Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special)
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 83 mm
- Weight, empty
- 678 g
- Introduced
- 1999
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special) is a subcompact semi-automatic pistol chambered in .40 S&W, introduced by Smith & Wesson in 1999. The pistol features a aluminum alloy frame and a stainless steel slide, providing a durable platform designed for years of reliable service in both duty and civilian applications. With a magazine capacity of 7 rounds, this pistol offers ample firepower for defensive applications. The traditional DA/SA trigger system offers a heavier first pull for safety followed by a lighter single-action pull for subsequent shots, a design philosophy favored by many law enforcement agencies during the era. The 3.2-inch barrel keeps the package compact for concealed carry while still providing adequate velocity from the .40 S&W cartridge for effective terminal performance at defensive distances. At 678g (23.9 oz) unloaded, this lightweight pistol is well-suited for daily concealed carry without causing fatigue over extended periods of wear.
Smith & Wesson has been manufacturing firearms in Springfield, Massachusetts since 1852, making them one of the oldest and most respected names in the American firearms industry, with their revolvers and pistols serving in virtually every major conflict and law enforcement agency worldwide.
The 'D' suffix indicates decocker-only operation. Otherwise identical to the CS40.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Smith & Wesson
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- United States
- Status
- Discontinued
- Produced
- 1999 to 2006
- Variant of
- Decocker
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 83 mm
- Overall length
- 159 mm
- Height
- 133 mm
- Width
- 32 mm
- Weight, empty
- 678 g
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Short recoil
- Firing mechanism
- Double action single action
- Trigger
- Double action
- Trigger pull
- 20.0 N
- Capacity
- 7
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum alloy
- Slide
- Stainless steel
- Barrel
- Stainless steel
- Finish
- Stainless
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 308 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 546 J
- Effective range
- 25 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Compact design
Single stack magazine
Decocker variant
Accessory rail
Ambidextrous slide stop
Textured grip
Loaded chamber indicator
Reversible magazine release
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 75 .40 S&W pistols | 678 g | 734 g | Lighter than about 70% |
| Overall lengthAmong 75 .40 S&W pistols | 159 mm | 185 mm | Among the shortest tenth |
| Barrel lengthAmong 75 .40 S&W pistols | 83 mm | 102 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 75 .40 S&W pistols | 7 | 11 | Holds fewer rounds than about 90% |
Its place in the rankings
Answers
Questions about the Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special)
How much does the Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special) weigh?
The Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special) weighs 678 g (1.49 lb) empty.
What caliber is the Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special)?
The Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special) is chambered in .40 S&W.
How many rounds does the Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special) hold?
The Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special) holds 7 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special)?
The Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special) is 159 mm (6.25 in) long overall, with a 83 mm (3.25 in) barrel.
Who makes the Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special)?
The Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special) is made by Smith & Wesson (United States).
When was the Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special) introduced?
The Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special) was introduced in 1999 and discontinued in 2006.
How does the Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special) operate?
The Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special) uses a short recoil action, and its firing mechanism is double action single action.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
Provenance
Confidence in this record
72%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/smith-wesson-cs40d-chiefs-special' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "smith-wesson-cs40d-chiefs-special", "name": "Smith & Wesson CS40D (Chief's Special)", "manufacturer": { "id": "smith-wesson", "name": "Smith & Wesson", "countryCode": "US", "foundedYear": 1852, "website": "https://www.smith-wesson.com", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:40", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:48", "version": "6e259a578cb1b21d72610d761d652c983ff25806b9e736e2db8d2938596e9202" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "US", "year_introduced": 1999, "barrel_length_mm": 82.55, "weight_empty_g": 678, "action_type": "short_recoil"}