1917/45

C

CajunBass

New member
After many years of resisting a revolver chambered for an "automatic" cartridge, I gave in purchased this one. I figured at first I'd just shoot it without clips and use a pencil to kick the empties out, but then I went ahead and got 100, 1/3 moon clips.

Model 1917 Smith & Wesson. S/N indicates it's from 1918. The barrel is 5.5 inches, sights are fixed. It is marked on the butt as US ARMY 1917, and under the barrel as UNITED STATES PROPERTY.

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It's got a few scratches and some light rust, but not too bad for almost 100 years old.
 
W

walks with gun

New member
One of the top guns on my wish list. I wish I would have been smarter when I was younger and grabbed more old guns when no one wanted them.
 
M

Mike Irwin

Staff
Very nice.

Couple words of advice.

1. Don't shoot factory hardball (or any hardball) through it.

During the War S&W slacked off on heat treating in order to turn out the revolvers demanded by the military. To help take stress off the gun, it seems that S&W bored the chamber mouths on the large size to reduce pressure.

S&W also had production quality issues at the same time that got to be so bad that the US Army took control of the plant and administered it until late 1918/early 1919.

2. For the same reason, keep your loads on the mild side.

3. Consider buying and loading Auto Rim cases; this will help keep your loads separate.

4. Do NOT depend on the hammer block safety on these guns. They can be deactivated by accumulations of hardened grease/dr

I'd love to pick up a US military marked one, but I've never had the money at the same time I find one of the guns.

I did pick up a first phase Brazilian contract a few years ago. Lots of fun.
 
H

highpower3006

New member
Love those old guns. In the past I have had a couple of 1917's, one a S&W and the other a Colt. For some dumb reason I let them go and haven't found a decent one to replace them with at a price I can afford.

A little while ago I did manage pick up a British contract Mk2 still in .455 Ely, but I have been to lazy to find ammo for it.
 
R

RickB

New member
I have a Mk. II that has been fitted with a M1917 cylinder; solves the problem of brass, but for any sort of accuracy at all, I need to load .454" bullets, and even then, it's only minute-of-paper-plate at ten yards.
 
D

Driftwood Johnson

New member
Howdy

This one left the factory in 1918.

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Nope, no hammer block.

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I second shooting 45 Auto Rim out of it. No clips needed, and you can use the ejector rod to eject the empties. Starline makes brass.
 
B

Bob Wright

New member
I've never had a S&W M-1917, but have been through several Colt M-1917s. This when they could be had for $24.95 in select condition, $19.95 in less condition. And surplus .45 ACP was maybe $1.00/box, with four half moon clips in the box.

These, plus a later Colt Gold Cup, left me with a goodly supply of ACP brass. For awhile was ACP-less, then finally bought a S & W Model 625, then a Ruger Blackhawk convertible.

There is no real advantage to a .45 ACP revolver except for having a pile of ACP brass already on hand. And, of course, just the pleasure of owning/shooting such a critter. The Ruger Blackhawk, or any Single Action having an ACP cylinder eliminates the need fo clips and makes the shooting that much more pleasant.

Another direction I've found: .45 Colt brass that has had split case mouths, can be cut to .45 ACP length and loaded with ACP dies and .45 Colt shell holders and fired in the ACP cylinder of Ruger Blackhawks. I have done this for awhile, and dubbed mine ".45 Xtra Short." Absolutely useless, good for nothing but shooting.

Bob Wright
 
N

natman

New member
I've got a Brazilian contract. It was in pretty good shape except for a bunch of tiny nicks from being tossed in a drum of oil for storage. The grips took a lot of work to get the oil out.

I wouldn't dream of carrying it, but it makes a fun range toy because I have a LOT of 45 ACP brass and lead bullets.
 
J

James K

Member In Memoriam
There is a question as to when the hammer block safety was put on the 1917; the Brazilian contract guns* have it, but it seems to have been added at that time, and earlier to other guns retained by the Army, so it is hard to tell just when it was originally used. Anyone concerned can easily check.

*The Brazilian contract guns were not new-made; they were bought back by S&W from Army surplus and rebuilt to then-current standards, including addition of the hammer block safety. Sometimes surplus parts were used and those still bear the WWI era inspectors' markings and US military marks or signs of their removal. Some of the barrels are slightly "out of round" due to removal of the USP marking from the bottom of the barrel.

Jim
 
M

Mike Irwin

Staff
Remember, Jim, that there were TWO distinct runs of Brazilian contract guns...

A late 1930s run, and a post World War II run.

There are indications that at least some of the pre war guns were newly manufactured frames and NOT Army repurchase.
 
D

Driftwood Johnson

New member
Howdy Again

I just popped the sideplate off of a Brazilian model. No hammer block. I'm not positive of the date of manufacture of this one, but it was probably part of the 1938 shipment to Brazil.

According to SCSW at the end of WWII S&W bought back from the government 10,000 frames and spare parts. These were assembled and sold on the commercial market 1946-1950. Those with an S prefix to the serial number will have the postwar hammer block in them. The same hammer block that X&W currently uses.
 
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