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I hate to rain on your parade, but 53-56 production would indicate that it's an Improved I-frame.
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Chris, when did the change-over happen, then? I can't find a source to state exactly, but I did read that I frames had traditional cylinder releases, then the J's got the flat latch. That's why I guessed J frame, since that gun had a flat latch. I know the Chief's Special came out in '56 and it was a J - oh, wait, that's when. The CS was the original J and others followed. The J came out specifically to get a .38 special in the frame window.
So maybe that gun is a '56 just before the model number was stamped, or does it have a model number stamped in it the OP overlooked? Or maybe the source (SCSW) about the flat-latch being J-frame only is wrong.