S&W 624 44 Magnum

[AnthonyB]

No, that isn't a typo in the title. I bought a 624 at the Dulles gunshow a few months back and hadn't done much with it until last night. I noticed a carbon ring in the cylinder like you get shooting Specials in a Magnum cylinder. That made me curious (who shoots 44 Russian?) so I grabbed a 44 Mag and dropped it into the cylinder, where it fit perfectly. All six cylinders will accept all the 44 Mag I have loaded, but OAL is too long for some bullets.
I did some internet research and learned about the recall on these revolvers. Mine is in the AH serial number range and apparently subject to the recall. There are two stories on the recall, one about a bad batch of steel and another about the guns being chambered for 44 Mag. Has anyone here had any direct experience with this recall? The internet says S&W has no 624 cylinders and will offer a new gun as a replacement, but I'd like to hear from anyone with direct experience.
Tony

[Guesser]

There were a few of the "Classic" Model 21's that came out a couple years ago that were found to have been bored to accept Magnum length cartridges. I know of two that went back to Smitty-Wetty and had the cylinders replaced. I have a Lew Horton 624, 3", RB that will not accept magnum length cartridges; that's the way it should be.

[376Steyr]

I bought one of the first 624's when they came out, and sent it back for the original recall. The worry then was weak cylinders, I forget if it was steel or heat treating related. Guns that were checked by the factory were returned with a red "c in a a circle" stamped on the box label. If you get a 624 without it's original cardboard box, you are out of luck.
If it were my 624 with long chambers, and it was still marked as a .44 Special, I'd just shoot Special ammo in it and not worry.

[Guesser]

I called about my Lew Horton gun as it came with the box and all, intact. Mine was not in the recall series.

[David LaPell]

I had a 624 and the box also had the large "C" with the red circle. But mine I don't think would take a .44 Magnum if I could recall.

[462]

I bought a NIB Lew Horton 6 1/2" 624 and the box has the red-circled C. I don't know if that is a positive indicator of the cylinder having been checked, or not. If so, it was done either during production or the dealer shipped it back. Going strictly by the serial number, mine was not subject to the recall.

When I bought it, I was told that the cylinder could be bored to accept the .44 Magnum. I've always been leery of that, due to the 24/624's shorter cylinder. There are those who like to push the envelope, though.

[AnthonyB]

I'll call S&W tomorrow to see what my options are. I'm leaning towards keeping it and shooting Special loads only. Don't think I'd want to trade this one for a current generation N-frame.
Tony

[CBH]

I have a 6 inch 624 made in '87 the accepts .44 mag cartridges. The chambers are not as tight as my other .44's but the gun shoots great. Given the heat-treating issue, I think .44 Spl ammo is the safest bet. This particular gun was not affected by the recall, according to S&W.