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07-27-2006, 09:37 PM
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According to what I've read elsewhere there were around 7500 24-3's total.
Does anyone know approximately how many of these were made with 4" barrels?
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07-27-2006, 09:37 PM
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According to what I've read elsewhere there were around 7500 24-3's total.
Does anyone know approximately how many of these were made with 4" barrels?
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07-27-2006, 09:57 PM
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according to SCSW,, 4"= 2,625. 6 1/2"= 4,875. with a total of 7,500....TIN
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07-28-2006, 09:25 AM
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How many 3" barrels? I've got one but it doesn't show in the book.
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07-28-2006, 09:33 AM
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The SCSW shows 1000 made with the 3" in the Model 24 section. In the back of the book under Lew Horton guns, it shows that 5000 24-3's were made. I don't know if that is what the original order was or what the difference is.
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07-29-2006, 01:13 PM
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All of the 24-3's will have serial #'s start will ABZxxxx. I dont know if the 3iner's are in the serial# range.
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07-29-2006, 01:46 PM
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Absent Comrade
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Great article by the late(and lamented!) "Skeeter" about the .44 Special and the "reintroduction" of the M-24-3 in 1983,along with "production figures"-but I don't think the 3" models were mentioned?(If anyone wants,I will dig through my "pile' and find the year and month of issue-BUT its too damm hot/humid here in S. Maine!!).
Most interesting aspect,IIRC,was that S&W could have sold "a lot more",but Roy promised the collectors that they'd only make 7500!
But,as Skeeter said,Roy then came up with the idea of making the 624!!! Thus pleasing BOTH the shooters/collectors.
As an aside,I was looking at 4" M-24-3 for a while in a shop run by a notorious hi priced and obnoxious owner back around 1988, He wanted $475 for a 99% no box. An old retired railroader who hung out in the shop(I am a railfan/railhistorian-my "cheap" hobby!) followed me out and I thought he just wanted to talk more Maine railroads. Tipped me off to an upcoming small estate sale,where I bought a 5 screw 1955 vintage M-24 FOUR inch,with 2 sets of grips for and a 7.5" Triple Lock Target for just under $700! Former game warden's estate!
Bud
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07-29-2006, 03:01 PM
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My 24-3 with 3 inch barrel is #AEL1xxx.
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07-29-2006, 04:39 PM
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My 24-3,3" is AEM 82xx.
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07-29-2006, 05:37 PM
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My 24-3, 3" is AEL13xx.
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07-29-2006, 06:22 PM
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My 6.5" 24-3 is ABZ40XX while my 3" is AEJ83XX.
My understanding of the M24 serial numbering is that the 7,500 that were made with the 4" and 6.5" barrels are in the ABZXXXX range but that the 3" Lew Horton's 24-3 are in the AEXXXXX range.
When I bought my 3" 24-3, I spoke briefly with Roy Jinks and he confirmed that they made 1000-1500 in the AEXXXX range. We only spoke briefly and he didn't look anything up, he was just going off top of his head.
Just my $0.01 (I don't know enough to have a full $0.02 :-)
BB45C
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07-30-2006, 12:38 PM
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To RLingo: Mine is AEL134x...getting pretty close. Do you have a year for yours?
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07-30-2006, 12:51 PM
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My Model 24-3, 3" serial # is ALA29XX.
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07-30-2006, 10:20 PM
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My 24-3 3" is ALA22XX
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07-31-2006, 02:13 AM
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Here're mine:
6.5" ABZ84XX
6.5" ABZ39XX
4" ABZ41XX
3" LH AEJ85XX (now a 4" )
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Jim
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07-31-2006, 01:57 PM
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Mine:
ABZ105X 4"
ABZ359X 6 1/2"
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07-31-2006, 03:23 PM
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My 24-3 3" is ALA47**.
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08-01-2006, 12:32 AM
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Mine: Originial owner of all-
6.5" ABZ4469 shot with presentation case
6.5" ABZ3522 NIB " " "
4" ABZ0561 NIB " " "
please note that Smith stopped issuing PC's with
N frame guns just before this model was "reissued"
so I picked up the PC's seperately as Smith was then selling
them as options.
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08-01-2006, 06:55 PM
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I'm curious now how high the serial numbers ran on the supposed 7500 4" and 6.5" Model 24-3's. I don't know if they started at ABZ0001 or skipped blocks of numbers. Mine is ABZ750X and I had guessed that it was one of the last ones made, but I see member jefats has ABZ84XX. I guess that's why Mr. Jinks tells us not to put too much speculation into serial numbers sometimes.
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08-01-2006, 07:50 PM
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Here's the contents of a letter from Roy dated May 18, 1984 regarding M24's.
We received your letter of recent date in reference to the Model 24's.
Smith & Wesson's production on the current group of Model 24 was limited to 7500 units to be manufactured during 1983 and 1984. These revolvers were assigned to a serial number lot of ABZ0001 to ABZ9999. All 7500 units were to be numbered within this series. However, there was another group of approximately 2500 N frames serial numbers within this range so as to complete the block of numbers. The fact that your revolver bears serial number ABZ81XX does not indicate that there are more than 7500 units as these Model 24's were not sequentially numbered.
At the present time, Smith & Wesson is not planning any additional Model 24's in the standard configuration. However, if shooter demand is so great, Smith & Wesson may be pressured into producing another production run.
We hope that this information is helpful.
Sincerely,
Smith & Wesson
Roy G. Jinks
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KSCowboy
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08-01-2006, 08:01 PM
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Has anyone lettered one of the 3" ALA guns? Were these the orginal Lew Horton run or done as a second batch? Any ideas on numbers?
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08-01-2006, 08:04 PM
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KSCowboy,
Thanks for sharing Mr. Jinks' letter. That's great information about the s/n range. I wonder what the highest number is on record? Anyone have a number higher than 8535 ?
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08-01-2006, 08:05 PM
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I just looked at my Model 24-3 4" that I got yesterday. It's serial number is ABZ08xx.
I assume it was a 1983 production.(?)
BTW this big ******* has one of the best factory polishing jobs I've ever seen on a S&W.
This really did turn out to be an excellent condition gun as advertised.
Model 24-3. Don't ya love 'em?
jefats-Where abouts in Central Miss. are you? I've run a four-row cotton picker or two just north of Canton in my younger days. That's where I met my wife too. In Jackson that is, not in the cotton fields.
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08-02-2006, 03:21 AM
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Marlin39d,
Welcome to the Forum. I'm just east of Jackson about 15 miles.
Congrats on the M24-3. They are some of my favorites and a favorite of a lot of folks here. Post a range report and a pic of that bad boy so we all can enjoy it.
Thankfully, I have more experience with smaller machines (guns) than your 4 row cottonpickers
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08-02-2006, 05:13 AM
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I have a 'special" 24-3 44 Special, and if I remember correctly, it's from a special block of serial numbers. It has a 6.5 inch barrel and differs from the usual 24-3 in that it has a Baughman front sight and narrow trigger and hammer. The story is that there was a block of 1000 24-3's made up this way for some sort of non-S&W engraving project that fell through with only a few actually engraved. S&W released the remainder through normal channels.
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08-02-2006, 06:50 AM
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fungunnin' : Here is a copy of my letter:
We received your letter of recent date in reference to the special three inch Model 24 or Model 624. These revolvers were built for a distributor in Mass. on special order. Smith & Wesson agreed to produce 5,000 of these units, however, no special arrangements were made to provide a special serial number range. At the end of production these models were also made available to other distributors than Lew Horton Dist. Co. of Westboro, MA.
As the revolvers were produced, they were serial numbered within the standard serial number series of whatever serial numbers were available. Therefore, the serial numbers were assigned as the frames were completed. This means that these 5,000 revolvers have serial numbers in several of the various serial ranges. Some of these ranges have the letter prefixes of AEJ, AEL, AEM, and ALA. Each of these serial number prefixes constitute 9,999 revolvers of several various models other than the Model 24 or Model 624 with three inch barrel.
We would like to reassure you the Smith & Wesson only produced 5,000 total units of each of these models and that it will be an interesting collector item.
Sincerely, Roy G. Jinks
Another member here has a ALA # gun that is 50 or so numbers from mine that was shipped to a distributor in TX. To me the number count was confusing, did they make 5,000 24-3's and 624's or 5,000 of each? I guess it really doesn't matter, I love mine even if there were 100,000 of them floatin' around out there !!!! Maybe this will help clear up or muddy up the water about these beautiful N-Frame Snubbies Tim
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08-02-2006, 07:50 AM
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Sounds like 7500 of the 6.5 an 4" combined, 5000 3" and 5000 624 3" ... clear as mud
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08-02-2006, 08:19 AM
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With 4 Prefixes and a possible 9999 units for each stated prefix, the maximum total number of revolvers with those prefixes would be 39996 units. Jinks' letter seems to also say that there were models other than 24's and 624's which could possibly be in the serial number mix.
Now, it's clear as mud
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08-02-2006, 08:28 AM
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This is interesting. I think that the 3" numbers are only for the 24-3 and that the 3" 624s were in a different s/n range. One that I am currently considering purchasing is in the AHS1XXX range, while the other 624s in the collection are in the AHBXXXX range.
BB45C
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08-02-2006, 09:04 AM
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Here's my s/n info...
Model 24-3 w/3" barrel...
ALA 22xx
Bob
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08-02-2006, 04:16 PM
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I have a 3" AEL 1088 and another one coming. Serial # unknown for now. Got it, AEM 1384
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08-02-2006, 04:27 PM
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I believe they did start at ABZ0001 for the 6.5" barrels - I've got consecutively numbered 6.5" 24-3's with serial numbers just a little above that.
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08-02-2006, 04:52 PM
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While we're on the subject of the Model 24-3, does anyone have a picture or pictures they could post of a 24-3 w/6.5" barrel and the Lew Horton w/3" barrel?
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08-02-2006, 05:10 PM
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marlin39d:
Here's a picture of a Lew Horton 24-3 with the 3" barrel with its original box and accessories including the S&W brand holster which was available as an optional purchase:
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08-03-2006, 12:11 AM
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I dont know if this counts but this is a 624 Lew Horton Special I ordered with holster serial# ALV1466
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08-23-2006, 08:24 AM
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It counts alright. Only problem is you've worn all the blue off of it. It's completely silver!!!
Actually I've found a 624 with a 3" barrel and one with a 4" barrel.
I could use the stainless for a shooter and the blued one for a looker. What do you think???
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08-23-2006, 10:18 AM
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Absent Comrade
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Mine is ABZ 8056, a blue 4", I bought I think in 1984?
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08-23-2006, 11:20 AM
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Jerry
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08-25-2006, 05:36 PM
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Just got a 24-3, 3". Gosh it's such a beauty. Almost too pretty to shoot. Almost..., so what is your favorite load for your 24, 3"?
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08-26-2006, 07:35 AM
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240 gr lead semiwadcutter over 6.0 gr of Unique. It is my favorite anyway. I have the same bullet over 7.5 gr of Unique but in my opinion it is not near as fun Tim
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08-26-2006, 08:50 AM
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Sorry if I resurected an old thread, but I am off today,& catching up. I found this thread very educating so I would like to contribute.
My 3" 624.....AHT2xxx
My 4" M24 ....ABZ6xxx
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08-26-2006, 11:08 AM
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Quote:
Originally posted by lonewolf: Tipped me off to an upcoming small estate sale,where I bought a 5 screw 1955 vintage M-24 FOUR inch,with 2 sets of grips for and a 7.5" Triple Lock Target for just under $700! Former game warden's estate! Bud
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You bum!! Good job!!! I wish I had gotten that tip!
This 4" M24-3 (ABZ10XX) is in the safe right now, and wearing Fitz cherrywood grips. It is still a favorite.
Here is a pic..
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July 4, 1776 not Jan 30, 1909
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10-22-2006, 12:42 PM
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Just attended an auction that had a 6.5", LNIB with everything including kraft paper, screwdriver, etc. I quit at $500. It ended up at $630+tax. Looking at the limited numbers maybe I should have kept bidding?
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10-22-2006, 01:37 PM
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If a LNIB goes for $630 I wonder what a NIB with all the goodies will bring.
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10-22-2006, 01:50 PM
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This one was about as close to NIB as they come but I think it had been shot a little bit. If I had continued to bid I think the other guy would have gone quite a bit more. One sold this month on Aution Arms that was NIB with everything and it went for $702 including shipping.
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10-22-2006, 04:57 PM
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My 3" is AEM7xxx. I got it NIB with all the goodies. Problem was, the trigger wouldn't return in DA mode, so my gunsmith put in a new trigger return for $18. He said the old one wasn't hardened properly:
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10-23-2006, 10:36 PM
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Md24-3 6.5 ABZ620X purchased 6/1/1984.
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10-23-2006, 11:21 PM
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My 24-3 3" is ALA21XX.
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01-14-2008, 06:22 AM
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My Model 24-3 3" Lew Horton Special is from the first range of serial numbers for them; AEJ21XX.
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01-14-2008, 12:53 PM
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24-3 3 incher serial # AEJ16XX.
[IMG] [/IMG]
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Tags
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624, 650, baughman, engraved, fitz, gunsmith, jinks, jovino, lew horton, lock, model 24, model 624, model 625, n-frame, presentation, screwdriver, scsw, skeeter, trooper |
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