Smith & Wesson Chief's Special Airweight Pre-Model 37 .38 Spl 2-inch 5-Shot Revolver (1954)
This Smith & Wesson Chief's Special Airweight is a pre-model-number era revolver from the 1950s, later standardized as the Model 37. It is a compact, 5-shot .38 Spl double-action revolver with an aluminum-alloy frame and a 2-inch snub configuration (reported). Notable details include period-correct barrel markings reading "AIRWEIGHT" and "38 SPL CTG.", fixed sights, and a mismatched two-panel grip setup with a right-side Barami Hip-Grip.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Specific Condition Notes: This revolver is in solid shape. There are some scratches and blemishes present. The bore is clean and shiny.
Bore Condition: Good - Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Bore Rifling: Good Rifling - Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
What's Included
- Smith & Wesson Chief's Special Airweight Pre-Model 37 revolver
This is a pre-Model 37 Chief's Special Airweight from the 1950s, with the classic Airweight configuration built around an aluminum alloy frame. The frame is marked with the factory address legend including "MADE IN U.S.A." and "SPRINGFIELD, MASS.", and it bears the S&W circular trademark logo on the right side.
It is chambered in .38 Spl and uses a 5-shot swing-out cylinder. The revolver wears a dark, high-polish finish on both the frame and cylinder, and the barrel markings include "AIRWEIGHT" and "38 SPL CTG.".
The action is double-action with an exposed hammer spur. In photos, the hammer and trigger appear lighter or more contrasting in tone compared to the frame and cylinder, and the revolver has a checkered S&W-style cylinder latch/thumbpiece.
Sighting is straightforward and traditional, using fixed sights with a fixed front blade and a rear notch in the topstrap. Grips are mismatched two-panel style: one light-colored faux-stag/stag-pattern panel and one black synthetic-looking panel, with the right-hand grip panel identified as a Barami Hip-Grip.