The Smith & Wesson 624 is an N-frame .44 Special — the same frame size as the Model 29 .44 Magnum and the modern S&W 629, but chambered for the lower-pressure cartridge only. Production ran 1985 to 1988. Specs: 4" barrel, 41 oz of brushed stainless, Goncalo Alves square-butt target grip, red-ramp front sight, adjustable white-outline rear, and a 5 lb smooth target trigger.

The N-frame architecture is the whole story. .44 Special headspaces and locks up in a frame that was designed to contain .44 Magnum pressure, so the 624 has a margin of strength none of the L-frame or aluminum-framed .44 Specials can match. That extra steel produces a revolver almost twice the weight of a Charter Bulldog (41 oz versus 21 oz) but with a smoothness of action that comes from the full-sized N-frame internals. Owners and collectors describe the 624 trigger as among the best stock S&W revolver triggers of the 1980s.

What the 624 does better than anything else in the .44 Special lineup: it pairs N-frame mass with a 4" barrel and target sights in a deliberate range and outdoor revolver. The 624 is also a pre-lock S&W (no Hillary Hole), which alone drives a price premium with revolver buyers who prefer the older Smiths. Smith & Wesson produced the 624 in a limited run during the late 1980s, including a Lew Horton special edition of approximately 5,000 units. Trigger feel, lockup, and the way the gun returns from recoil all reflect the older S&W production era that collectors actively chase. Used examples in clean condition run $900-1,500 depending on box, papers, and finish.