I Couldn't Pass This One Up 3" 24-6 LH

75Vette

75Vette

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I saw this one and had to snag it up. It's a 3" 24-6 Lew Horton Special Edition run of 250 guns. It left the factory in Dec 2006. There were 250 each made in .44 spl in blue and nickel. There were also 250 each made in .44 mag (29-10) in blue and nickel. There are several unique features that intrigued me about this gun. The most obvious is the square butt that's serrated on the front and back strap. The trigger is serrated too. From what digging I've been able to do the last time this was done was in 1996 and as far as I can tell, S&W never had a 3" square butt N frame. Another thing I noticed is the reappearance of the S&W trademark stamp back on the right side on the side plate. Also on the side plate is the top screw (no idea when the last time Smith did this). The barrel has S&W 44 spl ctg on the left side whereas the 3" 624 I have has S&W 44 spl on the right side. The older style wide thumb cylinder release is present and the last difference is that unlike the 24-3 or 624, the cylinder is full length and will accept 44 mag rounds. The only two down sides are that the hammer mounted firing pin is gone and the IL is installed. The gun appears to only have been shot at the factory and will be what I feel will be my first true collector grade safe queen gun. I know there'll be some that will say to go shoot the dickens out of it and believe me, I want to, but I have plenty of shooters to keep me satisfied.
I'd appreciate any extra info on this one. Thanks for letting me show it off!:D
Mark "Tin Knocker"















SampW 150XXX Series_zpsqqmtvjzu.png Photo by mwdunn3 | Photobucket

SampW 150XXX Series_zpsqqmtvjzu.png Photo by mwdunn3 | Photobucket
 
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Nice gun!
It has a beautiful finish, who ever says they cant blue them like they used to hasn't seen this one.
I like it Mark and I like the idea of putting it up. Hell, I hardly ever shoot any of the older guns. I also have a pair of 629-6's put up. Why not, the 4" 44 mags are my favorites, there's a 4" -6 that lives in the range bag. You don't have to shoot them to enjoy them. Your getting to the point of piling up the 3" guns, that's cool with me. When you run out of room for that 4" - 4 let me know! And no you aren't getting my only 3" gun! I gotta have that one for my 629 collection.
:D
Stay strong brother!
 
Thanks Chris. I had to at least give it a shot to wheel & deal for your 3"er!:D I think I'll take the new 8" Classic and the 4"er this weekend and dirty 'em up! Stay off those steel beams, sounds like y'all are a little on the cold side up there.
 
05CarbonDRZ said:
A .44spl that will chamber .44 Magnum Ammo? That does not sound right to me.....:confused:
Click to expand...

I have a 342PD which is 38spl only, but will chamber 357s. My buddy has one and it doesn't chamber 357s. This type of issue is more common than you might think.

OP: Absolutely beautiful gun. I see those 24s come up from time to time on GB, I am always tempted. Maybe one day. But I will definitely shoot and carry mine. I don't have a single safe queen and never will. Life is too short, guns are meant to be shot.
 
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Congrats on your acquisition. NIB/LNIB examples of desirable S&W models are ever increasingly difficult to find. Although this particular model may not be from the P&R / forged "vintage" era; it is a rare and desirable limited edition that is unlikely to ever be reproduced. Also, since Lew Horton's association with S&W has ended, collector interest in the LH models will inevitably increase over time.

I appreciate your ambition to keep it as a "safe queen". Good luck. Personally, I would never make it a "working gun", but it would become a "range baby."

Enjoy! And, thank you for sharing.

Carry on,
MB
 
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Interesting as we are seeing quite a few newer Model 24's lately that have .44 Mag cylinders yet have a .44 special caliber rollstamp.

Also while the Serrated square butt frames were discontinued nearly 10 years prior in 1996 S&W did make a special run of 50th anniversary Model 29-10's in 2006 with SB serrated grip frames.....Serendipitous ?

My hunch is LH piggybacked that run for these guns which would kinda explain the .44 mag cylinders making more sense producing all the .44 frames and cylinders to the same specs ( .44 Mag ) instead of making two different runs,
tapered barrel .44 Magnum barrel existed already on the Magnum Mountain guns.
 
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muzzleblast said:
Congrats on your acquisition. NIB/LNIB examples of desirable S&W models are ever increasingly difficult to find. Although this particular model may not be from the P&R / forged "vintage" era; it is a rare and desirable limited edition that is unlikely to ever be reproduced. Also, since Lew Horton's association with S&W has ended, collector interest in the LH models will inevitably increase over time.

I appreciate your ambition to keep it as a "safe queen". Good luck. Personally, I would never make it a "working gun", but it would become a "range baby."

Enjoy! And, thank you for sharing.

Carry on,
MB
Click to expand...

MB, Thanks for the comments. I did not know LH and S&W had parted ways. Interesting. It's going to be really hard not to shoot this one. If it was SS I could clean it like it was brand new again but being blued it's hard to scrub it without possibly damaging the finish. I'm not sure how much it would affect the value years from now. Like I mentioned in the original post I have several shooters to keep me busy so I'm going to try and let this one sit.:confused:
 
Such guns tend to retain their value yet are too new to appreciate, despite the rarity.

It is quite nice.

We only live so long. I appreciate my fancy guns by shooting the heck out of them.
 
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