Congrats!
Hard to find all original models these days. The pre war coml stocks are a nice touch as well. They'll improve amazingly just by soaking them in acetone for two hours to get the years of soaked in oil out of them. You don't have to do anything else to them except let them dry which is quick because acetone evaporates so fast. You should see some nice walnut grain.
According to this:
U.S. Military Dates of Manufacture
I clicked on 1917 revolvers and plugged in your serial #. The year of manufacture for your frame is 1919.
RE-USE OF 1917 SURPLUS FRAMES
Inspected, but unused serial numbered 1917 military frames preceding and following #169959, (the estimated last military unit made), were assembled thru #209791 by 1946. Some numbered frames went to the Navy and Marines.
Some 1917s with frames and parts left over from the government contract with very varied shipping dates were assembled to fill contracts for the Brazilian government in 1937 and 1946. Therefore the s/n is of little help to pin down the shipping dates, unless you ask Roy, but features do help.
There are numerous examples that have the flaming bomb or eagle government inspector stamps in one or more various locations but not on the outside of the frame which were finished off; only in the yoke, and on 45 barrels and/or 45 cylinders. Also fouling cutouts may be found on these frames under the top strap.
Brazilians from the 1946 contract generally have the round top strap and U notch because of the use of surplus frames of early manufacturer.
BRAZILIAN CONTRACT 1917s (1937/1946)
In 1937 S&W made some 25,000 1917s for Brazil, most in serial range 181983-207043 with exceptions as usual that have serial #s far out of this range, using the late or post WW I produced flat top frame with sq notch rear sight, and these are stamped “MADE IN U.S.A.” on right frame side with the S&W trademark on left side of frame. They also have a Brazilian Crest on the side plate dated 1937. These first contract Brazilian 1917s had commercial checkered grips with flat chrome plated medallions. Many Brazilians can be found with the import mark of the importer that brought them back to the USA. One common importer stamp is "IA CO SAC CA" (International Arms Company, Sacramento, California) but stamps of other big importers of surplus arms can be observed as well.
The 2nd Brazilian contract run was in 1946 of about 11,800, most using surplus WW I produced frames in the 166,000 – 175,150 range with exceptions as usual that have serial #s far out of this range, most with older style round top strap and small U notch rear sight. Some were the newer flat top frames generally in the 207,196 – 209,878 range, with a few round tops also reported in that range. These '46 contract guns had WW I surplus 1917 smooth grips. These are also stamped “MADE IN U.S.A.”. Serial #s read with barrel to the left like all post war hand ejectors.
1946 Brazilians on the early frames do not usually have the post war sliding bar safeties, just the pre war side plate mounted hammer block, and may have cyl hold open detents.
Brazilians have myriad anomalies. S&W clearly used re-purchased (from the government), and scoured old parts inventory for frames and pieces to assemble them. One can honestly say that you will see every combination of 1917 frames and parts of multiple vintages assembled, that one can conjure up! There are some trends but the old adage that "the main rule is, there are no rules" truly applies in no other case as well as it does here.
New to Me.... Brazilian .45 H E Model 1917
Linear Mode
