Lew Horton Mystery

tacreload · Feb 10, 2012

Quite some time ago I posted a pic of this 657 no dash under the belief that it was a Lew Horton gun.I had seen this revolver at the same gun show two years in a row for sale by two different dealers.Saw it in 1999 at a dealer table and was very tempted but walked away kicking myself somewhat.The year 2000 came and at the same gun show this revolver was at a different dealer's table.Both years the tag read "Lew Horton Special Edition"At that time I could remember reading about Lew Horton in some of the gun magazines and figured there was something special about them.The second time I saw it in 2000 I figured it was fate and I traded a Mod 28-2 and about a hundred dollars for it.(Gotta get another 28).No box,no papers,just the gun.Well as it turns out according to Lew Horton who I recently e-mailed the ser#ANE45xx to it is not one of theirs.So I want to apologize for any misrepresentation I may have posted here in the past.Most of the revolvers I have purchased are used and the history behind them is important to me.I plan on lettering this gun soon to find out more about it.Don't know if the dealers misrepresented the gun intentionally or not but I don't really care because I really like the gun and probably would have bought it regardless.At any rate I felt I needed to clear this up here .
Thanks Bruce

SAFireman · Feb 10, 2012

Lew Horton was just a distributor of that model....they did nothing special....I would happily trade a 28-2 and $100 for yours

She looks great!

dma1 · Feb 10, 2012

Very nice, I bet she's a handful!

handgunner356 · Feb 10, 2012

Lew Horton Distributing will have a special run of guns, anywhere from 150-500 usually. They usually have a unique features, such as 3" barrel or two-tone finish, and when they run out if the demand seem high for that gun, the manufacturer would offen run more of them. I recall the 3" combat stocked S&Ws' and believe there were 7 Lew Hortons, 629/29, 657, 610, 624/24 and 686 versions. I had four of them but the prices went crazy before I could pick up the others so I let it go. There's no difference between your 657 and the Lew Horton other than it was probably made later and the box would not be marked as such. That's why most prople who see a 3" assume that it's a Lew Horton.

ko41 · Feb 10, 2012

Bruce, those 3" 657s have been erroneously called a L.H. by so many, so often, unfortunately they have become known as a L.H.. They were not a L. H. exclusive, there were 5490 made in 1986 - 1987.
There is a photo of a factory letter in this thread http://smith-wessonforum.com/s-w-revolvers-1980-present/223321-s-w-m657-three-inch.html
There was a 3" full lugged barrel 657, of which 150 were produced, that was a L. H. Exclusive in 1998.

KO
My .41 Magnum Slideshow

125JHP · Feb 10, 2012

I had a 3" 657 #ANN1298 but sold it a couple years ago. I always thought it was a Lew Horton, but I guess it was just another safe queen.

ko41 · Feb 10, 2012

125JHP said:
I had a 3" 657 #ANN1298 but sold it a couple years ago. I always thought it was a Lew Horton, but I guess it was just another safe queen.

Still one heck of a nice gun and a genuine S&W.

KO

tacreload · Feb 11, 2012

To all who commented thank you,and to ko41 that's a very impressive group of weapons.Very nice.Thanks again.

Lew Horton Mystery

tacreload

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SAFireman

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dma1

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handgunner356

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ko41

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125JHP

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ko41

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tacreload

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