S&W fans- your favorite .22 rimfire Smith?

[dogtown tom]

My dad (81 yrs old) mentioned that he would like a .22 revolver to keep around the house.

So guess what he's getting for Christmas?

I'm not real familiar with S&W rimfire revolvers- what suggestions do you have? BTW NOT INTERESTED in anything with an internal lock.

Thanks for your suggestions.

 

[Chuck Dye]

Caveat emptor!

A few years ago, I bought what appeared to be a pristine 1970s Model 63, the itty-bitty J-frame. The gun passed all of the tests in Jim March's check list (stickied near the top of the revolver forum, don't miss it!) with flying colors. I rounded up a dozen or so brands of ammo, including several expensive match grade brands. On my 33 yard back porch range, I found I could barely keep most brands on the 15x15 paper (sand bags and a clip-on pinhole for simultaneously sharp sights and target.) I have yet to get to anything I can call a group rather than a pattern. When I phoned the Smith & Wesson shop about sending it in for evaluation and possible repair, I was told I should expect 3" to 4" inch, 25 yard groups, at best, from any Model 63. (This was spoken of the 70s production, the newly released 63 was not yet available.) I have yet to send mine in.

Your mileage may vary. I certainly hope that it does.

 

[NGIB]

Depends on the barrel length you're looking for. For a 4 inch I'd say a Model 18, for 6 or 8 a Model 17. Be prepared to spend some serious $$$ as the price of these has went up a bunch since ammo started to climb.

A 617 is also a great gun but it's hard to find pre-lock models. Keep an eye on the S&W forum as that's where you'll find most good ones...

 

[CDH]

+1 on that Model 63.

Find an earlier model without the lock and you're good to go.
I love mine.

 

[BillCA]

I have both a model 63 and a 617. Hands down winner in accuracy is the 617. The model 63 groups about 4" at 15 yards. Not very impressive.

The Model 617 with the 4" barrel is a good all-around revolver for plinking and pest control. Without trying to be super accurate it's not difficult to see 2" groups at 15 yards. Until I update my eyeglasses, I'm not trying 25 yard shots!

The downside to the 617 is that no speedloaders are available for the 10-shooter. And it takes quite a while to load those ten itty-bitty charge holes.

 

[smee78]

Smith 48

I got a Smith 48 22mag for sale, 6" barrel, blue, no lock, if interested pm me.

 

[Superhouse 15]

S&W

Mine came into the gunshop as a pawn that was lost. I could tell by the trigger pull that someone had messed with it doing "trigger work". I may or may not have used that as leverage in the deal. It was unreliable and had light primer strikes on occasion. With some replacement springs it works fine and shoots accurately enough for me. It's not very ammo picky either. I got rid of the junky old grips, too.

I use it as a training pistol and a stand-in for this one.

 

[kraigwy]

Revolver ------ Model 18
Semi -----------Model 41

 

[Bellevance]

Speedloader for the S&W 617 10-shot

The downside to the 617 is that no speedloaders are available for the 10-shooter. And it takes quite a while to load those ten itty-bitty charge holes.

On the contrary, BillCA, DS 10-speed (Dave Skrzela) makes a great speedloader for the 10-shot 617. I have one, and I love it. Here's a link:

http://groups.msn.com/Speedloader/ds10speed.msnw

Tom, if you haunt the auction sites and classifieds looking for a pre-lock 617, you'll find one in time. Mine has the 6-inch barrel. Terrific target revolver. But since it's got the full lug, some consider it muzzle heavy. Your dad might be happier with a 4-inch or with a (no-lug) 17.

 

[MrBorland]

The downside to the 617 is that no speedloaders are available for the 10-shooter.

au contraire:

http://www.msnusers.com/speedloader

Don't have one myself - never felt the need - but I hear they work well, especially when used with loading blocks.


As to the OP, I have a 617 (with the lock) and a K-22. Both are great shooters.

 

[stevieboy]

I have a 17-5 (8 3/8") barrel, a 617-no dash (6") and a 617-1 (4"). They're all great guns and very, very accurate, both in single and in double action. My eyes aren't what they used to be and that limits my range somewhat. However, with any of them I can routinely get 1" double action groups at 10 yards and 2 - 2 1/2" groups at 15 yards. Things spread out a bit at 25 yards but that's me, not the guns. My favorite among the three may the 6-incher. They're all six shot models. I don't like cleaning all of those little chambers on a 10-shooter.

As far as limiting yourself to pre-lock, that's strictly a question of taste. Mine happen to be pre-lock models but I have nothing against lock equipped revolvers. As far as prices are concerned, I purchased all of these guns within the last 12 months. I purchased the 4" gun at a show for $500, the 6" on Gunbroker for $550, and the 8 3/8" gun at a gun dealer for $375. The last one was, in my opinion, one of those lucky breaks that don't come along too often.

I've fired a 63. I'm not real impressed with it. I don't know about accuracy but the J-Frame trigger is considerably heavier than the K- and L-frame triggers and that's an issue with me because I shoot mostly double action.

 

[darkgael]

S&W

The model 317 Airlite 2" barrel. It goes in my back pocket when I am hunting upland. Weighs 10.5 oz loaded. It's also my only .22 revolver.
Pete

 

[NGIB]

Had a 63 myself and I much prefer the K frames. With the coil mainspring, it's harder to get the J frame trigger as nice or as smooth as a K frame.

I have no problems with the lock myself, in fact I'm picking up a new 10 shot, 4 inch 617 today...

 

[VonFatman]

I like the M34. Here's a pic of mine. It's got the bannana grips and fits my hands like a glove.

Good luck.

Bob

 

[Ala Dan]

Another vote for the 2" S&W model 34~! I have a pristine,
factory nickel -1 model, that is a SQAURE BUTT model.

 

[mega twin]

I'd have to go with the model 17 with a six inch barrel. There's just something about a blued k-frame that rocks my boat!

 

[tekarra]

Here is my model 63. Sure would like to get a 2" barreled version. It is a fine shooter but the frame is a bit small for extended shooting.

 

[sandbag]

Model 17

I have a Model 63 4" and a Model 17 6".I like the 17 better on the range,but the 63 is a nice little piece to have handy when I'm out fishing-size and stainless steel construction are pluses.

 

[CDH]

I have a Model 63 4" and a Model 17 6".I like the 17 better on the range,but the 63 is a nice little piece to have handy when I'm out fishing-size and stainless steel construction are pluses.

No argument there. It's just that when I think of "fun", I equate that more with being out in the woods camping or fishing than I do with standing on the range on a hot day.

For lot's of target shooting, the 17 or 617 is the way to go, but for "fun"?... Sorry, the nod goes to the cute little 63.

 

[Locoweed]

I have a ten shot 617 no lock with an 8 3/8" barrel that shoots like a rifle -- super accurate (but that bbl length is out of production). I had a model 17 six shot that was a real tack driver and if you can find one that would be my recommendation. I just recently sold off my 617 4" ten shot because I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn with it. Have you considered a Ruger Mk I or Mk II? Oh, yeah, the model 317 has horrible sights and I also sold that one off.