Today I saw a pre Model 37 at a show that a dealer had just gotten in. He had not yet decided what he wanted for it. I would easily rate it at 99%+, it still had the original alloy cylider with a faint hint of a turn line. It was a square but and of course it had a flat latch. I am going back to the show on Sunday and he is going to price the gun to me. Give me an idea as to what would be a good price
Value of a pre Model 37, Alloy cylinder
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Today I saw a pre Model 37 at a show that a dealer had just gotten in. He had not yet decided what he wanted for it. I would easily rate it at 99%+, it still had the original alloy cylider with a faint hint of a turn line. It was a square but and of course it had a flat latch. I am going back to the show on Sunday and he is going to price the gun to me. Give me an idea as to what would be a good price
That's a rare gun with a square butt (book says 900 made). It's not safe to shoot.
I've never seen one. In that condition, It has to be worth 1K. I'll bet I'm low too.
I've never seen one. In that condition, It has to be worth 1K. I'll bet I'm low too.
cgt4570
Member
No, I've seen aluminum cylindered guns without the bug screw.
I still kick myself for passing on one with the bug screw at a show last year. It's finish was severely challenged from being carried loose in a pocket with coins, etc., but its asking price was only $200! I paused long enough to think about it because of the scratches, and someone else plopped the money down on the table.
I still kick myself for passing on one with the bug screw at a show last year. It's finish was severely challenged from being carried loose in a pocket with coins, etc., but its asking price was only $200! I paused long enough to think about it because of the scratches, and someone else plopped the money down on the table.
Here's one with the "bug screw" that shipped January, 1954. I had it on handejector's table at Tulsa a few shows ago with $1100 on it. Rick Nahas (who's the noted authority on all things
Airweight) looked at it and told me that was a good price.
Airweight) looked at it and told me that was a good price.
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I don't recall seeing a Square butt. I would try to buy it. There is apparently no rhyme or reason on the bug screws.
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WAY to go.
Cool gun.
Number?
Cool gun.
Number?
Gary, just for reference the one in my picture above is serial# 43926.
I'm surprised yours doesn't have a more pronounced turn line, the finish on the alloy cylinder scars up pretty easily.
I'm surprised yours doesn't have a more pronounced turn line, the finish on the alloy cylinder scars up pretty easily.
John
Mine was shipped in July 1954. I do not think it was ever fired. I wonder how many square butts are still around with the original aluminum cylinder. I also got a Chief's Special Red Box with the gun, but not correct for it
Mine was shipped in July 1954. I do not think it was ever fired. I wonder how many square butts are still around with the original aluminum cylinder. I also got a Chief's Special Red Box with the gun, but not correct for it
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Really neat gun Gary. That is also a low number I believe.
Let's see the box label. Are you sure it is not correct. I would not be surprised to see a corrected label on that gun's box.
Let's see the box label. Are you sure it is not correct. I would not be surprised to see a corrected label on that gun's box.
wiskerchew
Member
I just acquired a flat latch, 4 screw w/ AL cylinder and 4 digit serial number starting at 1xxx. Picture to follow
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The 4 screw J frames started in 1955, so an early Chiefs Special Airweight would have had an SN well into five digits. Interested to see the photos...
I have a 4-screw Chiefs with an aluminum cylinder that shipped July 31, 1953, but it's a 5-digit sn.
Eager to see the photos, too.
Eager to see the photos, too.
M-1911, I am interested in the dimensions of your square butt's box, since I bought a red Airweight box marked "Square Butt" for my "boxless" square-butt alloy-cylinder Airweight Chief number 290XX and the gun will not fit in the box! (I ran an extensive thread on the gun and box several years ago, and the conclusion was that the box was marked in error.) 290XX shipped June 24, 1953.
I also have alloy-cylinder round-butt Airweight Chief number 272XX, which shipped April 7, 1953.
I have been fascinated with alloy-cylinder Smith & Wesson revolvers since I first noticed the weight variation in the catalogs when the alloy cylinder was replaced with the steel cylinder. I did not know why the weight variation until becoming educated about the alloy-cylinder revolvers. If I recall the cataloged-weight correctly for the alloy-cylindered round-butt Chief, it is 10.75 ounces unloaded! That is light. Not until the Model 317 appeared was there a Smith & Wesson revolver that light.
While I am a Colt guy so I am not well-educated in all things Smith, I do not see how an Airweight Chief could have a serial number in the 1XXX range. Would not that be a 1951 serial number? As I understand it, the Airweight was not introduced until 1953. I too will be interested to see the pictures.
I also have alloy-cylinder round-butt Airweight Chief number 272XX, which shipped April 7, 1953.
I have been fascinated with alloy-cylinder Smith & Wesson revolvers since I first noticed the weight variation in the catalogs when the alloy cylinder was replaced with the steel cylinder. I did not know why the weight variation until becoming educated about the alloy-cylinder revolvers. If I recall the cataloged-weight correctly for the alloy-cylindered round-butt Chief, it is 10.75 ounces unloaded! That is light. Not until the Model 317 appeared was there a Smith & Wesson revolver that light.
While I am a Colt guy so I am not well-educated in all things Smith, I do not see how an Airweight Chief could have a serial number in the 1XXX range. Would not that be a 1951 serial number? As I understand it, the Airweight was not introduced until 1953. I too will be interested to see the pictures.
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According to Roy Jinks' book, History of Smith & Wesson, "The Chiefs Special Airweight was introduced on September 12, 1952, with the first revolver bearing serial number 1,785...."
Roy doesn't say whether the first ones were made on the Baby Chiefs frame with five screws or, like the ones in the 27XXX through 29XXX range, were 4-screw "Model of 1953" Chiefs.
Additionally, Supica and Nahas in their Standard Catalog of Smith & Wesson, 4th Edition, say the Airweight was introduced in 1951 with a 5-screw frame, but those seem to have been assigned "X" (experimental?) serial numbers, and they were "quickly changed to 4 screw for 1st production run."
Trying to tie all this together, "wiskerchew" could have found one from that first run. Hope he'll come back and let us know with photos.
Roy does note (not related to Airweight models) in the Chiefs Special database under this forum's "Downloads," that Chiefs Special serial number 225 had an "over-size trigger guard," and that gun shipped on "September 4, 1951."
This all leads me to question the "Model of 1953" designator, because it seems there's a chance the longer trigger guard, at least, might have been on the street as early as 1951. Of course, I have found no mention of the grip handle length getting longer till the Airweight models of 1953.
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Two-bit, If memory serves, and it doesn't much these days (or I would have remembered the reference in the SCSW), I think someone on the Forum has an early Airweight with the old round trigger guard and five screws. It may have been pictured in my Airweight undersized square butt red box thread for some reason, or perhaps in another Airweight or Airweight box thread. Anyone remember who it was - if it was?
Hopefully, some pictures will be posted that will further clarify what wiskerchew has.
Hopefully, some pictures will be posted that will further clarify what wiskerchew has.
