fungunnin
Member
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?
S&W MODEL 24-3 PRODUCTION NUMBERS
- Thread starter marlin39d
- Start date
jefats
Member
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 ?
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 ?
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 bastard 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.
I assume it was a 1983 production.(?)
BTW this big bastard 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.
jefats
Member
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
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
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.
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
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
fungunnin
Member
Sounds like 7500 of the 6.5 an 4" combined, 5000 3" and 5000 624 3" ... clear as mud
jefats
Member
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
Now, it's clear as mud
bigbore45colt
Member
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
BB45C
WaterburyBob
Member
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.
P35fan
Member
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:
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:
Frank from jersey
Member
I dont know if this counts but this is a 624 Lew Horton Special I ordered with holster serial# ALV1466
feralmerril
Absent Comrade
Mine is ABZ 8056, a blue 4", I bought I think in 1984?
Jerry
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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