What does "CYA" mean on this M64-3

[BC38]

I always thought CYA meant "cover your.... butt.

My thought exactly. Isn't that what we all buy concealable firearms?

 

[AZretired]

Question for you 64 owners--do they all have a smooth trigger and backstrap?

I have a 64-4 DAO snubby with a factory bobbed hammer, smooth trigger and a grooved backstrap.

 

[Texas Star]

I hit the search button with "CYA" and came up with this post from the past.
I have a 64-3 3" with the CYA marking. Serial ADH1365. I've had it awhile, but I'm starting to appreciate it more. Wiped it down a put on a light wax on it today and got curious about the finish. It's more of a satin finish than a "shinny" finish. I have a 60, 64, 65, and a 67 all with the shinny finish. Was this satin type finish stock back in 1984 or was it special order for those California correction guns?
64-3 on top of 65-3.

First, "shinny" is how some people climb a tree or a pole. A gun finish is "shiny"... or not.

With that in mind, neither of your guns has a shiny finish. One has the normal satin stainless finish and the other, dull, one has what is called a matte finish.

 

[Art Doc]

California Youth Authority. I was living in CA when these guns were sold as surplus. CA state didn't like selling surplus guns because of their anti gun attitude. They claimed if these guns were sold they would wind on the streets in the hands of gang members. But they had a lot of these, and they were fairly valuable, and some in Sacramento argued torching them was wasteful. So the CA legislature agreed to sell them but only to buyers outside of CA. I guess they didn't care if they wound up with street gangs in other states. lol