The Chief's Special

The Chief's Special was first introduced in 1950 at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The gun was essentially an "improved version" of Smith & Wesson's I-frame Terrier. Chambered in .38 S&W, the Terrier was a five-shot revolver which was popular because it was light and concealable. But it lacked the power of the .38 Special2, so Smith & Wesson beefed up the frame and lengthened the gun's cylinder. The new revolver was designated the J-frame and naming the gun the "Chief's Special" proved to be a stroke of marketing genius.

From the very beginning, the Chief's Special became an instant hit, especially with law enforcement personnel, Civilian sales also took off as well. The five-shot capacity of the cylinder was kept along with the fixed sights. The very earliest of the Chief's Specials had a rounded blade front sight that was subsequently replaced with a ramp front sight. Two barrel lengths were offered, 2-inches with a round butt grip and 3-inches with a square butt.

Some of the first of the Chief Specials had the grip frame and trigger guard of the Terrier, but these were replaced within the first couple of years. Those early guns also had a flat cylinder latch that resembled a serrated rectangle before they were replaced with the more user-friendly rounded latch.

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