The 1950 Marketing Contest to Name the S&W Chiefs Special (ad-free)
Added 2024-01-19 12:00:03 +0000 UTCToday we're taking a look at a Smith & Wesson Chiefs Special, but not just any Chiefs Special. This is serial number 29, factory engraved and gifted to Chief Edward Book of Passaic New Jersey in 1950. When S&W introduced the new revolver to compete with Colt's Detective Special, they simply called it the "Model J" (it was the first of the J-frame S&W revolvers). They released it at the 1950 annual conference of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, and ran a content among to attendees to name the new gun.
Chief Edward Boyko's suggestion of "Chiefs Special" was (perhaps unsurprisingly, given the audience) voted winner, and S&W gave him a personally engraved example as a prize. He would carry that gun for another 10 years as Passaic Chief of Police before retiring in 1960.
The Chiefs Special was essentially a slightly scaled-up I-frame revolver, strengthened to handle the .38 Special cartridge instead of the previous .38 S&W option. This extremely early example has a number of features not present on standard production guns, including the small trigger guard, large cylinder release latch, and semi-circular front sight.
Comments
forward that gun to cody firearm museum? does sw keep an own collection?
Guido Schriewer
2024-01-28 19:34:42 +0000 UTCsuccess is a huge understatement with J frames. as sliced bread. we will all be dust before those get ever out of sight. can only have a 3incher here but... soon be looking for one. have a friend whom is a retired state police trooper looong years of service. huge fan in particular of the m38 bodyguards. I rather like the 640/642s.
Guido Schriewer
2024-01-28 19:17:03 +0000 UTCAnd now, Smith makes J-Frames that will handle 357 Magnum...I own one, and can't say that I would recommend it, unless one is just a glutton for recoil punishment.
Ash Esslinger
2024-01-20 00:30:41 +0000 UTCVery cool - love my J-Frames
Mrgunsngear
2024-01-19 22:19:45 +0000 UTCI wonder what the other names were.
Grumpy Conquistador
2024-01-19 22:12:10 +0000 UTCYou know, we now *need* a gun named Chiefy McSpecialface
jstosskopf
2024-01-19 16:51:30 +0000 UTCAnother very good video. It's sad when the newer generation has no interest in their own history. I have a long history of law enforcement in my family. I have my father's pistol that he carried as a patrolman and chief of police of my home town and after his death was carried by two of my uncles. After I pass, I guess some stranger will take over ownership of this pistol.
Jerry Polk
2024-01-19 13:17:12 +0000 UTC
