In 1983 or '84, I bought a new, Model 24-3 S&W with a 6.5" bbl. Being a "Skeeter" fan, I immediately took the revolver to my local gunsmith (James Hoag) and had him cut the barrel to 5" (it looks great), add a S&W smooth "combat" trigger, a plain black ramp front sight blade, give it a very nice trigger job and I replaced the grips with a set of cocobolo wood "Bear Hugs" (which I understand are hard to come by now).

As much as I like the result, I always wanted a factory 4" .44 Special and this week I found one in my local gunshop, that came in on consignment for $675.00! It's an honest 98%+ Model 24-3, with a red ramp front sight, white outline rear blade, a standard width trigger and hammer. It didn't come with the box, but I figured such a find in CA (since we can't import these here) shouldn't be ignored and I snapped it up.

Hoping I made the right decision, I've still got a couple of options I'm considering. Should I:
A) Keep both revolvers, reserve the "new" four inch as a "safe queen" and shoot the 5" gun?
Or
B) Sell off the five inch "conversion" (with box and accessories), have the action cleaned up on the 4" factory gun (again by Mr. Hoag), install a S&W smooth "Combat" trigger and use this one as a well cared for "shooter"?

To the "purists" here: I'm sorry now about cutting the 6" barrel down, but four inch guns were nowhere to be found and I really liked the idea of the shorter barrel.

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I'm not fluent in the language of violence, but I know enough to get around in places where it's spoken.

Welcome. Now repeat after me: "N frames do not leave the collection".

What a wonderful dilemma you have.

Keep them both , tune and shoot the new 4" as described, Hell it only took you 25 years to find one!

If money is an issue, sell off another minor player or two from your collection (if you have others) to finance the purchase of the 'new' model 24.

If you have to sell your 5" from 1984 sell it to me I'll take good care of it and give you first right of refusal should I ever have to sell it.

You get my drift here though ,Keep them all.

By the way ,I was born in Southern Ca. and lived there for for 31 years until I escaped in 1987. ( Don't tell them where I am now ,I don't wanna go back .)

Regards ,,AlleN-Frame

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NRA cert.instructor&R.S.O.

Keep them both after a while if you dont you will wish that you had.

IMHO, listen to these guy's, keep em both!

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Stay safe people!

Pulicords:

Welcome to the Forum !

Do not listen to these guys !

The 6 1/2" gun has little value now that it has been cut to 5" !

I live in southern California & would be VERY happy to help out by having you transfer it to ME! Members here know I would never steer you wrong !

How about a photo of the 5" for us all to enjoy?

Be careful of Allen-frame ! He is a known trouble maker from Florida who hates little puppies and apple pie !

OK, maybe his idea about keeping both is not so bad after all !

Jerry

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.38/44 Outdoorsman Accumulator

Keep them both. A Smith&Wesson 44 Special should never be sold. If I remember right, the 4" models were the lowest production of them all. I've got a 6 1/2" model that would be the last gun I would let go of.
Earl.

Welcome to the forum!

Keep both. Allen-frame has too many to take really good care of yours.

I posted this elsewhere on the forum last night.

In 1983 there were 2500 4" guns, and 2500 6.5" guns made. They were made exactly as the originals sans the barrel pin. They came with a plain black ramp front sight and plain black blade rear, so if yours has the red ramp/white outline, they were changed out by a previous owner. They came with football relief stocks as well. I have articles on the release of both the 24 in '83, and the 624 in '85.

Personally, I prefer the RR/WO sights.

We need pictures!

I have a 624 shortened to 5”, I would not part with it under any circumstances that I can imagine.
I think if I were you I would start looking for a 686 if you do not have one. Clearly you need 3, 4, & 5” barrels.
Shoot them all, you will only be young once. You will wear out long before they do.

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Ipsis Rebus Dictantitbus

Mr Hoag? As in Jim Hoag, in I think Chatsworth? If so, that would be special, and please give him our hellos & best wishes!

And a .44 S&W Special should be shot, and often! Congrats on your Specials!!

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July 4, 1776 not Jan 30, 1909

Rule #1- Never sale a large bore handgun. You will always regret it later.

Actually, there were 2,625 4 inchers, 4,875 6-1/2 inchers and 5,000 3 inchers made in 1983/1984. They are all scarce!

I am looking for a gunsmith to bob a 6-1/2 inch Model 624 to 5 inches and remount the front sight and base. If you could, Pulicords, I would sure appreciate a photograph of the front end of your conversion, especially from the top. I don't want a big screw head visible.

Originally posted by Buff


Check out Bowens website. He does exactly what you are looking for, and has pictures of them.


Buff, where did you get those production figures from. My source says what I posted. I left out the three inch guns, since they were a Lew Horton special order, while the others were direct from Smith, again according to my source.

I have these 6 .44 specials. I must like em.

Originally posted by Gun 4 Fun:

"Buff, where did you get those production figures from. My source says what I posted. I left out the three inch guns, since they were a Lew Horton special order, while the others were direct from Smith, again according to my source."

Supica & Nahas's SCS&W III, page 191. Those are the numbers I've always understood to be correct.

It is he! Although primarily known for his work on 1911s, Jim does know how to really smooth out a S&W trigger too, and his conversion of my 6.5" barrel to 5" looks and shoots great.

At least for the time being, I'll be keeping both revolvers and will post a pic of them after I pick up the new 4" in about a week.

Thanks all for the advice and to those caring members who wanted to relieve me of the "stress" of owning two Model 24-3s: Maybe next time!!!

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I'm not fluent in the language of violence, but I know enough to get around in places where it's spoken.

Keep both revolvers, reserve the "new" four inch for the left hand and shoot the 5" gun in the right.

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Centennial Every Day

Thanks for the answer!

I have noticed that it's rare, if ever that we don't agree. I was going by an article I have that stated the numbers I posted. It was written after all of the 24's were supposedly made, so I was confused somewhat. That isn't hard to do to me though.

I've heard/read the numbers you quoted a number of times, too. They get bandied about.

7,500 4 and 6-12 inch guns in the batch, then the 5,000 3 inchers for Lew Horton. S&W said they wouldn't produce more than that, which lead to the stainless steel -624's with no promise/limit as to how many would be made.

No matter how many they made, I love them!

Someone said there were 2500 6 1/2" 24-3's made in '83. I disagree. I believe it was 5000. And 2500 4"ers. That was said by Skeeter in a '83 article about these "new" guns.I read it somewhere else, too. To gloat along with you guys I have a 4" bought new in '83 for around $300. And a 6 1/2"

like new no box bought recently for $500. Get the 4"er. Keep both but if you don't make sure that 5" one stays here in California.

Keep both. I had to sell a 6.5" 1950 and a beautiful 4" 24-3 with box etc along with several of my other guns a year and a half ago whan I quit my job. I kick myself every day for letting them go. I will probably never replace them now. I did keep a 4" bright blue 1950 though!

T

Keep 'em both. Start looking for the 3" & 6". Perhaps in a few years you will find them and have a complete set.

Option B: Buy the 4", take them both to the range several times. Then, only then if you are bound & determined to sell one, do so.

You're correct; book says: 2625 4"s and 4875 6 1/2"s. Lew Horton 3"s were planned at 5000.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I've been thinking about your 5" 24-3. Do not feel bad for your modifications. That's an excellent gun you put together there with the perfect length barrel. And I know it's easy for us to say, "Keep both of 'em!" Truth is I have $500 stashed away right now and I couldn't do it either. If I could I'd offer to buy your 5"er. And keep it here in California (I'm in Sacto). Good luck but you'd rerally miss the gun you already have.

Wyatt,
Just FYI. The conversation above reminded me that a very few 5" and 5 1/2" 24-3s were made also, but no quantities are given.

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Welcome to the forum.

Keep and shoot them both!!!

I too got the Skeeter bug back in the 80's
Here's my ode to the Master...work done by me.



Not a 44spl, but its 44 mag big brother

Hondo44, I never heard of those odd barrel 24-3's. Has one ever popped up here? I'd love to have one. I thought about having my 6" 25-5 cut to 5". I never will though. Not because of ruining future value. Shipping the gun far away to pay someone a wad of cash to remove one inch? I couldn't see myself doing that. If pulicrds posts a picture i might have second thoughts, though.

29aholic,
What is that treatment that you did on the front of the cylinder? I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it.
Earl.

Earl- that's powder residue on the front of Curtis's old gun. He is too busy with all his fine old early 29's to even clean that 29-3 proper like.

Wyatt-

A 5" 24-3 would look identical to this-



This is my 27-2. It would have an identical length cylinder and barrel profile for all intents and purposes. I am a hardcore 5" N-frame fan. I am seriously considering having all my 6"/6.5" N-frame guns cut to 5" by Bowen. Obviously not at the same time due to cost, but in a relatively short time frame. His rework looks like factory.

Wyatt-

Those are Grashorn's aren't they? How do you like them for comfort? I have been think about putting some on my 24-3, 4", but I load up around 1200 FPS w/250 Keiths, and am a little concerned about the wat they would handle recoil. I have fairly large hands, so the magna style doesn't usually suit me too well.

These are Eagle sambar stags I got at a S.F. gunshow in 1984 for $45. They have no bark and are extremly dense. Eagle's owner, a really cool indian gentleman in turban had a table set up. I bought them for my 4" 24-3 I bought the year before. Now they live on this 27-2. They feel perfect now that I added the T-grip.

WOW! That seems a little warm for a 24-3. I don't think they are heat treated for that kind of pressures, are they? I was under the impression that only the model 29's were good for that kind of pressure.
Earl.

Elmer Keith did load even triplelocks up to that along with the later S&Ws and colt SAAs with that 1,200 fps load. Personnaly, I have these 6 .44 specials, but tone it down a bit from that. I like unique for 900 fps, but I have also sparenly tryed a few rounds like that, but now reserve the hot stuff for my model 29.

Earl, G4F is right, that is lead residue from cast bullets. I shoot this gun often enough that it gets one thorough cleaning a year.

Earl,

That is a common misconception regarding the heat treating. All modern N-frames are heat treated equally. Ihave numerous articles from Handloader, Taffin etc., that list loads like that. In fact, it is Elmer Keiths old load. The cylinder walls are exactly the same thickness, the steel is identical. The only difference is the length of the cylinder is shorter on the 24-3 than that on the 29. That load is a carry/trail load. Not a regular use load. 7.5-8.5 grains of Unique with the same bullet suits me just fine for general duty loads.

Glad to read your post gun 4 fun. I have argued that for years, but wasnt sure. I cant belive that it wouldnt be cost effective for the factory not just use the same treatment for everything.

When I got my Colt SAA (in January, 1981) and Model 24-3's (in Oct. 1983 4 inch, January 1984 6.5 inch) .44 Specials, I am afraid that I had to load up and shoot some of Elmer Keith's hot loads through them. I cast my own Lyman 429421's, sized them to .427 for the Colt and .430 for the Smiths, and loaded them in Winchester cases over 17.5 grains of H-2400 and standard large pistol primers.

I put just about a dozen through the Colt before the foolishment became evident! They kicked! The classic single action grip never handled recoil well for me.

They were a bit better in the N frame S&W's with both target and Pachmayr grips were better but still kicked harder than full charge .44 Magnum ammo in the heavier-barrel Model 29's with the same grips, or so it felt to me.

Still, having .44 Magnums, there was no real point to shooting the hot Keith load in my .44 Special sixguns. They would probably take the work, but if they didn't, barrels and cylinders would be both costly and hard to find, so I only did it one outting a piece.

If there is a weak spot to the .44 Special S&W N frame, it would be in the significant amount of unsupported metal at the rear of the barrel. With the longer Magnum cylinder, the frame surrounds and supports this better in a Model 29. Same factor makes the .357 Magnum K frames better able to handle higher pressures than the same guns in .38 Special, I believe.

The vast majority of my .44 Special shooting in six shot revolvers has been the Skelton load of 7.5 grains of Unique under the same 250 grain SWC bullet or the excellent, old Speer 240 grain 3/4-jacketed, flat nosed bullet I shot so many of before I got set up to cast. This runs from 950 to 1,000 fps depending on which gun, and would be sufficient for deer-sized critters or slightly bigger under 100 yards.

I have also shot a lot of cast 250's over 4.1 grains of Bullseye or 5.5 grains Unique to duplicate the ballistics of the traditional W-W and R-P factory loadings, which have always seemed way too costly for what they are!

Any steel frame S&W .44 Special is a delight to shoot. The Model 24-3 may be as good as it gets: great action, excellent sight, great heft and balance, more affordable than the earlier 1950 Targets, prettier than the stainless steel Model 624.

I think you may get the idea that I like'um!

Ya know, while we kick the subject of 5 inch N frames around, especially .44 Specials, I recall that Skeeter Skelton had one done up that way.

He wrote that the first 1950 Target .44's he encountered were a pair he found in a Texas gunshop, Ned Crossett's, I believe. Ned owed him a favor or two and Skeeter ended up with both, 6-1/2 inchers. He traded one to his shooting buddy and sent the second back to S&W's service department, who would cut barrels down back then, for the 5 inch treatment. He toted this sixgun for a good while before trading it off.

Like everyone else that ever unloaded a .44 Special sixgun, Skeeter wrote that he regretted it soon after!

Another big fan of the .44 Special here. I'm fortunate enough to have all three barrel lengths of the Model 24-3. I shoot the dickens out of 'em!



For a 5 incher I've got a .44 HE 2nd Model that lettered to the Joplin, Missouri Police Dept in 1924. Its seen better days but still shoots great. Boy, if this one could talk.....
Here it is with a friend.

The reason that I brought it up, is because S&W always warned not to shoot hotter loads in the model 25,.45 Colt, than are recommended for the old Colt single actions. They claimed that the model 25, .45 Colt models weren't heat treated for the hot loads. I guess they have upgraded all models, in the heat treat department.
Earl.

In light of several requests, I'm posting a pic of my "ugly" old Model 24-3 (5"). Again, please don't be too angry for my decision to cut down a perfectly good 6 1/2" revolver. At the time, I was (and remain) a big "Skeeter" fan!

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I'm not fluent in the language of violence, but I know enough to get around in places where it's spoken.

Pulicords, that is a fine gun! Dont worry about future value, I am sure you will keep it untill you croak! On top of that, your offspring or whoever ends up with it, should reconsise that a real knowledgable gunman a cut above the mainstream would have had it altered. I have done similar in the past and have converted a HD and a old ruger to .44 specials. I have a 4" 24-3 and old original 1950 6 1/2", or I would be doing it too. I have a converted 5" HD in .44 special, so aint without.

D,
Nice set of 24-3's. Now you need a 24-3 5" and 5 1/2" to complete that set! You needed something else to want and hunt for, right?

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Jim
S&WCA #819

Pulicords, are you nuts?! Seriously. If you do off it, you have to keep it in California. coincedentily that's where I happen to live. And I won't be broke forever. Like I said before. $500 stashed so far.

Pulicords-

Why would you feel that you have to be apologetic for having that cut down?

That is a beautiful thing my friend!!!

Way nice. If I could find a 6.5" for a fair price, I'd have it lopped off in a heartbeat. I have said it before on this forum....

I love a 5" N-frame!!

Earl-

It isn't that Smith didn't heat treat the model 25's. It's that the cylinder walls are thin compared to the .44's. The heat treat since way back has been the same on all of them.

Since you asked Earl, read this article By John Linebaugh. It is a great read and very imformative.

http://handloads.com/articles/default.asp?id=12

Hondo, if I could find them odds are I couldn't afford them. But I'd sure try to dig up the cash. I actually traded for the 4" and 6 1/2" guns.
Like others have mentioned, if I could come up with another 6 1/2" Model 24-3 I'd cut it down in a heart beat. I do love 5" N-frames.
Don't worry about me needing something else to hunt for. My wish list is still pretty loooooong.

Hey Pulicords! If you change your mind add me to the list of buyers.

Great reading; thanks!

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I just bought two 6 1/2" 99%ers; a satin finish for $1000 and a bright blue for $1500 with every intention of cutting one. But they are both so nice.....

However there is another 4 sale for $1500 with a rust spot on the barrel that I wouldn't mind cutting but I'm tapped out. Let me know if you want to see it and I'll send the link.

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Jim
S&WCA #819