So I purchase here a No dash 624 44 Spl and I have an AHB79xx serial # gun. Disclaimer: I made this purchase on my own free will am with no promises or misinformation from the seller I am just trying to purify the situation with it.

I called S&W today, the very nice gal tells me my serial number does not exist with them? Hmm, 1985 production date is stamped on factory grips, I do realize there was a know recall from Jan 1 to June 8th and we verify and check again an nothing, this serial # is not in their (S&W) files..........?
We were able to find a gun with AHB72xx that was in the system built June 8,1985. So my gun is +700 from here.
Questions is: was it built after the 8th thus meaning it would not have been a recall gun? Do you think that there were 700+ 624's built on that day?
I am told the recall dates I have are correct, I am told that the recall was enacted on June 13 or 14th of 1985 for the cylinder concern.

Any input? I am not personally concerned about my gun, I have no intent on loading out past current factory loads listed by Alliant and Hodgdon or Lyman but I really want the facts of the recall and this gun if possible. I find it interesting that S&W had no record of this serial number, must mean it has a whole lot of extra value
Let me know your thoughts or how I can help in proofing out this particular gun, thank you!
Karl

The recall was for cylinders as you stated. Initially it was said to be a problem with cylinder strength. More recently I read that some of the cylinders were reamed to deep and would accept 44 magnum cartridges and that was the problem.
If you sent it back to S&W and the cylinder would accept the 44 mag cartridge, you would not get it back as there are no replacement cylinders available.
If you only use 44SPL cartridges or reloads of the same power level or less, you should be OK.

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Ken

The lady at S&W doesn't know what she's talking about. Her information is limited. There is nothing special or unusual about your serial number. Your gun was made in....

March to September of 1985.

They don't issue s/n's in perfect numerical order, so the AHB72XX number could of been made months before or after your gun. For $50 you can get a factory letter, which will tell you exactly when it was first shipped.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~

Per my database, that serial number most likely shipped May - July time frame 1985.

Note to Kernel: Letters of authenticity haven't been $50 for quite a while.

Well as long as we're doing pics of 1985 made 624s...

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Psalm 27:2

Thanks for the input, so how do I go about finding the official build date if S&W doesn't have this serial number in their database?
Kernel: thanks on the sequence report on serial numbers, I wasn't aware that they weren't in order
Karl


****UPDATE****
Another call into S&W this morning and spoke to Rau'l who located my serial number and confirmed it was a June 14th build date, which comes after the recall window. Also told me if it were already inspected for recall there would be 'dimple' on the yoke? Hmmm, I'll have to check this later tonight.

You'll never actually get a "build" date. A letter of authenticity will give you a ship date, where it was shipped and the configuration it was shipped in. Sometimes a shipping destination can be very interesting. However, sometimes a serial number will be "open" in the records and provide none of the above information.

That's right. Forgot it went to $75 a short time ago.

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~ S&W aficionado in training ~