, FYI.
Thanks everyone for the fast pile-on - I appreciate the opinions. I agree it looks refinished but I am half-hoping it is. Then no guilt about making it a pocket queen for those informal outdoor excursions. If it is....greased and locked up. I'll post again when she arrives.

 

[Engine49guy]

3" Chiefs

As a big fan of the 3" SB I couldnt resist the chance to show off my favorite J frame,

Had to include this 4 digit SN# flat latch 4 screw Pre model 40 ....
Its my oldest snub and was technically advertised as a "Hammerless" Chiefs Special ,
SN# 5652 born about 1955 ??? ,
Except for a slight turn ring it appears almost unfired .

 

[murphydog]

JSR - that's not a serial number, it's a store inventory number, FYI.
Thanks everyone for the fast pile-on - I appreciate the opinions. I agree it looks refinished but I am half-hoping it is. Then no guilt about making it a pocket queen for those informal outdoor excursions. If it is....greased and locked up. I'll post again when she arrives.

It looks to have a pretty nice refinish. The sideplate fit suggests this, and another fairly reliable clue is the hammer and trigger are blued, not case-colored, as only a few restorers (even professionals) are set up to redo the casehardening.

BTW, regarding the change-over from half-moon to ramp front sight, just received a letter on a matching half-moon CS, SN 116xx (yes, a 5-digit number), shipped 4/52. I have no good explanation how the factory went nearly 8000 numbers down the line in 2-3 months from Jim's example above except if the frame was produced earlier, then assembled and/or shipped at a much later date. Interested to read if anyone else has a 4/52 shipped CS, with which front sight and the SN.

 

[bmg60]

hi
here is one of mine \
Serial Number 6362
Remarks: Shipped May 1952

Company shipping records show
this Serial Number was shipped
with a Round Butt Frame, 2 Inch
Barrel, Blue Finish and Diamond
Checkered Grips.
This is one of the first models with
the smooth ramp front sight.
This has the original numbered box.
I think that the date is wrong on the the letter
or else the factory had a lot of frames made up
and serial numbered.

jim

 

[oldcorps76]

Murphy:

I saw that too, on the trigger and hammer. It's a really fuzzy pic and on some of the others on the auction it looks as if they're not blued. Someone said that even if refinished, old half-moons Baby Chiefs like that don't come 'round too often, and because of the reduced frame size will make a nice informal carry piece if it's not a collector.

 

[oldcorps76]

Centennials

"I like big butts and I dont know why"
As a big fan of the 3" SB I couldnt resist the chance to show off my favorite J frame,

Just found its younger brother from 1968 in a local ad for $275.00 ,

Nickel SB that was factory refinished in the early 70's,
Guessing they replaced the original diamond grips and maybe swapped the flat latch.
#267227 app DOB between 1958 and 1961

Had to include this flat latch 4 screw Pre model 40 as its my oldest and
technically was advertised as a "Hammerless" Chiefs Special ,
SN# 5652 born about 1955 ,
Except for a slight turn ring it appears almost unfired .

Gawd...I love those old Centennials. That one is gorgeous....

 

[Belfastman]

Excuse me while I wipe drool from keyboard,love the older chiefs special what a great post!

 

[Black_Sheep]

Great thread, Flat latch j frames are my weakness! To keep it going I'll offer up two more really old Chief's Specials...

Model 36 "no-dash" from '61 or '62

Chief's Special Airweight from '56

Same gun with the original black "sunburst" box

 

[twaits]

Flat latch fever

Here's mine from '57:

 

[oldcorps76]

Well, guys, you were right.

Got it today....it is a for sure Baby Chief, 4-digit serial, probably 1st year...but it is definitely reblued over a polish job. Not a bad job, except for some dishing on the sideplate and blurring of the Smith logo on the left. Mechanically, perfect - nice crisp light SA pull. I had to Chore-Boy gunk from the chambers and forcing cone, but they shine unpitted like day 1 from the factory. So..for $275, I guess I did OK. It becomes a guilt-free shooter now, a nice cat-sneeze-wadcutter load gun for my pocket when I am elk hunting, or a snake-shot trail piece.

 

[Hondo44]

Got it today....it is a for sure Baby Chief, 4-digit serial, probably 1st year...

That's a beauty and for that price a very nice 1st type Baby J.

Below on the right, 2nd from top is the last Baby J in the evolution of the Chief's Special, # 33903, 1st style (out of 3 styles) flat thumblatch, and serrated ramp front sight. Centrally located in the 1953 serial range but no letter and no idea of shipping date.

Has the 'I frame size' short grip and trigger guard, and pre-war shaped hammer same as yours, but ramp front sight and barrel rib.

 

[oldcorps76]

THAT is one lovely collection!

The little LadySmith-looking piece in the top left corner is particularly intriguing. I have a Kit Gun like your top right, 4 digit, probably close to 1st year, and is in excellent shape for what has been for me a 'using gun' since 1988 when I picked it up at a Bellevue, NE, gunshow.

Yeah, the Baby Chief is now going to have useful, vice safe-queen life. Tyler T-Grip, an El Paso horsehide pocket holster, and some wadcutters.....on the trail she goes...