TAFFINTESTS THESIXGUNNERHIMSELF:GUNS,GEAR & MORE JOHNTAFFIN Snubguns/pocketpistols don’tcomeanybetter thantheChiefsSpecialor Model60(stainless)from Smith&Wesson. Cl aSSiC S n u g b u Sn T wenty years ago it was very difficult in many areas to get a concealed weapon permit. Thanks to the hard work of many individuals and organizations I believe every state now has legislation in place to issue concealed weapons permits. Not only are the laws in place, we now have a near endless supply of pocket pistols, both revolvers and semi-automatics to choose from. However, when I started shooting seriously the choices were basically a Colt or S&W 2" doubleaction .38 Special, the classic snub guns of the 20th century. In 1950, one of the most famous of the S&W revolvers arrived. A 5-shot, compact revolver chambering the more powerful .38 Special instead of the .38 S&W, was introduced at the International Association of Chiefs of Police conference in Colorado Springs, Colt offered boththe DetectiveSpecialandthe Cobrainnickel-platedfinishes. TheColtBanker’s Special.38S&Wwas builtonthePolicePositive. The5-shot .38Chiefs Specialisquiteabit smallerthanthe6-shotM&P. Colo., and has been officially and lovingly known as the Chiefs Special ever since. This was the first J-frame revolver, a bit larger than the I-frame, which had been chambered in .22, .32 S&W Long and .38 S&W. In 1960, all I-frames became J-frames. The Chiefs Special as been offered in a number of versions along the way. The standard model became the Model 36 in 1957, offered in both round- and squarebutt versions, followed by the Airweight Model 37. The Model 38 Bodyguard, which has an extended frame protecting the hammer, exposing only enough of the tip to allow for cocking, was also introduced. Thanks to the urging of Col. Rex Applegate, the modern version of the Safety Hammerless — the Model 40 Centennial .38 Special — arrived with a hidden hammer and safety bar in the back of the grip. The late Col. Applegate was often involved in clandestine operations from his early days with an outfit known as the OSS in World War II, through his commissioning as a general in the Mexican Army. One of his favorite pocket pistols was a Top-Break .38 S&W which he carried in a special holster designed to be worn on the belt but with the pistol up under his arm. When he had to empty his little .38, which was chambered in .38 S&W not .38 Special, to stop an attacker, he knew more power was needed in pocket pistols. Colt’s Idea PurdyGear’s“Rex”rig(left)and“Applegate”rig(right)arebasedonthe Colonel’srigheworewhilecarryingatop-break.38S&W.Rex’sexperienceinshootinghelped leadS&WtomaketheJ-frame.38Special.PurdyGear:(706)692-5536,info@purdygear.com. 30 olt had been way ahead of Smith & Wesson in the .38 power market. Long before WWII they had chopped the barrel of their Police Positive Special to 2" and called it the Detective Special. It was a start in the right direction, but with its 6-shot cylinder, some felt it was a mite big for a pocket pistol. Smith & Wesson went to work to improve the I-frame by slightly enlarging it to take five rounds of .38 Special. In addition to a larger frame, the new J-frame used a coil mainspring and an extra long cylinder filling out the frame window. There was a time in my life when I needed to carry the Chiefs Special Continued on page 90 C WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM • SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER2014
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