What was intended market for Lew Horton 24-3

[stanmerrell]

I remember at the time most ex lawmen and the like we're not taken by the wonder nines of the new era. Thinking then was to shoot a big hole in perps, all the way through. The justice system was beginning to fail, and the only real justice dispensed on the street by police and citizens. A 44 magnum was impractible. Too much recoil. Bad PR. These 44 specials were thought to be one shot stoppers. Just the ticket for old timers to carry. I still think they make sense for all the same reasons...

 

[Walter Rego]

I remember seeing a few not long after they were introduced. To me, they looked odd. The tapered barrel made it look like all front sight & ramp and underlug and not enough barrel wall. A barrel more like what Jovino was doing with his Effector models would have been more to my taste. And my sausage fingers never found a set of finger groove stocks that fit well.

In hindsight I should have bought one and waited until they were worth over $1200 and then sold it and bought something I liked better. But you know how hindsight works when it comes to guns.

I had more positive feelings when it came to the 4" and 6" Model 24-3's, but finding an example of a 4" 24-3 took quite a while as those sold out almost immediately.

 

[S&W Fan]

I remember in the early 80s big bore snubs were the range among some members of law enforcement. I recall articles by Leroy Thompson in gun mags talking about them for one.

I've had both a 24 (with everything it came with, outstanding condition) and 624 over the years. Fun guns but for me not really practical to carry around.

 

[raljr1]

I'm thinking Charter Arms Bulldog, S&W quality.

 

[Frank46]

When I bought my 624 with the 6.5" barrel, up to that time that was as much money as I ever spent on a handgun ans wasn't ever really looking for one.Took it out and shot it with Winchesters 200 grain silvertip load. Finally a revolver I could shoot. Then I learned that S&W had made other revolvers. So ended up with a 24-3 with 4" barrel and another 24-3 with the 3" barrel and combat stocks. Had about a half gallon of Winchester 44 special empties. Buddy thought he got them all. HAHA. Then the bag of starline 44 special brass showed up. I have some hard cast 44 SWC's squirreled away.Frank But first i want to check the inside of my cylrnder throats to see if they are all the same size.

 

[Truckman]

I'm thinking Charter Arms Bulldog, S&W quality.

With the right amount of grip area and extra weight to make it comfortable to shoot...Bulldogs just plain hurt on both ends......Ben

 

[glenwolde]

A Winchester Factory Rep once told me that they had determined that they could make 20,000 of any gun (within reason) and sell them out in the U.S.

I think they proved this concept with their commemoratives, which were so prolific they came to be known as "Winchesters Gun of the Month". But they sold.

With the advent of CNC machining, smaller runs became totally practical. They watch what the custom gun market is doing, what's popular in the commercial market, and dream something up. They'll sell.

 

[RoyM52]

Lew Horton specialized in looking at the gun configurations that were not made by the different companies. They looked at the shooters wants {like we have now with the threads of what would you like to see made?}

Then that is what they would have made and they gambled that buyers would really buy what they claimed to want.

Talo did the same thing.

I bought a 629 Talo because, at the time, Smith didn't make a 3 inch 629 and I wanted a 3 inch. {I had given up on a L frame 44 ever being made in a snub}{the M 69 2 3/4 was my dream gun but not even talked about at the time}

Smith used the custom ordered gun configurations as a beta test as to if they should produce that configuration as a catalog item.

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

Anyone have any good info (or an educated guess) on the intended market and use of the 3" Lew Horton 24-3 back in the early 1980s

Was the idea to sell a relatively unique low volume item that would become an instant collectible or were they meant to be used, and if so by whom.

To sell guns and make money.......Anything else is pure fantasy or a guess.

 

[Kingspoke]

24-3 Lew Horton 3" Combat 44 Special

I have a couple of these wonderful 44 Special snubs, and absolutely love them. I recently sold my 624 Lew Horton counter part with SWF holster. Anyhow, here's my two puppies!

This first one is unfired from the factory but without box n papers.









My very clean shooter with the box,tools,& manual.







Interesting original article on these great snubs.

 

[CH4]

I didn't know the LH 24-3 3" has a K frame grip frame. Is this true?
I'll have to check mine this evening?

Any idea how many were made?

 

[ken158]

I was a part time dealer when these were introduced by Lew Horton along with a matching holster that could be purchased separate. Apparently they did not sell very fast and LH kept discounting the dealer cost until I finally took the 3 for $900 deal. I recall that I sold one immediately then the other two just set in the case - forever. I doubt any model was designed as a collector item other then what the factory made as commemoratives like the Border Patrol, 125th edition, etc. Making money off something a little different was the reason LH, Ashland and others came up with the idea and up front bucks to place these orders.

 

[Kingspoke]

S&W 24-3 Lew Horton Combat 44 Speciall

Regarding the grip frame base, here is an article (see top of page 2) that addresses the fitment.

 

[MikeR90S]

Enjoyed shooting mine at the range today! To answer CH4's question, the gun has an N-frame RB profile, not a K frame. I think at the time they were trying to say K-RB-like... as there was no N-RB yet except for the custom ones.

 

[CH4]

Thanks!
I have both K and N frame combats. I'll be busy this evening.

 

[max]

Skeeter was writing for Shooting Times.

 

[CH4]

Thanks!
I have both K and N frame combats. I'll be busy this evening.

Thanks....

 

[Mike SC Hunter]

I shamelessly show mine again. Bought them all when they were first announced. Still have "em". Still shoot "em". All purchased NIB. All less than $450.00 each

 

[viceunit]

Here's a thread from a few months back wherein the N vs. K round butt grip size was discussed.

Lew Horton Round Butt N-Frames

 

[dot6]

I really liked these. The 3" barrel and round butt concealed very well for an N frame. I had nine of these at one time, but had to sell some off when money got tight. I also had seven model 696s, but the majority of these, too, had to be sacrificed. The one 3 incher I would REALLY like back is the 657 .41 that I foolishly parted with. Should have sold a kidney instead.....