S&W 24-3 5" Barrel?

The standard factory barrel offerings were  4" and 6.5" plus a special run of 3.5" for Lew Horton.  Can't say for sure S&W didn't make any with a 5" barrel but I'd check with them to be sure.  Some pics showing the barrel markings would be great.
 

 From the feedback I'be gotten so far, there may have been a small run of 5" 24-3s, but they would have shipped with a square, not round, butt. Have sent off to S&W to have the gun papered. Until I hear back from them, 

Hi Robert,
Nice pics!  The Lew Horton came standard with the round butt.  What kind of markings are in the crane area?  Should have the model number and s/n.  Keep us posted.
 
 

The serial# is stamped on the frame,
ABZ7XXX
Stamped on the inside of the crane arm is,
748X9
B14

Do you have any information if this gun may have been a special run for Lew Horton? The general consensus seems to be that the butt has been recontured. Can you tell from the pics if it has been? I mean it looks pretty clean. If someone did reconture it I think they must have done a nice job, because I can't see any evidence of alteration.

Robert,
Good information you have there.  I think it is safe to say your 24-3 is not a Lew Horton variety.    S&W made a reportedly 5000 units (although some folks believe the number is much less) all with s/n beginning with AEJ, AEL and AEM and all with 3.5" barrels.  These were N frames with K frame size round butts.  From the picture it does appear that there is a slight angle where the grip begins to contour but it may just be the angle of the picture.   Is the back 0f the grip strap serated all the way to the bottom of the grip frame?   All of the  square butt N frame 24-3 as well as Lew Horton's round K frames are serated.  If  yours was aftermarket re-contoured, I can't imagine it having serated lines from top to bottom.
 
S&W stamped the s/n and model numbers in the crane area as well as the s/n on the bottom of the grip strap.  You indicate there is a 5 digit number only in the crane area which is not standard.  There is a 5 digit number on the side of the grip frame as well as other markings of letters and numbers.  These all mean something in the scheme of things so when you ask for your letter be sure you include them.  If your gun was sent back to the factory for any modification there will be a record of it and corresponding numbers stamped somewhere on the piece. 
 
I compared the barrel markings of your 5" to my 6.5" M24-3 and it seems the markings are the same and located in the same place relitive to the underlug  which raises a question that it may be a 6.5" barrel cut down.  The 4" M24-3 barrel markings are centered as well as the 3.5" Lew Horton's but the underlugs on all M24-3 are the same size so it's pretty easy to tell.   All the factory 4" and 6.5" barrels wore a Patridge front sight, yours is a ramp style with red insert similar to M29's.   A factory rebarreled gun, or a factory "special order" gun could be had with any number of modifications depending on what's available and what the customer wanted. 
 
Your letter will tell you everything.  Nice gun!
 
 
 
 
 
 

Jim, here are some detail pics of the butt. Looks like it has been recontured to me, which sort of bums me out, because now I don't know who did the work or if the gun is structurally safe to fire. Oh well. Caveat emptor. Also, the exposed portions of the gripstrap is smooth, not serrated.ome 

Robert,
You take real good pics. 
 
If the rear of the backstrap is smoothed then I do believe it has been re-contoured.  One thing I can't understand is not having the model number and s/n inside the crane area.  It's not the easiest of jobs to remove this stamping and replace it with a 5 digit number.     Can you take a pic of this area?  Maybe, if S&W did rebarrel it they may can shed some light on this also.   Is there any way to ask the previous owner or seller?
 
It might be a good idea to have a competent gunsmith examine it for safty purposes.  Can never be too careful.  While it may turn out not have a lot of collector value, it is still a nice revolver. 
 
 
 
 

Robert,
If you look at the close up of the right side of the grip strap you will see part of the symbol B14 with the B shaved off and also on the same side across the letter F and a small dot.  The small dot is part of another letter which was ground off when the strap was re-contiured as well as the letter B on the other side.
Again, S&W can confirm all this when you ask for your letter.  Send them the pics as they are very good. 
Another thing to keep in mind is...... the work of rebarreling and re-contouring could have been done at seperate times.  Both look very professional to me.
 
 
 

Robert
OK, the s/n and model number are in the correct place in the crane area.  Now all thats left is to see what S&W says about it.
 
 
 

Looking for a local gunsmith to take a look at it right now. Wished I'd done my homework before buying though. 

I'm late, but that is a beautifus six-gun.
I like the round butt too!

Unfortunately, whoever did the conversion didn't do that great a job, as it's neither a true K or N frame roundbutt, but somewhere in the middle. Have a pair of Pachmayr K frame sq butts that fit, but I don't really like them that much. 
Of course, if I'd known the gun had been modified I'd wouldn't have bought. As it is, I'm stuck with it now. 

Robert, can you put on a set of N frame round butt stocks & conture the frame correctly?
If you do be very careful not to alter or remove ANY of the serial # this could get you in trouble with the feds.
It'd be interesting if you could come up with the correct conture & use std S&W stocks. You said it's kind of in between the K & N frame size maybe it could be re-contured to the proper size?
A RB .44 Special would carry very easily.
Let us know how it goes.
Thanks.

Robert,
If it were mine and I was going to keep it, I'd find a nice blank of wood (off Ebay) or whatever material that strikes your fancy and have a local gunsmith make it some grips to fit both your hands and the grip shape.  I'd also ask him to finish out the metal contour (he'll know what you mean) before doing the grips and then reblue it completely.  I guarentee you'll like the results plus have a fine revolver in all aspects of a Classic. 
Then you can work on having some leather made for it.  Never ends.........
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Well I got a holster coming for it next week. 
A set of custom grips are out-of-the-question though, as I'm not sinking any more money into this gun. I'm going to try a set of Hogues, and if those don't fit, I'll just keep the Pachmays on it. 

Or you could get a set of square butt stocks, fill in the space with bedding compound (be careful to put vasilene on anything you don't want the compound to stick to) & make a nice set of SB Stocks?

It is a nice looking gun. I have an old Model 1950 and a 25-5 from the '80's. They are my favorite DA's. They fit nice and hit where I point. The 5" barrel sounds like it would be a nice length for carry.

I've got a set of Pachmayr Grippers on there now that just barely fit, but I've not found another set of factory grips that fit. Tried like six different types now too. 
The gun feels great in the hand, and is a natural pointer, but I could still really kick myself for not checking the grip frame before I bought it. Whoever had this thing converted from a square to a round butt deserves to have been pistol-whipped with it. :)