S&W Model 620 Production Volume?

[Cincinnatus]

I recently ran across a Smith and Wesson Model 620 and must admit that until recently I was not familiar with this model. This is largely due to the fact that I simply can not recall ever seeing one in person or even on online auction sites. Of course everyone knows about the ubiquitous 686, but an L-Frame .357 without the full underlug and a two-piece barrel is very intriguing to me.

The 620 is perhaps even more interesting due to the fact that it seems to be fairly difficult to come across one. From what I can tell, it seems as though S&W only manufactured them from 2005-2009. Is it possible to determine exactly how many were made during the entire production run? Also does anyone know on good authority (not just rumor) why production was ceased? Was it purely due to low sales numbers?

I know that the 686 is very similar and probably out-sold the 620 at least 5-1 (if not more), but there are certainly other revolvers within the S&W line that seem to have even more over-lap than the 620/686 and yet continue to be produced.

I was just curious to find out more about this wonderfully configured, and yet strangely scarce, wheel gun.

 

[golden]

Too late

Cincinnatus,

The 620 and 619 were S&W'S attempt to recover the glory days they had when the S&W model 19 and 66 were THE GUNS to carry with the cops.

There were too late. By the time they hit the market, the 9m.m. rage was on and the only revolvers that were still selling in large numbers were the 5 shot J-frames.

The 586 and 686 were prettier with a COLT PYTHON like full underlug and the extra weight reduced the recoil perceived.

If you have one, you have a very nice revolver. It is built on the L-frame which is an INTERMEDIATE frame meant to compete with the COLT I-frame and RUGER GP100 revolvers.

The L-frame is probably the best frame that S&W makes as far as the .357 magnum is concerned. It will not be beaten out of time like the old K-frame models and is still lighter and less bulkier than the N-frame guns like the model 27 and 28.

Jim